Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change? novel Chapter 1165

"Dr. Cooper."

At the next table, the man poured Joyce a glass of water.

"Thanks."

He gestured at the little card on the table. "You order by scanning the code here. Want to order now? We can chat while we eat."

"Sure."

He took out his phone, scanned the code, and handed it to Joyce. "You pick. Ladies first."

They put in their order and settled into small talk over burgers and fries. The mood was pleasant enough.

"So," the man started, "Dr. Cooper, have you had a chance to hear about me yet?"

Since this was a setup through their parents, a bit of self-introduction was normal.

"Yeah." Joyce nodded. "My mom filled me in. What about you, do you know about me?"

"Pretty much the same," he said, smiling. Then he hesitated for a moment, adjusting his glasses.

"You went to Penn, you’re a doctor... Work must keep you pretty busy, huh?"

"It does," Joyce replied honestly, no pretense.

"Right..."

He leaned forward, lowering his voice like he wanted to be extra clear. "Since we’re here for a reason, I think it’s better to be upfront."

"Okay," Joyce said, a little caught off guard, but nodded. "Go ahead."

He said, "My job keeps me pretty busy too."

Joyce already knew that—her family had made sure she was meeting someone with similar background and prospects. He managed his family's business, like her older brother.