Emma freezes. She slowly turns to look at me, and I swear she’s trying to figure out if I’m joking.
“You want to…help?” She narrows her eyes.
“Sure.” I shove my hands in my pockets. “If you need anything.”
“I’m vaccinating a patient,” Emma says carefully, like she’s talking to someone who might be having a mental breakdown.“There’s nothing for you to help with. You should give Eldra some privacy.” She widens her eyes at me.
“Right. Of course.” I nod again. Why do I keep nodding? “I’ll just…be outside, then.”
I point at the door like she needs a visual representation of what “outside” means.
Emma is still staring at me. “Okaaaaaay.”
“Okay,” I repeat, because apparently, I’ve forgotten how conversations work.
I back toward the door, nearly trip over my own feet, and escape into the hallway.
I lean against the wall outside the treatment room and resist the urge to punch something. I suck at making friends. That much is clear.
Sally is watching me from the reception desk with a concerned expression. “Everything okay?”
I grunt and walk over to her desk.
She cocks her head and scrutinizes me. “You look a little…shellshocked.”
Do I? Fuck.
“I’m fine.”
She scrutinizes me for a moment longer and then nods. Sally turns to her computer and pulls up something on the screen. “I’ve got the information on your next pickup. Should be in your inbox.”
I nod, pulling out my phone to check. But my mind is still spinning.
“Um…that nurse…um…Emma. Has she been working at the center long?”
Sally’s eyebrows shoot up. “Emma?” She looks at me strangely. “Yes, she’s been here the longest. Almost four years now. She’s mated to one of the shifters on the island. They have three children.” She pauses. “Why?”
Crap!
It’s clear that I haven’t really looked at anyone here. I’ve taken zero note of any of them.
I scratch the back of my neck. “Someone pointed out to me that maybe I haven’t been…great to work with. That maybe I could be nicer.”
The words feel awkward and forced, but they’re true. If I think about it, I’ve kind of been cruising along in limbo. I’ve been going through the motions on autopilot. “Numb” is the right word.
Sally leans back in her chair, studying me. “Did you get into trouble? Did someone file a complaint about you?”
“Not exactly.” I shift my weight. “But I thought about it, and maybe it’s time I was a little nicer. Only problem is…” I trail off, not sure how to finish that sentence without sounding like a complete asshole.
“You don’t know how to be nice?” Sally finishes for me, and there’s amusement in her voice.
I grunt, which I guess is confirmation enough.
Sally laughs.
“It’s not that funny,” I grumble.
“Oh, it kind of is.” She’s still grinning. “Okay, let me give you some pointers. First, maybe don’t growl when you’re trying to say hello. I’ve heard you do it.”
