When a Man Loves a Woman (Indigo) by LaConnie Taylor-Jones Page A

Zach spilled the beans on this one.”
    “When?” A.J. asked, stunned.
    “When he picked me up from the airport.”
    “What?” A.J. exclaimed. “You mean Marcel forgot his manners and didn’t send a limo over for you?”
    K-Mart snorted. “A limo? For what? Listen, we’re family, right?” He tossed A.J. a sly wink. “Besides, I got the latest update on the entire clan from Zach. That’s better than a limo ride any day of the week.”
    A.J. laughed out loud. “Zach’s been living with Moni too long.”
    K-Mart chuckled. “Listen, Zach also said your woman can burn.”
    A.J. patted his stomach and released a sigh of contentment. “Yes, she can.”
    “Hey, doc, thanks for downloading the last set of pictures you took of the girls and e-mailing them. I tell everyone my goddaughters are cuties. But I’m just a tad bit biased, you know.”
    “I know, and so am I.”
    K-Mart took another sip of tea and slowly shook his head. “You know, it’s just like you to do the daddy thing without benefit of a wife.”
    “What’s wrong with that?” A.J. asked, giving his friend a nonchalant shrug.
    “I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it. It’s just in line with all of your other unconventional ways, that’s all.”
    “So,” A.J. drawled slowly, “I do things a little differently, unlike you. There’s more excitement in my way. Your behind is as straight-laced as they come. You’re always playing strictly by the rules.”
    “That’s all right. At least I didn’t have three quarters of the medical faculty happy to see me graduate.”
    “Stop lying, K-Mart,” A.J. said, chuckling.
    “Doc, I’m not lying. You were one scary, brilliant medical student and put all of us to shame. But trust me, darn near all of the professors lit candles when you strolled across the stage at graduation.”
    “K-Mart, man, you should stop lying,” A.J. repeated, laughing so hard he had to brace his hand against his left side to ease the throbbing.
    “You know I’m telling the truth,” K-Mart said, snickering just as much. “You caused Dr. Wilson to turn in his resignation the same day.”
    A.J. snorted. “Come on, K-Mart. He was past seventy. He needed to retire anyway.”
    “Never ran across anyone who could miss three quarters of a class lecture and still ace the course.”
    “It was only a couple of times, and you know it. Besides, why sleep in a chair in a classroom at eight in the morning when I could be snoozing in bed?”
    “I’m feeling you, but come on, doc, admit it. You can come up with some strange stuff. Who else would show up wearing shorts, no shirt, and sandals at graduation?”
    “K-Mart,” A.J. mildly protested, “we lived in D.C., and graduated in the middle of August, with a heat index close to a hundred that day. There was no way I was going to wear a suit and tie under a thick, black robe.”
    K-Mart nodded in agreement. “I almost roasted my damn self. So, when’s the wedding?”
    A.J. explained Vic’s reluctance to marry him, leaving out the reason why and how his plan to quarantine her had been interrupted by the car accident.
    “What?” K-Mart shouted and was on his feet in an instant, remembering the repercussions from the dean for his role in the quarantine prank he and A.J. concocted in medical school. “Doc, I want to look at your CT scan, personally. I think you sustained permanent brain damage before the concussion.”
    “Sit down, K-Mart. You’ve been in public health so long you wouldn’t know what an X ray looked like if it slapped you.” After sharing a long laugh, A.J. probed, taunting his friend. “What about you? Who’s the lucky woman in your life?”
    With his focus on his glass, K-Mart’s face grew somber. “What are you talking about?”
    “What am I talking about? You know exactly what I’m talking about, Doctor Workaholic. If a woman isn’t sitting on top of your desk, you’ll never see her.”
    K-Mart shrugged. “Look, I just haven’t found