pick you up for lunch. This afternoon, you’ll assist in the clinic.”
* * *
Tony juggled the boxes of pizza he and Beth picked up for the staff lunch. “What’s the occasion?”
“You should know.”
They wouldn’t. He groaned. They’d threatened to have a shower for him, but he thought they’d forgotten. “You take the pizza in. There’s something I have to do at home.”
She shrugged. “Makes more for us. Don’t you want to welcome the new nurse?”
“When did Ruth hire someone?”
“Friday, I think.”
“Why didn’t she tell me? Am I out of the loop?”
Beth laughed. “You’re joking, right?”
Joking? What was she talking about? Had Ruth told him about the new hire when he was tripping in some fantasy?
Beth pushed the lounge door open. “Lunch is here.”
“Surprise.” The shouts, the balloons and the streamers confirmed his earlier suspicions. He should have heeded the inner voice, but it was too late to retreat. He put the pizza boxes beside the cake he recognized as one of Hazel’s killer chocolate ones. At least there’d be a compensation for this foolishness. Men didn’t have bridal showers. Seems he hadn’t convinced his colleagues.
He glanced at the cake’s inscription. “Welcome. Congratulations.” Great. He had a fellow victim.
The lounge door opened. Ruth ushered Carrie into the room. Tony rolled his eyes. How had they talked her into this? The stack of presents was proof of his co-workers’ intentions. Then he noticed his wife was in uniform.
He crossed the room. “What are you doing here?”
“I tried to tell you last evening when we had dinner at the mall. Then this morning, I tried again, but you left before I could.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Do you have a problem with my working here?”
“No.” He looked away. A problem was easily solved. Her presence at the clinic was more like a catastrophe.
“I’m glad. At least it’ll give us something to talk about other than Chad and the house.”
He took her hand. “Welcome aboard. Sorry about the surprise party.”
“I think it’s great.”
“You don’t know this gang.” He handed her a paper plate. “Grab a slice or two before they’re gone.”
When the pizza boxes were empty and the cake demolished, Ruth clapped her hands. “First, let’s welcome Carrie Flynn, our new staff nurse. She’s also Tony’s wife. Don’t you just love togetherness?”
“And being here gets her off the night shift,” Beth said.
Jane laughed. “There are nights and nights. Now we come to the second reason for this party. Not long ago, Tony and I spent an early morning delivering babies. When I asked what he planned for the day, he said he was getting married and we weren’t invited. I was hurt until I learned it was a quiet home ceremony because Carrie’s mother is ill. But I couldn’t let him escape without one of our wonderful wedding showers. Tony, this is yours.”
“And we haven’t forgotten the bride,” Ruth said.
Tony groaned. He was sure they hadn’t.
“That’s nice,” Carrie whispered.
“You’d better wait before you say that.”
The first few presents were things for the house, but Tony knew his friends had something planned. A set of kitchen gadgets made him laugh. “She doesn’t cook.”
“Hazel will enjoy them,” Carrie said. “Until she teaches me how to use them.”
Beth reached for the last two packages. “Saved the best for last. Tony.”
He opened the package and nearly dropped the red silk boxers. “Nice, guys.”
“Gonna model them?” Jane asked.
“At home, and in private,” Carrie said. “You’ll have to use your imaginations.” She opened hers.
Tony sucked in a breath. His imagination went into overdrive when she held up a set of red silk underwear. He grinned. “I’ll model if you will.”
“At home.”
“Where else?”
Ruth laughed. “Going to heat things up a bit.”
Heat wasn’t the right word, Tony thought. His thoughts
* * *
Tony juggled the boxes of pizza he and Beth picked up for the staff lunch. “What’s the occasion?”
“You should know.”
They wouldn’t. He groaned. They’d threatened to have a shower for him, but he thought they’d forgotten. “You take the pizza in. There’s something I have to do at home.”
She shrugged. “Makes more for us. Don’t you want to welcome the new nurse?”
“When did Ruth hire someone?”
“Friday, I think.”
“Why didn’t she tell me? Am I out of the loop?”
Beth laughed. “You’re joking, right?”
Joking? What was she talking about? Had Ruth told him about the new hire when he was tripping in some fantasy?
Beth pushed the lounge door open. “Lunch is here.”
“Surprise.” The shouts, the balloons and the streamers confirmed his earlier suspicions. He should have heeded the inner voice, but it was too late to retreat. He put the pizza boxes beside the cake he recognized as one of Hazel’s killer chocolate ones. At least there’d be a compensation for this foolishness. Men didn’t have bridal showers. Seems he hadn’t convinced his colleagues.
He glanced at the cake’s inscription. “Welcome. Congratulations.” Great. He had a fellow victim.
The lounge door opened. Ruth ushered Carrie into the room. Tony rolled his eyes. How had they talked her into this? The stack of presents was proof of his co-workers’ intentions. Then he noticed his wife was in uniform.
He crossed the room. “What are you doing here?”
“I tried to tell you last evening when we had dinner at the mall. Then this morning, I tried again, but you left before I could.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Do you have a problem with my working here?”
“No.” He looked away. A problem was easily solved. Her presence at the clinic was more like a catastrophe.
“I’m glad. At least it’ll give us something to talk about other than Chad and the house.”
He took her hand. “Welcome aboard. Sorry about the surprise party.”
“I think it’s great.”
“You don’t know this gang.” He handed her a paper plate. “Grab a slice or two before they’re gone.”
When the pizza boxes were empty and the cake demolished, Ruth clapped her hands. “First, let’s welcome Carrie Flynn, our new staff nurse. She’s also Tony’s wife. Don’t you just love togetherness?”
“And being here gets her off the night shift,” Beth said.
Jane laughed. “There are nights and nights. Now we come to the second reason for this party. Not long ago, Tony and I spent an early morning delivering babies. When I asked what he planned for the day, he said he was getting married and we weren’t invited. I was hurt until I learned it was a quiet home ceremony because Carrie’s mother is ill. But I couldn’t let him escape without one of our wonderful wedding showers. Tony, this is yours.”
“And we haven’t forgotten the bride,” Ruth said.
Tony groaned. He was sure they hadn’t.
“That’s nice,” Carrie whispered.
“You’d better wait before you say that.”
The first few presents were things for the house, but Tony knew his friends had something planned. A set of kitchen gadgets made him laugh. “She doesn’t cook.”
“Hazel will enjoy them,” Carrie said. “Until she teaches me how to use them.”
Beth reached for the last two packages. “Saved the best for last. Tony.”
He opened the package and nearly dropped the red silk boxers. “Nice, guys.”
“Gonna model them?” Jane asked.
“At home, and in private,” Carrie said. “You’ll have to use your imaginations.” She opened hers.
Tony sucked in a breath. His imagination went into overdrive when she held up a set of red silk underwear. He grinned. “I’ll model if you will.”
“At home.”
“Where else?”
Ruth laughed. “Going to heat things up a bit.”
Heat wasn’t the right word, Tony thought. His thoughts
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