Gloria put her hands on her hips and stared him down. “Are you?” she asked.
“You’ve seemed a bit distant since she started taking care of me. So, are you sure that you’re okay with her being here to help me?” Gloria asked, cutting right to the chase.
Gloria smiled, “Of course you like me,” she said, “what’s not to like?” He couldn’t help but laugh at how confident she was.
“So, what brings you by today?” Gloria asked.
“I have news,” he said.
“Oh,” she breathed. He could tell from the smirk on her face that she was well aware of what he was there to tell him.
“Yep,” he said, “I got the job. You know the one—as manager of chemical removal down at the three warehouses that I told you about?”
“Of course I do,” Gloria insisted. “I remember everything that you tell me. That’s wonderful,” she gushed.
“Yeah, I’m pretty excited about it. I start in two days. That’s when I’ll meet the team that I’ll be working with,” Reacher said. It felt damn good to be getting back to work, and finding something in his field was a bonus.
“And you ran all the way over here to tell me about it?” Gloria asked. “That’s very sweet that you didn’t make me wait to hear your news. I’m so happy that you got the job.”
“Well, you’re my favorite person in Yonkers, so I decided to tell you first,” Reacher admitted. Plus, there was the fact that he had no one else to tell except for the guys down at the club, and he’d tell them all tonight.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Brandi said, stepping into the family room. “I didn’t know that you had company, Gloria.” Reacher looked her over and he quickly looked away, not wanting to get caught checking her out. She made scrubs look pretty damn good.
“Hey, Brandi,” he breathed, “good to see you.”
She rolled her eyes and smiled at him, “You’re never going to let me live down the fact that I’m polite, will you, Reacher?” He shook his head, making both Brandi and Gloria giggle.
“Oh, James isn’t company,” she insisted, “he’s more like family.” Gloria winked at him, and Reacher had to hide the fact that her declaration had him choked up, and he was pretty sure that he wasn’t hiding it well.
“Still, I didn’t mean to interrupt. I can get started on dinner while you finish your visit—um, I mean, your chat,” Brandi said.
She seemed tongue-tied, and Reacher wondered if that had anything to do with him.
He kind of liked to think that he could do that to her, but he also knew that his charm seemed to have its limits with Brandi.
“It’s technically your day off,” Gloria said. Brandi looked a bit defeated when she turned to smile at Gloria. Reacher could tell that the thought of having a day off seemed to bug her. He knew how that felt. He liked to work, and being off for so long was starting to grate on his last nerve.
“I know that, but I hate just sitting around my place. I’m just not the type of person who can do that, so I decided that I’d come by here to check on you,” she said.
“And you cleaned my bathroom, got my medications sorted, and now, you’re offering to make me dinner,” Gloria said.
“While I don’t mind the company, I’m wondering why a woman who looks like you isn’t out on a hot date tonight.
” Now that Gloria brought it up, Reacher was trying to figure that out too.
She was hot, and most women who looked like her would have no issues getting a date.
“Um, I don’t date,” she admitted.
“Well, we’ll need to work on that,” Gloria insisted. Reacher almost felt bad for Brandi because Gloria was someone who loved a project, and she’d consider Brandi’s dating life, or the lack of, a project.
“I’m good, really Gloria. I’m happy just working and taking care of Mr. Cuddles Worth.” Brandi crossed her arms over her chest as though symbolically standing her ground, and Reacher thought that it was pretty damn cute.
“Is he one of your other patients?” Gloria asked.
Brandi dropped her arms to her sides and laughed. “No, he’s my cat. When one of my patients died, I inherited Mr. Cuddles Worth. I love him like crazy, and he tolerates me—most of the time.”
“You really are the sweetest person,” Reacher breathed. “You took in a patient’s cat?” She nodded and all he could do was stare back at her.
Gloria cleared her throat, garnering both of their attention. “I have an idea,” she said. Reacher almost wanted to groan at the thought of Gloria having an idea. Her ideas usually meant more work for him, or having to do something completely ridiculous and embarrassing.
“I have a feeling that neither Brandi nor I will like this idea of yours, Gloria,” he grumbled.
“Now, just hear me out. You’ve brought me good news, and I’d love to celebrate your new job, James,” she started.
“Okay, get your jacket and purse,” Reacher offered.
“Well, I’m not supposed to go out in public for a while.
My chemo screwed up my immune system, and I’ve been ordered to stay home.
So, why don’t you take Brandi out in my stead?
What do you say?” She looked so proud of herself, for coming up with her idea, but poor Brandi didn’t look the same.
In fact, she looked a little green, if Reacher was being honest.
“If this is you trying to fix my dating life, I say no thank you,” Brandi said, with a little heat.
“I don’t think that she meant for us to go on a date—just grab some dinner, as friends,” Reacher said, hoping to save any hurt feelings. Brandi was dead set against going on a date with him, and that kind of hurt his damn feelings, but he wouldn’t tell either of the women that.
“He’s right,” Gloria insisted. “I didn’t want to push you into anything you don’t want.
I just want James to have a celebratory dinner, and you need a proper night off, Brandi.
So, let me treat you both to a nice dinner.
Please,” Gloria quickly added. She wasn’t pulling any punches, and Brandi seemed to deflate some.
When she looked back up at him and nodded her agreement, Reacher let out a breath that he didn’t know that he had been holding.
“Great,” Gloria almost shouted. “You two figure out where you want to go, and I will expect for you to give me the check so I can pay you back.”
“That’s really not necessary,” Reacher said. He hated the idea of Gloria paying him to take Brandi out to dinner.
“Nonsense, James,” Gloria said. “You’ll let me buy you both dinner, or the next time either of you knock on my front door, I won’t answer it.” She was trying to play hardball, but Gloria had forgotten one little thing.
“Um, we both have keys,” Brandi said as though reading his mind. Gloria’s bright smile turned into a scowl, and he was sure that she’d find a way to lock them both out. Hell, she’d have Yonkers come over and change the fucking locks if necessary.
“But we’d love to let you buy us dinner,” Reacher said.
“We would?” Brandi asked.
“Yeah,” Reacher said, holding out his hand to her, “would you like to help me celebrate my new job, friend,” he asked.
Brandi smiled up at him, taking his hand in hers, and nodded.
“I’d love to, friend.” They both ignored Gloria’s clapping and carrying on.
Letting her win the argument was easy, but Reacher had a feeling that winning over Brandi and convincing her to give him a chance was going to be much harder—especially if Yonkers found out what he was up to.