Page 19 of Love Sick

Raven nods. “That’s unfair, but it’ll blow over. All rumors do.”

I smile. “Thanks for not asking if it’s true. It isn’t, in case you were wondering.”

“Of course it isn’t,” Alesha says. “That would never get through GME.”

“I never doubted it,” Raven says around a mouthful of chips and guac.

My smile widens. “Anyway, that’s why I don’t like Julian.”

Both women stay silent, averting their stares to their plates.

I narrow my eyes at them. “What?”

Alesha swallows. “Well, youdidcall him a misogynist when he was only trying to help. I mean, you know how he got in, right?”

I shrug, ignoring the judgmental voice that whispers he must have done something mind-blowing for a DO to get in this program.

“He coauthored several papers on disparities in women’s health care. One was published in a national journal.”

My mouth falls open. Hang on. Am I going to have to repeal everything I assumed about this guy? Being wrong isn’t really in my top-five favorite things.

“How do you know that?” I ask.

She shrugs. “Word gets around, you know?”

I cover my squirmy discomfiture with a snort. “Well, if he’s not a misogynist, he’s still a douche.”

Alesha grins wide, then laughs. “This is going to be fun, huh?”

A minute later, the booth jostles.

Julian scoots in beside me. “You think you can tolerate my proximity? Or should I sit at another table?”

I meet his dark eyes. “If I said yes, would you move?”

“Eh. And let you win?”

My arms cross of their own volition. “I can deal with you, if you can deal with me.”

He shoots a longing glance at the door, but sighs when Kai sits beside him, effectively trapping him beside me.

“I guess we’re doing this,” he says.

I scoot away from him. “Just don’t touch me. You have knobby-looking elbows.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Now who’s judging based on appearance, Sapphire?”

Would it be rude to slap him? “It’s Grace.”

“Oh, yeah,” he deadpans. “I forgot.”

The three others at our table exchange looks, but Alesha laughs in silence. “Oh yeah. This is going to be a fun year.”

AUGUST, YEAR 1

Butterflies smother me the night before my first day of L&D in August.

Julian has regaled us of the thrilling adventures he experienced last month and my jealousy has been…well, a little difficult to tolerate. The guy’s a show-off, and I’m ready for my turn. His first shift started with a crash section and heprimariedit.

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