Page 12 of Falling into Place
On the other hand, his sisters had implied he’d become some sort of recluse, which he’d grudgingly realized wasn’t wrong. Maybe he needed a trial run with Carly before going on an actual date with a stranger, and this was as good an opportunity as any.
From: [email protected]
Carly,
Dread is probably too strong a word. Am I looking forward to the next few months? No. But working with you is the least of my worries (please don’t take that as a challenge).
I’d like to meet in person if we can. I’m on service this week, so my days are pretty long.
Maybe we could meet for coffee sometime tomorrow evening?
Brooks
Fifteen minutes later, his phone dinged.
From: [email protected]
That’s perfect—I have a different job during the day so I usually meet after hours, anyway. How about tomorrow at 6:30pm? Ever been to Coffee Slingers on Broadway?
Carly
From: [email protected]
Love that place. See you then.
Brooks
From: [email protected]
Perfect. If possible, could you follow the link at the bottom and fill out as much of this personal style questionnaire as you can before we meet?
Carly
He frowned at the screen. Homework already? Damn.
Brooks walked into Coffee Slingers at 6:24 the next evening. Ever since arriving three minutes late for rounds his first week as a resident at University Medical Center and receiving a public evisceration by the attending in front of the entire team, he’d never been late for anything again.
Like, literally never.
His gaze swept the shop. He didn’t see anyone he recognized, so he headed toward an empty table to wait and keep an eye on the door.
“Brooks?”
He swiveled left, searching for the feminine voice. A (very) pretty brunette sat at the table he’d just passed, offering him a hesitant smile and a little wave.
He blinked. “Carly?”
Wow.
She looked ... different. Fifteen years would do that to a person, he supposed. Why he expected the same girl with short blond hair and massive hoop earrings, he had no idea. He certainly didn’t resemble the high school version of himself, thank God.
