Page 76 of Careless Whisper

“A referral,” she explained hurriedly, still looking like she was up to no good. “Someone who wanted to do meaningful work and had relevant experience.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Who referred him?”

She smiled. “A grandmother you may or may not have recently yelled at.”

Oh, God!

“G’Mum? She probably sent us a serial killer or a hitman!”

“She’d never send a serial killer,” Mama chimed.

“But a hitman?”

Mama let out a huff. “Well, you know how Mum is—so yes, that’s entirely possible. But in any case, it would be someone coming to help at the clinic. A medical professional.” She then tilted her head thoughtfully. “Though, to be fair, a medical professional would make an excellent hitman. They’d know exactly how to cause the most damage with the least effort—and leave no evidence behind.”

“It’s the dream,” I snapped sarcastically. “So, do you have a CV for this man you hired?”

Mama patted the pockets of her shorts to indicate they were empty. “He’ll be here soon. You can check out his credentials.”

I studied her with suspicion. “I have a feeling this is not going to be good.”

“You should always trust your feelings,” she said breezily.

I didn’t have much time to think about whomever G’Mum had hired because we had a busy morning and an even busier afternoon. The clinic was packed—kids with stomach bugs, two wound cleanings, one elderly man with dangerously high blood pressure, and a woman with gestational diabetes in early labor whom the mobile clinic took to a hospital an hour away. Supplies were low, the power flickered twice, and I hadn’t sat down since nine in the morning.

By the time I finally took a breath, my scrubs were wrinkled, my feet were aching, and I had more iodine on my hands than coffee in my system.

“Dios mio, that was one busy day,” the other nurse on staff, Juanita, exclaimed as she slumped in a chair.

“But thank God, it’s almost over.” I sighed as I collapsed next to her.

Then the door creaked open, and we both groaned.

No, no, no, we were too tired for another patient.

I looked up reluctantly, my face glum.

I lost all breath when I sawhim,in jeans and a linen button-down, standing in my clinic, the sun behind him, hair slightly tousled, eyes locked on mine.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, completely stunned.

Juanita straightened to see who had entered the clinic. “That’s the best-looking patient we’ve ever had, be nice,” she quipped.

I glowered at her. “He’s not a patient.”

“No, I’m not,” he agreed as he walked up to where we sat. “I’m the new hire.”

“No way,” I managed to choke out at the same time Juanita suggestively said, “Ay, papacito.”

Fucking G’Mum and Mama and my crazy-ass family!

CHAPTER 28

Elias

Reggie looked like someone had hit her with a defibrillator at full charge.

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