Beth stiffened. “I’m not going home. I’m scheduled to work.”
“You’ve got a head wound and were vomiting. You need rest.”
“We’re already short-staffed. I’m staying.”
“No. Nurse Ontario offered to cover your shift. You’re going home.”
Beth crossed her arms. “You can’t just order me around.”
“Actually, I can,” Bryce said, meeting her eyes briefly. “We’ll discuss this once I’m done threading a needle through your face.”
“Fine.” Her glare could’ve scorched paint.
Kim walked in, brows lifting. “Oh no, Beth. Stitches?”
Beth gave a weak smile. “Told you Fred had it in for me. I never should’ve told you in front of him that I was thinking of getting a new car.”
“Fred?” Bryce asked, confused. Beth and Kim burst into laughter.
Bryce’s smile faltered as he watched them—watched her. The shock of seeing her bleeding, the inside joke about some mystery man, and the fact they’d barely seen each other since Sunday twisted something in his chest. He wasn’t used to this. An unsettled feeling. The ache of being on the outside.
“Kim, I’m keeping you on. Nurse Stoner is going home.”
Kim raised a brow, amused. Beth looked livid.
“That won’t be necessary, Doctor Jensen,” Beth snapped. “When you said we’d discuss it when you were done, I didn’t realize the discussion was between you and your ego.”
“I meant you and me.” His voice lowered a notch. “But since you won’t be logical, I made the call. You’re sick. You shouldn’t be here.”
“Right. Because only healthy people should be in hospitals.”
“If they’re staff? Yes. Want me to admit you as a patient?”
Kim leaned against the counter, arms folded, clearly enjoying the exchange. “I told him to keep me on, Beth.” Her voice was gentler now. “You look awful. Go home beforeFred the Jeepfinishes what it started.”
Beth frowned at her words and the way she emphasized her Jeep’s name.
Understanding washed over Bryce.
“You just got back from vacation, and I know you didn’t plan to spend your first days back working a double shift.” Beth argued.
Kim tilted her head with a grin.
“Go home and rest. You can help me unpack when I get off—and maybe let me in on whatever it is I walked in on just now.”
Beth blushed but nodded.
Bryce turned to Beth. “Do you have your keys?”
She patted her pocket. Kim hugged her and sneakily snagged them.
“Don’t let her drive,” Kim said, tossing the keys to Bryce.
Beth’s cry of outrage followed Kim out of the room.
Bryce toyed with the engraved keychain. Trying to think of a way to break the stony silence.
“I didn’t know you two lived together.”
