Holy hell. “Let’s go sit in my car and talk.”
“I can’t Finn. I can’t talk about her.” He shook off Finn’s hand and started away. Finn strode across the parking lot a little behind him. They’d parked side by side. “Let’s go have a drink.”
“I—”
Finn opened his car door. “Come on.” He practically forced Oliver into his front seat; Finn circled the hood and slid into the passenger side.
And waited.
Oliver blew out a heavy breath. “It’s because of what’s going on at the collective.”
“Damn. I never thought…Oliver, I’m sorry, but she has two babies, right? She’s got to protect herself.”
“That’s the problem. I understand she has to do that. And there’s no way to fight the fact.”
“Yeah, I get it now. Hell.”
“So,” he reached for the door handle. “I should get home.”
“Let me drive you.”
“I can’t. I need my car tonight.”
“I think you should cancel your date.”
“No way. I have to get out of this funk. You know the adage. The best way to get over a woman is to get another one under you.”
“I think that’s pretty crude.”
“It’s how I feel now.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m advising you not turn to someone else.”
“Why? There’s absolutely no solution to this problem. I agree with her. She has babies.” His eyes filled again. “Boy, I’m going to miss them, too.” His voice cracked on the last word.
“We’ll sit here ten minutes, then if you’re calm you can go.”
“All right.”
“For the record, I’m sorry buddy.”
“Yeah, me too.”
* * *
Anabelle opened the door to Jonathan Bancroft, a doctor at the other hospital in Rockford. She’d met him at a local conference. He was about 5’9, stocky, like a body builder. Just the opposite of Oliver. “Hello, Anabelle.”
“Hi, Jonathan.” She reached over and got her purse and shawl from the table. “I’m ready.”
He moved back and she stepped outside. The door closed behind her with a loud click. They walked quickly to a green jaguar. “This is nice,” she said, as he opened the passenger side for her.
“I like it. We make that kind of money. What do you drive?”
“A plain, ordinary SUV.”
“It’s time to level up, I’d say.”
Oh, for God’s sake. “Not for me. Thanks.”