Page 31 of On the Edge

Jonas

Yet another round of snow drifted outside the hospital windows, a dark and gloomy early evening waiting to greet me after my shift. Mount Hope had received a record amount of snow this month, but as I packed up my things in the locker room, my mind was more focused on a personal record.

I might have lost the battle to resist Declan, but I’d won a January to remember because Declan and I had kept our super-secret late-night fling going. Except fling seemed the wrong word for something based around a growing friendship rather than lust. There were nights when we cuddled while I read aloud, and we didn’t end up getting off. And other times when cleaning the kitchen would lead to a two-hour chat. In my experience, sex-only flings didn’t include the amount of talking and care we had going.

“You look sharp.” Judy, my friend and fellow NP, shook out her gray ponytail as she strode into the locker room. “Long day of meetings?”

“Yep.” I wore a blue button-down and gray slacks in deference to a packed schedule of administrative meetings.As the emergency department nursing supervisor, I walked a tightrope between advocating for my fellow nurses’ needs and serving the hospital’s whims and its never-ending stack of regulations. “More staffing issues. The hospital wants to reduce the number of traveling nurses, but as usual, they don’t want to pony up for more permanent positions.”

“Sometimes I miss my traveling nurse years, especially the pay. But if the hospital wants people to stay put, it has to offer incentives beyond money. The urgent care clinic I’m transferring to offers double the paid leave. Now, Maggie and I will be able to travel for pleasure rather than more work.”

“Where are you going first?” I asked, curious but also wanting to keep the conversation away from my own career future.

“We’re doing Hawaii next month after my last day here. I can’t wait.”

“I bet.” Other than my trip to Utah with Sean and Denver, it had been years since I’d been out of state and far longer since I’d traveled for vacation rather than necessity.

Judy gave me a long stare over the rims of her colorful glasses. “You could also have a better work-life balance.”

“Eh. I’m only tired today from all the meetings.” I was lying, but I wasn’t about to explain that my late-night conversations with Declan had majorly cut into my already erratic sleep schedule. “And I got assigned to two new committees. But I love it here.”

“More committees?” Judy shook her head as she shrugged into her heavy coat. “Someday, you’ll discover the word no and a reason to use it.”

“Here’s to hoping.” Unbidden, an image of Declan popped into my head. He was a reason to lose sleep. If our connection wasn’t so temporary, he would be more than enough reason to say no to other obligations more often.

“What’s that little smile?” Judy tilted her head as she considered me. “New fellow?”

“Nothing like that.” I gave a dismissive gesture even as I wished it were true. But Declan was so tightly closeted, along with being my friend’s son, that the chance to brag about him was likely never coming. “See you tomorrow.”

“Not tomorrow.” She wrapped a long, wide, patchwork knit scarf around her neck and shoulders. “I’ve got this thing called a day off. Try it sometime.”

“Okay, okay,Mom.” I might groan, but I valued her friendship and mentorship.

As I headed for my SUV, my phone beeped with an incoming message from Sean.

Sean

Can you pick up Declan after his PT appointment? I’m hoping to be out of here before Rowan’s karaoke thing tonight, but I’m not going to make it in time to pick up Declan.

Me

Of course. No problem.

That was one yes I was happy to send. The PT offices were near the hospital, so I headed there, answering some administrative emails while I waited for Declan to emerge.

“Oh, it’s you.” Declan smiled as I waved him over to my car. His smile warmed me better than any car heater. His grin was wide and easy but also personal as if he genuinely was happy to see me. “I told Dad I could use a rideshare app.”

“I’m happy to be your driver,” I teased as I helped him stow his crutches in the backseat. He’d graduated from the kneeling scooter to crutches as he practiced putting more weight on his surgically repaired leg. “You don’t even have to tip me.”

“Don’t worry.” He winked as he settled himself in the passenger seat. “I’ll tip you later.”

“I might hold you to that.” I matched his suggestive tone, then groaned. “Wish that was all that was on the agenda tonight.”

“You don’t want to go out to the karaoke night?”

“I do,” I said weakly as I pointed the SUV toward Mount Hope’s quaint downtown.

Declan snorted. “You sound real convincing there, Jonas.”

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