Page 44 of Off the Wall

Or are you afraid Cash Briggs is making your heart do leapfrogs all over your insides?

“I’ll just grab a bucket from the supply room and we can dilute this,” he says. “The excess water will run down the drains.”

He rises to his feet, and I lift my chin to meet his gaze. There’s an intensity there I imagine comes from serving people in the OR all day long—from wanting to be a part of the healing. But unlike East, Cash is tending to me like I’m an adult. Or maybe he’s not doing anything differently than my brother ever did. Maybe what’s different is the way Cash makes mefeel.

Like a woman.

“They’re expecting you at the hospital,” I rush to say. “And you’ve already done so much for?—”

“Nori!” a voice calls out. My gaze flicks to the farthest archway, where Hayden’s emerging from the lobby. I make a move to stand, and Cash reaches for my arm, helping me up. Meanwhile, Hayden crosses the courtyard, her focus bouncing from me to Cash—shirtlessCash.

When she reaches us, she takes in the puddle, the bike, and my bloody knees. “Whathappened?”

“Oh, you know. Just me being me.” I laugh nervously. For some reason I feel like a kid with her hand caught in a cookie jar. “Hayden, this is Cash. Cash, this is my best friend, Hayden. She’s also my roommate.”

Hayden tilts her head. “Nice to meet you Cash. Finally.” She puts a little extra pepper on the wordfinally.

Cash bobs his head. “Nice to meet you too. Sorry it took so long.”

“It did, didn’t it?” Hayden hikes a brow. “How longhasit been? Two months now?”

“Sounds about right,” I say, answering before he can. Then I widen my eyes in an unspoken signal for Hayden not to giveaway how much we’ve talked about Cash since he moved in. “Soooo, what’s up,roomie?” I chirp.

I’m the picture of nonchalance.

Yep. That’s me.

“You left your phone inside,” she says. “When I got home from work, your texts were going off. Then somebody called, and I started to think there might be some kind of emergency, so I answered.”

“Oh, no.” My stomach lurches. “Was it East?”

“It was Jemma Lane, from Swipe Rite.” Hayden passes my phone over, and the lurch in my stomach morphs into a wrench.

“Swipe Rite?” Cash squints. “Isn’t that a dating app?”

I nod, as a thread of regret snakes around my heart. I wish he’d already left for the hospital.

“So you finally joined, huh?” Hayden’s mouth goes crooked.

“Nice try, acting surprised.” I puff out a breath. “You’re the one who gave them my name.”

“Don’t be mad.” She throws her palms together like she’s begging for forgiveness. “But when I saw their all-call for singles, I couldn’t resist tossing your hat into the ring. And I figured Jemma would do a better job of convincing you than I could.”

I swallow despite the tightness in my esophagus. “You know they only want me because I live here. At The Serendipity. They’re planning to work the whole magic-in-the-building angle.”

“Who cares?” Hayden shrugs. “You might as well use every advantage you’ve got in the pursuit of love. And youarelooking for love, aren’t you?” She takes a beat, darting her gaze between Cash and me. “Unless … you two have something going …?”

“NO!” Cash and I both blurt at the same time.

“Whoa. I believe you.” Hayden says this, but the edge of her mouth tilts up. “Anyway.” She nods at my phone. “Jemma was calling because she needs you to check your DMs as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“Because you’ve got your first match!” Hayden does a little hop-and-clap maneuver, and my face begins to heat.

“Already? I didn’t think things would happen so quickly.”

“You can’t go wrong with Swipe Rite,” Hayden sings. “Someone named Adam wants to take you roller skating.”

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