Page 48 of Room One Hundred and Nineteen: Watching Her

Then a four-car pile-up caused traffic to be so bad, it made me twenty minutes late.

I could only imagine what she thought about me now, probably assuming I was involved with one of them. My bosshad had it out for me from day one. I was positive if she found out I was seeing the three, her head would pop off.

“Good morning, Tabitha.” I forced a smile before I turned to face her. And like usual, I couldn’t read her. Her features were clear of emotion while she stared at me.

“You’re late.”

“I know.” I quickly took responsibility and started to explain. “There was––“ Not that she let me.

“Again,” my boss pointed out with a cool demeanor, and I knew it was pointless to try and explain anything. Whatever she was going to do, she had decided before I’d even walked into the hospital.

“Right.”

“I need to see you in Conference Room B.”

“Conference Room––“

“If you head down now,”—she pointed behind her, picking up a stack of files—“I’ll be right behind you. I just have to put these prescriptions into the system,” she mumbled. My stomach tightened into a mess of knots.

“Okay.” I swallowed.

Shockingly enough, with all the times I had been late in the past, Tabitha had yet to write me up. I always figured it was to save her the headache of having to deal with HR or paperwork. But I had a feeling my streak had run out.

Maybe this would be my first or a warning of some sort?Or maybe you’re getting the boot?a voice whispered, and even though panic started to seep into every pore of my body, I managed to keep it together.

If I got fired, it would be fine.

It would all be okay.

I might be living paycheck to paycheck, but I would figure it out. I always did. While I walked to the conference room, my head was overrun with different plans of action. All of whichwere worst-case scenarios. I was so distracted, I didn’t notice anyone as I walked. I didn’t even noticed the three men standing inside the conference room when I stepped in. I shut the door, and just as I was going to take a seat, I spotted them. They were the last people I had expected to find in there.

“Miles, Josh, Rick?” My eyes bounced from man to man. One by one. “What are you guys doing in here?”

“We need to talk,” Miles said, and I immediately noticed something was wrong.

Something was very not right.

Miles was serious, too serious. As were the other two men. I knew them. Or I thought I did.Shit.Not only was I possibly getting fired, it looked like I could be getting broken up with, too. If that was the case, I would need to look for a new job anyhow. There was no way I could handle seeing them daily. Not when I was completely in love with them. I stood and watched them frown, their intense gazes laser-focused on me.

“Talk.” I stood to my full height. If they were going to end it, they needed to hurry before Tabitha walked in and fired me.

“Come over here, gorgeous.” Rick crooked his finger. If I hadn’t been so freaked out, I would have noticed how gentle his tone was.

I wanted to go to him, sit on his lap, burrow my face into his neck, and breathe in his scent and let him this make this crazy morning fade away. He always smelled so good. They all did.

But I couldn’t get myself to move.

“I’m okay right here. What’s up?” I asked, surprising myself with how calm I sounded when I felt like I was coming out of my skin.

“El, baby, come over here,” Rick repeated, his voice somehow still gentle but more insistent.

“Tabitha is on her way,” I shared, but they didn’t react. “So, you should get on with whatever this is.” I tried to figure out if Ihad missed some kind of warning sign they hadn’t been happy, that we hadn’t been on the same page, but nothing stood out.

I thought everything was good between us.

They were very vocal about how they felt when it came to me and the kids.Maybe they’re tired of you being a coward and not telling them exactly how you feel.I chewed on my lip.

“El,” Rick said again.

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