Page 4 of Need Me
“Tired, but fine. I waswondering—”
“Frank! Look who’shere!”
Brooke watched a dishwater blonde rush out of a nearby exam room and waylay Robert, pulling him into a hug. “Thank you so much for saving Davey! You’re anangel.”
Robert smiled and hugged her back warmly. “You’re welcome, Mrs. Peters. I’m just glad I could help. How isDavey?”
Mrs. Peters backed off a little as her husband came out of the exam room. “He’s in Radiology right now, but they’re pretty sure that it’s a simplefracture.”
“That’sgood.”
Frank stuck out a hand to Robert. “There’sSuperman.”
Robert grinned and accepted Frank’s manlyhug.
“We owe you,” Franksaid.
“No, you don’t. That’s what I’m there for,” Robert said. “I just wanted to check on Davey and make sure he really isokay.”
“You are so sweet,” Mrs. Peters gushed. “He’ll be sorry that he missedyou.”
Brooke watched as Robert responded. He looked a little agitated and she had no idea why. The little boy would soon be back to fitting fit. “I’d like to give you my number. Will you give me an update onhim?”
“Sure.” Frank pulled out his phone and took Robert’snumber.
When Robert had said goodbye to Davey’s parents, Brooke said, “I didn’t know you were the one who rescuedhim.”
“Yeah, that wasme.”
His bashful smile tickled Brooke no end. She looped an arm through his. “Well, Superman, from what I hear, that was a trickyrescue.”
He colored as he laughed. “Don’t tell me that nickname is going to stick. All your other onesdo.”
Brooke shrugged a little. “I have no idea what youmean.”
“Bullshit,” he responded in a quieter voice. “Let’s see. Tyler is GQ, Emily is WonderWoman—”
“Because she puts up with GQ,” Brooke interjected. She and her best friend Emily’s husband, Tyler Jeffries, often didn’t see eye-to-eye. “And because I wonder what she sees inhim.”
Robert said, “Hey, Ty’s a good guy. Cut him a break. He treats Emily like a queen and he loves thosekids.”
“That’s the way it better stay if he doesn’t want to find his expensive GQ suits cut to shreds,” Brookesaid.
Robert patted her hand. “Downgirl.”
She gave him a disbelieving look. “Did you just compare me to adog?”
His eyes bugged out and his face reddened. “No, no! Bad joke. Occupationalhazard.”
Brooke pretended to still be offended. “I’m not sure I believe you. Still, what do you expect from someone who manages a veterinarianpractice.”
Robert stopped walking. “Brooke, I’m sorry. I was justkidding—”
“Talk is cheap, Robert. You have to make it up to me.” She gave him a coy look and giggled when helaughed.
“You gotme.”
“I’m not kidding,” she said giving an exaggeratedsniff.
