Yours Truly (Part of Your World, #2)(9)

“Why the fuck would he want to live for decades on dialysis?” I snapped. “He’s twenty-seven years old. He wants to make spontaneous trips to Vegas with his friends, drink beer, meet girls, and have sex without being embarrassed about the tubes sticking out of his chest.”

He put up a hand. “I didn’t mean—”

“I really hope something like this never happens to someone you love. Or to you. And I seriously hope you never say stupid shit like this to your patients.”

I got up. “Let me out.”

He pushed a long breath through his lips and dipped his head between his knees for a second. Then he dragged himself up and moved away from the door.

I stopped right before opening it. “And another thing. I think it’s completely unethical what you and Gibson are doing. But it’s fine. Doesn’t matter.” I looked him in the eye. “This is my team. This is my hospital. You’ll never get the job, no matter who pulls strings for you.”

I slammed the door on my way out.





Chapter 4

Jacob



I had no idea what the hell she was talking about. None. And I wasn’t going to ask her. I waited a few moments before leaving the supply closet to give her a chance to clear the area. Then I did my best to stay on my own side of the ER for the rest of my shift.

I wondered if I could keep doing this. I was miserable here. I was miserable at Memorial, and I would probably be miserable wherever else I went too. Maybe this was my life now, just existing and hating every minute of it.

It occurred to me that maybe Amy had been right to give up on me. How could I be lovable when I wasn’t even likable?

I wrapped up my last patient and was heading to the locker room when Zander came out of room seven, the one Benny was in.

“Maddox!” He grinned at me. “There you are. I was gonna go hunt your ass down.”

Dr. Zander Reese was a nephrologist. A kidney specialist and a good one. He was also my best friend. We’d been roommates in med school and through our residencies. He was one of the selling points of this move. Knowing someone here had been a plus. It was nice to finally see a familiar face, one that wasn’t scowling at me.

Maybe Zander was Benny’s kidney specialist? I peered past him to see into the room, but the curtain was across the sliding glass door.

I wondered if she was still there. Probably.

I felt like I should apologize to her for the comment in the supply closet, but it seemed like the more I talked, the worse things got.

Zander smacked me on the shoulder. “Hey, sorry I missed you yesterday, bud, I had rounds at the dialysis clinic.” He nodded down the hallway. “Gibson sent me to look for you. You’re off right now, right? Wanna get a drink? We’re thinking Mafi’s across the street.”

I liked Mafi’s. And I liked that it was a place I’d been to before. He’d probably picked it for that exact reason.

Places I knew were less stressful for me because I had a sense of how loud it was going to be, how crowded. I wouldn’t have to ask anyone where the restrooms were.

Sometimes I’d Google a place just to see what I could before going. Figure out what I’d order, what the parking situation would be like. Or if there was a big dinner or a party I had to go to, I’d walk through the venue the day before, so when I got there, I’d feel more oriented and less stressed before having to deal with a large social commitment.

I’d done that here too. I’d toured Royaume twice before I took the transfer. Zander was here, I knew Gibson, I knew the job, I’d felt comfortable with the move.

But sometimes even the most thorough due diligence couldn’t show you the heart of a thing…

Zander was waiting for my reply.

Normally after a day like today I’d just want to go home. But I needed to have a positive social interaction so the last one wouldn’t be all I could think about. If I didn’t put something between me and what happened, I’d fixate on it the rest of the night.

“Sure,” I said. “Let me get changed. I’ll meet you guys there.”

I found them in the restaurant thirty minutes later. Gibson waved me over with a friendly smile. He was one of those easy people everyone liked.

Gibson and I went way back. We’d never worked together, but we’d had the same job for the last few years and ended up at enough of the same conferences to get pretty well acquainted. Plus he knew Mom. Most doctors did. She was a well-respected physician in her own right.

He smiled at me as I sat down. “Maddox. How’s the new job treating you?”

“Good,” I lied.

“And how’s Amy?” he asked.

“Fine. We broke up eight months ago.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Ouch. I didn’t know that. I’m sorry. Is that why you transferred?”

I picked up a menu and looked at it, though I didn’t need to. I’d already checked it out online. “In part, yes,” I said. “She’s getting married, actually. To Jeremiah.”

Zander stared at me. “Are you kidding me?”

“I’m afraid not.”

Gibson leaned back in the booth. “And what does your mother have to say about that?”

“Plenty,” I mumbled.

Zander nodded at me. “At least you got the dog,” he said.