“I’m just fine.”
“You two know each other?” Nurse June asks.
“She used to date my youngest son, Kyle,” Leah tells her.
“Oh, that’s awesome,” Nurse June says.
It’s awkward, standing here as they talk about me almost as if I’m not here.
Leah looks up and smiles. “His ears must have been burning.”
Dread fills me as I shut my eyes.
Son of a bitch.
The last thing I want to do is deal with Kyle. Especially here of all places. I’m trying to make a good impression on the people who work here to try and secure a job once I graduate, and knowing Kyle, he’s going to fuck that up for me.
Vindictive bastard.
Hands shaking, I look down at the screen, praying that a patient is requesting attention, but find that they are all fine.
“Hey, Mom,” Kyle says as he comes to a stop in front of us.
“Hi, baby. Are you here for Lyla?”
“Actually, yeah. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute,” Kyle says.
I shake my head as I look up. “Sorry, I’m working.”
Leah rests her hand on my shoulder. “Now, none of that. Why don’t you take your lunch now? You were due for it anyway.”
Nurse June looks at me with concern, but I ignore her. I don’t see any way out of this. Kyle and his mom have me cornered, and they know it.
“Fine, but I’ll be back soon,” I tell them.
“Oh, don’t hurry back. Take a long lunch,” Leah says.
I bite my tongue as I start to walk away.
“Where are you going?” Kyle asks as he jogs to catch up.
I keep my mouth shut until we step into the outside waiting area, where patients can come to get some sunshine when it’s nice. I’m so annoyed that for the first time I’m not in awe of the gardens when I see them.
“What do you want, Kyle?” I ask as I round on him, crossing my arms over my chest.
“Is that any way to talk to your boyfriend?” he hisses at me.
I snort. “You are not my boyfriend. We broke up. Even your mom knows it.”
Kyle rolls his eyes. “Are you ever going to get over that?”
“I am over it, Kyle. That’s why I go out of my way to stay away from you, but you, on the other hand, haven’t gotten the hint that I’ve moved on and that I don’t want you anymore. So tell me, what do you want? I know you aren’t here for me.”
His hand comes up and he rubs the back of his neck. “I haven’t heard back from Seattle,” he mutters.
I freeze at his words. Surely, I heard him wrong, right?
“Excuse me?” I ask slowly.
