“Burke looks the other way. What else can he do?”

“Oh my God…”

“Sweet little Lace. You’re so sheltered.”

“I’m not…” I stopped. “I can’t pull that off. I’m a Manhattan attorney. I was raised on Long Island. My parents are still married. I had a normal childhood. Yeah, I guess I’m a little sheltered.”

“You are, but that’s part of what makes you you.” Rock smiled.

God, that smile. It could melt the polar ice caps.

Burke sauntered back over. “Honey said you wanted to talk?”

“Yeah.” Rock cleared his throat. “I was just wondering… How did you know I was in New York?”

“Heard it from…Manny, I think? Or maybe Hoss.”

I couldn’t help a smile. “Manny and Hoss? Are we trapped in an old episode of Bonanza?”

Burke erupted in laughter. “That’s some funny little lady you got there. Sweetheart, Hoss is an attorney in Billings. Real name is Horace Stiers the third. Manny is Parker Manfred, a gynecologist. The two of them come down on the weekends.”

“Weekend bikers?” I said.

“Sure. Doctors and lawyers who pretend to be bikers on the weekend. Hoss and Manny are good guys, though. They’re around. I expect them in for lunch any time now.”

“How would they know I’d gone to Manhattan?” Rock eyed the menu.

“Don’t know,” Burke said. “But you can ask them yourself. They’re walking in the door.”

47

Rock

Manny’s broad shoulders and short, stocky build were a stark contrast to Hoss’s height and lankiness. We sometimes called them Mutt and Jeff. Both were bald as cue balls, Manny by choice, Hoss by genetics.

“Hey, guys,” Burke said, motioning them over. “Look who’s back!”

“Jesus, Burke. I wasn’t gone for long.”

“Hey, Rock.” Manny held out his hand. “Good to see you. Nice do.”

Right. My short hair. “Ha! Funny, coming from you. Sit down, guys.”

“Don’t mind if we do.” Hoss grabbed a chair, turned it, and straddled it. “Who’s this lovely lady?”

“Lacey Ward. She’s an attorney too.”

Hoss held out a hand to Lacey, and she shook it tentatively.

“You’re way prettier than any of the old stodges at my firm. We’ve got some juicy associates, though.”

Lacey reddened. She wouldn’t find Hoss’s sexist talk particularly amusing.

“Knock it off, Hoss,” I said. “I need to talk to you two.”

“Yeah? What about?”

“Burke says one of you guys told him I’d gone to New York.”

“That’d be me,” Manny said.

“Interesting. Exactly how did you know that? I didn’t tell anyone when I left.”

“A new patient,” Manny said. “She came in, and we were doing the requisite small talk while I was examining her. Anyway, she asked if I knew you, and I said yes. Then she said you were in New York.”

“Do you remember her name?”