Page 4 of The Beat of her Heart

“I’m not here for family.”

“No friends either?” she asked.

“No attachments,” Giselle said flatly.

Josephine tilted her head, as if she was trying to figure Giselle out. Giselle wouldn’t budge. Josephine had no idea what she’d been through, and Giselle wanted to keep it that way.

“You’ll find it hard to avoid people here,” Josephine said. “The staff is close-knit.”

“I’m here to work. That’s it.”

Josephine’s eyes narrowed.

“You know, I spoke to your parents recently,” she said casually, but Giselle caught the shift in her tone. “They mentioned you hadn’t visited in a while.”

Giselle’s chest tightened, but she forced her face to stay neutral. She shrugged.

Josephine nodded slowly, watching Giselle for a reaction.

Giselle could still hear the last argument she’d had with her parents, the waythey’d looked at her ex like she was beneath them.

Giselle frowned.

She hadn’t stood up for Nicole then, and it had cost her everything.

Josephine didn’t push it. She just let the silence settle for a moment, then smiled again. “Phoenix Ridge is different from other hospitals.”

Why wouldn’t she take a hint? No matter how much she told Giselle about this hospital, she had no interest in treating her coworkers like family. The last thing Giselle wanted was to get caught in a web of relationships doomed to end badly.

Giselle shrugged. Her fingers brushed against the edge of the desk.

“That’s good to know.”

“Giselle—”

“I’m here to work,” Giselle said, cutting her off.

Josephine chuckled as she rose to her feet.Her eyes softened. “You know, everyone who comes here says that at first. You’ll find it hard to avoid us.”

“I’ll manage.”

Josephine’s gaze flicked to the file on thedesk. “You’ll be working closely with Dr. Adrienne Wolfe—Addie, as everyone calls her. She’s one of the best pediatric surgeons we’ve got.”

Giselle straightened. “I don’t need a partner.”

“You might feel differently after meeting her,” Josephine said. “Addie’s...special.”

“I’m sure she is,” Giselle said flatly. “But I can assure you, I don’t need a babysitter.”

Josephine smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She nodded, her gaze still fixed on Giselle.

“You know, Giselle, it’s okay to let people in. You don’t have to do everything by yourself.”

“I’m not interested in using this place as therapy.” Giselle pressed her lips together, trying to calm her rising irritation.

“I wasn’t suggesting that,” she replied. “But it doesn’t hurt to have someone in your corner.”

“I’m fine,” Giselle said.

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