“It’s 7:00 a.m.,” Jonas pointed out. “Barb wanted to get an early start at the NEA since she played hooky yesterday, and I figured I’d check on you and give you a ride home if you wanted. Oh, and give you a shirt. Seeing as how your last one—”

“Don’t remind me. Artur left.”

“Yeah, we saw him in the hall, but he’s coming back pretty soon.”

“And Thomas has to go to Scotland.”

“Yes, I imagine now that he’s solved his toxin problem, he’ll be leaving sooner rather than later,” Dr. Barb said. “I’d better get started on the paperwork.”

“They’re both in love with me. I mean, they said they were.”

“Well, duh,” Jonas snarked.

“Of course they are,” Dr. Barb said. “Didn’t you know?”

Fred glared at her boss and her best friend. “What am I going to do?”

“Heal up,” Jonas suggested.

“Yes, get well soon,” Dr. Barb replied. Two peas in a pod, these two. That wasn’t going to get old fast, oh heavens no. “I suspect you will need all of your strength in the coming weeks.”

Jonas winked at her when Barb couldn’t see. Well. At least she had some secrets left. And Dr. Barb was sure right about needing her strength. Because if this is the stuff that happened to her when men were in love, she shuddered to think of the engagement.

Not that she was going to get engaged. To either of those yo-yos. But if she were, she would definitely pick…

Er…

Well, for sure she’d pick… ah…

Oh dear, she thought glumly, and downed the rest of the water in three gulps.