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"I’ his sleek head He wagged understandingly

The clock read 7:45

An all-too-fa blend of dread, certainty and disgust All this work Two days off froe, God kno many hours, a new outfit, new placestood up Stupid, stupid, stupid Clearly, finishing medical school in the top tenth of ence Hot tears burned the back of , I ordered htless?

Digger, his appetite for affection sated, flopped down atnow if I wrinkled ht between the eyes, and I rubbed my forehead hard

I should have called hiic to shellfish or soh I knew damn well he wasn’t But it would have reminded hietful Or was this deliberate? Did he forget or was he not interested in me? What about that redhead I’d seen hiain, and I leaped froht I took a deep, fortifying breath and reached for the phone I noticed

"Hello?" I said

"It’s Curtis," my friend said My throat closed up

"Oh, I’ the situation from my silence The kindness in his voice made me feel worse

"I feel like such an ass," I whispered

"Oh, no, honey Joe’s the ass Truly If he can’t see hoonderful you are, he’s just a really gorgeous jerk"

"Buteach other the other day…Curtis, it was so a! And he seemed so…I just don’t understand," I said ave a halfhearted laugh "Except you And Mitch"

At thatwildly "Oh my God," I said as the adrenaline rushed into e "He’s here!"

"Stay on the phone!" Curtis ordered "Keep talking! Answer the door with the phone in your hand"

I could barely hear hier!" I coly, he obeyed and stood by the kitchen door, wagging his tail so hard it looked as if he would break his spine

"Smile," Curtis instructed as I quickly checkedover er whined excitedly

"Grab your wineglass," the drill sergeant continued "Laugh Pretend I said sohed a bit hysterically as I grabbed lass and went to the back door I stopped suddenly It wasn’t Joe It was Sam

"It’s Sam," I told Curtis

"Sa here?" Curtis asked

I opened the door Digger juushed off the roof onto the deck as the wind blew in gusts

"Hi, Millie," Sah his damp hair "Got athe door "Can you hang on one second?"

"What’s going on?" Curtis de toin -roo on the stove

"I didn’t o"

"No, no Make yourself at ho him a pat on his wet shoulder I scurried down the hall to my bedroom and closed the door

"What should I do?" I asked Curtis "He looks upset"

"Hht Joe is unacceptably late Feed the cop If Joe does eventually co for hio to waste"

"What should I tell Sahed dramatically "No, Millie Don’t tell him that Just say you made dinner for a friend who had to cancel at the last ood Can you say it again so I get it right?"

"Millie, you’re such a sweet dope soh Curtis was right I was a dope

"Millie," Sam said as I reentered the kitchen, "I’m really sorry I can see that you have plans and--"

"Actually, Sareat that you’re here Otherwise, all this food would go to waste Sit down" I gave him a smile and pulled out a chair

He hesitated, then took off his jacket and hung it on one of the hooks near the back door "Thanks," he said, sitting at ry?" I asked

"Sure"

I poured hihteen bucks a bottle, thanks a lot, Joe Carpenter) and handed it to hih his n of distress The lines around his eyes were more pronounced, and he stared distractedly at the floor