Page 32 of Head Over Heels

"How was work?" Josie asks Tilly.

"Same shit, different day." The redhead shrugs. "I don't get these sports types. Why push your body past what the good Lord created it for?"

"They're called athletes. They push themselves to the limit just like you do. You just do it in a different way."

Tilly grins. "Yeah, I use my head." She taps her temple with her index finger. She eyeballs me for a split second before winking.

"That's debatable," Josie says.

"What's debatable?" asks one of the two women coming through the door.

"That Tilly uses her brain." Josie laughs. She dries her hands and comes to greet them, pulling the shorter woman into a hug before turning to the taller one. "You look tired. You okay?" Her voice softens, almost tender. She pulls her into a long hug, lingering, until the first woman tugs on her partner's arm.

Oh.That must be Mel—the one Josie's in love with. The ease between them makes me wonder if Mel has lingering feelings for Josie, too.

"She uses her brains on a selective basis," the younger one teases, winking at Tilly.This must be Renna.She turns to me. "And you are…"

She freezes. Squints at me, then looks back at Josie. "What the hell is Florence Pietra doing here?"

Josie sighs. "Be nice. I'll explain." She pulls the asparagus off the stove. "Mel, sit down. Get off your feet. Renna, Tilly—set the table. For five, obviously." She glances at me. "You—keep your mouth shut for now. Please."

I stand. "I didn't realize you had company coming. I can call you later to discuss things."

"Discuss what things?" Renna blocks my path.

Tilly steps in behind her, placing her hands on Renna's hips and resting her chin on her shoulder. "Josie said to be nice," she says softly. "Let Ms. Pietra sit, darling. We'll set the table, and once the food is ready, I'm sure Dr. Mueller will let us know why she's invited a traitor to our table." She uses her grip on Renna's waist to get her moving again.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Josie steps in front of me and puts her hand on my chest. "Sit down, Florence." She leaves no room for argument. "You trust me. Remember?"

I meet her eyes for a long moment then sit, glancing around at these four women. I get the impression that the dynamics between them are… complicated. But I trust Josie.

A few minutes later, dinner's on the table. Everyone looks expectantly at Josie.

Mel's the first one to break the silence. She looks at Josie. "Explain."

She takes a deep breath and releases it. "First of all, the rumors you've seen aren't true." She looks at Renna. "Not that it should be anyone's business if they were."

"That's not true, and you know it," Mel counters. "It's the reputation of the whole med school if she's sleeping with top management."

"She's sitting right here," I say icily, "and as Josephine said, it's not true."

Josie cuts me off. "He came on to her. When she let him down gently, he decided to start spreading lies."

The other three women at the table go silent.

I cover her hand with mine. "It's my story." I take a deep breath. "When he pushed, I told him I had a fiancée—that she was a private person." I stare down at my plate. "I shouldn't have lied. It just came out. It's always the easiest way to get men to back off when they won't take no for an answer."

"Ain't that the truth," Tilly mutters under her breath.

"I don't know how it became public knowledge—I've never come out publicly, and I rarely date. But it's never been something I've hidden, either. He had the gall to tell me I needed a man to take care of me," I say quietly. "I told him I'd have his balls on a silver platter if he ever talked to a woman like that again at Delmont University Hospital. I reported it. Then I thought it was over until my EA saw the rumors circulating on social media."

"Men can be assholes," Renna mutters.

"People can be assholes," Tilly points out.

Mel looks at Josie. "How did she end up here?"

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