Page 76 of Off Plan

“Oh, yup. I definitely love one of the guys,” Beale agreed. “Even though he’s a lying sack of shit, I’d take a bullet for him.”

I blinked. There were many things to focus on here.

“One of them?” I repeated. “There’s more than one guy?”

Beale sucked his top lip between his teeth and nodded, his blue eyes shining. “The other guy’s really nice, too. I like him a lot. Great style. Braver than he looks. I think things are gonna work out just fine.”

“Well… good.” I blinked some more. “That’s… good, Beale. Look, if you need to talk—”

“Soup is ready, Dr. Mason!” Lety said from behind me.

Beale winked. “You’d best go get to work, hmm?”

“I… I guess, yeah.” I recalled suddenly that I was supposed to be avoiding Fenn, anyway. “Catch you later?”

“You know it.”

Huh.First Rafe and Gloria. Now Beale in a poly relationship. I wondered if Fenn…

Gah.I needed to stop.

I took a breath and blew it out, then gave Juju some cash and walked outside. Fenn’s car was still parked in the lot by Goodmen Outfitters, but I didn’t see him on the street. I checked my phone, but he hadn’t texted me again, which was probably for the best, and not the sort of thing I should be irrationally disappointed about.

Jesus, Mason, make up your mind.

I scurried across the street to the rec center, ran up the stairs, unlocked the door, darted into my office, and quickly closed the door behind me.

Safe.

For now, anyway.

From behind me came the sound of rustling paper, and I whirled around, clapping a hand to my chest and nearly dropping my bag of food in the process.

There, sprawled out on the exam table with one hand stacked behind his head, one hand on his chest, and his booted feet crossed at the ankles, lay Fenn Reardon.

“What thehellare you doing here?”

Fenn’s eyes widened likeIwas the crazy one in the room. “Uh. This is the doctor’s office, isn’t it? I’m here to see the doctor. Obviously.”

My heart beat crazy-fast, and only part of that was from shock. He was wearing the same threadbare T-shirt he’d been wearing last week.

I had distinctly fonder feelings about it now.

“How did you get in when the door was locked?”

“Wasit locked? Hmm. I can’t really remember. I might have been in a fugue state. Which is why I need a doctor.”

“It’s a Saturday,” I informed him, setting my bag of food on the desk. “I only work Saturdays in emergencies.”

Fenn’s blue, blue eyes met mine, and though he didn’t smile, they crinkled at the corners with amusement and something hotter. Something that made my stomach swoop. “This is definitely an emergency.”

I forced myself to look away. “You’d better tell me about your symptoms, then. You look okay, to me.”

“Look closer,” he invited.

I bit my lip. My fucking hands were shaking. Whatwasthis thing between us? Lust? Attraction?

Stimulus was sure as fuck not stimulus. What an idiot I’d been.