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In loving iven me notice," Joy, my best friend of er side ofthrown tonight for the hospital "Do you kno hard it is to find soht hours?"

"I’ht I’d h "You didn’t have to come if it was a pain in the ass"

She huffs, then taps reen eyes of hers s you shit It’s been a week"

"Me, too"

"I’m seriously so proud of you, Jace" She reaches over to squeeze ery in your mid-thirties? Dude, you’re a rock star"

I smirk, but her words mean the world to me Joy has been rad She’s been with

I pull into a circular driveway and givethe valet, then Joy slips her hand through my arm, and alk up the steps toward the party "You look really pretty I like this dress"

"It’sdown at the little red nu as we enter the ballroom "And these heels will likely kill lass of cha a bottle of water forwith s"

"Getting dressed up is kind of fun," she admits and sips her bubbly Joy is as tall as my shoulder in her heels Her honey-brown hair is wavy and styled perfectly, and she has minimal makeup

Because she doesn’t need it

She’s pretty and funny, and she’s the best friend a guy could ask for Which is e’re just friends

I don’t need to fuck up a good thing with my libido

"Also, I wouldn’t miss this for the world I’m surprised your fa around the room All of the board ues from my department People I respect and ad, "but the family will have a private celebration next week You’re invited, of course Whattable set up with a spread of finger foods

"A guy brought a carrier full of ot loose It was chaos One of the little suckers was elusive for two days"

I laugh, picturing Joy chasing mice around her veterinarian clinic

"It’s funny now, but at the tih "Very busy"

"Because you’re the best cardiothoracic surgeon there is, proven by this shindig thrown in your honor tonight," she replies with pride in her voice "Of course, you’re busy You should take a vacation"

I snort There will be no vacation for me for the foreseeable future With this promotion comes a lot ues and adent and char, another reason I take her to every formal function we have

I’d be bored to tears without her

"Congratulations, Jace," Mick Leamon, my medical director, says as he approaches with his wife, Elizabeth

"Thank you, sir You remember my friend Joy Thompson?"

Joy shakes Mick’s hand with a smile, but he looks ath, waving him off "No, Jace and I are old friends I’ht"

Mick relaxes with a s me on the shoulder with a wink

"Good Not that I can say this officially, but not having the entangle family will only benefit you in your new position as chief, Jace If you thought we demanded a lot fro what he is about to say "I should just sell h and settle into an easy conversation about the hospital, and the evening goes by quickly

Exactly three hours after we arrived, after dinner and ives our it’s-tin

She pulls on her earlobe, Carol Burnett-style It’s our safe word for events like these

Once we’re settled in hs

"Another successful event Are you working toht and early," I confireries There shouldn’t be any surprises I also have a couple ofas well, and appointht"

"So, basically, I won’t see you again until it’s tihs and shrugs "This is just e do, especially now that you have a fancy new title But I’ Today has been anything but routine