Page 26 of Doctor Enemy

“It’s not.” Jackson has already changed into civvies. The burgundy button-up looks good on him, but his tie is absolutely ridiculous. Black, with white piano keys. His oldest kid is a pianist, so my bet is that it’s a gift from her.

“We’re going out to have a drink. An early celebration for Costas’s birthday. Nate wanted me to make sure that you were coming.”

“Shit, that’s today?” I ask, frowning.

I’m notclosewith Costas, but Nate is. I don’t know the full story, but it’s got something to do with a vacation to Cabo, and the world’s worst honeymoon known to man. While Nate’s normally pretty open about the issues that plagued his marriage to Emma, that’s one story that he’s always kept tight-lipped.

Except that Costas was there in Cabo with them, doing…something.

In my opinion, Nate gets along better withCostasthan he ever has with his ex-wife.

Jackson’s brows raise. “Are you telling me that you forgot?”

“I didn’t forget,” I lie. “I just… wasn’t thinking about it. There’s a difference.”

“Mhm. Whatever you have to tell yourself,” says Jackson. He hooks a thumb in the front pocket of his slacks. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep your faulty memory a secret. Let’s just go.”

“Now?” I scratch the side of my face, thinking on it. It’s tempting. I like winding a long day at work down with a stiff drink. But… My mind goes back to howscaredLori seemed to be. Even though we don’t really get along, I can’t just pretend not to care.

Besides, most of our issues stem fromherapparent distaste for me.

“That was the intention. Preferably before Glenda decides that she wants to round us up and put us back to work. I don’t think that Costas would appreciate that.”

“As if she wouldn’t just call us.”

“You’re stalling.” Jackson frowns at me. His dark hair is longer than it used to be, carefully swept back out of his face. The glint of his wedding ring has always been just a touch distracting. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re about to tell me no?”

“I’ve got to stay late,” I say, shaking my head. There’s no way that I can back out of this. Not after I promised Lori that I would stop by.

Something feels different.

I stay with a lot of my patients the first night that they wake up, but with Lori… It just seems more important. “Tell Costas that I’ll buy him a bottle of something to make up for it.”

“He likes Ouzo,” says Jackson. “And he doesn’t drink vodka. Or whiskey.”

“Then I’ll buy him a bottle of that.” I clap Jackson on the shoulder as I step around him. “Next time.”

Jackson shakes his head. “You know, you need to sleep at some point. You aren’t a spring chicken anymore.”

“Sleep is for the dead,” I counter, before turning and hurrying down the hall, toward Lori’s room.

Chapter ten

Lori

Asitturnsout,there are very, very few things worse than being stuck in a hospital bed post-surgery.

Not only is my head throbbing, but the silence is all invasive. It’s broken up only by the hum of the machines at my sides, and the slow beeping of the heart monitor.

The pain is one thing.

The silence. The fear. The anger–at myself, at the other drivers–that’s way more difficult to deal with.

And I had been expecting Olivia to come by earlier. She said that she would, but it’s gotten late enough that the shifts have changed over, and there’s still no stuffed teddy bear from the gift shop sitting on my bedside table.

Cara stopped by, though.

And so did a few other members of staff. And my mother called to check in on me.

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