Page 4 of Boss Abroad

Callie throws herself next to me, bouncing on my bed and facing me. “Aw, look at her, learning soccer lingo to mingle with her new coworkers. Cuuuute!” Her expression changes in an instant, as if she’s foreseen a catastrophe. “If you make a new bestie, I’ll cut the bitch. Be warned.”

Preston sits at the edge of the bed, on my other side. He sees right through my nerves. “It’s going to be worth your trouble, April. It’s only a few months, but it could define the rest of your career. Our careers, to be fair. You’re making sure Max doesn’t mess up our work, and the Jett-Hadden technique”—he pokes me in the ribs, just like he does when humoring his daughter—“is as successful as we know it can be. You picked him to be our poster boy. Now go see it through.”

Callie catches what he misses. They really are my Yin and Yang, always keeping me balanced. Making me whole. “Are you scared because it’s London?”

I nod, unable to put it into words and verbalize my fears.

“Babe, there are over eight million people in that city. What are the odds you’ll run into your dad? Use that glorified brain of yours and tell me.” I would, but she doesn’t give me the specific number of inhabitants and the time variant for me to work it out. “That man did enough damage to your past. Don’t let him dictate your future. You’ll be back in no time and he’ll never know you were ever there.”

The springs from the mattress bounce with Jett's restless leg. The mere mention of my progenitor is enough to set him on edge. The man is dead to me, while Jett wishes he could kill the man.

He not-so-subtly changes the subject. “Look at the time,” he declares before he catapults himself off my bed in one swift move and starts barking the checklist he made for me. It’s the same stern voice he uses to review the case before we step inside the OR. “It’s not as hot in London. Did you pack a jacket in your cabin bag?” Muscle memory prompts us to stand and listen up. “Put a sweater in there too. Damn airplanes are always freezing.” I'm not sure I did either, but I nod to placate the man now pacing my bedroom.

Pressing my lips together to contain a smile, it dawns on me how lucky I am that he took me under his wing when I was just a resident. I watch as he ticks off the list, an actual, literal list he has on his phone. “And an extra set of clothes in case your luggage gets lost or delayed?”

Callie mimics Preston's tone and fabricates a checklist of her own on the spot. “And did you pack lingerie in case you get laid?” She snorts, impressed and amused. “It rhymed!”

I turn my back to Preston and nod to her. In earnest this time.

Back in character, she coughs before impersonating Preston’s throaty voice again. “Right. The essentials.” That’s how he always starts a patient’s checkup. “April, did you pack your toys?”

“Toys? I want to see,” a small voice interjects. Where the hell did Lily come from? We all turn back and watch as she stands, holding the door wide open. “Can I play with your toys, Auntie April?”

The answer comes loud and in unison. “No!”

Lily grunts and turns to leave, but walks straight into her mom’s legs.

Uh-oh. Blake’s face is too many shades of green and I gulp down my own nausea in solidarity. She’s already used my last rolls of toilet paper and kitchen towel in her previous morning sickness episodes. For the sake of my deposit, she better keep this one in.

“Darling, I don’t think I can make it to the airport.” Preston rushes to her, checking her temp and pulling a pack of ginger candies from his back pocket. He pops one out and feeds it to her.

They make a great looking pair. Pres in his late forties with an early head of gray hair and matching closely trimmed beard, and Blake, the yoga teacher with perfect skin, straight blond hair down her waist, and blue eyes. A textbook Disney princess. They’re both annoyingly fit. You can’t even tell she’s pregnant from behind.

“Do you want me to drive you home?” He has a hand behind her back, leading her to sit on my bed, but she stops him.

“No, don’t be silly. Take your eldest to the airport.” Blake winks at me and I stick my tongue out at her. Great display of maturity, April.

Preston worships the woman and I love Preston like a father, so yeah, I like her. Well, I like her enough. Kind of. But it’s just because I can’t read her. And I have this nagging feeling she’s either jealous of me or jealous on behalf of her daughter. Which is crazy either way.

Perhaps it’s just my suspicious self over-analyzing things. I try not to dwell too much on it, since—lucky me—I get to spend a lot of time with Pres and Lily, but not her.

He runs his hands up and down her arms. “Are you sure? April will understand.”

“Absolutely,” I pipe out, not wholeheartedly, to which Callie adds, scooping Lily into her arms, “Girls’ road trip! Alright, kid. Are you in?”

Lily squeals her agreement as they spin together. Preston just scoffs, not dignifying Cal’s comment with an answer.

Blake’s phone pings, and she glances at the notification. “That’s my Uber driver. He’s downstairs.” She kisses Pres on the cheek and takes a step back, patting him on the arm. “You go and take Lily with you. I just need some peace and quiet.”

Ouch. I hope Lily is too young to catch on to that. Blake waves the rest of us goodbye from the door and goes.

Okaaaay, then.

Callie and I lock eyes, exchanging an entire conversation in less than a second. It’s a knack we have. Yeah, it’s shady. But it’s out of love for Pres, too.

Preston started as my boss, became my mentor, and turned into my father figure. Calista is more than my best friend, she’s my sister, and Lily is my niece. My goddaughter, actually. I’ve known her since she was born.

As for Callie, she sees Preston as a big brother and Lily as her little sister.

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