Page 15 of The Exception

The back of her throat burned with the confession. She’d done well so far, keeping Marcus in the little room for him that she’d made in her brain, but wine and baby smells and talking about another man’s hotness—even if she had no intention of going there—was a dangerous trifecta. She blinked a few times, feeling her cheeks get hot. When she looked up from Lucia’s sleepy face, Emma was staring back at her.

She forced a smile. “Okay, someone else’s turn,” she said, sniffing. She cocked her head and zeroed in on Dani, gesturing to the baby. “When are you and Dylan going to give us one of these?”

Dani made a show of chugging the rest of her wine, smacking her lips when she swallowed. “Don’t hold your breath.”

* * *

With the wine gone, Cat promptly fell asleep on the couch, her head in her palm while Dani tied her hair in pigtails. Sonya bounced Lucia in her arms, watching Emma pick up napkins and empty plates from the counter.

“I think I’ve made my decision,” she said.

Emma dropped a bottle in the recycling and took a seat on the kitchen stool. A silent opening. She always knew how to say something without saying it.

“I’m going to turn down the assignment.” She held a hand up as Emma started to speak. “I’m not backing down from the challenge because it’s hard.”

Emma gave a firm nod. “Okay.”

“I would never do that. Normally.” She sighed and nuzzled Lucia’s hat. “And this guy, there’s something about him that really makes me want to give it to him.”

Emma raised an eyebrow.

“Professionally, not… whatever Dani said.”

“Right.”

“But the thing is, I feel a little like a baby sea turtle right now.”

Emma’s mouth tipped into a grin. “Okay, I was following, but—”

“I was watching this documentary the other day about these turtles. When they’re born, they just go on auto-pilot…” She paused, the word pilot cracking as it came out of her mouth. It was a stupid slip. “Anyway, they don’t look around, they don’t feel the breeze or explore the beach, they just head to the water. It’s instinct. They survive. I think maybe that’s all I have in me for a little while. I’ve just hatched out of this weird egg I’ve been in for years and I’m wobbly and a little confused and I just need to get to the damn water.

“Ben Travis, this assignment, it’s a challenge I don’t have the energy to engage with because right now survival is the only goal.”

Emma leaned back in her chair and nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I meant it when I asked Abi to give me more responsibility. I meant it when I said I wanted to throw myself into my career for a while. But…”

Emma shook her head. “It doesn’t have to be this. There will be other opportunities.”

“There will be. It’s weird. I just… I can’t figure out what it is that I don’t like about this.”

Emma stood and wrapped her arms around Sonya and the baby. “Well, maybe that’s the first thing you do,” she said, squeezing without squishing Lucia. “Step away, and figure out what your gut is trying to tell you. You have to look out for you right now.”

“Thanks, Em. I think you’re right. Now I just have to break it to Abi.”

Nine

The next morning, Sonya made sure to get to work early enough to talk to Abi before her shift started. Talking it out with the girls—well, mostly Cat and Emma because they were the only ones not focused on the fact that her intern was hot—had put everything into perspective, and stepping down as Trav’s—intern Travis’s—preceptor was the right decision. She felt lighter already knowing she would soon be free of him.

Sonya was pretty sure he was the most annoying human being on the planet, though she’d begrudgingly admit how hard he was willing to work and he seemed to care about their patients already. Besides ending this arrangement being the best choice for her own mental health, he deserved a fresh shot at passing with someone unbiased.

She was relieved to see light pouring out of Abi’s open door

“Good morning, Abi. Can I talk to you about something?”

Her words trailed off when she noticed the man sitting in the chair across from Abi’s desk. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ll come back later.”

She was turning to leave when Abi smiled and motioned for her to come inside.

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