Page 6 of The Grumpy Doc's Surprise Delivery

Instead, I grab my own drink and take a swig.

We sit together in a moment of uneasy silence. I look over my shoulder, realizing that it has suddenly fallen very, very quiet in the bar, as compared to when I first arrived.

“What time is the opening meeting?” she asks, like she’s having the same realization as me. “Where’s everyone gone?”

“I was about to ask the same,” I say, covering for the fact that I don’t know the answer.

“Damn,” she says, looking at her phone. “It’s past the starting time. We’re late.”

“I guess that explains where everyone’s gone,” I say dryly.

“I can’t believe you’re making a joke out of this,” she says, getting to her feet. Then she looks at me. “Actually, no, I don’t. I expect you’re not here to learn much at all, are you?”

That makes me prickle with annoyance. She has no idea how hard I’ve worked to be where I’m at. She has no right to be casting these judgments upon me.

“You kept me late,” I huff. “You distracted me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she says, folding her arms.

I jump to my feet and storm off so I can say I left first. She follows quickly behind me, saying nothing. Together, however reluctantly, we make our way to the hall.

As quietly as we can, we sneak into the main conference room and slip into some seats in the back row. Unfortunately, we can’t stay secret for long because the main speaker notices us.

“Ah, this must be our two missing members,” he says, staring straight at us in a way that makes everyone else turn around to look at us too.

The woman from the bar grins awkwardly, her hand twitching like she wants to offer the crowd a wave. I stay still as stone, willing this moment to be over.

“Doctors… Liam Mercer and Emma Rodriguez, correct?”

“Yes,” I confirm as quietly as I can. The woman — Emma — just nods.

The speaker looks down at his notes and frowns in a way that does not fill me with joy. He hums for a second, and his frown deepens. “Well,” he says, drawing out the syllable, “I’m afraid it looks like you will have to team up with each other. I think everyone else found a pair at the start of the meeting…”

A quiet murmur ripples around the room, and Emma and I share a look.

Paired together? For the next few days?

Great. Just great.

CHAPTER 4

EMMA

Iwake up the next morning dreading what I’m going to find later. It’s just my luck that I managed to be paired with the worst man alive. Not that I was here to enjoy myself, exactly, but I at least thought I wouldn’t have to tolerate someone that annoying.

Still, even if Liam’s not going to be a professional, I am.

I get dressed and shuffle into the bathroom to brush my teeth. As I do, I stare at myself in the mirror and sigh. I’m going to have to grit my teeth and get on with the week. I will go for breakfast. I will go to the training course, and I will not be afraid. If he wants to be a jerk about it, then whatever. I’m here to learn.

Fortunately, I don’t see him at breakfast. I scope out the whole dining room before I take a seat, but to my relief, Liam is nowhere to be seen. I don’t think I’m lucky enough that he’s going to have vanished altogether, but not seeing him while I have my morning coffee is at least something.

I take my time indulging in the array of tiny pastries on offer, but I also keep a close eye on the time. I want to be sure to arrive at the training early today.

If I have to be with Liam the whole time, at least I can look better than him by showing up early.

So I do, and take a seat in the circle that the speaker — Bruno — has set up for us all. It doesn’t bode well for things to come, a circle. That suggests more teamwork.

To my great disappointment, Liam arrives only a couple of minutes after me. So we’re both early. Looks like he had the same idea as me.

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