Sarah held up her hands. “Hey, I only answer the phones. Take this up with Kelly. Unless you want me to call her back for you.” Wiggling her mouse, David’s schedule popped back on the computer screen. Then Sarah peered back at him. “I could call her back and say something else came up. What do you want me to do?”
David fished his phone out of his pocket. “No,” his fingers slid across the screen as he typed a message to Kelly. “I’ll get to the bottom of this on my own. Thanks.”
Sarah shrugged. Swiveling in her chair, she grabbed some patient files off the shelf.
Though the conversation clearly ended, David couldn’t help but elaborate. “Last time Kelly officially made dinner for me, she invited a woman from church to join us. This has a familiar ring to it.”
Chuckling, Sarah nodded. “You’re probably right. But what can you do? Kelly only wants her son to meet a nice woman. You can’t fault her for that.” Sarah scooted herself closer to her desk.
David groaned. “I wish she’d stop though.”
“You don’t even know if she’s invited someone,” said Sarah. “And besides she’s only done it once. It’s not like she’s trying to set you up left and right.”
“Oh, she’s invited someone. I know she has.” David ran a hand down the length of his face. He knew he needed to get back out there and start dating again, but his most recent dates only left David discouraged. “Anyways…” He stared out the lobby windows, hoping for his next patient to arrive and distract him.
His phone pinged. David dug into his pocket, pulling out his phone. The text revealed Kelly invited some mutual friends for dinner. But before he had time to text back and ask her to elaborate on said friends, the lobby door chimed and in walked his next patient. Greeting the patient, David immediately stopped worrying about his predicament and led them back to the exam room.
The rest of the day sped right on by.
Then the rest of the week. David didn’t allow himself to stew over the dinner Kelly set up or call to get more details. Knowing there wasn’t any point, David dropped it.
It wasn’t until Friday finally rolled around; he dreaded whatever the evening held in store for him. Tugging at his shirt collar, David knocked lightly then entered his parents’ house, announcing his arrival as he closed the door behind him.
At the end of the hallway, Kelly popped her head through the sliding glass door. “Come on out here, David.” Her voice carried down the long corridor. Waving him over, Kelly continued, “we’ll eat out here tonight. It’s too nice a night to be stuck inside.”
When David didn’t immediately move, Kelly entered the house walking toward him.
Striding down the hallway, David met her halfway. “Who did you invite?” asked David, keeping his voice low enough not to carry out the open sliding door. Darting his glance between Kelly and the outside voices, he continued, “and why wouldn’t you tell me who you invited? What’s with all the secrecy?” He suddenly wanted at least a slight heads up before he faced whoever was beyond the door.
Fluffing her hair, Kelly pushed up her chin. “It’s like I said… a mutual friend… actually friends.”
David raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side, he studied Kelly. “What friends?”
Kelly tugged on his arm, bringing him closer. Lowering her voice, she replied, “I invited Claire and Alexis. After you told me you were Alexis’s orthodontist, I felt the need to do something nice for Rebecca’s girls. So, I drove on over to the house, I went there many times for the knitting circle I was in with Rebecca, and I extended them an invitation.”
David inhaled. His eyes darted toward the patio. Laughter vibrated down the hallway. Kelly had no clue he had joined Claire and Alexis at the beach for a movie. Now he regretted not calling or at least texting. Though David enjoyed Claire’s company and found her attractive, he didn’t see the point in meeting up again, not with her moving.
Shaking his head, David pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why didn’t you just tell me that?” He gritted his teeth.
His heart jackhammered. Sweat slathered his brow. Claire was out there… geez this was a mess. David cringed at how little he thought through the consequences of joining Claire and Alexis at the movie. Naïvely, after the movie, he thought he could avoid Claire until they left Pismo. Now the error in his thinking was blaring obviously.
“I didn’t want you to fight me on it,” countered Kelly. Nudging him with her elbow, Kelly continued, “besides you should be glad. It’s not like I’m trying to set you up. I only needed someone closer in age to them, so the conversation was a little livelier.”
“Fine,” David’s jaw locked. “Do Claire and Alexis know I’m coming? Did you tell them I’m Alexis’s orthodontist?” His middle twisted on itself.
Kelly slapped him on the arm. “Of course, I told them.” She gave him a sideways glance. “Why do you look pale suddenly? What am I missing here?”
David gulped. This was going to be awkward. Sweat smattered his brow. He swiped it away, forcing himself to smile. Kelly narrowed her eyes, reexamining him.
Motioning his head toward the patio, David mustered up some courage. “You aren’t missing anything.” He cleared his throat, squaring his shoulders. “I’ll follow you out to the patio.”
Pivoting, Kelly wandered back to the patio. David followed behind her. Before he passed through the screen door, he took a deep breath to settle the rapid pace of his heartbeat. Once through the sliding door to the patio, David closed it behind him before turning to face everyone. When he finally glanced over, Stephen, Claire, and Alexis stopped talking and stared back at him. David gulped. Alexis crossed her arms and glared. Claire’s back stiffened, but she met his gaze and held it.
Dang, Claire looked good. Her hair was down, loose, and flowy. And her jeans and T-shirt managed to hug her in all the right places. Oh, buddy. David tried to remember why he blew it and didn’t call her. Then he reminded himself they were moving from Pismo.
“Hello to you both,” David forced his lips into a crooked smile. “I hope you’re having a nice evening.”
Lowering himself into the only available seat next to Claire, he awkwardly sat down.
