“Did you put in orders?” the scrub nurse asks from the doorway.
“Not yet. Can you put in the standard ones for now? I’ll add the others after rounds.” I glance up at the clock on the wall as I dry off my hands and slip my wedding band from the loop on the drawstring of my scrub pants that I tied it around. I hold it in my hand for a moment. I’m already getting used to wearing it. Liking its weight and how it feels. It’s different from the last time I had one of these on me.
I should resent it more than I do. And I certainly shouldn’t like it as much as I do.
I slide it onto my left hand and push away from the sink.
“I didn’t know you were married,” she says to me. “Rumor had it that you were divorced and your ex-wife is deceased.”
“My ex-wife is,” I tell her, trying to hold in my smirk.
“But you’re married now?” she presses, wanting the inside scoop to feed the ever-churning gossip mill. Patients, coffee, and gossip are what keep hospitals running.
“I am.” I wink at her, grab my phone from the tray we keep them on, and head toward the elevator. I pull up my text stream with Skylar. She wasn’t home before I left for my shift last night, and it bothered me. I also couldn’t text to see where she was.
I’m not that kind of husband to her.
When I see her, I remember I’m supposed to keep my distance. I remember that Astrid was pregnant when I fell in love and married her, but Astrid likely never loved me back. She said she did. She acted the part. But she cheated, and it seriously hurt. It messed me up for a long time. I didn’t trust. I didn’t want to love.
Skylar doesn’t even like me. She’d be no different from Astrid. I already know this.
My issue? When I’m away from her, I can’t stop thinking about her, and with that, all the reasons why I need to keep my distance get shoved to the background. It’s a paradox and a mindfuck, and I have no clue how to reconcile the two.
Me: Text me when you get to the hospital, and I’ll come down and meet you.
I press the button for the elevator, wondering if I should go down to the lobby to head her off instead of the MSICU, which is where I was initially going. She replies instantly, and a stupid,I’m an idiotsmile curls up my lips.
I have it bad for my wife.
Skylar: Why would you do that?
I roll my eyes.
Me: Because, my lovely wife, we should probably be seen together if we’re going to sell this thing. Don’t you think?
Skylar: Fine. I’m here. I’m in the lobby.
I immediately hit the L for the lobby
Me: Stay there and wait for me. I’ll buy you a coffee.
Skylar: Make it a lemon ginger tea, and you have a deal.
A frown instantly tugs my smile off my face.
Me: Morning sickness?
Skylar: Just some nausea. Hoping the tea will help it pass.
I place an order online for her tea and a large coffee for myself, as I’ve been going since seven last night. The elevator doors open to the chaos that is the hospital lobby. Families and healthcare workers are coming and going. A large, brightly colored sculpture takes up half of the lobby, and I work my way around it, already spotting Skylar on the other side of it.
Her blonde hair is twisted up into a tight bun, and her face is sweet with only a small touch of makeup.
“Hey.” I stand close enough that I have to look down at her. She’s so adorably short and looks insanely cute in her pink scrub pants and blue hospital fleece.
Her green eyes cast up to mine. “Morning. How’s your shift been so far?”
“Long,” I tell her, reaching up and snatching an eyelashthat’s fallen to her cheek. She startles back from my touch, but I hold it out in front of her. “Make a wish.”
