“I wanted to confirm,” she says carefully, “you want the labs repeated before rounds tomorrow?”
I nod once. “Yes. CBC and CMP. Make sure they’re drawn early.”
She hesitates.
It’s subtle. A half second too long. Long enough that I notice the way her mouth opens, like she might say more.
She doesn’t.
“Okay,” she says instead. “I’ll make sure it’s done.”
I should walk away, but I don’t. It already proves that when it comes to her, I’m weak.
A flicker of confusion crosses her face. It could be confusion or disappointment. The warmth she usually exudes is dimmer, slightly, like a light turned down instead of off.
It shouldn’t matter to me. That’s none of my business.
“You all right?” she asks.
And there it is. Her concern. It’s genuine and instinctive, offered without expectation. I feel it like a punch to the chest.
“I’m fine,” I say too quickly. Then, after a beat, quieter, “Just busy.”
Her lips press together. She nods, but I can tell she doesn’t quite believe me.
“Oh,” she says. “Right. Of course.”
The space between us stretches. Too much for a hallway. Too quiet for coworkers who see each other every day.
Her eyes search my face. Not in a flirtatious way, but in a trying-to-understand way. And that’s what does me in.
Because attraction I can handle. Confusion I can handle.
But the hurt. The faint, unmistakable hurt settling behind her eyes makes my chest tighten in a way I don’t have language for. It’s alarming.
I step back.
Physically. Intentionally.
The distance lands between us like a line drawn in permanent ink.
“If there’s nothing else,” I say, already turning away.
“Right,” she murmurs. “Nothing else.”
I walk down the hall without looking back. I don’t need to.
I can feel it. I can feel the moment she realizes this wasn’t about timing or stress or a bad day.
This was about me choosing not to stay.
Chapter Eleven
Melissa
Itake one last look in the mirror before I leave. I picked a long red dress that accentuates the curves of my body. I decided to put my hair in heat rollers to give some wave and body to it. With the dress being so bold, I opted for my makeup to be more neutral.
I’m not used to dressing up like this. Nursing is not a glamorous career. I feel slightly more exposed and out of place when I dress up.