Page 3 of Heartless Pucker in Love

I nodded and immediately turned my attention to the new patient and the EMTs. My gaze landed on the new arrival’s face and my heart stuttered. Was it me or did time actually slowed down? Laying on the stretcher was someone I hadn’t seen in about ten years. Someone I spent the entirety of my high school years, and after, despising. Julian Grayson. Shaking off my stupor, I reminded myself that this was the ER where my actions had a major impact on whether someone lived or died. I couldn’t let my high school nemesis possibly die because I was in shock.

“What do we have?” I asked.

Julian’s head popped up at the sound of my voice. We made eye contact, and his eyes widened a fraction. His grimace of pain momentarily disappeared, replaced by obvious surprise. “Flower Child?”

For the love of God. Was that still a thing? I glared at him because he was lucid and talking and using old nicknames which is a sign that he’d most likely live. I turned my attention back to Amber Lawson, one of the EMTs, and waited for her report as I pitched in to help push the stretcher.

“Hi, April. This is Julian Grayson. He’s twenty-nine years old. We picked him up at 33rd following a motorcycle accident. He said he swerved to avoid hitting an unknown animal.”

A motorcycle accident. Of course. So Julian was still the daredevil. My gaze flickered to him. He was still staring at me. It was extremely disconcerting.

“Chief Wilder called in the accident. On arrival, Mr. Grayson was responsive. His vitals are stable…”

I listened to Amber list Julian’s vitals and other important information while I set up to get him transported onto a bed. Cathy arrived and not long after, so did one of the doctors on duty. During the flurry of movements, I felt Julian’s eyes virtually boring into me. I wanted to yell at him and demand he get those maddening and gorgeous topaz blue orbs off of me. I hated that I found his eyes attractive. I found all of him attractive, actually. I always have, but his arrogance always reared its ugly head to remind me that he was a jerk and I hated him.

3

APRIL

“Sam, why are you still here?”

Sam Lawson, Amber’s twin brother, scoffed. I thought it was so cute that they chose the same profession and worked together. “Are you kidding? Do you know who’s behind that curtain?”

“I’m well aware.” There was an asshole who I’d been trying to avoid being alone with behind that curtain.

“Julian Grayson, April. He’s the freaking captain of the Montreal Canadiens.”

“This is America, Sam. Maybe you should be going crazy over an American team and an American player.”

Sam blinked and looked at me as I’d grown another head. “Since when are you like this, April? You’re normally like the sweetest person ever.”

I sighed inwardly. Seeing Julian again was bringing out my inner bitch. She only ever came out when he was around. That meant my inner bitch had been completely dormant for ten whole years. I’ve never understood why I allowed myself to get so riled up over Julian. “So, what do you want? His autograph or something?”

Sam snorted. “No, of course not…” Pink seeped into his cheeks. “You think he’d be up for it?”

I rolled my eyes. “Sam, he has a broken wrist.”

“I happen to know that he’s a righty, not a lefty. He can totally still hold a pen.”

Shaking my head in disgust, I stared at the twenty-three-year-old. I guess I could give him a pass because he was still pretty young. “Goodbye, Sam.” Wheeling around, I aimed for Julian’s cubicle. I still had to do my job and check in on him. I couldn’t avoid him forever. Unfortunately.

“Hold up.” Sam caught up, but I kept walking. He wasn’t deterred. “Did you know he was on last month’s cover of Forbes? The guy not only kicks ass at sports but he’s making a huge buzz in the business world.”

I rolled my eyes. Why did I get the impression that Sam was the president of Julian’s fan club? I mean, I guess I could understand. Oakland was a blip on the map so to have one of our own branched out to leave such a major mark on the world was commendable. Beneath the many layers of contempt I had for Julian, I guess a sliver of pride could be found. A little.

“Yeah, I know,” I grumbled. “Our very own Oakland Daily reported on it so it was hard to miss.” Heat seeped into my cheeks as I recalled staring at Julian’s picture a little too long because he looked so damn handsome. I lusted over a magazine photo of Julian. No one would ever know. I’d take that secret to the grave.

“Okay, the famous, filthy rich athlete, who happens to be a native of Oakland aside…” Sam grinned. “I’m also still here for you.”

And here we go...

“How about coffee later? Your shift ends in four hours.”

Even if I was interested in a coffee date with Sam, at six in the morning after a twelve-hour shift, I was dead on my feet. “No thanks.”

“Awe, come on, April. How much longer are you going to keep turning me down?”

A smile threatened to surface. It had been three months since Sam began his quest to get me on a date. Giving him a side glance, I affectionately took in his face. He was adorable, with his shaggy strawberry blonde hair and big brown eyes. He was tall and lanky, with boyish effervescence. I was flattered by his interest, but I only saw him as a little brother. I’d never break his heart by telling him that though. “I don’t do younger guys.”

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