“Well, you’re always so busy that you can’t even find the time for sharing a drink with a friend on short notice. I figured maybe I should go for long term. Maybe your friends have to ask you well on beforehand. So I propose we have a drink two months from now.”

“Oh.” Doctor Kennard really didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t claim to have plans. She could pretend she already had something planned, an important event or celebration, but she was sure he would find a way to just ask her to do it some other time in that week. She sighed and faced the truth: there was no escaping it. She might as well do this and get it over with, give him another hint or two along the way.

“You know, doctor Becker,” she emphasised the formality of addressing him like this, “why don’t we meet each other for drinks next Tuesday. Just as friends.”

Josh Becker grinned. Now she suddenly has time! Maybe she didn’t want to wait any longer…

Little did he know that Tina had only proposed the next Tuesday because Bette Porter had a conference to attend and wouldn’t be in that day. 

***

“I… had no idea you were interested. When… how… huh? I mean – when did you – how did he – when the fuck did you start liking him?”

Kennard rolled her eyes. She couldn’t stop a smile from gracing her lips, though. She was seated on Bette Porter’s lap, who was in turn seated on her desk chair. The blonde doctor felt a rush of warmth surge through her body at the hint of jealousy in doctor Porter’s voice.

“Don’t be silly now, doctor Porter. Of course I don’t like him. I just thought I’d take it as a chance to make it clear that I’m not interested in him. I have to say, for a brilliant neurosurgeon, you can be quite thick sometimes.”

“Have you been spending time with Helena Peabody?” Bette Porter asked, squinting her eyes. What was going on here? First the date with Josh Becker – because in her eyes, it was a date – and now the Britishness that in her mind was a tell-tale sign that the blonde was around Helena Peabody more than Porter liked.