She really didn’t want to ask, but she was unable to resist. “So? What did you hear? What makes you think James isn’t good for me?”
“Turns out he dated Elissa Copeland last year. She’s a pharmacy student, and she’s a friend of Nicki Pearl, who’s one of the nurses I work with a lot.”
Shannon nodded to show she had followed the connections. “So he dated a pharmacy student. What’s the big deal? Did he break her heart or something?”
“Well, no, from what I heard he just bruised her ego a little. She kind of had her heart set on snagging a rich doctor and he made it clear he wasn’t interested in anything long-term.”
Shannon moistened her lips. “That’s not a problem. Neither am I. James and I have already agreed we’re just having fun for now.”
And he’d been awfully quick to agree, she remembered. She’d sort of thought the firm stipulation had been her idea. Had he encouraged her to believe that?
“And anyway, he’s a medical student, not a full doctor,” she added. “He won’t graduate until May and then he’s got six years of residency ahead of him before he’s ready to start his own practice.”
“Yeah, well, let’s just say he doesn’t have to worry about paying his bills while he completes his training. I doubt that he even had to take a loan to go to medical school, and you know almost all of them are on loans at least to some extent.”
Reluctant as she was to speculate about James’s money, Shannon argued, “His parents are both college professors. I’m sure they do okay, but…”
“He hasn’t mentioned his grandfather?”
Something about Devin’s tone made Shannon pause before replying, “Um…no. He said something about his maternal grandmother.”
“His maternal grandfather invented some sort of doohickey that’s used in manufacturing equipment all over the world. He doesn’t talk about it, apparently, but Elissa did some research on his family and she told Nicki, who mentioned it to me when I asked if anyone knew James.”
Her expression conspiratorial now, she added, “They think that’s why he’s not interested in tying himself down to anyone. I mean, he’s good-looking and rich and he’s going to be a respected doctor, so why limit his options when he’s still so young? He’s only in his thirties, after all. Nicki and Elissa didn’t know why he wants to work so hard to become a doctor, when he could probably live comfortably without doing much of anything.”
“He won’t be thirty until next month. And James doesn’t strike me as the type to spend his life doing nothing. He already has one advanced degree, and now he’s working toward his M.D., preparing to take on a very challenging residency. Whatever his social or financial standing, he works very hard.”
Devin held up both hands in response to Shannon’s tone. “I just thought you’d want to hear what I found out about him. I mean, I’ve never thought some rich playboy doctor would be your type.”
“James is hardly a playboy doctor. He doesn’t brag about his circumstances—just the opposite, actually. This is the first I’ve heard of a rich grandfather. And I sincerely doubt he’s had time to party all that much and still be at the top of his medical-school class, not to mention having earned a Ph.D first.”
“You’re very defensive about him.” Devin studied her quizzically. “You sound like you’re getting annoyed with me for telling you these things. Now you know why I said you’ve fallen hard and fast. Why I’m worried you’re going to get hurt again.”
“I’m annoyed because you’ve been gossiping about my friend at the hospital where he works. I would be just as annoyed with anyone who gossiped about you. I’m annoyed because you’re treating me as if I’m some dimwit who has to be protected from my own feelings. Philip did not leave me brokenhearted and vulnerable—I dumped his pompous butt. And I decide what sort of relationship I’ll have with James, or any other man in my future.”
It wasn’t the first spat she’d had with Devin—not even the first based on Devin’s habit of wanting to watch over Shannon—but this time Shannon argued with more force than usual.
Devin sighed gustily. “Fine. Forgive me for caring. All I did was ask a few coworkers if they’d ever worked with him or heard of him. It wasn’t really gossiping.”
But her tone said she knew differently and her expression was slightly apologetic when she added, “I won’t do it again.”
“Thank you. Now I have to hurry or I’ll be late to work.”
“Yeah, guess I’ll get some sleep. Uh—sorry about…well, you know.”
Shannon merely nodded. Knowing Devin had meant well did not excuse the behavior. Shannon suspected James would be appalled to find out that his private life was being discussed so avidly in the hospital where he had worked so hard to establish himself in his career.
Apparently, she wasn’t the only one with some dating mistakes in her past.
“Have I mentioned how nice you look tonight?” James asked Saturday evening as he held the door of the bar where his classmates were meeting for drinks and socializing. “Thanks again for coming with me.”
It had been a crazy busy week for both of them with their work and her family obligations. Though they had talked a few times by telephone, this was the first time she had seen him since he’d slipped out of her bed at midnight on Monday. She’d half expected at least a little awkwardness when they’d first seen each other again, but he’d been held up at the hospital and was running a little late picking her up, so they’d started the evening in a laughing rush.
She’d hosted a fun, quirky, after-school birthday party at the ice-skating rink the day before and she chattered about that during the drive to the bar, making him chuckle a few times with her adventures on ice. He hadn’t said much about his week, only that it had been busy and—his highest praise—challenging. But the discomfiture she’d dreaded had never materialized, to her relief.
She automatically smoothed a hand down the front of the full, printed-cotton skirt she wore with a deep-scoop green T-shirt. He’d assured her the occasion was casual, so she’d dressed accordingly. She enjoyed wearing skirts and colorful tops in warm weather—it made a nice change from her work uniform of khaki pants and jeans. “Thank you. And I’m looking forward to meeting your friends.”
She had hesitated a few moments when he’d asked her during a phone conversation Wednesday evening to join him for this gathering. He had apologized for waiting so late to ask her. He’d explained that he hadn’t planned to go himself since it wasn’t really his type of thing, but he’d been persuaded by his friends.