Tobias: Book One of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Forty

“Jane Reynolds, get your ass over here!” Karen commanded, grinning all the while as Jane made a slow tread across the Clinic's thin carpeting.

Leaning against the secretary's appointment counter, she asked, “In need of my services, ma'am?”

“You, me, Alex, Tobias. Double date. This Saturday.”

“Oh." She stood there, shocked.

It had never even occurred to her to ever double date with another couple, much less one whom had just been recently married and were still stuck in the honeymoon throes. It had been a couple of weeks since she and Tobias had visited Denver, and each day was getting better and better. There were no more feelings of paranoia and most importantly incessant worrying that made her feel sick; instead, there was only the calm and exuberant feeling that was her.

The idea itself of hanging out with friends – an activity she hadn't done in a surprisingly long time – was very tempting and had Jane nodding her head, “Yeah, sure. I'll ask him tonight. What would we be doing then?”

“Just dinner, really.” Karen shrugged nonchalantly, her hope-filled eyes betraying her easygoing calm. “You up for it?”

“Of course." Jane grinned but felt a little guilty at not spending as much time as she had with her best friend. “I'm sorry that we haven't hung out lately. It's been real hectic and all.”

“No problem. Alex and I are still writing out the thank you letters! Can you believe it? There's just so many relatives and...”

And this and that. Jane listened to Karen's upbeat ranting, adding the appropriate oohs and ahs at the correct time. The Physical Therapy area had closed over an hour ago, leaving them with all the space to talk and just be the friends that they were.

Karen finally stood out of her squeaky, leather chair. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, okay? I gotta get home. Alex's parents are staying over for a belated New Year's Eve." Her best friend glared straight into her own eyes. "Remember, Saturday.”

“Saturday,” she affirmed and followed Karen out into the still, evening air.

Not a flake of snow had hit the ground for the past few days, deciding to just stay put within their salty piles, covering up all of the grass and parts of the Clinic's roof. Her Harley was parked right next to Karen's cherry-red Mustang, begging to be ridden for at least a few miles.

With a turn of its dulled key, the motorcycle started, its engine humming loudly and breaking the quiet. Expertly maneuvering in and out of the dense, after-work traffic, Jane reveled in the way chilly wind prickled her scalp's nerve endings and caused everywhere on her body to become sensitized from the cold. Gloved fingers now numb, and nose feeling icy, she slid off the bike and made her way into her house.

Uterus punch! the Aunt Flow inside of her screamed before wreaking havoc on her insides.

“God damn it,” Jane cursed, all but sprinting into the bathroom before using the necessary feminine products to quell the flow of blood associated with her irregular times of the month.

Due to her vigorous exercise and the Lexapro sleeping medication she took, her periods were few and far between; but when it did hit her, it really hit her. The extremely sappy moods and the even more emotional reactions were what overtook her for the few days. Mother nature, I hate you and your twisted sense of humor, Jane thought before sliding down onto the couch, hands clasping her stomach.

Walking in exactly fifteen minutes later, Tobias stopped short, most likely confused as to why she was just sitting there. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she replied back, willing the cramps to go away just as Tobias sat down on the couch right next to her, sniffling extremely loud.