Page 40 of Careless Whisper

Fuck my life!

I’d have to tell Reggie that the old gang was getting back together.

Yeah, she’s going to be thrilled about that!

No, it would be fine, I rationalized. Reggie would be protected…as long as she didn’t kill another fucking patient.

I was in a piss poor mood by the time I found Reggie in the breakroom at the end of my shift. She was standing stiffly by the coffee machine.

“Hey, Gigi,” I breathed as I came to stand beside her, setting my phone on the counter next to the coffee machine.

She turned to look at me, and her beauty hit me…hard.

“You’ve got to stop calling me that,” she retorted tightly. “People will get the wrong idea.”

“Would it be the wrong idea?”

The coffee machine made an infernal sound and began to drip coffee into her cup that read:Being a nurse is easy. It’s like riding a bike. Except the bike is on fire. You’re on fire. Everything is on fire.

“Yes. And now that your fiancée is going to be working here, I don’t need trouble.”

Damn it! She already knew. Gossip traveled fast in a hospital.

“I wanted you to hear it from me.”

She nodded once, staring at her coffee mug. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“I didn’t hire her. Cabrera did.”

“You’re the head of the department,” she pointed out just as the coffee machine stopped gurgling.

I released a weary sigh. “You’re right.”

She finally turned to look at me, coffee mug in hand. “Look, I get it. She’s qualified. I’m not going to make a scene about it.”

“I wasn’t suggesting you would?—”

“Then why did you want to be the one to tell me about it?” she demanded flatly.

My jaw clenched. “You have a history with Maren, and I wanted to?—”

“Youhave a current situation with Maren,” she cut me off sharply. “You are an attending. She is an attending. I’ll do my job. Let me do my job.” She took a sip of coffee, and I caught a tremble in her hands. “Please.”

“I have no reason to turn her down. We’re short, and like you said, she is qualified.”

I could stop this, but if I did, it would become a thing with her family and mine. Reggie would just have to suck it up and behave herself.

“And…Maren and I are only friends.”

She looked amused. “Why do you think I need to know that?”

“I don’t want a situation like we had in Boston.” It was harsh, yes, but it had to be said. I wouldn’t tolerate Reggie going off the deep end, notthis time.

She laughed, but there was no humor in it. “I understand, Dr. Graham.”

“Look—”

“You can hire whomever you want, Dr. Graham. I’m just a nurse.”

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