AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You okay?” Asher asks me as he sits at the same table.
“Nope,” I confess. “I’m out of adrenaline and I might collapse any second, plus my body hurts all over.”
“Yeah.” He cranks his neck. “I know the feeling.”
“Coffee?”
I turn my head and see Laura with a cup.
I give her a puzzled look. “I thought you hated me.”
“I did,” she admits as she sits down. “And I wanted to kill you when you called me just as I was about to sleep. But you called me.”
“You called all of us,” Asher says.
“And even though I am so sleepy right now, I had the most exciting day,” Laura says. “So…”
She grabs my hand and wraps my fingers around the cup of coffee. The smell drifts to my nostrils. Energizing. Tempting. But I still have my doubts.
“So you don’t hate me anymore?” I ask Laura.
“Still do.” She sips her own cup of coffee. “I mean, you got to sleep with the hottest guy in the hospital.”
Asher looks at her. “I thought you said I was the hottest guy in this hospital.”
She meets his gaze. “No offense, Asher, but you’re a boy. Dr. Knight? Now, that’s a man.”
Asher frowns.
“So you still hate me?” I ask Laura again, just to be clear.
“Yes, but I’m not going to poison you or put laxative in your coffee,” she says.
I glance at my cup.
She raises her hand. “I swear.”
I glance at it again. Okay. I guess it’s safe to drink this.
I sit up straight and lift it to my lips. The warm liquid glides down my throat and instantly makes me feel better.
“Thanks,” I tell Laura.
She smiles. “We may hate each other, but hey, we’re all the friends we’ve got in this hellhole.”
I nod. “True.”
When all is said and done, we’re fellow interns, all trying to survive.
“Besides, you’re the boss’s girlfriend,” Laura says. “I can’t be on your bad side.”
I frown. “I’m not his girlfriend.”
“Does he know that?” Asher asks me. “Because the way Dr. Knight defended you when he barged into the locker room this morning made it seem like you were.”
I lean forward. “He did what?”
“So…” Laura moves her chair closer to mine. “How is he in bed?”
“You mean in the shower,” Asher reminds her.
I give them both a look of disgust. “No. We’re not talking about this.”
Laura frowns.
I shake my head. “I’m not his girlfriend, and whatever happened between us is none of anyone’s business.”
“Damn right,” someone agrees.
I turn my head and see Chief Gordon standing behind me.
“Should you guys still be here?” he asks.
Laura and Asher see him, scramble to their feet, and leave the table. I take longer, still tired.
“Smithson, wait,” Chief Gordon says.
I sigh. Is he going to give me a lecture for sleeping with an attending physician? Well, I’ve been expecting it, and I know that everything that happened today doesn’t change what happened between me and Rainier. But does Chief Gordon have to do this now?
I look at him. “Chief…”
“I heard what you did.”
Boy, here it comes.
“Today at the lobby,” he goes on.
What?
“I heard you sang in front of all those families. Joe said you calmed them down and prevented them from turning into a mob.”
I shrug. “I was actually just trying to calm myself down as well.”
Chief Gordon steps forward. “Nonetheless, you did a great job. Actually, it should have been my job, but you stepped in. You stepped up.”
He pats me on the shoulder.
“Also, I heard you helped save Dr. Carver’s daughter, and I’m sure you did other things as well. You did well today, Smithson.”
I smile. “Thank you, Chief.”
When he doesn’t say more, I turn to follow the others but then he reaches for my arm.
“Smithson.”
I look at him. “Yes, Chief?”
“I know what’s happening between you and Dr. Knight is none of my business…”
My eyebrows arch. It isn’t?
“…especially now that you’ve proven it doesn’t affect your work or your skills as a doctor. But I just want to say that while he’s a good man, he… can be difficult to deal with. He knows what he wants and he gets it. I trust you’re smart enough to do the same.”
My eyebrows furrow. I’m not sure I understand what Chief Gordon is trying to say. Is he giving me romantic advice as an older man and as Rainier’s friend, or is he giving me professional advice as my boss? Is he saying that I should be with Rainier or that I shouldn’t be?
Still, I nod. “Good night, Chief.”
“Good night. Get some rest.”
I fully intend to go straight to my apartment, take a shower and hit the bed, but when I reach the lobby, now nearly empty, I find Rainier waiting for me.
I frown. What is he doing here? Didn’t I make it clear that I don’t want to have anything more to do with him outside of work?
“Go away,” I tell him. “I’m tired.”
