Free Knave of Broken Hearts by Tara Lain Page B

hopefully he’ll solve your problem.”
    “Sorry to put you out.”
    Tanaka waved a graceful hand. “It’s nothing. Let’s get going. We’re meeting him at my club. It’s just down the street.” He took off walking across the lobby, then set a fast pace up the sidewalk. Jim had to scamper to keep up. Maybe this really was putting the doctor out. He’d been so insistent last night.
    As they got closer, Jim paused and stared at the discreet granite building tucked back in the trees. Well, damn. Tanaka must have realized he was alone, because he slowed and looked back. “Something wrong?”
    Jim swallowed. “I, uh, didn’t know where we were going for lunch.”
    “It’s the Pacific Crest Club.”
    “I know.”
    “Is that a problem?”
    He didn’t want to say it was only a problem if he saw his fucking father. “No. I just know some people who are members here.”
    Tanaka nodded. “Yes, one of them is me.”
    Jim looked down at his jeans and T-shirt. “I’m not really dressed for it.”
    “It’s okay. They’ve gone casual at lunch.”
    Pacific Crest was never casual enough for him. “Okay.” He’d been looking forward to this lunch. Now, not so much.
    Walking past the doorman, Tanaka led them through the quiet low-key lobby to the restaurant Jim remembered from Sunday lunches with his family. The restaurant was all dark wood and pictures of yachts and sailing ships and crap. He’d always thought it tried awfully hard to be some kind of old-world club and missed—but his father loved the place. The host in the restaurant smiled and greeted Ken by name, barely frowned at Jim, and walked them back to a table where a man was sitting. Pretty as a picture in a men’s fashion magazine, just like in the parking lot at the wedding. Jim controlled his grin at the memory.
    The guy stood and stared at Ken. “Damn, even in one day, I forget how beautiful you are.”
    Ken shook his head. “You should have your memory checked, darling.” The two men kissed the air next to each other’s cheeks—very European. Ken stepped back. “Gene, this is Jim Carney, the guy I told you about. Jim, Gene Willings.”
    Gene extended his hand but looked at Jim with slightly narrowed eyes. “So you two are—friends?”
    Willings’s hand felt like silk next to his rough paw. Jim shook quickly. No use scraping the guy’s skin. “Uh, we kind of just met.”
    Ken sat across from Gene and beside Jim. “I told you, Jim is my patient.”
    “Seems odd that Ken would go to so much effort for someone he barely knows.”
    Ken’s arched brows drew together. “I’m Mother fucking Teresa.” He looked around the intimate room. “How do I get some iced tea?”
    “You ought to know, darling. It’s your club.”
    A waiter must have seen the frown and whisked over to fill Ken’s glass with tea and ice. Jim’s as well. Ken gave him that brilliant smile. He seemed to reserve his annoyance for Gene—and Jim. He sipped. “I’m sure it will be your club soon.”
    Jim stared around at the crisp white tablecloths and crisp white guests. “This club is pretty conservative.”
    “Are you surprised they’d accept me as a member?”
    He looked at Ken. “No, I’m surprised you’d want to be a member.”
    Ken held his eyes for a moment, then smiled. “Thank you. Actually, there are a lot of physicians in this club. When I started my practice, becoming a member here was a sure way to get referrals and support. I’ll admit it was calculating, but I put on my best suit and my best smile and worked to become one of their token minorities. They had no idea just how much of a minority I am.” He laughed. “I’m even on the board. A fox in the hen house.” He smiled. “Or more appropriately, the other way around.”
    Jim had to smile. Wonder if his father knew he had a gay board member?
    “I’ve even sneaked in a few, shall we say, like-minded members.” He grinned. “The membership committee is considering Gene right now.”
    Jim