Page 6 of Captivated

“Men,” Birdie mumbles before placing her tiles on the board. I peer over and see that she’s placed the wordserendipityon the board using letters already present, racking up more points than I bother to count right now, as she smiles and then finds my face.

“Is that word supposed to mean something?” I counter her knowing look.

“Nope, just seemed fitting,” she sing-songs while re-filling her letter rack.

I huff, knowing that this is what Birdie does. She’s trying to tell me something without coming right out and saying it, a tactic I’ve realized most women use. And I’ve learned over the years to just let her do her thing because asking from irritation never gives me the answer without a lecture attached to it.

She may be trying to tell me that running into Piper was an act of fate or coincidence, or whatever the hell she means by that—but all I amcertainabout is that I need sex tonight or I might die from walking around with a hard dick every time my mind ventures to the image of Piper rolling down her window and revealing herself to me.

Focus on sex, Cash. That’s all you need a woman for—sex and a release. Those two things areneveruncertain for me.

Chapter 2

Piper

“Okay. I’ll go.” My voice is low as I utter my decision—and then I break, lunging for the two of them as arms and hands tangle in a mess of desperation and love.

“This is the best thing for now, Pfeiffer,” my mother finally speaks after a few minutes, wiping furiously beneath her eyes.

“I know. If I had another idea, I would offer it—but I still can’t even wrap my head around the fact that Mason was living this double life. But it’s got to work out, right? This will all blow over?”

My dad declares with the most confidence I’ve heard from him since this conversation started, “I will make sure of it.”

“So, when do I leave?”

My parents share a look and then my mother starts crying once more. “Tonight.”

“This is Alice. She’s the charge nurse tonight, so she’ll tell you what to do.” The head of Human Relations speaks to me again, pulling me from memory lane and the night my future changed in the blink of an eye.

“Thank you,” I reply as Bianca spins on her heels and leaves me there in front of an older woman who reminds me a lot of my mother. Hard-earned wrinkles flanking the corners of her eyes, dark blonde hair streaked with grey, and glasses perched on the end of her nose as she stares at the computer screen in front of her all tell me that she’s the lady in charge. She’s also got an aura about her that suggests I shouldn’t argue with anything she says, not that I would. I’m not one to start problems in my place of employment, especially for a job I fought tooth and nail to earn and that was almost taken away from me.

“You must be Piper,” she says without looking up from the computer. I watch her eyes bounce back and forth across the screen, the white light glaring back at her displaying the dark chocolate hue.

“Yes, ma’am. Nice to meet you.” I stick my hand over the counter to shake hers, which finally gets her to flick her eyes up to meet mine. Suddenly, the too-busy-to-care attitude she was giving me before is quickly replaced with a beaming smile as she stands.

“Likewise. Welcome to Emerson Memorial. Sorry about before,” she gestures down to the computer. “When I’m reading patient files I get sucked in… not wanting to miss anything, you know?”

Her kindness helps my shoulders relax. “Absolutely. Details are crucial.”

“So this is your first day, huh? Where have you worked before?” Alice steps around the counter she was sitting at and makes her way to a main desk behind the receptionist counter for the emergency room.

“Actually, this is my first full-time position,” I reply.

“No way. Now that I think about, you do look kinda young,” her eyes survey my body from head to toe. “Enjoy those looks now, Piper. Soon you’ll have grey hair and wrinkles like the rest of us, and every free moment you had will be filled with driving kids to and from practices and school, or arguing with your husband,” she laughs as she keeps up her pace, grabbing a few items along her way as I trek behind her.

I don’t answer because I don’t want anyone to know that a life like that is exactly what I thought I had planned before everything changed in an instant.

“So, you’ll be working these two bays tonight,” she points to the curtains shielding two separate beds from each other. “Our hospital isn’t the busiest, but needless to say, I’m sure you know that the medical profession can be full of surprises.”

“So I’ve heard. I can handle it, I assure you.”

“Perfect. Jess!” Alice calls out as a long, raven-haired nurse who looks just tall enough to go on all the kiddie rides at a carnival strides up to us.

“What’s up, Alice?” She arrives, writing something down in a chart.

“This is Piper. She’s the new nurse they hired. Show her the ropes while I go handle a few things.”

She mock salutes her and then grins as Alice turns to walk away and we face each other. “Sure thing, boss. So, Piper? Nice to meet you,” she sticks her hand out and I reciprocate her shake. “Where are you from?”

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