Page 103 of Shattering

Byron grunted, swirling his pint. "Maybe."

Gray chuckled. "Aye, ya did. Because she's the one who spilled on my drama, didn't she?"

Byron took another long sip, then muttered, "Nosy cow."

Gray laughed outright. "Aye, well, I'd be more surprised if she didn't."

Byron sighed. "What does she know?"

Gray leaned back, watching him closely. "Plenty. She knew ya had a thing for her back in school, too. We all did."

Byron nearly choked on his beer. "Fuck off."

Gray grinned. "She did. Even then. Just didn't take ya seriously."

Byron muttered, "Aye, well, that makes two of us."

Gray narrowed his eyes. "Ya usually love talkin' about Ana. What's changed?"

Byron tensed, then exhaled. "Nothin'."

Gray didn't buy it.

Byron was usually loud, brash, and unbothered, but this? This was an evasive Byron.

Gray tilted his head. "Ya bombed spectacularly back then. What, scared to try again?"

Byron grunted. "It ain't like that."

Gray let it sit for a moment. Then, he smirked. "Aye, sure it ain't."

Byron didn't rise to the bait. Instead, he checked his watch and stretched.

"Right, last round's on me."

And just like that, the conversation was over.

For now. Gray shook his head.

Chapter 47

The theatre team gathered in a semi-circle around the team board, the hum of preparation filling the air.

Karen, the scrub nurse, led the briefing.

"Right, team, let's go through the plan. We've got Mr.Arav Patel, 67 years old, BMI 33, past medical history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. He's down for a right total knee replacement under spinal anaesthesia. Side confirmed as the right knee."

Gray gave a curt nod. "An hour and a half."

Karen turned to Vanessa. "Anaesthetist?"

Vanessa flipped through the patient notes with deliberate slowness, her voice smooth but edged with ice. "Spinal block planned, light sedation if required. Twenty minutes."

Karen continued, moving briskly. "Prophylactic antibiotics are given. Patient position and prep, any additional requirements?"

Gray shook his head. "Standard setup."

Vanessa didn't respond, just gave an indifferent nod.

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