Page 57 of Well That Happened

Hunter steps back.

His expression slams shut.

And I’m left standing there, heart in my throat, wondering what the hell was that?

The party’s winding down.

Someone put on a chill playlist. The lights have dimmed to something softer. There’s beer spilled somewhere near the couch and a couple making out in the hallway.

I should head to bed.

Instead, I end up in the kitchen, rinsing out a cup just to have something to do with my hands.

“Hey,” Caleb says behind me.

I turn, heart already doing the guilt-shuffle.

His curls are messy, shirt untucked, that orange cowboy hat long gone. But his smile? Still warm. Still the kind of soft that makes your chest ache.

“You okay?” he asks.

I nod. “Yeah. Just needed to decompress.”

He leans against the counter, watching me. “You were incredible tonight. Like—legit terrifying nurse goddess energy.”

I huff a laugh. “That’s the goal.”

His smile fades just a little, turning quieter. “You always do that?”

“Do what?”

“Take care of everyone but yourself.”

I freeze.

My throat tightens.

He steps closer, touches my wrist gently.

“Caleb—” I hesitate. “About tonight.”

His jaw shifts slightly, but he stays quiet.

I exhale. “I just—” I stop, restart. “I don’t think I can handle that kind of distraction right now. Not with everything else.”

A slow nod. Measured. “Okay.”

His mouth quirks. Barely. “You’re saying I’m too charming for your own good.”

“I’m saying I need to focus. And if we keep doing…that,” I gesture vaguely, “I’m going to fail out or burn out or possibly implode… under a mountain of student loan debt.”

He huffs a laugh, but it’s not all amusement. There’s something tight behind it. “Do youwantto stop?” he asks. “Or do youthinkyou should?”

That hits harder than I expect.

“I think I have to.”

He nods again. “Okay.” Then he leans in, brushes a kiss to my temple. “Sleep well, nurse goddess.”

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