“Why did you pick your name?”
He hesitated. “My hair is white and someone said it reminded them of freshly fallen snow. I liked that.”
She smiled at back.
“Melinda?” Doc Alli spoke. “I’m going to give you antibiotics. It can nullify the effectiveness of your birth control pills. Your partner will need to use condoms for at least a month, okay?”
Mel snorted. “Partner? Have you met the guys in town? I dated one of the deputies for a few weeks right after I moved here. He was hot, but good in bed he was not. It was sad. I thought it might be a fluke, but nope. Three strikes and I was done with Deputy Dud. Dang cable television.”
Snow couldn’t hold back. He laughed. “He watched television while sharing sex with you? That is sad.”
She shook her head, and her big brown eyes locked onto him. “No. It’s just a theory I have.”
He was intrigued. “Tell me this theory of yours.”
“I’m from a small town. We don’t have cable, and what television signals we do get are crappy. Nobody could afford to have those fancy channels anyway, even if they did run the lines that far out. And nobody trusts satellites. They think the government is using them to spy on folks.” She licked her lips. “The boys have nothing to do besides chores and messing around. They get really good at sex, otherwise word spreads fast that they’re bad in bed.” She sighed. “It isn’t worth getting naked if you know it’s going to be disappointing. Men here have cable. Instead of trying to get better at seducing women themselves, they’re all sitting on their backsides, watching people have fake sex, where the women act like they enjoy stuff that actually frustrates and irritates us in real life.”
Snow clenched his teeth and pressed his lips together to prevent the laughter from escaping. Doc Alli and Chimes didn’t hold back, though. He nodded. “I like that theory.”
“It’s true. Do you have cable?” Melinda peered at him intently.
“No,” he lied. He didn’t feel guilty about it, either.
She smiled. “I hoped you didn’t. That would have bummed me out.”
“Okay,” Doc Alli cut in. “You might want to go now, Snow. Our friend here is a lightweight with pain meds.”
He didn’t want to leave her. “I’m not going anywhere. I brought her in, and I’m staying by her side.”
“You carried me.” Mel released his hand and gripped his arm, rubbing it. “You’re really strong. I like your muscles. You should wear tank tops more often. I loved the gray one you wore last time I saw you. Jeans look really good on you, too. I kind of hate your uniform. It hides your amazing butt since the jacket hangs low.”
“You think my ass is amazing?” He felt pleased.
“You have tons of muscles there, too. It’s the best one I’ve ever seen. I bet it feel really nice to touch.”
“Okay. That’s it.” Doc Alli slapped Snow’s shoulder with the back of her gloved hand. “Out. Now.”
“It’s just getting interesting,” he protested, grinning at her. “She seems to like me.”
Doc Alli shot him a disgusted but amused look. “Fine. I’ll have Chimes dose you later, and we can let Melinda stand next to your bedside as you’re spouting things while you’re high as a kite.”
“Come on, Amazing Ass.” Chimes gripped the back of his belt and yanked hard. “Go out in the waiting area. Otherwise, you’ll be Bruised Ass when I toss you on it. I’m not letting go until you’re at least fifty feet from the other side of the door.”
He knew the female meant it; she’d literally drag him out. He winked at Mel. “I’ll be close by.”
“Don’t go!” She reached out toward him.
He was tempted to stay, but Chimes tugged hard enough to make him flinch. Species females didn’t bluff.
Chapter Three
“I have to quit my job.” Mel put a hand over her face since her other arm was in a sling. The nice doctor had asked her to wear it for a few days to prevent her from tearing the stitches. She was supposed to keep her upper arm immobile.
Mary sat on the couch next to her. “How bad can it be?”
“I was like a love-sick calf bawling for its mama. I’m pretty sure I screamed ‘come back, Mr. Blue Eyes. I need you.’”
Mary rubbed her leg in sympathy. “That’s not too bad.”
“That was after I told him he had a nice butt. It’s kind of foggy, but I’m sure I said something along those lines. They gave me the good drugs. I can’t face him, Mary. He comes into the diner for lunch when they’re in town. I have to get a different job.”
“I am not letting you quit the diner.”
“Don’t you understand how embarrassed I am?”
“You were dopey. I broke my wrist years ago and flashed my ass at the nurses when my dad came to take me home. I wasn’t fit to drive, and my car wasn’t there anyway. Nobody gave me any shit about it.”
Mel finally looked at her friend. “Everyone flashes their butts in a hospital gown. They’re designed to do that. Those ties in the back to keep it together are a joke.”
“I purposely mooned the nurses on my way out. I don’t want to talk about why, though.”
“I’m sharing my humiliation with you. Come on. That’s what friends do. I’ll be in a better mood if it’s funny. Spill.”
“Fine.” Mary crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back. “I was messing around with Kenny Brian and thought it would be hot to have sex in the back of his truck bed. Here’s a tip—don’t do it doggy style when you’re facing the end of the truck and the tailgate is down. He got a bit excited, and was going at me with, um…enthusiasm. I fell over the edge and hit the ground. There went the wrist.”
“Ouch.” Mel winced. “That’s not funny at all. It sounds painful. You’d have thought he’d have yanked you back.”
“He went with me! I tried to catch us both. I think it was our combined weight that caused the break. It happened really fast.”
“That’s pretty horrible.”
“Kenny agreed. He complained the entire time while he drove me to the hospital because our fun ended before he got off, like I was a wimp for calling a halt. I told him my wrist was broken, but he thought I was being a drama queen. He dropped me off at the ER and left.”
“What a scum bucket!”
“That’s why I’m not with him anymore. Then those nurses started in on me. They thought they were a riot, telling dumb blonde jokes. Like I was in a mood to put up with that crap. I’ve gotten it my entire life.”
“What mean heifers. You’re a smart blonde.”
“Thank you. See why I was mad? I would have told them to kiss my ass, but my dad was in a mood already. He hates bad language. Plus, he knew how it happened before he got to me. I’m sure it was one of those nurses who ratted me out. So much for patient confidentiality. I had worked out a good lie, too. It involved hiking and falling on a rock. Instead, he stormed in and said I was grounded for life. He even gave me a lecture about how Kenny was no good and I was forbidden to see him again.”
“How old were you?”
“Nineteen, but I still lived at home then.”
“Parents suck at times but he was right about Kenny.”
Mary laughed. “Yes. He was.” She grew serious. “Did the sheriff or a deputy come over yet? They said they were going to need a statement from you.”
“No. I was just dropped off an hour ago, and one of them let me borrow his cell phone to call you before they left. Thanks for coming.”
“Of course. The diner’s closed until it’s all cleaned up and the broken tables are replaced. Joel said a few days off would do us good.”
“Doctor Alli told me both of those gunmen are still alive.”
“The New Species took them out of the diner breathing, but that one with the chest wound?” Mary wrinkled her nose. “It looked bad. Don’t be upset if he doesn’t make it. They’re dirtbags for trying to murder people. Speaking of being shot, is the New Species going to live?”