The Doctor's Undoing Read Online Free PDF Page A

some caffeine before I start prepping for tomorrow’s didactic.”
    â€œUm…coffee?”
    â€œYeah. James is meeting me at the usual place in a few minutes. I thought you might like to join us.”
    â€œOh. You and James.”
    Ron frowned at her. “Is something wrong, Haley? You’re acting kind of odd today.”
    Drawing herself straighter, she shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Just kind of brain-dead after a draining day.”
    And then, to further convince him that nothing at all had changed between them…and why should it have?…she said brightly, “I’d love to have coffee with you and James. I’ll meet you there.”
    He still looked at her as though something puzzled him, but she kept her smile in place as she headed for her car. Only when she was buckled into the driver’s seat did she allow it to fade. What was she doing, letting a random comment from a fanciful patient interfere with her friendship with her study pal? She and Ron had had their share of conflict, but romantic yearnings had never been an issue. Their problems were due entirely to conflicting personality traits, all the more reason to put Georgia’s mistaken observations and unsolicited advice out of her mind.
    She must be more tired than she had realized. She could use a cup of coffee and a few laughs with her friends.
    Because Haley was delayed by a red light, Ron was the first to reach the coffee shop. He was already placing his order when she got in line, and had secured a small table when she joined him with her skinny vanilla latte. “Looks like we beat James here,” she commented, slipping into a plastic chair.
    â€œLooks like.”
    Ron took a cautious sip of his own hot drink. “I was tempted by those muffins, but I figured I’d better eat some real food first,” he said after swallowing. “Had a sandwich and some chips for lunch, but they’re long since worn off.”
    â€œI got half a salad down before I had to run help my resident with something,” she admitted. “I’m starving.”
    â€œWant to go next door for Chinese after we finish these? We’ll see if James wants to join us.”
    The fast-food Chinese place next door was good, quick and relatively inexpensive, all points in its favor. Haley nodded. “Sure. I’ve got time for some noodles before I hit the books.”
    â€œGreat. I’m not in the mood to cook for myself tonight.”
    â€œNeither am I.” She sipped her coffee, trying to decide whether she should repeat her conversation with Georgia to him. Ron would probably get a kick out of the older woman’s misguided matchmaking efforts. He loved to share amusingstories. But for some reason, she kept the patient’s observations to herself. Maybe they hadn’t been all that funny, after all. Just…mistaken.
    They chatted about their workday for a few minutes more before being interrupted by the chirp of Ron’s phone. He slipped it from its belt holder and glanced at the screen. “Text from James. He’s not going to be joining us, after all.”
    â€œOh? Nothing’s wrong, I hope.”
    â€œNo. Just having trouble with his car again.”
    James’s classic sports car was notorious for mechanical problems, about which the study group had teased him often.
    Ron shook his head as he returned the phone to its holder after sending an acknowledgment of the message. “Don’t know why he doesn’t give up on that car and buy a new one.”
    â€œHe loves that old car.” The car seemed to be the only inanimate object James did truly value. He’d even given it a name. Terri. If there was any personal significance to the name, he’d never said.
    â€œWay more trouble than it’s worth. I’d have dumped it a long time ago.”
    But then, that was Ron’s stated philosophy, Haley mused, gazing into her coffee cup. If something