Chapter 15

15

Genny was still thinking about Chad Fields two afternoons later, when she was sitting in an elegant ballroom at the Barratt-Finley Creek, dressed in a brand new dress that cost way too much money to think about. She was surrounded by extremely attractive doctors and lawyers and stockbrokers and local politicians and—why she and her other bestie in the world were sitting there tonight— investors.

Carrington Group, the medical group that owned the hospital now, wanted to expand the offerings. But they wanted more local investors to help. Aubrey said she’d been told that local investment meant people cared more about their own hospital’s success. And she and Aubrey were there to represent the staff.

They looked good tonight. Like grown-ups, at least. Even if Genny did want to shoot a rubber band at that local billionaire Houghton Barratt, who was droning on and on right now.

The man should probably not give public speeches. He just wasn’t very good at it. His wife was so much better and really knew how to work the crowd.

Genny and Aubrey looked presentable in fancy dresses and made their hospital look a little less like it was filled with a bunch of hicks.

Genny knew why Dr. Alvaro’s wife had asked them to come tonight. It was because they looked presentable in fancy dresses.

Well, Genny was presentable. Aubrey was flat-out gorgeous. Aubrey had that whole stare-worthy ice princess thing going for her, that beautiful woman.

And Aubrey had the ability to calm the savage beast that was their boss, Caine Alvaro, when he got into it with the head of the Carrington Group, Jordan Carrington. Caine’s father-in-law.

Since Caine’s wife, Nikkie Jean, a surgeon at Finley Creek General, was just as bad as her husband at needling her own father, it could be rather explosive. Nikkie Jean liked making her father explode. At the worst possible times.

Everyone knew that.

Aubrey could end up with her hands seriously full tonight. Some families were so complicated.

Aubrey leaned toward her after the entrées were finished. “You are being a bit quiet. Everything good?”

“I’m preoccupied. I’ll tell you all about it later.” She needed another opinion on evading the great hunter , Dr. Chad-wicked Fields.

“That sounds intriguing.”

“It involves a man I should know better than to ever let get near me.”

“But he did get near you?”

“Something like that. But—I’ll tell you later. We’re about to be invaded.” Of course they were. There were men on the prowl here today

Most men were hunters at heart.

And tonight, she and Aubrey were the prey .

That was confirmed when Dr. Hodges and Dr. Michaels helped themselves to the seats the Alvaros had just vacated.

And then proved themselves to be total asses.

And ruined Genny’s evening completely.

Damn it. She’d have rather stayed home watching Peanuts with her nephew and her brother Gunn tonight than be here for this.