Hotshot (The Bennett Brothers 1)

“We were catching up. I was telling her how excited everyone is about the baby. Are you and Mathis coming to the doctor’s office to wait for the news?” she gushes, moving her hand to her stomach again for effect.

“Nope.” He doesn’t look at her at all but instead stares at me intensely, looking for any sign of discomfort.

“That’s a shame. I know Ren would really love to have you there. This is such an important day for us. And pretty soon, we’ll be practically family.”

His hand starts to tremble against my elbow. When he speaks, his voice is fierce and bitter.

“First of all, we will never be family. Second of all, Crenshaw is his name. No one except his college friends call him Ren. Lastly, stay away from Bizzy.”

He doesn’t wait for her response, practically shoving me into the elevator. I look up in time to see humiliation register on her face. A giggle escapes, and I try to hide my amusement but fail. She shoots me a death glare. I make sure to give her a wave as the doors close.

“I hate her,” Nicky whispers in my ear.

“The feeling is mutual.” I grin and lean into him.

For the gazillionth time since I learned of her pregnancy, I wonder if I am strong enough to have her in my life.

“I don’t like this at all. You should be home, getting some decent rest.” Shaw doesn’t attempt to hide his irritation at my change in schedule.

“I’m not fighting with you about this. It’s done.”

“Why the fuck did you volunteer to stay? You’ve had an emotional day. You need to come home, take a hot bath, and let me take care of you.”

God, that sounds tempting but impossible. It’s too late.

“Let me try to explain this again. Over the next few days, our whole team is shifting around so we can pay our respects to Grady, so I volunteered to help tonight. I’m only working until midnight. Besides, you have dinner with your parents in an hour.”

“We canceled.”

“Why?”

“It’s really something I’d prefer to discuss in person.”

“Oh, is everything okay?”

I purposely avoided the subject of his appointment with Sasha today. I wasn’t trying to be insensitive, but after my run-in with her, the whole day got crazy.

The kids were ecstatic to have a surprise visit from Nick. A few of them had heard about Grady’s death, and they were harder to cheer up, but Nick spent extra time with them.

Evie approved all of our requests to mix around shifts, but it meant some of our schedules would be completely screwed up. Mine included. I volunteered to take a half-shift tonight for the nurse who will cover for me when I attend the visitation. On paper, it looked like a nightmare, but we’d done this before, so Evie knew we’d have the floor covered at all times with adequate staff.

Mathis was here for most of the afternoon, doing whatever Mathis does. Like Nicky, he came straight to me and embraced me tight. We didn’t exchange words. He gave me a few squeezes kissed my forehead and went to talk to the patients. I saw him hugging Claire, too, and I swear he held on a little longer than necessary.

I tried to stay busy all day, taking on more tasks to keep my mind off Grady’s death and Shaw’s appointment with Sasha, but it didn’t work. The look on her face kept creeping back into my thoughts. So many times I wanted to call him, but knowing he has so much on his mind stopped me.

There’s a loud screeching and I hear a horn honking through the phone. I realize he still didn’t answer my question. “Shaw? Answer me.”

“If you’re not coming home, I’m coming to you.” He hangs up, leaving me to stare at the phone in confusion.

What the hell did I do? Is it the baby? Is it Sasha?

I place my phone on the desk and start working on a project Evie asked me to help with. I review the list of nurses and co-workers who have volunteered to travel to Charlotte to assist with the new Pediatric Oncology Unit. My job is to pull their licenses and create digital files for Human Resources. I try to concentrate, but every time the elevator dings, my head pops up, hoping it’s Shaw.

When he finally arrives, the weight of the day hits me hard, and I feel the sob bubbling in my throat. His eyes stay locked with mine as he makes it to me in less than three seconds. It takes all I can do not to collapse into his arms.

“Is there a private room up here, or do I need to carry you to Mathis’ office?”

I straighten the files I was working on and motion for him to follow me. When we get to the empty office, I barely get the door shut before he has me in his arms. Tears sting my eyes as his hands go to my hair, unclasping my clip, and he runs one hand through it, root to end. My whole body trembles as I clutch him tightly.