He whipped back around and now he was glaring at her. “Well, if you’ve noticed, it must be a bona fide transformation.”

“Easy there, Bitchy McGee. Don’t take your bad week out on me. I’m in charge of taking my bad weeks out on you.”

Dr. Barb was slowly(?) making her way up the ramp leading to the loading dock. The clipboard she was holding was forgotten, hanging from one hand down by her side. Jonas turned back around to watch her walk up to them.

“Hi…Jonas.”

“Hi, Barb.”

“I, uh, it’s nice to see you again.”

“You, too. You look beautiful.”

Dr. Barb—eh?—blushed.

Blushed?

“It was, um, a little scary to come in today. I’m afraid I’ve been avoiding you.”

“That’s okay. I’ve been avoiding you, too.”

Fred turned to Madison. “Go clean out the lobster tanks.”

“But this is much more—”

She gave the younger woman a helpful shove, almost knocking her into the bay. “Bye, now.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Barb and Jonas were staring into each other’s eyes, oblivious of the nauseating picture they presented.

“I’m so sorry I ran out like that. It was all just such a—”

“That’s okay,” Jonas said, coming to life for the first time all day. “I kind of sprung it on you.”

“Oh, no! I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I was too silly to realize the enormous compliment you were paying me. I’d—I’d really like to go somewhere private and talk about it.”

“You—you would?”

Fred, who had been staring back and forth like she was watching a tennis match, broke in. “You would?”

Jonas reached out. Dr. Barb put her small, chubby hand in his. They started walking down the ramp together. Suddenly Dr. Barb turned, waved the clipboard, and said, “Have a nice ride, Dr. Bimm!”

“Have a nice ride? Don’t you remember what happened last time? Don’t you care about my welfare? And why are you holding hands with my best friend?”

Jonas waved without even turning around. “Bye, Fred.”

“Stop that! Stop that immediately! I don’t have time for more complications right now! Jonas! Get your hands off my boss! Jonas! Joooonaaaassss!” Then, in a near whimper, “Dr. Barb?”

Luckily, Jonas obeyed, dropped Dr. Barb’s hand, and raced back to her. Now that was more like it!

He sure had gone above and beyond in this whole “distract my boss” thing, but now—

“Give me the key card,” he hissed.

“What?”

“Thomas’s key card! I know he gave you a spare. Hand it over. You guys aren’t going to be back for a while, right?”

“I’m not giving you the key card to a hotel room that isn’t mine so you can bang my boss!”

“Yes you are,” Jonas said. “Or I’ll kick your fishy ass right into this harbor. With all the shit.”

“Fine, take it.” Fred sulkily handed it over. “Unnecessarily complicate my life, see if I care.”

“Okay. Bye!” He scampered back down the ramp, toward the woman he’d had a crush on for six years.