Page 18 of Fractured

“Jake, I’m going to the cafeteria. You want anything?” It’s been seven grueling hours so far, fueled on caffeine, saltines, and peanut butter. The meal of emergency medical professionals most days. There’s finally been a lull in incoming patients, so I’m grabbing this opportunity to get some real food.

“Can you just get me a bottle of water and a bag of chips?” Jake shouts back.

“Got it.”

As I stroll down the hall, I think back on the texts from last night. I can’t keep the smile from taking over my face. Having someone like Nick tell you he’s fighting an attraction to you is like a drug. But what if he manages to fight it? What if he moves on because I’m not ready? I want to take Olivia’s advice on this one, but I need to prepare myself for the crushing letdown.

Everyone dates until they find ‘the one.’ If Nick doesn’t turn out to be ‘the one,’ then I move on. Sure, I’ll be disappointed. But I need to consider taking a chance… before someone else does. He’s so dreamy. Those sexy hazel eyes and soft lips.Gah! This is torture.It was bad enough when I didn’t know how good a kisser he was. Now I can just imagine those lips all over me.

As I make a quick salad from the salad bar and grab a sandwich from the fridge, I feel my phone buzz in my lab coat. Man, hope it isn’t Jake. Looking down, I see it’s a text, not a missed call. Opening the app, I look down at the phone with dread.

5:20 p.m.

Mark Snow

Mark: Hey, Kat. Sorry, we couldn’t talk yesterday. Glad you’re back at work. Wanted to see if I could take you out next week.

Ugh! I thought I’d handled this already.He isn’t making this easy. Once I get back to the ER and have unloaded these items, I’ll just make it clear I’m not dating anyone right now. I grab two bottles of water and Jake’s bag of chips and get in line before heading back to the emergency room.

“Here.” I hand Jake his water and chips.

“You okay?”

“I was. Then I got another text from Mark asking me to go out next week. I’d already told him I wasn’t in a good place for dating. You know, now that I think about it he never replied to that.” I stop to consider whether there’s a possibility he never received it. “Doesn’t matter. I’m going to be very frank with him this time.”

“I think that’s a good idea, Kat. Not sure what’s going on with him, but maybe making things clearer will help. Thanks for the food,” he says, hopping up from his seat. Like chips are food. He probably won’t touch it until he’s done for the day anyway.

I walk briskly toward the breakroom to quickly eat my dinner and shoot off a text.

5:40 p.m.

Kat: Hi, Mark. I thought I’d text this before, but maybe you didn’t receive it. I’m not dating right now. I have too much going on. I enjoy having you as a friend, but I’m not looking for more. I’m sorry. Hope to see you the next time we all get together.

There. I don’t know how much clearer I can make that. I tear through my sandwich and decide to save my salad for later. Standing to make my way back to work, I hear the phone ping again. Looking down, I notice the text isn’t from Mark but from Nick.

5:50 p.m.

Nick Barnes

Nick: Just got home from my dad’s. Eating a piece of pie. It’s so good I thought of you.

Um, what?Giggling, I can’t help but wonder what on Earth that means exactly. I walk over to the main physician’s workspace to see if there are any new patients to be seen and can’t help but reply to his text.

5:55 p.m.

Kat: That text was befuddling. I’m afraid to ask what exactly made you think of me.

I return my attention to the screen in front of me and see two patients waiting, one with a rash and another with an earache. I click on each and take a glance at my other patients’ test results before evaluating the new arrivals.

5:59 p.m.

Nick Barnes

Nick: I meant this pie tastes so good, it reminded me of your sweet lips, your wet tongue, your silky hair.

I can feel my face redden.Man, is it hot in here?I wasn’t expecting that. But now all I can think about is that hot kiss in the Target.

6:10 p.m.

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