Page 14 of Widow

Interesting. Lou didn’t seem too interested in helping me. In fact, I think if he had it his way, he would have killed me the night before. He was the type of man who was all business. I could tell by the way he walked. The way he talked. The way he watched me as if he was taking in everything about me and committing it to memory.

A chill ran down my spine.

“I need to get ready for my shift. You can go home if you want. I’m sure you want to celebrate Christmas with your loved ones.”

“My only loved one is Picard. Are you not celebrating this day they call Christmas? It’s all I’ve seen plastered everywhere. Plus, all the new movies on Netflix are Christmas themed. I don’t get the hype or why people have to buy gifts.” He stood from the barstool and then moved to the sofa. “Lou said I had to stay with you.”

I made a noise in my throat. I didn’t need a babysitter. I was a grown-ass woman. Sure, I had homicidal spiders inside, but they were under complete control.

The thought of calling the cops crossed my mind. I didn’t know these men. Yet here they were, injecting themselves into my life. But what would I say? If they showed up here, what if Ric told them I was a murderer?

That’s what I was: a murderer.

* * *

I headed to the hospital,leaving Ric to his own devices. Surprisingly, he relented after texting Lou. He seemed harmless enough to leave in my condo. Just my luck, I'd get back from work and everything would be gone.

Working on holidays made the time pass faster, and at least I was around people instead of wallowing with a bottle of wine on my couch.

The emergency room was quiet, at least so far. Usually, around noon there was an influx of parents bringing in their kids who had injured themselves with their new toy. The year before had seen several lacerations from drone propellers and fractured bones from falling off electronic skateboards and hoverboards.

I pushed off the counter in the desk area and spun around several times. I planted my feet on the ground to stop myself as a glimpse of a man caught my eye.

No way was that asshole here in my ER.

“Dr. Hayes, I want you to meet our new security guard, Lou. He comes highly recommended.” I had to stop myself from having a physical reaction to seeing him again. My body wanted to do one of two things: run or swoon.

Just because he was an asshole, didn’t mean I didn’t think he wasn’t attractive. He was sexy in the worst kind of brooding man type of way.

I told myself he was only attractive because I was in desperate need of some loving. I hadn’t been on a date in forever. And then there was the sex issue. I hadn’t wanted to risk it with the spiders.

Imagine a man pounding away, and then all of a sudden, spiders pouring out of me. It had D-grade horror movie written all over it. I guess, in a way, I was a walking, talking horror movie.

“Nice to meet you.” He sounded sincere, but I knew otherwise. I could see it in the way his gray eyes smoldered that he wasn’t exactly happy to be here. After seeing him in a suit last night, he looked completely out of place in his navy-blue security guard uniform, complete with a “Lou” name patch.

The day dragged on for what seemed like forever. We were busy, but nothing exhilarating happened. Not that I ever hoped for a trauma to come in. It wasn’t like when I was in my residency and practically salivated anytime an ambulance came in.

There was a lull in patients, so I decided to go into the break room and eat dinner. One of the nurses on staff had brought ham and all the fixings for Christmas dinner. I was all about the ham.

"Eat your ham, gosh!" I chuckled quietly to myself as I slapped a piece of ham on my paper plate. It was my favorite kind; spiral cut with honey glaze. My inner Tina did a little frolic through her pasture.

The break room was deliciously quiet and empty as I finished piling my plate with food. I sat down at a table and took my first bite. My eyes shut, and I let a small groan escape. I hadn’t eaten anything since the morning.

“Do your spiders enjoy ham?” Even though I had just met him, I knew exactly who it was.

I jumped in the chair, and my eyes flew open. I nearly choked on the piece of ham in my mouth. At least if I had, I was in a hospital.

“Jesus! Don’t sneak up on a woman like that!" I scooped up a bite of mashed potatoes and shoved it in my mouth to keep myself from saying something I'd regret.

He made his way over to the table from a chair in the corner and sat down. Had he been in the room the entire time?

He watched me for a few moments and then rubbed his chin. “You seem normal. Except for quoting that Napoleon Dynamite movie. I don’t buy the act.” I flushed at his accusation. Had the heater clicked on?

This guy was really starting to piss me off. Last night, he didn’t give me a chance to explain myself before writing me off. Then he showed up at my work and watched me all day. And now he was accusing me of putting on an act.

The only thing I was guilty of was acting normal when I really should have been losing my shit. I had already done that months ago.

“And why should I care about your opinion? You’re not even a real security guard. I could call the police and have you arrested like that.” I snapped my fingers. “You don’t look like the type that would hold up very well in prison.”

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