Page 5 of Luca

“That’s nice of you. I’m not sure if I’ll make it by there. I’m in the ER.” I chuckle nervously. “I should know better than to eat anyone else’s cooking.”

“No. Is it serious?”

“It’s probably just food poisoning. I’m more worried about picking up Mimmo than my stomach. But I don’t want you to worry about dinner if it might come right back up.”

“You feel better, Luca. Call me if you need anything.”

“Grazie.”

I disconnect the call and check the time.Fuck. The bus will be there in twenty minutes. Jumping up, I reach for my pants,socks, and shoes. Just as I start to untie the gown, Jillian steps inside.

“I’m so sorry—Wait. Where are you going?”

“I have to go.”

“Figures. And you were my only normal one,” she mumbles under her breath.

“What?”

“You can’t leave. If your appendix ruptures, you could get extremely sick. And it would no longer be a laparoscopic procedure. You’d require an invasive surgery and a longer recovery time.”

“We don’t even know if itismy appendix,” I blurt.

She gives me that same raised brow from before, arms crossed over her chest. Hell, even perturbed, she’s hot.

“I’m sorry. I’ll come right back. I have to meet the school bus.”

Her expression quickly morphs from shooting daggers at me to one of empathy. I watch as she taps the pad of her finger over her plump red lower lip before she leans in to me. Her voice is so low, I have to strain to hear her. “Please, tell me I’ll find you in bed when I come back.”

I swallow hard. She’s so close, I can almost taste her breath on my face. Her nearness must be frying my brain. “What?” The question practically exits my mouth as a squeak. So much for impressing her with your high pain tolerance and hot body, Luca.Well, she’s already gotten a good look at my ass.

“How far away is the bus stop?”

“About fifteen minutes.”

“Can you promise me you’ll come right back?” She pleads.

“Really? I won’t have to start all over in the waiting room?”

“You should.” She stands tall and puts her fisted hands on her hips. “I could lose my job for this. But go. Just keep that IVcovered and please don’t change your mind. If you aren’t coming back, I’d rather take it out now.”

As if on cue, the stabbing pain from earlier returns. “No. I’ll come back. I promise.”

CHAPTER TWO

Jillian

“Thankyou for assisting me with this stroke patient, Meghan. I know you’ve got your hands full too.”

“Oh, I’m just buttering you up to help me give an enema to the ninety-two-year-old in room twenty-seven.” She giggles.

“Oh my god. That poor woman looks like she barely weighs anything.”

“Yeah. I’m worried we might have to have the code cart nearby, just in case it’s too much for her and…”

“Don’t even joke,” I quickly interrupt her.

“Don’t go to the light. Don’t go to the light.” Meghan laughs.

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