Page 20 of Healing Her

“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it.” City chortled with glee. “I mean, no, she doesn’t, but also yes, she does, and I get the distinct feeling that you two have fucked. Yes?”

Blunt language aside, Jen wasn’t sure what the right answer was, not without getting onto some kind of firmer ground about the relationship between Ashley and City. “Well…”

City waved a hand in the air. “Ashley and I are just friends,” she said, shaking her head. “With benefits, yes, but friends. You wouldn’t be stepping on anything between us. Though I was extremely put out by the ghosting thing.”

“I’m sorry,” Jen said quietly.

“Why? It’s definitely all on her. I appreciate the sentiment, though.” City twisted on the bench to look Jen squarely in the eye. “I don’t like it when Ashley does that, but I’m used to it. She shuts herself off from people a lot when she doesn’t know how to cope with something. She would be amazed if she knew I knew that about her.”

“I’mamazed you know that about her.” Jen was learning more and more about Ashley than she’d ever expected. “You must be very good friends, benefits or not.”

“I think I’m her only friend, if you can even call me that,” City mused. “We met at the Lounge years ago. I’ve never known her to reallytalkabout any other person, except her boss there—” She pointed at Steve Sundstrom. “And recently, you.”

Jen wasn’t sure she actuallywanted to know what Ashley said about her, but she did feel shehadto know. “What did she say?”

“Nothing flattering, sorry. You definitely get under her skin. Don’t worry, she doesn’t tell me about patient details.” City sipped her champagne. “But she has talked about how you’re pushy about organ donation, you’re like a carnival huckster, you’re too friendly with everyone at the hospital. Once she read me some kind of article about you in a magazine and raged about your ‘reckless ways’ for a solid hour until I got my hands on her and calmed her down.”

“That doesn’t sound as bad as I was thinking it would be,” Jen admitted.

City tilted her head from side to side, lips pursed and her eyes thoughtful. “You shouldseeher when she goes off. Something about you really pushes some buttons with her. I’d love to know what. Past trauma, I’m sure my therapist would say.”

“What kind of past trauma?” Jen asked, curious.

But City only shrugged, an eloquent, almost liquid movement of her freckle-dusted shoulders. “That would require me to know more about Ashley than she allows. Our relationship is not that deep, though I do adore her.” Lifting her champagne flute, she took a large swig of her drink. “But as mad as you seem to make her, she also seems to like it that way. She wouldn’t talk about you so much if she didn’t. I’d be interested to see if whatever this is between you goes further.” She cocked her head and regarded Jen with interest. “I wonder if you could get her to open up. Crack her like the stubborn walnut she is and figure her out. I’d love to know what’s in her head.”

“I am sure you’re not alone,” Jen chuckled.

City smiled faintly. “I’m sure.” Getting to her feet, she grabbed Jen’s hand and pulled her up after her. “There’s a little rooftop mini-garden at this hotel. Ashley and I have been up there a few times. Hardly anyone knows about it, and I’d bet good money that she’s up there. You should go find her.”

“Should I?” Uncertainty twisted in Jen’s stomach. As angry as Ashley often made her, she genuinely couldn’t deny the pull between them. Ashley must feel it, too. But where Jen wanted to figure it out, Ashley seemed to want to just run away from it. Would it be fair to corner her and force her to talk about it?

“Well, yes. You don’t get answers if you don’t ask questions. As a doctor, you know that.” City drained her champagne glass and traded it to a waiter for a full one that she passed on to Jen. After a second of though, she grabbed another and handed it over too. “I think you’ll both need one of these.”

“That seems right,” Jen agreed, accepting the flutes. “Where’s this rooftop garden, again?”

City grabbed her own glass and took Jen by the elbow. “I’ll show you.”

14

There were a few chips in the black enamel paint that covered the iron railing around the Claiburne’s rooftop garden. Ashley felt their rough edges biting into her fingers as she gripped it. She welcomed the sensation. It felt like it was keeping her tethered to the world.

Her thoughts whirled. Jen, looking like a Disney princess in a velvety blue gown. City, an absolute demon wreaking havoc in ways that Ashley hadn’t expected. And the two of them arm in arm! She couldn’t decide if it was a dream or a nightmare.

So she’d grabbed her wide pashmina shawl from the coat check and fled up here to the little garden on the roof. A tactical error, actually, since it brought back memories of the several times she and City had sneaked up here during other galas and gotten up to no good while they looked out over Los Angeles. Ashley pressed the heels of her hands to her forehead, where a dull throb had set up shop about thirty minutes ago.

Behind her, the heavy roof access door creaked noisily open, and she whirled around, heart pounding. To her shock, Jen slipped through the doorway and onto the roof, glasses of champagne in each of her hands. She kicked the door shut withher foot, wobbling slightly. “Oof, I shouldn’t have tried that in heels.” There was a bright smile on her face when she glanced around and found Ashley. “Hi.”

Ashley fumbled behind her to grip the railing again. “Doctor Colton.”

Jen’s blue eyes rolled skyward. “Jesus. Do you not think we are way beyond formal titles when we’re not at the hospital? You’ve had your hand in my panties.”

Jesus indeed. Ashley didn’t know where to look. And if she blushed any harder, she might pass out. “What a thing to say.”

“Well, it seems silly to keep tiptoeing around the subject.” Jen stepped forward and held out one of the champagne flutes. “Drink that. Good Lord.” She looked around the small garden area. “They don’t really keep up with appearances up here, do they? I hope you’ve had your tetanus booster.”

Reluctantly, Ashley released the railing and took the proffered glass. “What do you want, Doctor Col… Jennifer?”

A sigh, and another eyeroll. “Fine. Jennifer will work for now. Close enough. Ashley, we can’t go on without discussing…well, everything.”

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