That was too bad because she was all I thought about since that kiss in the parking lot. That hot as hell kiss that said she still wanted me.
Which gave me something to work with.
Gus
“What a long day,” I said to no one in particular as I pulled the dirty, puke-covered scrubs from my locker and shoved them into my backpack to be washed when I got home, which would be soon thankfully. The day felt like three shifts rolled into one, especially after Antonio and Rosie’s visit. The little girl was as adorable as she always was, but Antonio, he was determined.
The question was why.
Why did he want to talk to me now that I’d given him the casual fling he wanted? It didn’t make any sense, and I spent most of my shift trying to suss out his motives, and I came up empty.
Worrying about Antonio wasn’t a productive use of my time. Getting home safely and quickly, that was how I planned to spend the next fifteen minutes before I fell into a deep sleep.
“Ah, there you are Gus!” Melanie popped her head in with the friendly smile she wore when she was about to ask a favor. “How’s it going?” Her gaze dropped from my face to my bag.
“Good. I’m getting ready to go home. What’s up, Mel?”
She stepped inside with a sigh. “Two of the ER nurses called in, down with the flu.”
“Again?” A few weeks ago a bug had taken out half the ER.
“Oh please,” Melanie rolled her eyes. “This is the Reardon Black Project flu. He’s performing tonight at the Pavilion and they think I don’t know it,” she snorted and shook her head. “Like I don’t want to see that handsome fella shake his tush while tickling those guitar strings.”
Her words brought a smile to my tired face. Melanie was a character, plain spoken and honest to a fault. “Why don’t you go?”
“Because someone has to run this place, don’t they? Besides, I have plans tonight. At home plans,” she clarified unnecessarily. “So, can you work tonight?”
I wanted to say no. I was exhausted and in no mood to socialize for another ten hours, but I couldn’t leave the ER short-handed. They needed help and I could provide it. My gift and my curse. “Yeah, I can.”
She perked up. “Thanks, Gus! I can always count on you.” Melanie meant the words to be a compliment, I knew that, but today they didn’t feel like one.
“That’s me, good ol’ reliable Gus.” Where had being steady and reliable gotten me in life? A good job and a wonderful circle of friends? Damn my stupid subconscious, who asked her anyway?
“That’s not a bad thing, Gus. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise.”
“Thanks, Mel.” I said the words even though I didn’t mean them, and changed into a pair of clean scrubs that were a size too small. Everywhere. A quick splash of cold water on my face woke me up and I found an elastic band to wrap around my thick hair. I was as ready as I would be for another double shift.
Cal worked the ER and I found him right out front, staring down at a chart. “Hey Gus, thanks for covering tonight. You’re my favorite fill in.” He flashed his patented smile but it did nothing to take the sting off his unintended slight.
I kept my bland smile in place and shrugged. “Story of my life.”
Cal’s smile disappeared and he reached out to me, a frown appeared when I stepped back. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
I held up a hand to stop his unnecessary apology. “I know. Don’t worry about it. Where do you need me?”
He still wore a horrified look that made me slightly uncomfortable, but I waited him out. I wouldn’t apologize for how I felt. “Um…”
“MVA, incoming! Internal injuries, lacerations and a broken leg.” Mel’s voice boomed and Cal and I got moving, him towards the ambulance bay while I went to prep what he would need in the OR.
The next few hours passed in a blur of emergency medical needs, from a drunken prank that resulted in a split open hand, several broken limbs that belonged to daredevil kids, and a domestic abuse case that resulted in broken ribs. I hated to see the way people were so casual about their safety. Hated to see them bloody and broken.
But it was the distraction I needed. The perfect bloody, broken mess to keep my mind on the patient in front of me, not a dark haired, dark eyed bad boy who was no good for me. I spent too many years trying to get a man to love me, and he’d chosen the bottle every single time.
I was done with that life.
Totally done.
“Nothing like an almost full moon to make a shift fly by.” Cal shook his head and let out a sigh as he stretched his back and neck. “Ready to hit the break room?”