A Redo (Sterling Shore 6)

It’s a dick thing to even think about, but I’m almost glad. I’d probably be a mess if she had a man in her life right now.

“You’re the best pillow in the world,” she says groggily, her words muffled against my chest.

I grin down at her just as she peers up with sleepy, green eyes. “Then maybe we should discuss future sleeping arrangements. I don’t want us to lose this when Angel comes home.”

The smile on her face vanishes, and I tense. Shit. I pushed too fast.

“We can’t sleep in the same bed when she comes back. We can’t share a bed in Aspen either—”

A loud knock at the door interrupts the rejection blow Allie is delivering, and I’m almost grateful. Allie covers up before telling Bella to come in, and I try to ignore the fact that she’s no longer relaxed against me. She’s tense, just like me.

Bella walks in, but she isn’t smirking at us like she usually does. She looks pissed. Fuck. What now?

“Lisa just called,” she says, but I have no idea who Lisa is.

“And?” Allie asks around a yawn.

It’s five-thirty. Who is Lisa, and why is she calling at five-thirty in morning?

“And Aspen is going to have to be cancelled.”

“What? Why?” Allie demands as she bolts upright, and I hiss out a breath when she almost takes the entire sheet with her. I’d rather Bella didn’t see me completely naked.

After making sure I keep everything covered, I shift to glare at Bella, waiting on her to elaborate.

“Turns out some of those bitches didn’t like us getting Christmas week off. It doesn’t matter that we put in for it first. They got denied vacation after it filled up. Lisa warned me that it happens every year, and since we’re two of the newer ones, we’re the ones who have to fill in for the bitches who’ve called in sick with the ‘flu’ for a week. Unbelievable.”

Allie curses while shaking her head, and I drop back.

“So there’s no way around this? You two can’t just call in sick?” I ask, only to be glared at by two ill-tempered women who hate mornings and haven’t had their coffee yet.

We really need to start spending time at my homes. I don’t like the duo they have going when they team up against me.

“We’d get looped into their category,” Allie says, but it’s then I realize that angry face isn’t meant for me. “A lot of them were mad that I got the scrub tech job with the best hours. It’s the only way I’d move out here, and they loved my résumé. The surgeons at Sterling Memorial are impossible to get along with, but I do exactly what they want when they want it, and I never complain. Surgeons aren’t known for their people skills in the OR. But resentment festered because we were new, and I got that shift and that job.”

Bella sighs, nodding in agreement. “Same here, well, I’m not a scrub tech, I’m a… Never mind. It’s not important. The point is that I got a job with good, usually flexible hours, and the other women that had been there longer weren’t happy. This is punishment and them essentially flipping us off. We’re not the only ones they’re screwing over.”

Allie curses again, the words sounding odd coming out of her usually sweet mouth, and she buries her head in my chest as she snuggles up against me. But then I feel a wet spot against my side, and I move her hair back from her face to see a tear has rolled down her cheek.

“I need to make a few calls and cancel some things. I’ll see you in a bit,” Bella says while easing back out.

I shift to pull Allie up, but she avoids my eyes.

“Why are you crying?” I whisper softly.

Erica only ever cried when she was manipulating me. Allie’s tears aren’t those of manipulation, but I didn’t realize Aspen was so important to her.

“I can take you to Aspen anytime you want. Tag has a house. Uncle Paul has a place. I could always get a place. I’ve never really wanted my own place there, but if Angel likes it, and if you really want to—”

She laughs lightly, but it sounds sad. However, it does halt my rambling. I really suck at this.

“It’s not about, Aspen. I’ve only had to work one Christmas since Angel was born. I was lucky Bella didn’t have to work. But it was Angel’s second Christmas. Now… I just hate it. I hated it then, and I hate it now.”

Something inside me breaks, and guilt mercilessly stings me.

“Quit your job. Spend Christmas with Angel. I’ll take care of it. I’ll get you a gig in a private practice where you have regular hours and holidays and no hospital drama.”