Chapter One
Birdie
“How many bikers do you think we can fit in the waiting area?”
“From what I’ve seen, fourteen and about as many wives.” The nurse to my left popped open an energy drink and took a long sip. “And a few guys who look like they’re with the mafia.”
“Can we also talk about how all of the women are beautiful?” Layla sighed. “They’ve all been here for hours, and somehow, they all look like they stepped off the cover of a magazine.”
“From the woman who also looks like she stepped off the cover of a magazine,” I muttered.
I had worked with Layla for the past two years, and she always looked good. She could work two back-to-back twelve-hour shifts and still be gorgeous. I worked two back-to-back twelves and looked like I had been ridden hard and put away wet. Twice.
Layla was pretty and a genuinely lovely person to be around.
She stuck out the tip of her tongue and crossed her eyes. “You mean like this?” she giggled.
“Even like that, you are still pretty,” the other nurse sighed.
“You’re both pretty, too,” Layla laughed and leveled her gaze on me. “Even after you dyed your pretty red hair brown.”
Last week, I had gotten a wild idea and headed to the salon for a change—chopping off five inches and dying my naturally red hair a light chestnut. I liked it. Obviously, Layla was still trying to adjust to it. “It was time for a change, and I can always go back to red whenever I want.”
“I think you look good with brown hair,” the nameless nurse confided.
I tilted my head to the side and saw her nametag. Bailey. Even after working with her several times, I could never remember her name. I repeated it a few times in my head and tried to memorize her face.
“Birdie,” Layla called.
I shook my head and blinked. “Uh, yeah?”
“Why the hell were you staring at Bailey?” she laughed.
“I was?” I cringed. “I was zoning out.” Busted. And also creepy. My cheeks heated, and I knew I was blushing ten shades of pink.
“And you’re only four hours into your shift,” Layla laughed. “Hopefully, you don’t zone out when caring for the hot biker in three-thirteen.”
“Oh, boy,” Bailey sighed. “Talk about a tall drink of water I would love to drown myself in. He grumbles at me every time I call him Grant, and I know I should be afraid of him, but I’m not,” Bailey laughed. She fanned her face with her hand and leaned back in her chair.
“All right, ladies,” I scolded lightly. “I don’t think we should discuss a patient like this.”
“You’re right,” Layla sighed. “We’ll save it for when we go to the bar after work.”
“Can we go to Bay’s?” Bailey asked. “I’m starving, and they have an amazing double grilled cheese with bacon.”
“As long as they have a cold beer, I am in.” Layla nodded at me. “You’re coming with us, right?”
I shook my head. “I think I am going to pass.” Two baskets of scrubs at home had been staring at me for the past couple of days. My last clean pair of scrubs were currently covering my body, and I had two more shifts before an off day.
“You have better plans than sitting around with us while we talk about hot bikers?” Bailey laughed.
Layla always invited me out after work, but I never took her up on it. Nice to be invited, but I didn’t want to go.
I gathered my papers and signed out of the computer. “Two loads of laundry and reruns of Alf to watch.”
“Who?” Bailey asked.
“That furry alien dude from the eighties?” Layla laughed.
