Page 59 of Knight's Journey

A gleam of admiration shined in Charlotte’s eyes as she studied Sam from head to toe. “He definitely gives us something nice to look at on our shift.”

Bridget grinned as she glanced over at her bodyguard, noting his thick blonde hair falling over his forehead, his slender, muscular form too tall and too broad for the waiting room chair he sat in, his gaze which took everything in with one sweep even while he appeared bored and uninterested.

“He’s nice to look at and nice to talk to. He’s a good guy. He works with some friends of mine, and they’re worried Seth might approach me again. They’re watching out for me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Amy said the words in a low tone, never glancing at Charlotte or Bridget, but there was no mistaking they were aimed at her.

“Amy. Show some respect,” Charlotte chastised her.

Amy slammed a file to the top of the desk and turned to face them, one balled-up hand resting on her hip. “I’m sorry, but I can’t feel sorry for somebody who was asking for it.”

“Amy!” Charlotte gasped, and Bridget’s eyes narrowed as she glared at her coworker.

Bridget stood. “You know, Amy, you shouldn’t talk about things you obviously don’t understand.”

“I understand everything. You didn’t think you could hide your reputation from us, did you? Everyone in this hospital knows what a slut you were back where you came from, and you’ve been taking all your breaks in the stairwell just so you could flirt with him.”

Bridget knew she shouldn’t let Amy bait her, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself from going on the defensive. “He flirted with me. He sought me out to ask for a date. I told him no, and he tried to…Regardless what you think of me, that’s wrong by anyone’s standards.”

“You aren’t the only one who’s dated Seth. I know he’s a nice guy who likes rough sex. That’s no crime. It’s not his fault you’re a tease.”

With a glare so intense, it could have set Bridget on fire where she stood, Amy turned and walked away. Charlotte stood and rested a hand on Bridget’s arm.

“Don’t worry about her. I’ll talk with her and set her straight.”

Bridget shook her head. She glanced over her shoulder and waved a hand in Sam’s direction to let him know there wasn’t a reason for him to intervene. “Don’t bother. She looks for reasons to not like me, and I can’t say the feeling is not mutual. Amy and I have never been destined to be BFFs. I’m just sorry she had to bring all of this up now.”

“Don’t you worry about that. She won’t be talking about this again. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll leave you to get to work, but if you need anything, I want you to know I’m here for you.”

On impulse, Bridget reached out to hug Charlotte. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

With a lighter step, she grabbed a patient cart and moved to Mr. Stutler’s room.

∞∞∞

Bridget’s feet were aching by the time she paused by Sam’s chair. Other than shifting positions, the man hadn’t moved from his post all evening. She knew he had to be tired, and she wished she could send him home.

“Thank you for being here. I’m sure there are other places you’d rather be.”

“It’s part of the job,” Sam returned with a smile. “You okay?”

“Other than some coworker drama and a patient who proposes whenever he sees me, yeah, I’m good.”

“He proposes? What do you tell him?”

“I keep reminding him I have kids at home. A single mom is pretty effective in turning men away, even if they aren’t serious with their proposals.”

Sam chuckled. “Well, I can’t say I blame him for trying. A pretty nurse waiting on him hand and foot? Kind of every man’s fantasy.”

Bridget rolled her eyes. “And that would be why men are full of shit.”

Sam barked a laugh. “Touché.”

“So I’m going to take a little break. My go-to place is usually the stairwell. I was going to let you know in case you were searching for me.”

“I need to come with you, Bridget. You’re probably wanting a moment alone, but unfortunately, I have to be close by. I can be quiet though to give you a chance to decompress.”

She nodded. “Okay. This way.”

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