Out of The Blue

34 - Dr. Muscles

Michael wandered into the kitchen knowing Clare was with Lindsay. He put his arm around his friend's wife "Are you really serving canned lobster to the girl from Maine?"

Clare laughed her musical laugh. "It's not like tuna. Canned meat is almost as good as fresh."

"Clare gave me her mother's recipe for the lobster mac and cheese."

Clare smiled. "It's a popular dish in Maine."

Michael shrugged as if all was cool, but he felt anything but inside. "You're convincing me to take a vacation to see Maine for myself."

Clare laughed. "Wait for summer, because winter is beautiful but cold."

"I like snow." He wanted to suggest that she could be his tour guide next summer. Maybe he would go see what the winters were like to see if he could handle them. He was seriously considering moving across country but didn't dare tell anyone not even the girl he wanted to move for.

Lindsay smiled. "Michael, can you put another plate on the table? Clare's boyfriend is joining us."

He gulped and nodded. Lindsay had convinced him they couldn't be serious, but she had invited him to her house. She was no friend if she was planning to torture him by making him watch Clare with another guy.

The doorbell rang and Clare rushed toward the front door. He wanted to peek around the corner to see their greeting, because he was a masochist. Instead, he went back to the deck.

He was talking with Toby and Rodney when Clare came onto the deck with a guy who looked buff. There was no way he could compete with him. He might as well admit defeat. She introduced Marco around and when she got to Michael, she referred to him as her friend.

"Where's your date?" Marco asked as he shook his hand with an extra tight grasp.

Michael wanted to respond standing next to you but held his tongue.

Marco looked around. "I don't recognize any of you from the hospital."

Clare laughed. "They're in tech like everyone around here."

He turned to Lindsay. "How did you meet Clare?"

"Teddy found her."

Hearing his name Teddy ran up to meet the new guest.

"Oh, I'm allergic to dogs!"

"You are?" Clare looked surprised.

"Yes and shellfish."

Clare looked panicked at Lindsay. "I've got a vegan mac and cheese for Amber and salad."

Michael wondered how Clare didn't know about his allergies. When he was with Aria, they knew each other's likes and dislikes. Michael sat across from Clare at dinner. If her date didn't like the soy cheese, he didn't complain. Michael enjoyed his lobster.

Toby turned to Clare after learning she was from Maine. "You and my friend, Michael should watch football together."

"Why's that?" She looked across at him for the answer.

"Because he likes the Patriots!"

"Seriously?"

Michael nodded and smiled. "I met Tom Brady at a function once and I've been a fan ever since."

"Oh my God! I'd give my left arm to meet Tom! Well, not really since I need both hands for surgery."

Amber said, "You do surgery. I thought you were a gynecologist."

Clare smiled. "Almost, but we do a lot more than pap smears. Oops sorry, I grew up with this kind of talk at the table."

Marco jumped in. "She's a great surgeon, except for that time she killed her patient and I had to bring her bring her back."

Lindsay said, "What?"

But Michael was too busy looking at Clare who had her eyes cast down, as if it wasn't her best memory.

Marco continued the story. "And the adrenaline and euphoria brought us together. Right?"

He turned his attention to Clare. She looked uncomfortable with the conversation. She nodded and smiled a thin-lipped smile. Michael wondered what she liked about the clown.

He impressed Amber who began asking him questions. As he continued to talk about the operating room, Clare stood to help Lindsay clear the table.

Michael wanted to see how serious the clown was. "What happens when Clare goes back to Maine?"

"You mean, if?"

"She told me her plans to practice with her brother."

He didn't reply because Lindsay and Clare came back with dessert. He wondered if he knew Clare better than Dr. Muscles. He hated when Clare left because she was going with him. The thought of her being with him ate at him. He wanted to bug out early too, but Lindsay lured him in to help clean up.

"So that was fun."

"As fun as a root canal."

"You know she likes you?"

"No. She likes Marco."

Lindsay shook her head. "He's just Mr. Right Now."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I saw her face when she thought Amber was with you. That's when she invited him. You two are volleying the jealousy ball. The day I met her, she thought we were together since you watched my dog."

"Really?"

"I'll try to talk to her but no promises. Part of me wants to be wrong, because I don't want to lose you."

"Lose me?"

"Yeah, because you will follow her when she leaves, won't you?"

Michael just shrugged. He wanted Lindsay to be right about Clare's jealousy. He was afraid to get his hopes up. He had never met a woman like her. She made him feel crazy in ways no woman ever had. With her, his reaction was centered on his heart and his entire nervous system. Not that his circulatory system wasn't a culprit because it definitely was. Typically, blood flow was his reaction, but with Clare the blood was filling his heart.

He loved everything about her - her laugh and smile, and passion for her profession. She listened when he spoke. He loved she was beautiful but knew even if she wasn't he'd feel the same. If he was a bolder man, he'd tell her how he felt.

He had never been so nervous around a woman. Perhaps he knew the stakes were higher. He didn't want to lose her to a guy who put people to sleep for a living. To a guy who had allergies she didn't know about. Michael knew she didn't like mushrooms, did he?

He looked at Lindsay who was staring at him. "What do I do?"

"Just keep playing it cool and wait for her to tire of Marco."

"Will she? You saw him."

"I saw him check out Amber. Neither are in deep. I told you when you said she was kinda seeing him."

Michael was positive Marco would be in her deep. Oh Lord, don't think about it.

"Did you tell her about the sale?" He asked.

"It just happened when I explained why I'm not working."

"Well, thanks to Amber she knows I'm working for free."

"I don't think Clare cares about things like that."

Toby appeared in the door. "Amber's bored, so they're leaving. What do you two have your heads together about?"

"Nothing, I'm just helping to clean the kitchen."

"Hey Linds, those doctors are a nice couple. I like them better than your yoga friends."

Lindsay smiled. "It's up to you to tell him I invited her for you."

Michael sighed. "Thanks for the effort, but next time let me know."

"Next time you're barbecuing at your condo."

Michael smiled and nodded. He followed Lindsay to say goodbye to the others and had another beer with his friend. He hoped to keep his mind off what Clare was doing.