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Stepping inside, I saw Mike sitting at the bar with Lucy and speaking to Jason. At first, I tensed, but then shook it off. I had already decided that Mom was right. There was no reason we couldn’t be friends. Plus, maybe it would be less awkward if we just cleared the air and tried to move forward.This is fine. More than fine. This was great.We can be friends.
As I approached the bar, I overheard Lucy ask Mike if he saw me, so to break the ice as I sat, I asked, “See me where?”
Mike nearly choked on his beer.
“Jaz!” Lucy squealed as she leaned to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Look at you, all official with your scrubs.” She looked back and forth between Mike and I then asked, “Do you get to choose your scrubs?”
I shook my head. “No, at least not most of the clinical staff.”
Lucy grinned. “So, doctors are blue, and nurse practitioners are grey?”
Mike nodded.
“Both excellent colors, and excellent professions.” Lucy sipped from her bottle. “But Jazissporting blue.”
I tried to cough away the chuckle. All medical personnel were important, but I did take a small amount of pleasure that Lucy pointed that detail out.
Mike laughed it off. “That’s alright, I’ve been treating patients for a couple of years alreadyandhave my own place.”
Jason’s brows shot up and my lips curled into a grin. “Fair statement. Jason, can I get a soda water?”
He made my glass and slid it across. “So how was your first day, Jaz?”
I took a sip then answered him. “Exciting and boring. We didn’t get our hands dirty, but I knew we wouldn’t. I hoped to at least see some action, but we really just toured the hospital.”
Mike chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, genuinely curious.
He turned so I made eye contact.See, this is fine. I can have a conversation with him. Why were his eyes so rich, and mesmerizing? The way his brow rose ever so slightly, and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled was…wait.Shit.What did he just say? “Sorry, long day and very little sleep last night. What was that?”
His lip twitched and his eyes moved over my face. Something that had long been dormant stirred in my center. “Just that you considered it boring. A quiet day is a good day at a hospital.”
Blood rushed to my chest. “That’s generally true,” I said in a calm tone, “but I’m learning to be a doctor and need practice. I don’t wish anything bad on folks, but accidents and illnesses happen all the time. I hope to be able to mend them. That’s why we practice medicine, right?”Professional burn.
“Absolutely, just don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. And a slow day thereisa gift.”
Sipping my soda water, I decided to nod in concession. I have worked a long time to stay indifferent to difficult situations and conversations. I wasn’t about to let that fly out the window because Mike strolled in, unearthing feelings I had long buried.
Mike spoke up. “Hey, I’m tired. Ignore me. I was sitting at a desk in orientation all day so I’m grumpy. I hope your training picks up soon. You do need it. But I know you’ll be great. You always are at everything.”
I whipped my head toward him, and Lucy glanced between us.Why did he say that?
Lucy cleared her throat. “Well, do you guys want some food? You must be famished. Hospital food isn’t great.” She jumped from the stool and headed to the kitchen before I could answer.
“I need to check on these customers. You two play nice,” Jason said. My lips thinned as I glared at him walking away.
Mike and I sat quietly. I ran my finger around the rim of my glass as he pulled at the label on his beer. My heart raced. With Lucy gone, there was no barrier between us. I had to do something. Anything. Either we could remain neighbors who could barely look at each other with the high probability of constantly running into each at work and at the club regularly, or one of us could bite the bullet and clear the air.
Wishing he’d do it, I recounted the weekend and internally kicked myself. He had showed up with a smile. I’m the one who was cold and distant. It would have to be me to extend the olive branch. I drank down the rest of my soda water, which didn’t exactly do what a huge swig of a beer would, then slammed the glass down before scooting onto the stool next to him.He jerked at the movement and stared at me with wide eyes.
“Mike, listen. I need to apologize.”
“No, you don’t–”
I lifted a hand to stop him. “Let me finish.” He shrugged and closed his juicy, full lips.Dammit.Deep breaths.“I’m sorry I was so strange when you got back. You’ve been gone a long time and I guess I wasn’t expecting to see you and didn’t know how to react. We were so close ages ago. It was just…odd.”
“We were pretty close, huh?” he asked, pulling at the label again.
