Page 33 of The Potter

I nod. “I’ll tell Dr. Duke to take you off his schedule as well then.”

“Fine,” she snaps.

“Good,” I return. “Glad that’s settled.”

“Can I get back to work now? Or would you like to harass me further?”

I grin. Even upset, she’s all spitfire and brimstone.

“I’ll come for you at five, Ms. Belle. I suggest you be ready.”

And if she isn’t ready… Well, I’d enjoy nothing more than another round of back-and-forth with Astor’s pint-sized secretary.

“Did you run over someone’s family pet this morning?”

“What?” I look over the top of my coffee, eyeing my brother who looks more disheveled than usual.

“Just wondering why you seem to be in such a good mood this morning.”

Telling him that I’m looking forward to my first appointment would only start his morning off better, and considering it looks like he had a quickie in the elevator, I think he’s had enough excitement for one morning.

“Can’t I be in a good mood?”

Laughter explodes from Duke. “No, you can’t. You’reneverin a good mood.”

My eyes narrow. “Now you’ve resorted to lying.”

“Tell me this, bro. When’s the last time you remember smiling?”

That’s easy. Yesterday, when I pissed off our new employee, but again, Duke doesn’t need to know that. “I’m not even answering that absurd question. I smile, trust me.”

Duke scratches his chin sarcastically. “You see, you might have sold me on that if I didn’t live with you the first eighteen years of my life.”

His persistence is starting to ruin my mood. “Again, I’m—”

Someone raps on the door before it’s pushed open. “Dr. Potter, your nine o’clock is waiting in exam room one.”

I stand. “Thank you, Serena. I’ll be right in.”

Forgetting Duke is still watching my every facial expression, I fail to school my reaction, and he doesn’t miss it. “Ah, now I see. Shall I check the schedule and send the poor girl flowers? She must be in misery if she’s making you happy.”

“You won’t say a word to her,” I demand. “You’ve done enough.”

Had it not been for him agreeing to do Halle’s revision, I could have ignored her, but no, I could not stand back and allow him to perform a surgery he can’t handle.

Uncrossing his legs, Duke sits up, a ridiculous expression on his face. “I see. Well, please let Ms. Belle know if she would like a consult on breast implants to let me know. We could probably do both—”

I’m in his face before I realize it. “She doesn’t need enhancements.”

My hands are shaking, and his gaze tracks the trembling at my side. “Agreed. But then again, I think we agree for two very different reasons.”

I need to get out of here. Duke might enjoy seeing me squirm, but he’s far too observant for my liking. “Get to work.”

My demand only makes him laugh. “Yes, sir.”

Shaking my head, I turn toward the door when he stops me.

“Hey, Vance?”

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