Baby Be Mine(Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1)(22)

It was a disaster from the very moment Clarice walked through the door of the dental surgery. Firstly, there were loud popping sounds, making her nervous to the core. Then there was that birthday song, followed by the firing of questions like, What are you going to do now that you’ve turned thirty? and, Will there be a ring anytime soon?

A ring? Why would there be a ring on her finger. She had never even gone on date, let alone known anyone who would want to put a ring on her finger. Who were they asking, a supermodel with a size-two figure?

Once she managed to escape the clucking dental assistants, she headed towards the reception desk.

“Why are you looking all gloomy today, Clarice?” Gracey, the receptionist, asked. “It was your birthday over the weekend, wasn’t it? Did you get lots of presents?”

“Yes, lots.” Clarice smiled.

“Your patients left a few for you too.” Gracey gestured to the staff table where there was an abundance of wrapped gifts.

“Really? Not again.” Clarice went to the table, and sure enough, presents ranging from flowers to chocolate hearts sat on the table, all from the patients that regularly attended their dental surgery.

“Do you have a man yet?” Gracey asked.

“No,” Clarice answered glumly.

“Then my suggestion is to pick one of those,” Gracey said, referring to Clarice’s patients.

“No way. They’re my patients. We know the policy of patient care. Do not date your patients while they are under your care.”

“You could always date the man, then let him change practices.”

“I’m sorry, but I love money too much.” Clarice giggled. “I wouldn’t want him to change practices, now would I? I might lose all that money he spends on his gum treatments.”

“Yeah, yeah. But happy birthday, Clarice. I wish you all the best now that you’re thirty. All the wiser for the next ten years.”

“Thank you.” Clarice nodded, smiling.

“Do you feel wiser, more experienced in love… I mean life?”

“Yes, I am very well experienced in life, regarding working for money and owning my own business, but for that love bit… I admit I’m as rusty as a box of nails left out in the rain.”

“You, girl, have to go out more.”

“Oh, but I did!” Clarice grinned at Gracey, as if she were hiding some sort of secret.

“Before you turned thirty?” Gracey asked.

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

“I went to a nightclub.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“And…?”

“It was a disaster.” Clarice frowned.

“Disaster, like how?” Gracey gasped in horror.

“Not telling,” Clarice said cheekily. “I’ll let you think on that one. Now what’s today’s schedule like?” She changed the subject, not wishing to discuss how embarrassing it was to spit that spirit onto that man’s face and shirt. She couldn’t help admiring his baby-blue shirt, though. From her early days as a sales assistant working in the menswear department in Farmers, she knew the material must be very expensive.

“Clarice, you meanie. I’ll find out for sure from one of your friends, just you wait.”

“Aye, aye.” She just winked at her.

If Gracey wanted to find out about what happened to her after the embarrassing episode, then even Elise and Whitney couldn’t answer her question. After she spit on the man, she ran away to the restroom and stayed there until she texted her friends to collect her. What a pleasant way to spend her special day. Leaning against the wall between the sinks and the paper towel dispenser, she swore she would never, ever drink again.