Page 24 of One for the Money
She hums softly to herself as she cleans up from the mess and disposes of the needles we used in the small sharps container I just noticed beside her desk. There’s also a very tightly sealed trash can. When I point at it, she shrugs.
“The instruments I use are single-use, but I still have to store them appropriately until I dispose of them.”
“How are you planning on getting rid of this stuff?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“I’ll take them into town next time I restock my supplies.” She says it as if it’s such a normal thing, but I suppose it is for her. “You did a good job. Better than some med students I’ve seen.”
Absentmindedly, I rub at one of the scars on my shoulder. “I’ve had to stitch myself or buddies up a couple times.”
She clicks her tongue. “I feel like there’s a story there.”
“I was a dumb idiot who got into bar fights a lot. It’s not much of a story.”
The pretty doctor chuckles a little. “I’ve seen my fair share of those. Drunk and aggressive Alphas can take a lot of damage before they go down.”
“Don’t I know it,” I say with a snort. “I’m difficult to knock down, but when I fall, I fall hard.”
She pulls two bottles of water from her fridge and tosses me one before flopping down on her couch. “I was making dinner, but I’m too on edge to finish it right now. Somehow, that was more of a rush than doing it myself.”
I lean against the wall and crack open my water, sucking down half of it in one go. “Got adrenaline pumping, I get it. I’ve got the show to help me get mine out.”
“Do you like being ringmaster?”
“Showrunner,” I correct her. “Ringmasters perform with the acts. I introduce them and keep the crowd warmed up between them. It’s different.”
She rolls her eyes and crosses one leg loosely over the other. “Sure, very, very different. Do you have the big hat?”
“Hell no. Shit’s goofy. Also, that’s Matteo’s thing.” A silence falls over us that is sort of awkward, but not too bad. Eventually, I drain the bottle of water and toss itaway. “I gotta go get ready for the show,” I say, heading for the door. “You should come watch.”
She shakes her head. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m going to eat and pass out. Next time.”
“Next time.”
I head out of her place and immediately walk over to Dexter’s trailer.
After knocking several times, I throw open the door and find him with his headphones on, shirtless, and banging on his electronic drum set. When he looks up, he pulls one ear off and grumbles, “Sup?”
“Are you ever going to play for one of the shows?” I ask, momentarily forgetting why I showed up.
He rolls his eyes. “Ah, yes, just drums, that would sound so good.”
“Doesn’t Dario play guitar?”
“It’s been a bit for him,” he says, pulling off his headphones entirely. “Did you need me for something since you just barged into my trailer?”
“I wanted to see if you’d be up for running into town with me tomorrow.”
He shrugs. “Sure, why though?”
“I need to pick up a prescription for Brian, and was going to dispose of some stuff for the doc.”
After a quick internet search, I find that there is a hazardous waste collection site in this town. She didn’t ask me to do it, and I don’t know why I want to, but I need to go into town anyway, so I may as well save her a trip.
He rolls his eyes, but nods tightly. “I guess I could stand to do a little grocery shopping.”
Dexter pushes a cart beside me,where I’m still waiting in line at the pharmacy. “You get everything you need?”
“I think so. Did you still need to go shopping?”
