Page 23 of One Reckless Night

10

AMELIA

Iwas in my lab, scrubbing down the countertops after a long day of experiments, when Clair burst in, slapping a file down on the freshly sterilized surface. I jumped, nearly dropping the bottle of disinfectant in my hand.

“You know we have people who do that for us, right?” Clair said, leaning against the counter with a smirk.

I shrugged, spraying the counter with another burst of cleaner. “I like to use this time to clear my head. Decompress a little. It helps me think.”

“That’s what the grounds are for,” she said. “There’s a gazebo, coffee shop and, of course, the beach.”

“And there are people all over there,” I pointed out.

She laughed. “Are you telling me you want to be alone?”

“No, just saying that’s why I was in here and not out there.”

Clair rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, she tapped the file she’d just dropped. “This is one of Jared’s cases. Bad car accident a few years ago. Scar tissue in a specific section of the brain. He wants your opinion on a radical surgery and experimental treatment to give the patient back control of his hands and possibly restore his short-term memory storage.”

I froze, my hand tightening around the spray bottle. The mention of a car accident sent my mind racing back to memories I’d spent years trying to bury. My father’s accident, the one that had changed everything. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus. “I’ll review the case and get back to him as soon as I can,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Clair nodded, her expression softening. “You okay? You look a little pale. Have you inhaled too much disinfectant?”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Just tired. And hungry. I skipped lunch.”

She studied me for a moment, then shrugged. “Well, if you’re up for it, a few of us are heading to the cantina tonight. Let loose a little. It’s the weekend tomorrow, after all.”

I hesitated, glancing at the file on the counter. I should stay in, review the case, and get a head start on the research. But the thought of spending another night alone in my condo, with nothing but my thoughts for company, was unbearable. “Sure,” I said, smiling. “I could use a drink.”

Clair grinned and clapped her hands. “Awesome. I feel like we’ve been two ships passing in the night. We never get to hang out. Meet you there after you change?”

“Sounds good,” I said.

I finished cleaning up, my eyes drifting to the file. I wanted to dig into it, but I had been studying so many of those cases and I knew the outcome. It wasn’t great. Then again, maybe Jared had a new approach to an old problem. It seemed to be his specialty.

I shut off the lights and left the building. I loved that it was still warm. It was always warm, but now it was comfortable. The breeze and the smell of the ocean were invigorating. I headed back to my condo to change. I slipped into another sundress. I let my hair down, rubbing my scalp after my hair had been up all day. My makeup box was sitting on the counter. Since I spent sixteen hours in the lab, I didn’t even bother putting makeup on. My face seemed to have forgotten what it was like to wear it.

I put some on, keeping it light. I didn’t want to look like I was going out to the club. These were my coworkers. But I also didn’t want to go bare-faced like I didn’t know how to fix myself.

I walked down the path, smiling to myself. It was a little on the humid side, but I didn’t mind. The cantina was already buzzing with activity when I arrived. I spotted Clair at the bar and made my way over, sliding onto the stool beside her.

“Margarita?” she asked, holding up a glass.

“Please,” I said, smiling.

Clair was easy to talk to, her humor and warmth making me feel at ease. She was really the only person I felt like I connected with here. Then again, she was the only person I actually talked to. My assistants were a lot like me. They were very focused on their work, which I loved, but it was a little cold in the lab. That was probably for the best. Bosses and their employees should not fraternize.

“Do you like it so far?” Clair asked.

“Like it?” I said, swirling the margarita in my glass. “Clair, I love it. The lab is incredible. The equipment, the resources—it’s everything I’ve ever wanted. I mean, I’ve only been here a few weeks, but it already feels like home. Well, the lab does, at least.”

Clair grinned, leaning closer. “Right? I felt the same way when I first started. It’s like Disneyland for nerds. And the campus? Honestly, it’s kind of unfair how beautiful it is. Like, who gets to work and live in a tropical paradise? Plus, the cantina’s not bad either.” She gestured around us with her glass.

I laughed, taking a sip of my drink. “True. Though I’m pretty sure I’ve spent more time in the lab than anywhere else on campus. I still haven’t made it to the gazebo or the coffee shop.”

Clair gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. “Amelia Pritchard! You’ve been here this long and haven’t even gotten out. We’re fixing that this weekend. No excuses. You went to the beach, right?”

I cringed. “Once. Did Jared tell you?”