Page 92 of Ruled By Fate

Sherry was quiet for a moment, swirling her neon yellow drink thoughtfully in her cup.

“Brie, why did you call for Cameron when we found that guy yesterday? We’d just left him back at the house, but you called out for him.”

Brie was stunned for a second, before stammering, “Oh, I don’t… I don’t know what I was thinking. He’s been there for me during a few dramatic times recently. I guess I just got used to turning to him during emergencies.”

Sherry flashed her a look but said nothing.

Why does she have to be this perceptive, even when she drinks?

Just then, a wave of appreciative yells from the field caught their attention. Cameron must have finally gotten the gist of the rules because he was tearing down the field with some impressive footwork. He passed to Mike, who passed to one of his friends, who passed it back to Cameron, who sailed it into the goal with a mighty swing of his leg.

He immediately turned to Brie, both his arms raised in childlike triumph.

He was still in this pose, bathed in applause, when the goalie for the opposing team attempted to kick the ball back to him. He turned at precisely the wrong moment, and it hit him square in the nose. Blood immediately gushed forth as the goalie yelled, “Man, I’m so sorry.”

He lifted his hand to the blood, glancing at his palm with an expression nothing short of delight. He flashed Brie another grin, then froze when he saw the pained look on her face.

Angelic moron.

At that point, he seemed to register that he was supposed to be having a normal human pain reaction. He stilled for a moment in indecision before throwing back his head and shrieking at an ungodly pitch that could best be described as that of a junior high girl.

The field quieted, as Sherry lifted her eyebrow slowly. “Yeah. He seems like he’d be really good in a crisis.”

? ? ?

Not long after, Brie and Rashida left to go to the hospital. They piled into the pathologist’s green sedan with plans to meet back up with the others at a pub later. Sherry promised to get Cameron to the venue and to properly introduce Rashida to their team’s goalie. The two had been making eyes at one another for the past half hour, very much at the expense of his concentration, and Sherry was thrilled at the prospect of playing matchmaker.

After fruitlessly grilling Brie for information she didn’t have about the soccer player she’d never met, Rashida gave up and focused on her impending introduction.

“So, I’ll just change and meet you in the parking lot, okay?”

“If you want to run home, it’s no trouble. I can always take a cab,” offered Brie.

“No worries, I have everything I need at the hospital.”

Brie looked at her sideways. “You do?”

“Of course,” the woman answered easily. “I always keep a cocktail dress and heels in my locker, just in case. Doesn’t everyone?”

Brie grinned. “I really shouldn’t have introduced you to Sherry. You have everything in common. You’re bound to run off together. I’ll soon be nothing more than a distant memory.”

Rashida shook her head, smiling. “Nah, that lady adores you. I’ve never seen a grown woman so intractably protective of another.”

“What do you mean?”

“Little things. Like how she bullies and bribes everyone on the nursing staff to switch shifts with her until your schedules match up. Or when I asked you about your handsome boyfriend. She practically grabbed my shoulders and steered me in the opposite direction.” Rashida laughed. “She called me a harlot.”

Brie couldn’t help but grin. “Well, in fairness—”

“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, Chuckles. The point is, I don’t think there’s any getting between you two.” She looked over warmly. “But I am glad you have room for a third.”

They drove on in silence for a while before Brie said, “It isn’t for lack of trying, you know.”

“What isn’t?”

“Me and Cam.” She fought through her reluctance and said it out loud. “The truth is I’ve been wholly unsuccessful in my every attempt to seduce him.”

Rashida’s eyebrows shot up, but she remained quiet as Brie continued.

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