“She’s not psychotic!” Kayla snapped back.

“I have memories that beg to differ.” I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms across my chest.

I’d met Sutton once before, and it hadn’t gone well. If my drunken haze remembered correctly, which was fuzzy at best, I’d called the woman a hot mess—or something like that. But in my defense, she had been holding a lighter toward my balls, threatening to light them on fire!

“You called her an evil troll,” she yelled, and I started laughing ’cause that shit was funny.

“I’m sure she deserved it.”

Kayla sucked in a loud, long, annoyed breath. “Shut up for one second and listen. Talking to you is like talking to the guy version of her. Babies later. Why can’t I work? Why does everyone want me to do something I’m not ready to do?” She said the last few sentences in some silly, mocking tone.

“So?” I pushed, my tone, irritated, because even though Sutton was a redheaded stunner, she was clearly a fucking psychopath.

Why are redheads always the crazy ones?

“She doesn’t want kids yet? Big deal. Is she running an empire I don’t know about? Is she rich, insanely good-looking, and have a fetish for fast cars? Get called names in the press daily? Have men tried to land her for her money?”

Kayla’s lips twisted like she’d bitten into rotten fruit. “Ew. Full of yourself much? And no to all of the above, by the way. I just meant how she has no interest in dating right now, just like you. She always talks about how no guy likes being second to her residency. Just like you. And only other doctors and medical personnel understand her way of life, but she doesn’t want to date any of them because they’re all egotistical assholes who think their shit doesn’t stink,” Kayla said with strength, like she was delivering the closing argument at a trial.

“Interesting.” I smiled a little to myself, but I still wasn’t convinced.

“Yeah. Now that I think about it, you two sort of have a lot in common.” Kayla suddenly grew silent, her eyes looking past me and straight out the window. “How have I never put that together before now?” she practically whispered. “I know why. ’Cause you two hate each other,” she continued talking to herself.

“What are you thinking, Sanderson?” I snapped my fingers once, bringing her focus back to me.

“Maybe we won’t have to use one of those firms after all?” She dragged it out like a question, and I found myself more than a little curious.

“Let me see her picture again. A recent one.” The last time I’d seen the little wannabe fire starter, it was two years ago. A lot could happen to a person in two years.

Kayla pressed some buttons on her phone before turning it toward me. I reached for it and studied the face staring back at me. Long red hair, green eyes, and full lips.