Page 8 of From the Moment We Met

Caroline grasped Lilly's hand. “Do you have any news on Janie?”

“She’s still in the operating theater; I’m headed there to get an update on the surgery. Before I do, would anyone like coffee?” Lilly scoffed at her faux pas. “I mean tea. It’s England; everyone drinks tea, don’t they?”

Jacob's father chuckled. “Tea would be wonderful. Thank you, Lilly.”

“Tea it is; I’ll be back in a moment.”

Audrey smiled at Lilly. “You’re a Yank.” It was a declaration, not a question, one Lilly was quite used to after three months in England.

Lilly nodded and smiled. “A New York Yank at that, but I hope you won’t hold it against me.” She felt Jacob's intense gaze on her, and her cheeks reddened. Damn her fair complexion. “But despite being born on the wrong side of the pond, I’ve been a nurse for a long time, and I assure you Janie will receive the best care possible. Please sit, try to make yourselves comfortable.”

Lilly requested the teas from the concierge station, then continued to the operating theater. She donned a face mask and pushed open the door of OR 5; inside Jimi Hendrix’s guitar strummed through the stereo as Dr. Torres traded lighthearted banter with the anesthesiologist.

They’re joking, always a good sign.

Lilly turned to the circulating nurse. “Any update on Ms. Edmonton?”

The nurse glanced up at her. “Surgery is moving along well; some arrhythmia noted, hypotensive issues. She should be moving to recovery in an hour.” The nurse confirmed the information with Dr. Torres, who glanced in Lilly’s direction.

“Come to see how the other half lives, Lilly?” Dr. Torres inquired, his dark eyes crinkling. It was a long-standing joke that no one truly understood medicine until you worked within the confines of the operating theater.

“Sadly, no, but I’ll be waiting for you at the finish line, where the real work begins,” Lilly retorted, her cheeks flushing under his gaze as she left the room.

∞∞∞

Lilly walked toward the waiting area, hearing a heated one-sided conversation. As she rounded the corner, she saw Jacob Edmonton leaning against the wall, his phone in a death grip by his ear.

She paused by him; she hated breaking into a conversation, particularly an argument, but this news was important. “I have information on Janie,” Lilly whispered, placing a hand on his arm.

“Just hold on a second,” Jacob barked into the phone. His expression softened as he looked at her, an embarrassed smile on his gorgeous mouth. “I’m sorry, Lilly. You have news about Janie?”

Lilly opened her mouth to respond when unintelligible squawking sounded from the phone. “I’ll be in the room with your family.”

“I’ll be there in a moment. Thank you, for all your help.”

“It’s my job.”

His blue eyes warmed as he looked at Lilly. “You’re good at it.”

All eyes swung to Lilly as she opened the door. “I have news. The surgery is going well, and the doctors expect that Janie will be in recovery within the hour. From there—” Lilly was cut off as Jacob entered the room.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” Jacob adjusted his glasses, his eyes glued to his phone.

“I was telling your family that the surgery is going well, and she should be in—” The ringing of Jacob's phone cut her off a second time, and Jacob mumbled an apology before exiting the room.

Audrey sighed, shaking her head. “He has to ensure his one million Instagram fans are present and accounted for.”

“He does seem very popular. I guess that’s part of the job,” Lilly murmured, wondering who had gotten him so heated during such a stressful family time.

“He’s a selfish asshole; thinks he’s God’s gift to women. A different one every night; they line up to sleep with him,” Audrey huffed.

“Right…okay.” Lilly wished she could evaporate into thin air and reappear in a war zone, where the tension wasn’t running as high.

“Really Audrey? Why don’t you tell Lilly exactly what you think of me?” Jacob ran a hand through his curls, his jaw tightening.

“Let me guess, little Ms. Victoria on the line?” Audrey seethed at Jacob, narrowing her eyes at him. “Bingo, I fucking knew it.”

Lilly backed herself into a corner, praying this melee would soon end.

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