Page 5 of Wicked Grumpy Heart Doc

Not that he wasn’t already pissed off. It seemed like he was perpetually annoyed.

After paying for his lunch, he carried his tray into the dining room and was headed toward a table in the corner by the window when he heard his name.

“Aiden!”

It was a reflex to look when his name was called, so now he couldn’t pretend like he didn’t hear whoever was beckoning him.

Fortunately, it was Steven Ericson and James Rudolf. Both were good guys who didn’t constantly try to fix him up with someone, like some of the staff around the hospital. As if he couldn’t get a date without someone’s help.

He didn’t have any problem getting the casual hookup, and he definitely wasn’t looking for anything else. Some of his colleagues were under the impression he needed a love connection and would recommend the friend or sister, or someone their spouse knew, citing, “She’d be perfect for you.”

He wasn’t sure what constituted someone being “perfect” for him. Grouchy and pissed off at the world? That sounded dreadful—like he knew he would be for anyone for more than a night.

“Gentlemen,” he said as he set his tray down on the table and slid into the booth next to James, across from Steven.

“We were just talking about you,” James said with a grin.

Fuck.

“Please don’t tell me you know the perfect woman for me and want to set me up with her.”

Both men furrowed their brows, but Steven was the one who replied. “What? God no. I wouldn’t set my worst enemy up with a grumpy bastard like you.”

“I can’t even argue with you.”

“No, we were talking about who to invite to my place at the Cape for the Fourth. So far, we’ve got me and Whitney, my sister Hope and Yvette—her friend from California—James, Zach, and probably Zach’s flavor of the week, and maybe Whitney’s friend from the animal rescue fundraiser.”

“Sounds like you’ve got a full house.”

“There’s room for one more…” Steven said with raised eyebrows.

“I appreciate the invite, really. But I’m going to have to pass this time. Maybe next year.”

“Are you sure? We’re just going to be relaxing and drinking at the beach all day. Nothing planned other than hanging out.”

“Positive.”

“Well, if you change your mind, the invitation stands.”

He wouldn’t be changing his mind. Still, he replied, “Thanks. I appreciate that,” then took a bite of his sandwich.

As he chewed, he studied his friend on the other side of the booth.

Swallowing, he asked, “How long have you been dating this woman you’re seeing? What’s her name again?”

“Whitney. And a little over a month.”

Aiden lifted his chin toward Steven as he asked James, “Has he been smiling like this for the last month?”

“Pretty much,” James replied with a chuckle. “I’ve never seen him like this. And I’ve known him a long time.”

As much as he wanted to warn his friend to proceed with caution, he knew that would be a dick move. He wasn’t going to rain on Steven’s love parade. Besides, he knew if someone had tried to warn him about Susan when he was first besotted with her, he would have told them to fuck off and they’d ceased being friends.

Some lessons are only learned the hard way.

“What does she do?”

“She’s an attorney,” James supplied. “Zach introduced them when she was opposing counsel.”

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