He laughed. “Not that bad. And I’m great with computers and spreadsheets. I assume you’ll be organizing the list of recipients that way?”
“Something like that. Are you sure? It’s a lengthy list, and it’s quite the time commitment.”
Good. But Chad didn’t say that aloud. “Be faster with both of us.”
Mary Alice hesitated, scanning the other volunteers, clearly waiting for someone else to speak up. When no one did, she nodded. “Okay, then. We’ll coordinate after the meeting.” She made a note on her clipboard and went on down the list. She was focused and passionate about her project, and that was just another of those appealing pieces of her he wanted to know more about.
When all the assignments had been handed out, the meeting broke up. Chad hung back, waiting for people to filter out of the room.
Margot approached him. “Well, fancy seeing you here, Dr. Phillips.” Her lips curved in an unmistakable smirk. “I gather my directions on Saturday were sufficient to get you where you wanted to go?”
Chad glanced toward Mary Alice, laughing with one of the other volunteers. “Seems like.”
Finn strode up and he braced himself for more abrasive commentary on her part. “Doc.” She looked uncomfortable. “Sorry for this weekend. I was kind of a jerk.”
“Pretty sure nobody should be held accountable for anything they say while drunk or hung over.”
Mary Alice joined them. “Are you harassing Dr Phillips?”
Chad arched a brow. “Are we back to Dr. Phillips?”
“I’m not. They are.” Mary Alice shot them a Look and made shooing motions with her hands. “Go.”
Their third friend—Presley?—just beamed and herded Margot and Finn out the door.
Mary Alice leaned back against a table, tucking a lock of pale blonde hair behind one ear. “Sorry about them.”
His fingers twitched with the desire to reach out and see if her hair was a silky as it looked. “I’m made of tougher stuff. So, the list?”
She blew out a breath. “The list. Look, I appreciate you volunteering, but if this ends up being too much, I get it. No worrie
s.”
He shot her a teasing grin. “So sure I’m going to bail.”
She didn’t smile back. “I understand the demands of an on-call kind of job. I know that plans get made and often broken because the job has to come first, especially when lives are on the line.”
How often had Judd Hamilton broken plans and put his job as a cop over her? Judging by the seriousness of her expression, it was standard operating procedure. How long would it take him to prove to her that not every guy was like that?
“Most of my job is not on-call. Not usually, anyway. I have set hours. There are certain occasions, specific conditions that I have more experience dealing with, that I’ll get called in for, but it’s the exception rather than the rule. I wouldn’t commit to this if I couldn’t do it. I know you’ve got a lot of work to do and a short time to do it in, so tell me what you need.”
After a long hesitation, wherein she was probably assessing whether she could believe him, she answered, “Well, usually it’s just me. I was planning on working on it every day after work between now and Friday to get it done.”
“Okay then. I get off at six. How about I pick up a pizza on my way over to your place? Or would you rather meet somewhere else? The Grind? Dinner Belles?”
“All the supplies are at my house, so that’s fine. And a pizza would great.”
“What do you like on yours?”
“Italian sausage and peppers.”
“How do you feel about adding mushrooms to that list?”
“Amenable.”
“Good, because anti-mushroom…that’s a deal-breaker.”
“Yeah? What are your others?”