“What?” She gasps. “No, I had no idea.”
“Sarcasm—you’re speaking my love language.” I offer her another bite, and she takes it. “But yes, I went to medical school, and because I’m so amazing, I was in an accelerated program. But because the workload was not only ambitious but exhausting, I found myself worn down most of the time. I survived on a healthy diet of Red Bull and Snickers.”
“Seriously?”
I nod. “Oh yeah, gained a solid twenty-five pounds while going through school. You wouldn’t have recognized me.”
“Kind of like I didn’t recognize you now?”
“Worse. But that’s beside the point. I was going through my clinicals after a long night of studying, and I’d had barely any nutrients, because—”
“Snickers and Red Bull.”
I point at her. “Precisely. And before I know it, I have to administer a steroid shot to a lady who has fifth disease.”
“What’s that?”
“A children’s disease. Kids just get a rash on their cheeks and arms, sometimes body, but adults have much worse side effects. This lady, for instance, just looked like she got off the surface of the sun. Her body was bright red, and she could barely use her hands. Well, I had to give her a steroid shot in the glute . . . which happened to be the first time I ever stuck someone in the butt.”
Her lips turn up. “Please tell me you fainted.”
“Oh, I fainted, and I fainted hard. I was so scared about breaking the skin that I got myself worked up to the point that the room started to spin, and instead of asking for assistance, I powered through. I wound up sticking her, but before I could actually administer the drug, I face-planted right into her crack and bounced off and onto the floor.”
Palmer lets out a roar of laughter as she clutches her chest. “No, you did not face-plant into her butt.”
“Afraid so. We went cheek to cheek, if you know what I mean.”
“Stop.” She laughs some more. “Oh my God. Was the needle just hanging out of her?”
“Oh yeah. From what I heard, she had to waddle to the door and call for help. It took over a year to recover my dignity among my peers.”
Her face practically glows with joy as she spears a grape. “You’re right, other people’s embarrassment does brighten one’s day. Thank you.”
“Anytime, Palmer.” I wink, savoring the moment, basking in the fact that I made Palmer Chance smile.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
COOPER
“You’re quiet tonight,” Dad says from his camping chair.
“Not much to say,” I answer, adjusting our telescope.
Once a month, Dad and I drive up to Marina Point with our telescope and spend the evening finding planets and taking pictures of them. The tradition started a few years ago, when Dad heard a couple in the store talk about how they were buying some camping gear for their trip up to Canada, where they were spending four nights looking at all the planets with a group of friends. Dad called me up that night and told me he needed me at the house ASAP.
I rushed over, nervous there was something wrong, only to find Dad hovering over the computer asking me what kind of telescope I thought would give us the best view of Saturn. After deciphering where the hell this new endeavor had come from, I sort of took up the new hobby with Dad.
Now Mom packs us a dinner and sends us on our way.
“When someone doesn’t have much to say, that usually means they have a lot to say. Does it have to do with those classes you’ve been taking?”
I finish adjusting the telescope and then take a seat in my camping chair next to Dad. I open up our cooler and hand him a beer. I crack open our favorite microbrew, from a place in Seattle, and take a sip.
“No, the classes have been fine—better than fine, actually. But it’s not like they’ve helped.”
“What do you mean?” Dad struggles to open his can, so I gently take it out of his hand, open it, and hand it back. He mutters a soft “Thank you” before I answer him.
“Ford didn’t even let me tell him about my ideas.”
Dad waves his hand as if it’s nothing. “You have to give him a second to think. You know he’s not friendly to anything new. I’m sure he’ll come through.” Dad pokes me. “But that doesn’t seem to be it. What else is bothering you?”
“A bunch of shit is bothering me.”
“Okay, let’s start with one and go from there.”
Looks like the planets are going to be put on hold for now.