Page 13 of The Gift Rarely Given

Alex: Fine, I like them but they don’t like me

Me: My kids will love you. Just come to the hospital this afternoon. It’ll be good and we can talk more about your crazy plan

Alex: You already said yes

Me: Yeah well, we have 9 days before Christmas which means there are 8 days before the dinner for me to learn everything about you so my mother doesn’t suspect anything and 8 days for me to convince the world you’re not an asshole

Alex: Maybe I am

Me: FML

Me: You’re not obvs

Me: I’m here until 6:00. Come read to the children and I might even let you take me to dinner

Alex: Are you asking me out, Liv?

Me: No, I’m telling you you’re taking me out.

Alex: Fine, what should I bring?

Me: Yourself, an open mind and a smile. I have a book here.

Alex: Seeyou in an hour

Me: Deal

“Why areyou bouncing around more than normal, Livie?” Cassie, the head nurse asks. With her short blonde bob, her pretty blue eyes and the soft smile she wears 90% of the time, Cassie is the definition of a hug in human form. The best friend everyone wished they had, and the mom so many kids wished they could call hers. But we all just call her Nurse Cass around here. She’s everyone’s favorite nurse and one of my closest friends.

“You’re just jealous I’m always in a good mood and you’re not.”

“I am always in a good mood,” she replies, adding some papers to her clipboard and placing it under her desk.

“No, you alwayslooklike you’re in a good mood when in reality, you just hide all your anger behind the hospital mom look you’re sporting.”

“I can let my anger out on stupid diseases taking the life of children, not on humans I love. All that anger you see behind my eyes? Are for things I cannot change. However, the usual tornado you live in is a lot wilder today. You’ve been singing and swirling as you go. More than usual that is. You even smiled at Miles.”

Miles is the jerk resident on rounds tonight. He acts like he’s all that and a bag of chips when he’s not and we fucking hate him. But nothing can sour my mood today. I’m seriously considering telling her all about Alex and our deal, but we promised to keep it between us. Am I really this giddy about seeing him again? I saw him yesterday and the day before—hell, I just met the guy. But he’s a funny, almost grumpy gentleman who looks like Thor and talks like he has more than half a neuron. I’mpositive my body doesn’t know what to do with those feelings.

“Hello! Earth to Livie,” Cassie calls, waving her hand in front of me, pulling me back to reality.

“Okay, okay, do you really want to know?” I ask, laying myself across her desk and smiling at her like an idiot.

“Yes. Dear lord, child, please tell me you didn’t sleep with Fred.”

“Frank,” I say in between a snort and a laugh. “Nah, the only reason I told you I was going out with him was just so that, in case you didn’t hear from me, you could come to my rescue and kill him.”

“Then what is it?!” she shouts. But before I can answer, there’s a deep voice coughing near us. We both look and there, standing dressed in dark denim jeans and a navy-blue Henley that makes his eyes look lighter, is Alex. He has his hand in his pocket, the other holding a coffee and a shy smile on his lips that also suits him just fine.

“How can I help you?” Cassie asks, smiling at him and going into Nurse Cassie mode. Zero games—just pure work.

“I’m here to see the kids and umm… Livie.” He points at me and Cassie’s head snaps my way.

“I got it, Cass.” I look up and smile at Alex, forgetting how tall he is until I’m standing right in front of him and he needs to make a conscious effort looking down to meet my eyes. I tuck a strand of my wavy hair behind my ear. “Hey, Alex.”

“Hey Shortie,” he whispers, only for me to hear, with his mischievous smile and his wintery scent. He smells like a bakery on a cold Christmas day—sweet, warm and spicy.

“Shortie?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

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