Page 14 of Undeniably Enemies

Daffy doesn’t quite put me on scut, though she does have me run specimens and do the testing myself instead of having a certified nursing assistant known as a CNA or even a nurse do it. It’s fine, though. I’ve never done this before, and I figure it’s all a good experience. Margot, the chief nurse and one of mymom’s best friends, walks me through how to do all the things I don’t know while we laugh and joke with each other. Sometimes, being a Fritz and having your entire family work in this city—many of them in this hospital—has its benefits.

Add to that, I haven’t seen Jack more than in passing, which automatically makes it a good day. Despite the rough morning, the rest of the day wasn’t so bad.

But as I step out of the locker room, changed once again, this time out of scrubs and into a cute top and jeans, I spot my people, who are here for me, talking to the asshole. At the end of the hall, Katy and Keegan, who are my cousins, and my best friend Tinsley are laughing with Jack.

Ugh.

To engage or not to engage, that is the question.

Thankfully, the decision is made for me as they wave goodbye to him after noticing me and head in my direction. From over their heads, Jack catches my gaze and holds it. I give him a withering glare that he quickly returns. It’s so odd to me that I once looked at him as if he were the end-all-be-all of men. I had daydreams about our eventual wedding, doodled Wren Kincaid on notebooks, and felt my heart flutter anytime his name was mentioned or he simply entered a room.

He destroyed all that, and now he’s the last man I could ever imagine fantasizing about in any sort of romantic way. Murder and mayhem, maybe, though. It still creeps me out that we shared that drink together, but I think at this point it’s clear there will be no ‘til death do us part unless we kill each other.

I toss him a wink because I can be saucy like that, and he rolls his eyes, turns in the opposite direction, and walks off.

“Really, ladies?” I greet my friends. “You laugh with the enemy?”

“Uh, maybe if you explained to us why he’s the enemy, perhaps that wouldn’t happen,” Katy throws out at me. “Although for me in trauma surgery, I have to deal with Jack constantly, so that’s likely not going to happen regardless.”

“I have told you. Some people just don’t like each other. That’s me and Jack. He thinks I’m a spoiled brat, and I think he’s an arrogant asshole. It’s mutual at least.”

Tinsley, who obviously knows about our situation, holds up her hand. “Whatever. I don’t care about you and Jack. He took good care of Forest when Stone and I brought him here, and that’s all I care about. Can we go out now? I have to pack, and Stone is waiting for us at the restaurant and already texted twice asking where we are. He’s clingy like wet satin because I leave for London in a few days.”

Tinsley is now engaged to Stone, her ex Forest’s older brother. I won’t even get into the drama that caused.

“Yes. Let’s go,” I agree. “I need food and a strong drink.”

The moment we step outside into the chilly fall air, my phone rings, and just as I go to reach for it, some jerk riding an electric bike on the sidewalk tries to snatch it from me. He misses, only managing to knock it from my hand, but it goes flying and crashes to the ground.

“Asshole!” Keegan yells after him, half chasing him down the street while I bend to survey the carnage. I lift my phone from the damp sidewalk and hold up the shattered screen.

“Of course. Because why should today end any better than it started?” I puff out an annoyed breath. “Anyone want to stop at the phone store?”

“I’ll help you,” Tinsley offers. “But first we eat.”

We cross Congress Street to get to one of our favorite bars that just so happens to be across from the hospital. My friends and cousins, Stone, Vander, Mason, and Keegan’s twin Kenna, are already here waiting, and Stone throws his hand up from the far back table to get our attention.

I drop into a seat next to Vander, who gives me a head nod and a half-smile. That’s not uncommon from him, though. He’sa cybersecurity CEO by day and one of the best hackers in the world by night. I swear the dude is suspicious of everyone.

“How was your first day?” Mason asks, handing me a menu.

“Good. Fine.”

Tinsley rolls her eyes at me and relays my spectacular morning to everyone who didn’t hear it on the walk over.

“We’ve all been there,” Kenna offers. “When I was a med student, I passed out during a C-section.”

Keegan, who is an OB along with my parents, snorts. “And you will never live that down.”

“Whatever.” Kenna throws a piece of pretzel bite at her. “Those are gruesome. I didn’t expect everything on the inside to be on the outside. And you’re one to talk, Keegs. As I recall, when you were an intern, you barfed all over your attending’s shoes.”

I snort. “You mean my father’s?”

She shrugs. “I had food poisoning. At least he’s my uncle. That made it better.” She pats my shoulder. “Just don’t puke on Jack. I doubt he’ll be so forgiving.”

“With me? Never.”

“This is why I’m glad I’m not a doctor,” Mason quips, and Vander reaches across the table to give him a fist bump. Mason is an NFL quarterback for the Boston Rebels, but our families are very close, and we’ve all grown up together. Sometimes I question the decision to be a doctor, but when pretty much your entire family is comprised of doctors and nurses, it’s just what you do. Plus, I love medicine. I had a lot of fun today. That’s what I have to focus on.

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