Page 32 of Ruled By Fate

He lifted a hand with a bemused expression, watching as they clambered out the door and hurried to the car. The second they were safely inside, Sherry whirled on her. “Spill.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you try it, young lady,” she cried. “Spill.”

Brie cleared her throat, but her voice still cracked, like she’d touched an electrical socket. Her best friend had that effect on people. She was living, breathing sunshine with a whopping dose of adrenaline.

“Well, remember you asked if I’d had any car trouble?”

Sherry nodded excitedly.

“I did,” Brie continued. “In the middle of nowhere, in some state park by the border. And Cameron sort of—”

There was a theatrical gasp.

“Did he come to your rescue?” Sherry exclaimed, not pausing for breath. “Out in the middle of the woods? Oh my gosh, was it perfect? Did he change your tire? Was he wearing his shirt?”

“Sherry!” Brie couldn’t help but laugh. “Why would he not be wearing a shirt?”

Why was I so nervous about spinning a story? She’s perfectly capable of doing it herself.

“Oh, that’s so romantic…” Sherry flopped back against the driver’s seat and stared into the cottage windows. “So, wait a minute — he was just out there? Does he live around there? Is he a woodsman?” She paused for reflection. “Is that a thing? Woodsmen?”

They considered it, then left it for another day.

“And you brought him home with you? Brie, that’s incredibly irresponsible. What do you really know about this guy? I mean, I know he looks like Adonis, but come on. What if he’s a serial killer? What if his hair is so perfect because he conditions with the blood of the innocent?”

Ah. That’s why I was nervous.

Sherry might present as a bubbly, irreverent, curvaceous pinup, but she was also sharp as a tack. Brie had always secretly thought she would go into law. She’d make a killing in litigation. Of course, knowing her temperament, there was a chance that wasn’t a metaphor, so perhaps it was in everyone’s best interest that she’d decided to save lives rather than rip them apart.

She decided to tell at least a partial truth. “I don’t know what to tell you, Sher. He saved me, and he insisted on escorting me home. He keeps showing up for me. Being there for me. And it feels somehow… meant to be.”

Sherry considered this. “Alright, I’ll allow it. Provisionally. Pending further investigation.”

Brie snorted with laughter. “You said the same thing about high school.”

“And look how right I was.” Sherry slipped on a pair of sunglasses, gliding them up the bridge of her nose with a grin. “So, what do you say? Shall we go start your illustrious medical career?”

“Allons-y!”

There was a slight pause. “Don’t threaten me.”

“No, it’s French…”

But Sherry had already peeled out of the driveway and was coasting down the road.

? ? ?

When Brie was growing up, the first day of school was always equal parts exciting and intimidating. The first day of nursing school had been very much the same — anticipation rather than anxiety. The first day of this job was an emotional avalanche — complete, constant bombardment.

She and Sherry parked in front of the hospital, grabbed their bags, and jumped out of the car. For just a moment, they stood together. Brie took in the enormous red brick and smoked glass edifice. She thought she’d never seen so many windows in one structure before, not in person.

Daya Memorial Hospital. It lives up to the reputation.

“Did you ever think we’d both make it here?” Brie whispered.

“Never a doubt in my mind.” Sherry looked up at the monolithic structure, fists on hips, chest lifted, in full Superwoman pose.

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