Page 24 of Love Sick

“Ah.” I gesture toward her slacks and blouse. “Explains the clothes.”

“I’m suffering with internal medicine.” Kai sucks down one drink and starts on his next. “Do you have any idea how much I hate hyponatremia? Rounds tookfive hourstoday.”

I groan.

“So, what did you need Group Therapy for?” Raven asks.

Before I can answer, the server sets a fresh Mambo Taxi before me, and I bounce in my seat. “Heaven!” I face Raven after taking a large gulp. “I’m sort of getting tired of the handholding. I want them to trust me.”

“You strike me as a girl who likes a little handholding.” Julian shoots a scathing glance my way.

Under the table where no one can see, I flip him off with both hands. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand. Your month was awesome, and they let you do it all.”

“Right. A misogynist like me couldneverunderstand.”

My eyes narrow. “God, you’re never going to let that go, are you? I only meant that it sounded like you got your hands dirty on day one, and they still haven’t even let me hold a scalpel.”

His scorching expression disappears. “Wait. They haven’t let you primary?”

I shake my head.

Brow wrinkled, he takes a sip of his drink. “That’s weird. I wonder why.”

Kai breaks the tension by leaning toward the middle of the table. “Do you think that server over there is single?”

Julian turns his attention to the chips in the middle of the table, scooping a liberal amount of queso. “Don’t bother. He’s been staring at Sapphire since she sat down.”

Kai slumps. “Of course.”

“It’sGrace,” I say under my breath, but I sneak a peek at the man in question. Damn, he has nice eyes. And arms.

The idea of him blooms through my brain, and I take it to its logical conclusion. He’d want sex, and I’d clam up.

It’s like fucking an ice queen.

The words haunt me. They probably wouldn’t still hurt so much if I hadn’t been foolishly in love with Matt when he said them.

I jerk my gaze from the server. Not worth it.

“See something you like, Grace?” Alesha asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

Kai sighs. “I do.”

I pat his arm. “You’re free to take your shot. I’ll be your wingwoman.”

His stoic face breaks into a smile. “You’re good people, Gracey.”

The evening progresses without incident from there, and Julian stops antagonizing me. The dinner is exactly what I needed—to de-stress with my squad. Nothing has changed at work, but just knowing I have these people beside me in the trenches is enough to perk me up.

After food, I stretch. “Time to go?”

“Yeah.” Alesha lets out a yawn. “Vincent is kicking my ass.”

I’d almost forgotten Alesha was on L&D at the other hospital. “Do they let you primary over there?”

She drops her gaze, messing with her purse. “Um. Yeah. It’s not a big deal, though.”

My shoulders fall.Yes, it is.

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