Page 19 of Hale Yes
Artie’s lips curl up at the corners. “I want it to be as dirty as the inner rim of a gas station toilet after chimichanga night.”
Charmaine makes a gagging noise before taking the rest of the drink and lunch orders. Once she’s departed, Lehra leans her chin on her hand and returns her attention to me.
“Are you nervous?”
I wrinkle my nose. “No, just… anxious, I guess. I’ve been with Aquarius Cosmetics since I graduated, so going to a new company will be a whole new world.”
What if they don’t like me?
“They’re going to love you,” Artie says as if he can read my mind. “You’re the coolest nerdy bitch I know.”
That makes me laugh. “Thanks, but I need to go. I still have to find my driver.”
Cruz and Artie wish me luck, and Lehra blows me a kiss. “You’ve got this, babe. I’m so proud of you.”
She has no idea how much I needed to hear someone say those words to me.
Calvin, the man driving the town car that was sent to pick me up, is a burly red-haired southern gentleman with a deep, soothing drawl. He’s also an excellent tour guide, pointing out landmarks and attractions as he weaves through the Houston traffic and into the downtown area.
“Now down yonder is the medical center,” he says, pointing a thick finger toward a busy road.
I chose to sit in the front seat with Calvin rather than in the back, and I duck my head to see numerous hospital signs in the distance.
“Is MD Anderson down there?” I ask.
“It is,” he says, casting a glance toward me. “Are you… I mean, do you have… Sorry, I’m prying.”
His cheeks go ruddy, and I rush to assure him. “No, I don’t have cancer, but a friend of mine from med school did his oncology residency at MD Anderson. I know it’s ranked as the top cancer hospital in the country.”
Calvin nods in the affirmative. “It is. My mother had stage four breast cancer, and they saved her. She’s still kicking along, even at age eighty.”
“It’s wonderful that you still have your mom.”
“I agree. And here is Hale Cosmetics,” he informs me as we pull up to the curb. “The tall building has all the corporate offices, but you’ll be going into that one there. That’s the lab.” He points to the three-story structure to the right of the larger one.
Both buildings are made of blue mirrored glass, though the office building is at least ten stories with the Hale Cosmetics logo near the top. “Thanks for the ride, Calvin. And for the excellent conversation.”
“Of course. Stay right there, and I’ll get your door for ya.” The driver is spry for such a big guy, rounding the car quickly to pull open my door. “Good luck to you, Dr. Bell. I hope to see you again soon.” He tips an imaginary hat to me and grins widely.
“I hope so too.”
“Ah, there’s Dr. Blake. Isn’t she ugly?” he asks, gesturing toward a woman striding toward us from the laboratory building. When I gasp in surprise at his rude comment, he bursts into loud guffaws. “I’m the only one allowed to say that because she’s my sister.”
That relaxes me into a laugh, and I recognize the family resemblance as she gets closer. Dr. Abigail Blake has short, flame-red hair interspersed with gray, and her hazel eyes twinkle like her brother’s.
“Dr. Bell,” she greets, shaking my hand enthusiastically. “So pleased to have you here. I hope Calvin didn’t fill your head with any of his bull.”
“He told me he has the most brilliant and beautiful sister in the world,” I tell her teasingly, and she cuts her eyes suspiciously at a grinning Calvin.
“Hmm, I guess I’ll let him live another day then.” She rises on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. “I’ll text you when we’re ready to go to lunch.”
“I interrogated Dr. Bell like you asked and learned all her secrets,” Calvin says in a mock whisper.
“Did you waterboard her?” Abigail whispers back.
“No, but if she didn’t fess up, I was going to make her listen to my entire discography of Willie Nelson until she spilled the beans.”
His sister shudders, and I laugh at their sibling banter. “That wouldn’t have worked on me,” I inform them. “I like Willie.”
