Page 7 of A Prescription to My Heart

“Nurse Vance.”

She turns, emerald eyes sharp. “Yes, Dr. Calloway?”

I exhale slowly. “Room three. Vitals.”

She tilts her head, appraising me like I’m a particularly uncooperative patient. “Playing Super Surgeon again, Dr. Calloway? You know, there’s a whole sentence structure that includes ‘please’ and ‘thank you.”

There it is. Brazen disregard for her superiors. “Room three,” I repeat.

Her lips twitch like she wants to argue, but—amazingly—doesn’t. “Right. On it,Your Highness.”

I watch her go, more annoyed with myself now. How could I let this woman get under my skin?

Fifteen minutes later, Talia finds me again.

“Vitals are stable,” she says, crossing her arms. “Pain’s under control. No fever, tolerating fluids. Anything else,Your Majesty?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Why are you like this?”

She grins. “Like what?”

“Difficult.”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you.” Talia leans against the counter, eyes glinting with amusement. “You walk around like you have a personal vendetta against human interaction. Someone says ‘good morning,’ and you act like they just insulted your entire bloodline.”

I sigh. “I don’t do small talk.”

“No kidding. Is it a personal policy or just a general lack of social skills?”

I stare at her, debating whether to answer. She stares right back, clearly enjoying herself.

I turn back to my paperwork, hoping that’s the end of it.

It isn’t.

Talia leans closer. “So, is this, like, a thing with you? The whole brooding, unapproachable genius act? Because I gotta say, it’s very clichéd.”

I close my eyes briefly, summoning patience. “Nurse Talia.”

“Yes,Dr. Calloway?”

I level her with a look. “Go do your job.”

She lets out a mock gasp. “But I thought my job was to cater to your every whim?”

I turn, walking away before I say something I’ll regret.

But her laughter follows me down the hall.

And for some reason, it sticks.

***

The giggling reaches me before I even get to the backyard.

Light. Carefree.Familiar.

Marigold.

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