“She didn’t or I don’t remember it,” Parr said blandly.

It was clear that he minded the lapse on some level. He wouldn’t say why.

“Bobby Joe didn’t tell me either, actually.”

“Not a biggie. They did meet before at your birthday party. So why wouldn’t she stop by? Everyone’s rooting for him.”

“Yes. He has a twenty-four-hour fan club going by now. Night shift nurses. Day shift nurses. Visitors. And me, the faithful dog.” The edge in her voice made Parr cock a dark eyebrow at her. Mary Beth tacked on an apology. “Sorry. That sounded sort of surly.”

“You need to take a break.”

Mary Beth waved the idea away. “I’m not stuck here, Parr. I have a car. I can leave anytime I want.”

“Then why don’t you just go and have fun? It’d do you a whole hell of a lot of good.”

His blunt question made her scowl. “I don’t know. I guess I don’t feel like doing fun things alone.”

“How about—” Before Parr could get another word out, she held up both hands to stop him.

“Rules of order. I’m not taking any more questions from the floor. Do not volunteer to be my Fun Coordinator. I don’t think it’s a good idea if you and I hang out together. He’s bound to find out.”

“Hmm. Maybe so. Of course, I could always take you out and tell him myself.”

“Forget it.” Mary Beth had been trying to persuade herself to face the fact that the Weston brothers were basically bad news. The recent intel from Jackie only confirmed it. They shared too many traits: both were way too cocky and much too good-looking and well over the legal limit when it came to attracting feminine attention. Just her luck to be engaged to one and fighting a pointless crush on the other.

Parr leaned forward and chucked her under the chin. “Don’t be so prickly, girl. I’m just trying to help. If you think what we’re doing for those two is hard now, just wait until they get home. But I get to go back to Memphis when all is said and done, though. You’re staying right here.”

His fingers moved lower and he found the chain that held the ruby strawberry.

“Don’t, Parr.”

He pulled on it gently, leaning even closer. In another second the fine links were draped across his palm and the pendant dangled from his fingers, glowing red. “Just checking.”

“You’re not the only one.”

“Beg your pardon?” He let the shimmering gold chain fall from his fingers down into her blouse.

“Bobby Joe did too.”

“What do you mean?”

“He went fishing for it like you just did and he asked where I got it.”

Parr shifted in his seat. “When was that?”