Priceless(37)
Beth was not half as amused by his observations as he clearly was. “Did you come over here to hassle me or is something else on your mind?”
The radiologist regarded her innocently. “Can’t I do both?”
“Not if you expect to live,” Beth said sourly, tearing open the M&M candies and popping several into her mouth.
Unfortunately, Jason didn’t look daunted. If anything, the level of amusement in his eyes increased. “Called your house looking for you earlier,” he said. “You were running late. I got worried. Beth Browning is never late. She never misses an important meeting.”
Her gaze flew to his. “What meeting?”
“Peyton called one to talk about Tony. He wanted to go over a few things with our entire oncology team before Tony’s transfusion this morning. You didn’t know?”
“Oh, hell,” Beth moaned. “Yes, I knew. It completely slipped my mind. Was he furious?”
“Actually, I think he was relieved. It was the first sign any of us have ever had that you’re human and fallible.”
Beth covered her face with her hands. “What is wrong with me? How could I forget a meeting like that?”
“Maybe it had something to do with that man who answered the phone at your house when I called,” Jason suggested mildly. “Could that be?”
Beth had honestly thought it impossible to be any more embarrassed, but with her cheeks burning and her stomach churning, she discovered she’d been wrong. This was a thousand times worse.
“You, um…” She gazed into Jason’s laughing eyes, then sucked in a breath. “You spoke to my houseguest?” There, that was a good, safe, anonymous description of Mack, though she intended to be sure that he was never her guest again.
“That I did,” Jason said gleefully. “Funny thing, too. He wasn’t much more communicative about his identity than you’re being.”
“Maybe because it’s none of your business who he is,” she replied testily.
“My money’s on Mack Carlton,” Jason responded.
Beth fought the panic creeping up the back of her throat. “Why on earth would you think that?”
“Informed guess,” Jason told her. “And the fact that I recognized his voice.”
“From meeting him once?” she asked incredulously.
Jason laughed. “For the moment I’ll ignore the fact that you as much as admitted it was Mack and say that his voice is familiar because he’s interviewed on TV about every ten seconds during football season.” His expression suddenly sobered. “You sure you know what you’re doing, Beth? This guy has a reputation, you know.”
“Tell me about it,” she said glumly.
“Don’t get in over your head.”
Because she desperately needed someone to talk to, because she could use a male point of view and because she trusted Jason to keep his mouth shut, she muttered, “Too late for that, I’m afraid.”
Jason regarded her with shock. “You’re not actually falling for him, are you?”
“No!” she said so fiercely that Jason whistled in disbelief. She scowled at him. “Oh, shove a sock in it.”
“That will severely limit my attempt to give you some well-meaning advice.”
Beth sighed heavily. “Okay, then, talk, but try not to sound smug or disgustingly macho. Remember, I’m your friend and your colleague. Mack’s just some football idol you met once.”
Jason opened his mouth, then clamped it shut again, his expression going blank.
“Jason?” Beth prodded.
“I think the cat’s got Jason’s tongue,” Mack said, pulling up a chair to join them. “Isn’t that right, Jason?”
“Pretty much,” Jason said. “I think I’ll go take some X rays or do some radiation treatments or maybe lock myself in a convenient closet.”
Mack gave him an approving look. “Thanks. Nice talking to you earlier. That was you on the phone, I assume.”
“Yep,” Jason said.
Then he took off like the little weasel he was. Beth had expected better of him. Hadn’t he just warned her about Mack? Then why would Jason turn right around and leave her alone with the man? It must be some tacit, male, nonpoaching, noninterference agreement that women weren’t privy to.
“You answered my phone this morning,” she said accusingly, frowning at Mack. “What possessed you to do that?”
He shrugged. “It was ringing. I thought it might be important.”
He sounded so blasted reasonable, she wanted to strangle him. “And it never occurred to you that it could prove embarrassing for me?”