Page 20 of Hearts Clash

“Hey, look, I’m just trying to pay my bills. We can’t all have heart surgeon salaries,” Jade teased, holding her hands up defensively with a smirk. “Some of us have to document the lives of aquatic crustaceans. Basically equally important and useful to society.”

Despite herself, Gianna laughed. Even though they’d split on terrible terms and weren’t even friends on any social media platforms anymore, there was still something about the other woman’s aura that drew her in. Jade, as she always had been, was quick-witted, self-effacing, effortlessly charming, and confident. It was hard not to like her when she sat opposite you and smiled at you with those sparkling green eyes. On the other hand, Gianna reminded herself, Jade was irresponsible, self-centered, and flighty, and she never did the damn dishes. Also, the rampant infidelity. Very much an essential factor to keep in mind.

“Hey, you said it, not me,” Gianna said with a shrug, ordering a bottle of their house red at the waiter’s arrival. “Anyway, how’s the family? Is your dad doing okay?”

“Officially in complete remission,” Jade confirmed. “They had to sell the house and get something smaller because it was too much work to maintain it, and Mom was pretty bummed about that, but otherwise, they’re happy and healthy.”

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Gianna replied honestly.

That was one of the strangest things about breaking up with a long-term partner. Jade’s parents had lived at this huge farmhouse twenty minutes away, and they’d been up there almost every weekend. A very big part of that was Jade’s father being ill, and then her mother needing help around the home. They had become like a second family to Gianna for almost a decade, and now, they no longer existed in her life. Honestly, losing Jade herself had been only a very small part of why their breakup had been so hard. All the things that surrounded that relationship suddenly being cut off was what had really hurt.

For a while, they chatted about work and their families, keeping things light and superficial. They ordered another bottle of wine and ended up choosing appetizers as well since it was hours since Gianna had last eaten. It was all too easy to forget why she hadn’t spoken to Jade in the first place, falling into that old familiar rhythm of talking and joking together as though no time had passed between them. But it had, and too much had happened, and that was the reason they were here tonight.

“So, anyway,” Gianna said, swallowing a bite of salad, “are you and Violet still together?”

Instantly, Jade’s expression changed, her jaw set and eyes flicking across Gianna’s face.

“Uhm, no,” the blonde finally admitted hesitantly. “We broke up after a few months. It just—it didn’t work out.”

Gianna resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. Violet was a mutual acquaintance, one of the many people Jade had gone behind her back to sleep with, and after Gianna finally kicked her out, Jade had immediately found comfort in that woman’s arms. The new couple had been all over social media with vague and ambiguous posts about their life and travels, apparently jet-setting across the world on photoshoots and film sets and enjoying each other’s company.

“Sorry to hear that,” Gianna said flatly.

“Look, Gigi, I screwed up,” Jade said, sighing deeply, “a lot. I’m not going to make excuses. I was horrible and selfish, and too caught up in my own whims to really appreciate what I had. I really hurt you, and I’m sorry. If I could go back and undo everything, I would. What I did to you and our relationship is the worst mistake I’ve ever made.”

“It was a whole lot of mistakes, Jade,” Gianna pointed out.

“Yeah, I know. And I’m truly, sincerely sorry,” the blond woman continued. “I’ve worked really hard on myself, trying to figure out why I sabotage things that matter to me. I was always looking for the next thrill because it felt like life wasn’t exciting enough, I guess? Whatever. The point is, I just really wanted to apologize to you. I don’t expect you to forgive me and for us to be, like, friends, or anything, but I just wanted to tell you, in person, that you didn’t deserve that, and I’m sorry for how I treated you and hurt you. Okay? I’m sorry.”

Gianna’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but genuinely apologizing and taking responsibility for her actions was so far outside of Jade’s wheelhouse as to be unimaginable. It was the exact speech that, in the few rare moments she’d allowed herself to imagine this encounter, she’d hoped her ex-girlfriend would make. Hearing those words brought forth conflicting emotions of frustration and relief. How was she supposed to respond to that? She stared at the tablecloth, chewing on a slice of tomato pensively, mulling the words over in her head.

“Thanks,” she said finally, “I appreciate it.”

That was all she could think to say right now. It was nice to hear, if nothing else. It didn’t mean she forgave Jade or was ever going to do so, but it was validating that the blonde finally acknowledged how deeply she’d hurt her.

For a while, they sat in silence as they finished their salads. Gianna avoided looking directly at Jade, instead glancing around the dining room at the other patrons. There weren’t many, as it was still too early to be fully crowded, and this was a quiet part of town. Because of that, now that she was looking, it was impossible to miss the distinctive auburn hair of the tall, lean woman in an elegant green blouse sitting at a table toward the front by the door, chatting with the executive director of Rose Bay Hospital.

“That bitch,” Gianna hissed out of nowhere, earning her a confused glance from her former girlfriend. “No, I’m serious, look over there! At the table by the entrance.”

“Uh. The one with the redhead?” Jade clarified, craning her neck curiously. “You know them?”

“That’s Scarlett Miller,” Gianna muttered darkly, “and it looks like she’s buttering up the hospital board president. Unbelievable.”

“What?” Jade asked, blinking in abject confusion. “Slow down, start over. Why does that upset you?”

“She’s—ugh. Long story. The important thing is that our department head is resigning, and I’m up for the job,” Gianna explained as fast as she could without rambling, “and so is Doctor Miller over there. She’s been at the hospital forever, and she’s an amazing surgeon, but she has zero people skills. Like, how are you going to run a department full of people if you can’t even interact with the staff? I’ll tell you how: you’re not.”

All the goodwill Scarlett had built up in Gianna’s head over the last week evaporated like smoke in the wind. It was one thing that Scarlett was all buddy-buddy with Dr. Anderson—Carla had been the woman’s mentor and everything, fair enough—but the hospital director? That was so blatantly transparent, so slimy and unethical, that the urge to stand up and confront them both overwhelmed her senses.

“So you think she’s schmoozing with the director to get a leg up?” Jade summarized, following the brunette’s murderous gaze. “Huh. Hospital politics. Man, I missed that drama.”

Gianna snorted. It was kind of funny if you ignored all the ways in which it wasn’t at all.

“You should go over and say hi,” Jade suggested. “You know, be all charming and friendly, show her up. Make yourself look better than Doctor Ginger by sucking up to, uh—what’s their name again?”

“Doctor Thomas,” Gianna filled in with a heavy sigh, shaking her head. “That’s a little high school-y, isn’t it? I don’t want to be that guy.”

“What, saying hello to your colleagues when you happen to be at the same restaurant? Seems like a pretty normal thing to do,” Jade said, taking a sip of water. “Come on, Gigi. If your competition is going to play that game, you don’t need to take the high road. Just throw some compliments in Mister President’s direction about his latest fundraiser drive, or something. I don’t know. What do hospital directors do in their free time?”

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