Page 19 of The Devil You Know
“Um,” I say. “Did the price go up?”
“No,” Gloria says. “I had to charge you for the cup. Ten cents.”
Well, great.
“So, um…” I look down at the bills in my hand. “I actually don’t have that extra penny. I have four dollars. Is that… okay?”
Gloria shakes her head no. “I gotta have exact change or else the register won’t balance.”
“Yeah, but it’s apenny.”
“I don’t make the rules, doc.”
I sigh, looking into the cafeteria to see if Lisa is close enough that she’ll see me waving. “Is there any way you could spot me that penny? I promise I’ll pay it back.”
Gloria taps a sign that is taped to the register. “No credit.”
“It’s apenny.”
“If everyone did it, that’s a lot of pennies.”
I’m about to pop an aneurysm in my brain when I hear a voice to my right say, “I’ll cover Dr. McGill’s meal.”
Oh no.
I turn my head and there he is. Dr. Ryan Reilly—the sexiest surgeon I’ve ever known. He’s in scrubs again, which is his attire of choice. He’s got a tray with a salmon burger of his own and a Coca Cola that he slides alongside mine. He hands Gloria a ten dollar bill and she beams at him.
“Hello, Dr. Reilly!” she chirps in a friendly tone I had no idea she possessed.
He winks at her. “Hello yourself, Gloria. Please keep the change.”
“You’re so sweet, Dr. Reilly,” she sighs. I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if she leaned across the cash register and kissed him. He’s worked here less than a week and already every female employee of the hospital is in love with him. Figures.
I try to hand Ryan my four crumpled bills, but he holds up his hand. “Please, Jane. Don’t insult me.”
“Okay, thanks,” I mumble.
He grins at me. “You’re welcome. I missed being your hero.”
I want to tell him he’s not my hero, but the truth is, he sort of is right now. What the hell would I have done if I couldn’t come up with that extra penny?
“So where are we sitting?” he asks me.
No. No way. I’mnothaving lunch with him.
“Actually,” I say, “I’m sitting with my friend Lisa.”
“And I can’t join you because…?”
I give him a look and he just shakes his head innocently. Fine. He can sit with me and Lisa. Hopefully, he’ll behave himself. After all, he’s had eight years to mature.
Who am I kidding? This is going to be awful.
As I approach the table where Lisa is sitting, she looks up and her eyes go wide as she sees Ryan following me. When he puts his tray down on our table, she jumps out of her seat. “Hi!” She thrusts her manicured fingers in his direction. Her nails are decorated with the colors of the American flag. “I’m Lisa. And you are…?”
“I’m Ryan.” He takes her outstretched hand and I can see a flush on Lisa’s face. Seriously? He’s notthatgood looking. “I’m the new vascular surgeon here.”
“Oh!” Lisa’s eyes widen further. I know she thinks surgeons are crazy sexy.
