Page 12 of All I Want

He had a girlfriend. A nice girlfriend, she reminded herself. Alex deserved to find happiness.

“Dr. Terraza, Henry is back in his room. I’ve updated his file,” Callie said, and all thoughts of makeup and hair care, and Alex—and his girlfriend—faded away.

She had a job to do.

“Great. I have to look in on Camilla first. She just started that new clinical trial.” A trial that might’ve saved Grace. She bit the inside of her cheek. She had to focus on her patients, and on finding the best treatment course for each kid that came through the door. As much as she wished Grace were still here, these kids were, and focusing on the past wouldn’t help her be the best doctor she could be.

She poked her head into Camilla’s room. Anna, Camilla’s mother, gave her a bright smile but Maggie saw the pain behind it.

“How are we doing today?” Maggie asked, pulling up Camilla’s chart on her tablet.

“Hi, Dr. Maggie. A little sore, and my tummy hurts,” Camilla said, rubbing her belly.

“She’s even more tired with this new medication, and she doesn’t want to eat a lot,” Anna said, holding her daughter’s hand. She only had smiles for the little girl, but when Camilla looked away, there was fear in her mother’s gaze.

“Tiredness is normal with this trial. You should take naps when you need them, but make sure you’re moving around every day and getting some exercise, even if it’s just walking down the hall here, or around your house when you get home. Your stomach pain should fade soon, but if you still feel this way in a few days, I want you to let me know.”

“Do you think I will be back home for Christmas, Dr. Maggie?” Camilla asked.

“Hopefully if all goes well, you’ll just be here for the week or two and then you’ll be home in plenty of time for Christmas,” Maggie said, lightly squeezing her hand.

She finished up with Camilla and moved down the hall to check on the rest of her patients. She wished every kid in this hospital could go home for the holidays, and she would do everything she could to help them celebrate this year—and hopefully, many years to come—at home.

“Westie brought Santa,” a child’s voice called out as Maggie made her way to the nurses’ station.

“And Santa’s friends,” Ruth, one of the nurses whispered. “Who knew elf boots could be so hot.”

“Right. Rudolph can jingle my bell any night he wants,” Dr. Avery Gordon said, wiggling her eyebrows for good measure.

“But keep your hands off Westie. He belongs to Maggie,” Callie chimed in.

“Wait. What?” Avery asked.

“I’m never telling you anything,” Maggie bit out, but Callie just shrugged.

“Spill. How do you know him?” Avery asked.

“We grew up together and dated in high school. It’s no big deal. We’re just friends now,” she said, turning away from her gossipy co-workers. Her gaze crashed right into Alex, his smile broad, his lips full, and her mouth watered. Freaking watered.

Yep, she definitely wasn’t on the nice list this year.

“Yeah, friends,” Callie said. Maggie didn’t need to turn around to see her friend’s smirk. Brat.

Alex stopped at the nurses’ station next to her, and she stiffened. His soft chuckle rolled over her. Bastard.

He greeted every nurse and doctor individually, and it drove home how invested he was in his program.

“The kids are excited. Someone let it slip that you were coming,” Callie said.

“No problem,” Alex said before he turned to Maggie. “Dr. Terraza, did you want to join us?”

“What? No. You guys have fun.”

That gleam in his eyes was pure trouble. She broke eye contact with him before she could do anything she’d regret.

Girlfriend.

She moved away from him, skirting along the edge of the nurses’ station.

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