Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82955 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Leaning back against the sweater draped over my chair, I cross my arms over my chest. “Did I what?”
She rocks over the high counter between us and plants her elbows down like she’s discovered new territory, and whispers, “Did you see the firefighter in room 8?”
I glance at the room situated catty-corner from me across the hall. “There’s a firefighter in room 8?” Her head drops to the side, and she purses her lips in disappointment when she realizes I can’t share in her excitement. “I just sat down for my shift and haven’t logged in yet. I’ve been in Boston for two days, remember? I went with my sister to watch her husband’s hockey team play.”
She lands solidly back on her heels, pushing off the counter. “I forgot you’ve been out of town, so I guess you haven’t heard. How’d the Brooklyn Breakaways play?”
I was hoping this weekend would provide a distraction from the hierarchical games I’ve been forced to play ever since Dr. Ludlow decided to have it out for me last year, but unfortunately, I was unsuccessful. It was impossible to enjoy the quick getaway, not when I knew what I’d be returning to—overnights and task work. I eye the stack of files already waiting for me.
I’m so glad I graduated at the top of my nursing school class just to have my skill set underutilized and a doctor seeking revenge by swaying the administration to keep me from promotions. Defiance rings through me, and I raise my chin. I won’t let him win.
“It was only an exhibition game,” I reply, “but they won.” I grin as if I have a right to feel proud. I suppose I do since my brother-in-law is a star player.
“That’s great. Now back to the firefighter,” she starts like I’d taken her down a detour she didn’t ask for. “He’s cute. Really cute.”
“And here I thought you’d give me an update about his condition.” I laugh. Stacy makes working here bearable and always gets me smiling. “I’m shocked I haven’t heard anything. A firefighter being injured . . .” I take a breath, the gravity of the situation pulling me back to concern. Mountain Laurel Cove is a tight community. It’s always big news if one of our own is injured. “Is he okay? What happened?”
I’m surprised I wasn’t greeted by gossip the moment I stepped onto the back porch when Summer and I returned from Boston. Neither my grandmother nor either of my sisters said a thing.
Stacy looks down the hall one way and then to the opposite end, causing her brown ponytail to flip from one side to the other. As if she was making sure the coast was clear, she replies, “He’ll be okay, thank goodness. It’s going to take some recovery, though.”
“Oh.” My heart clenches. “That sounds serious.”
“I have no doubt he’ll be good as new. He just needs to rest and recover. And,” she says with one hand holding onto the counter and dropping her weight back on her heels again. Her good mood is getting the best of her. “I’ll be happy to nurse him back to health personally.”
“Stacy,” I playfully reprimand, though her smile is contagious, causing me to grin along with her. “You’re so bad.”
“I’m trying to be bad, but the lack of opportunities in this town is staggering.”
“Tell me about it.”
Ticking off a finger, she says, “Well, first of all—”
“I was kidding. I don’t need the reminder of how few available men there are within a sixty-mile radius. Much less men who are within forty years of our age. I live it. Daily.” Glancing behind Stacy when someone walks by, I clamp my mouth shut until they’ve long passed. In a lowered voice, I say, “And look what happened when I dared to even try to date one of the few that exist in that range.” I roll my eyes, hoping to wipe my brain of the image of Dr. Ludlow that dared to infiltrate my head before my gaze lands on the stack of files I’ll be dealing with all night. I pat the top of the stack. “That earned me ten hours of fun. Yay, me.” Sarcasm is my fallback these days. Gotta find the silver linings.
Excitement brightens her eyes, and they sparkle under the LED lighting of the hospital. “He is good-looking, though.”
“Ugh. I never want to see his face again—”
“I’m talking about the firefighter, Autumn, not Dr. Ludlow . . . though,” she says, tapping her fingers on the counter as she ponders what I can only imagine are the possibilities. “He is handsome, even if he is a jerk of epic proportions.” At least she has the wherewithal to sour her face when she says his name.
Shaking my head, I reply, “His looks can’t overcome the jerk part, but have at him if you’re desperate.”