“What?” Cathy exclaimed. “That many?”
Taylor shook her head. Pulling her popsicle out of her mouth, she said, “No, thix.” And laughed.
“Six?” Cathy said. “That’s unbelievable!”
“I want a ‘nother popsicle.”
Pen walked up to the desk with her purse and paperwork and gave a quick wave to everyone. “Taylor Marie, you are a storyteller. Time to go home.”
“Bye,” I said, kissing her on the head and handing her off to her mother.
“Say thank you,” Pen said, accepting her daughter and trying to keep the popsicle from dripping on her sweater.
“Fank you,” Taylor said and leaned forward to give me a big wet popsicle-y kiss.
“Love you,” I said.
“Target, McDonald’s, and Disney princesses,” Taylor said, counting out our Saturday activities out on her fingers.
“The girl is brilliant,” I said proudly as I finished off my own popsicle.
“Do you always share the treats with your patients?” a voice behind me asked.
I stopped mid-lick and turned to find Adam standing there, hands behind his back. His absolute handsomeness took my breath away. That thick, dark hair spilled chaotically over his forehead. Those dark chocolatey eyes. That impossibly square jaw. Even with his white coat on, the breadth of his shoulders impressed. I knew for a fact that even more wondrous muscles were hidden under that white coat.
He was kidding, right? Any second now he was going to break character and say he’d been clowning around. But he didn’t. Apparently, that stunningly handsome shell hid an awful interior.
“You’re eating on the job,” he said.
“Of course I’m eating!” I said, not disrespectfully but not exactly calmly either. All I’d since lunch was an Oreo Tom reluctantly sacrificed. I refused to explain how busy we were, how hard we worked at the sacrifice of human comforts. Geesh.
“Well, we have a new rule,” he said, speaking not only to me but to everyone gathered behind the desk. “No eating in the work areas.”
I looked around. Literally everywhere was a work area. “So where do we eat?”
He tossed me a sideways glance. “That’s exactly what I was about to discuss, Dr. Green. We’re about to have a little impromptu staff meeting. Why don’t you have a seat?”
He was still acting like he had that massive branch up his butt, and the staff was offering no pushback. Why?
Well, I was going to offer lots of feedback. Starting with him barging into my exam room and trying to take over. I felt like I’d fallen asleep and awakened in a dystopian nightmare, where the hottest guy of my life didn’t remember me. Didhenot remember the hottest sex of his life?
I mean, come on.Spectacularwas the word that had passed his own lips. I was not making that up.
“We have new guidelines,” he said in a cheery voice. “Food is only allowed in the break room.”
Eating was literally the only fun we had between patients. We all took turns bringing our newest recipes from home for everyone to try—so as we sat together waiting for the next onslaught, we often fortified ourselves with delicious snacks. Every ER I’d ever worked in had food. Lots of it. We shoveled it into our mouths when we could, sometimes as fast as we could—especially on the days when there was no time to pee, let alone seek out food in a room waaay down the hall.
“Are you sure?” I was being insolent now. In front of the staff. I warned myself to curb my anger. I was always professional. But right now, I was so angry. And, to be honest, a little hurt.
“Dr. Green, I’m very sure.”
“It’sAni. Remember?” I gave him a cold, hard stare. I didn’t care how cute he was. I hated him for being…different than before. Where wasmyAdam? I wanted him back now.
Angie’s brow immediately quirked up as she glanced from Adam to me.
He turned red. Okay, good. So hedidremember.
How I wished that he’d stayed my dreamy fantasy, untouched by this reality. I’d used his memory as an escape when the pain of last year threatened to take me down. He’d been a quiet, invisible hug during my most alone times. Someone who’d cared for me when I’d needed it most. Who’d given me his jacket and food and who had made me laugh and who had done even more—I couldn’t even think about that now.
