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attending nurse.
    He slowed his pace to a fast walk, then stopped. He raised his hands in the air. “Enough!”
    He and Doug stepped off the treadmills, then went to a nearby bench. Doug handed Tom a bottle of water and he eagerly gulped it.
    “What the hell were you doing?” Doug asked between breaths. “Preparing for a marathon?”
    Tom lowered his head and closed his eyes. “Just working out some frustrations.”
    Doug ran his towel over his face. “You don’t usually push yourself that hard. What’s bothering you?”
    Tom exhaled a breath, then mopped his face with his towel. “Why do you think something’s bothering me?”
    “Because I’ve seen you like this before. Remember in college, when you thought you were flunking out of that accounting class? You took up racquet ball and ruined a perfectly good racket, you hit the ball so hard.”
    Tom looked at him. “Since you won’t quit bugging me until I tell you, my date last night didn’t go as well as planned.”
    “Did the lady turn you down at the moment of truth?”
    Tom shook his head. “I pulled the plug before then.”
    “Why the hell did you do that?”
    Tom hesitated. “Things were going great. We had dinner at Franco’s, then we walked through the Oregon District and she invited me back to her place.”
    “Sounds good so far. Then what?”
    Tom sucked down more water. “Just when things were getting interesting she called me Brad.”
    Doug grimaced. “Ouch!”
    “I’m assuming he was the late boyfriend.”
    “He was. Sorry about that.”
    Tom patted his shoulder. “Not your fault.”
    “Have you talked to her?”
    Tom shook his head. “She called me after I got home last night, but I let it go to voice mail. I’m not sure what to say to her.”
    “So what’s next for you?”
    Tom shrugged. “Keep my eyes open for another opportunity.”
    Doug nudged him with his elbow. “And it may be knocking sooner than you think. Look who’s here—Karly with a k .”
    Tom looked up at Karly Diamond approaching, sporting a friendly smile. He eyed her petite trim physique from top to bottom, which her workout clothes didn’t conceal. Her light brown hair was pulled into a ponytail.
    “Hi, Doug,” she said before giving Tom the visual once-over. “Hey, Marathon Man.”
    Tom smiled. “Hi, Karly.”
    “I was watching you from across the room,” she said. “Never knew you were such a workout fiend.”
    “Just trying to stay in shape. Didn’t expect to find you here.”
    “Every Saturday morning and a couple nights a week.” Her eyelids lowered slightly. “I’m trying to stay in shape, too.”
    “It’s working.”
    She ran her fingertips along his sweaty arm. “Maybe we should coordinate our visits. I could always use a workout partner.”
    “Yeah, we should do that.”
    “I’m meeting a few friends for a little party tonight at Longhorn. Why don’t you drop by, around seven?”
    Tom hesitated. “Girl’s night out?”
    She laughed. “No, it’s mixed. Will I see you there?”
    What the hell. I don’t have any other plans. “I think I can fit it in.”
    Her smile broadened. “Great. See you later.”
    She swayed toward the locker rooms, but looked over her shoulder and gave Tom a warm smile.
    “And you were worried about being out of practice?” Doug asked.
    Tom finished his water. “I don’t know, man. Office flings can be dangerous.”
    “Come on, it’s just drinks with a group of people. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Besides, you said you wanted to make some new friends. Maybe this is a start.”
    “Maybe it is.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Jessica sat in her living room that evening, illuminated by the soft light of a burning candle on the coffee table. She was curled up on the couch, cradling a glass of wine, which she sipped sparingly. Light classical music played quietly in the background. All day long her mind had been pre-occupied with the subconscious blunder she had committed the evening before.
    I should’ve