Page 83 of King of Pain

This is my way of making things official.

My advisor picks up. “Hello?”

“Hi Doctor McCabe. It’s Kate Adams.”

“Kate! You sound awful. Are you all right?”

I give a slight smile. Did Gorilla do me a small favor? I probably sound like I’ve got the flu with the rasp in my voice. “I’ll survive. But I did miss the start of my internship, and I don’t think the attending researcher was very pleased.”

“I heard. He called me and I told him again what I said when I recommended you. You have the highest work ethic of any of my students. I know for a fact you would have been there if there wasn’t an emergency.”

Her words untwist a knot in my stomach. One doctor can think I’m a flake. I should have known Dr. McCabe would have my back. Then again, I’m not used to people supporting me. “Thank you so much for that. It’s so appreciated. But now I find myself without an internship.”

“Hmm,” she says, and I can hear her clicking buttons. “I’ve got a few left here in New York, but honestly, they are kind of the bottom of the barrel. One research position in a STEM lab. One position at the New York City Hospital.”

I wrinkle my nose. Neither suit me, and both are across the country. I’d like to give Luke time to collect all his memories and figure out stuff with his family.

“I do have one in Las Vegas, since you’re already there. But it’s with a pediatrician, which I know is not your preferred specialty.”

My heart soars. “Actually, that sounds perfect.”

Pediatricians do not make big money. I have no idea how I’ll pay off my loans, but working with kids feels so right. I want to be a doctor. I want to help people. But I don’t feel the same need to prove my worth to the world. I just want to be me.

“Really? I thought you wanted to go into surgery?”

I draw in a deep breath. “Vegas has been… enlightening.”

My gaze catches on Luke, who watches Mark pull up in Alice. Mark gets out of the truck and the two shake hands. They barely speak three words before they’re lifting the hood of the car.

My mouth hangs open for a second before a giant, and probably goofy smile, splits my face. I didn’t even realize how much I wanted them to like each other.

I focus back in on the call. “I can’t wait to hear all about it. The start date for the pediatrician office is listed as flexible. Should I call them?”

“Yes, please. Thank you so much.”

We hang up. As much as I’d like to rush to Mark’s side, I hang back. I give the man who helped me know how to pick a good man when I found him a chance to meet Luke and see what I see.

He’s the best kind of man there is.

Watching Luke and Mark fills my heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Luke

I like Mark right away.He’s a good dude.

First, he replaced Alice’s starter for me, and she’s purring like a kitten. We talk about trucks for a minute, before he turns to me. “Gotta ask. What are your intentions toward Kate?”

I like a man who gets right to the point. And I like that he’s got my girl’s interests at heart too. “The best,” I answer. “Kate is an amazing woman.”

He quirks a brow but doesn’t ask me to elaborate. Which is good. Because I’m not sure telling him that I’d like to propose after a week of dating makes me look good. I might sound crazy.

Maybe I am.

But I’ve got another topic we need to discuss. “Look, I know we just met, and I know this is sensitive, but I’ve got a question too.”

“Shoot.”

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