Amy shook her head disappointedly, as if she were speaking to a five-year-old.
“Yeah,” Amy said. “She and her roommate had one bedroom, my roommate and I had the other, and we shared a bath. Don’t be so dense.”
“I know what a suitemate is. I just forgot she’d been yours.”
If I ever knew.
I was still at the academy-blame it on my being preoccupied with whatever girlfriend I had at the time.
Amy went on: “When I heard about Becca, I called Amanda. It’s no small wonder it turned out that Becca’s her patient; Amanda’s the best. She wanted to meet me for drinks, but I told her you and I were doing that. And so I asked if she wanted to join us. I hope you don’t mind.”
Matt glanced at the approaching Amanda.
Mind?
Me mind?
Never.
“This Becca is the one who was injured in the motel explosion?” Jim Byrth said. “And this woman is her doctor?”
“Yeah,” Amy said. “Becca Benjamin. We’ve known the family for years. And Amanda is Becca’s doctor.”
Byrth nodded and said, “Matt told me that. I was just making sure I had it straight.”
Dr. Amanda Law walked up to the table. She smiled and said, “Hello again, Matt.”
He felt his pulse start to race.
Matt held out his hand and said, “We’re going to have to stop meeting, or people are going to start talking.”
Now, that was lame!
I’m just making all sorts of great impressions on her today.
God, she even smells heavenly!
She raised her eyebrows. “It has been an interesting day. At least these circumstances are more civil.”
Matt said, “Amy tells me we met a long time ago.”
“Amy told me the same. I don’t doubt it. But I’m sorry. I’m afraid I don’t remember.”
What? I’m crushed!
Amanda went on: “When you gave me your card this morning, I thought the ‘Payne’ was familiar. But then I didn’t know if the connection was because of Amy having the same name or because of my dad knowing cops.”
“Speaking of cops,” she said, and reached into her purse, “I brought you something.”
She pulled out a tongue depressor and held it out to him.
Damn! “Amanda, I do owe you an apology…”
“What’s that about?” Amy said. “An apology?”
Matt ignored his sister.
He took the flat wooden stick, looked at it a second, then said, “I’m really sorry, Amanda. Really. It was an extraordinary moment.”