“You gonna make it through the door, or do I need to roll out the red carpet?”
I grunt. “You always this warm and fuzzy, or is that just for me?”
“It’s mostly for you.”
She holds the door open, and I pass through, my shoulder brushing hers on the way in.
I sink down onto the examination bed she gestures to, and wait for her to finish rustling with the notes on her desk. Finally, she straightens, places a hand on her hip, and observes me.
“What?”
“Attitude’s still intact, I see.”
“Nice to see you too, Doc.”
“Please, call me Carina. Or at least address me by my full name you’re so fond of—Doctor Doom.”
“Only if you stop calling me Mr. Hutchison. Way too formal.”
“Okay, fine. Reid it is.”
I cross my arms because I don’t have a retort for that.
And I want her to call me Reid.
“Leg elevated like you’re supposed to?”
“Religiously.”
Her eyebrow lifts as she glances down at the screen in her hand. “You missed two log entries on the rehab app.”
“Because your app kept logging me out.”
She frowns. “That sounds like user error.”
“No, it sounds like a shit app.”
Her mouth twitches as she tosses her tablet back onto the desk, then rounds toward me, gesturing to my knee. “Come on. Let’s get this over with before you threaten the Wi-Fi,Reid.”
I snort, just as Jenny clears her throat from the doorway, a manila folder tucked in her arms.
“Apologies, Dr. Park,” she says sweetly, eyes flicking to mine and back again. “I just thought you might needMr. Hutchison’s updated insurance file.”
Her smile is pleasant, her tone is not.
Carina doesn’t blink. “Thanks, Jenny. You can leave it on the desk.”
Jenny doesn’t move right away. She lingers for a beat, her gaze bouncing between us before she finally places the folder down with a little more force than necessary.
“I’ll let you get back to it,” she says, and disappears without waiting for a reply.
After the door clicks shut, Carina exhales slowly, as though she’s counting to ten.
“She always that fake?” I mutter.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Sure you don’t, Doc.”
