Prognosis: Romance (Doctors in Training 4)

“I could—”

“I’ve got it, James.”

His fingers tightened around the steering wheel on a surge of irritation, the first time he’d actually been annoyed with Shannon. There was no need for her to snap at him just for offering to help, he thought, aggrieved. Especially since he’d be in town only a few more days before he had to leave for the month in Seattle.

“Thanks again for the offer, though,” she added as though she was aware that she’d sounded a little short.

“Sure.” He pulled into her driveway. “Looks like your roommate is here, so I won’t come in. Maybe you could call me later and let me know how your meeting goes?”

“Of course.”

“I’m sure you’ll impress them. Break a leg.”

She laughed a little more naturally and leaned over to exchange a quick kiss with him. “Thanks. And don’t bother getting out, I’m just going to run in and get started. See you, James.”

See you. There was something very vague and unsatisfying about those words, he thought, glancing into his rearview mirror as he drove away from her house.

He realized abruptly that he’d had no idea what had been going through Shannon’s mind when she had sent him away.

“So?” Devin followed Shannon from the front door to Shannon’s bedroom, almost vibrating with curiosity. “How was brunch with James’s parents?”

Shannon groaned and tossed her purse onto her bed. “It was a nightmare. A horrible, sixty-minute ordeal that felt as though it lasted for days.”

“Oh, man.” Sympathy softening her face, Devin shook her head. “Were they horrible to you?”

“Oh, no. They were very polite. Extremely polite.”

Devin winced. “Why does that not sound good the way you say it?”

“Because it wasn’t good. Honestly, Dev, they had all the warmth of a couple of glaciers. They treat James as though he were an acquaintance they like, but don’t know very well—and he seems to think that’s perfectly normal! They exchange pleasantries and everyone waits until the other is finished speaking before replying, rather than all talking at once like my family.”

She pushed a hand through her formerly tidy hair, dislodging pins and releasing a cascade of wild curls. “Occasionally, their conversation veers into politics or obscure literary references and their idea of a joke is a barbed quote from Churchill or Oscar Wilde or some other satirist I’ve never even heard of. Dr. Stillman—the mother—dropped some comment about her university students being her salvation and her despair, and Drs. Stillman—the father and son—chuckled as though she’d just told a hilarious joke. I tittered like I had any clue what was so funny, but I felt like an idiot.”

“‘They gave her the means of supporting life, but they made life hardly worth supporting.’ P. G. Wodehouse,” Devin murmured.

Shannon whirled on her. “How do you know that?”

“Sorry, I did a paper about him in school. For some reason that quote stuck with me, because it reminded me of my English teacher…but that’s not important now,” Devin said hastily. “Do you think they liked you?”

“Well, let’s see. When I told them my business is throwing birthday parties for children, they said something along the lines of, ‘How droll.’ Dr. Stillman, the father, suggested I hire a financial advisor to keep me from succumbing to the bankruptcy perils that cause most small businesses to fail. When I added that I work part-time at a toy store to help pay my bills while I establish my business, they merely blinked at me as if trying to figure out what a ‘toy’ might be.”

“Now, Shannon, don’t exaggerate.”

Shannon clasped her hands to her head, which had been aching a bit during brunch and was pounding in earnest now. “You should have seen the looks they gave me when they asked where I obtained my degree.”

“Uh-oh.”

“Right. I told them I never finished college and I might as well have said I dropped out of junior high. People like them, with all their advanced degrees, can’t imagine having no more than a high-school education. I’m sure they’re secretly thrilled that James is leaving town in a few days and I won’t be going with him.”

“They don’t really sound like your kind of people, but it is possible that you’re overreacting, Shannon. They probably liked you just fine, everyone does. Maybe they just have trouble conversing with people they don’t know, especially someone so much younger than themselves. From what I understand, it’s always awkward meeting your kid’s friends, especially…well, intimate friends.”

“Trust me, it was more than that. I could tell they thought I was completely wrong for their son.”

“Then they’re nuts,” Devin said loyally. “Besides, it doesn’t really matter what they think, anyway. James is the only one whose opinion of you counts.”

“James?” Shannon dropped her arms and planted her fists on her hips. “You want to know what James thought?”

“Uh—”