Page 43 of My Salvation
“She told me she wanted more than just a physical relationship with me, with us, actually.” I look over to Lev, then glance at Shaw. “I want a relationship with this woman, too. And I told her I thought Lev did, too.” Lev gives me a curt nod in agreement. “I explained we just weren’t sure about whether it was serious for her, because she never shared anything with us. I have a feeling there’s more to her story, but I think this is all she could share right now.”
Looking up, I see Lev and Shaw thinking along the same lines.
“Fuck.” Lev immediately starts pacing again.
CHAPTER 19
KATE
All three men reach out throughout the day to check on me. I’m relieved they know and don’t hate me or want me to stop seeing patients. There have been times over the years when employees at a hospital or practice found out about the shooting and decided it would be better if they were assigned a different doctor. There was so much at stake this time, though, it would devastate me to be forced to leave.
Rolling my shoulders to ease my tension, I glance down as my phone buzzes again. It’s Lev asking me to go away to the winery this weekend. That sounds incredible. I hadn’t been away from the practice and apartment since I arrived, and a change of scenery would help clear my mind a bit. I send him a quick yes and let him know we’ll close around
4 p.m. today.
Smiling, I round the corner and narrowly avoid running into Sarah.
“Hmmm. Someone looks happier. That’s good. After the way you looked this morning, I thought I’d have to knock some heads together.” She shakes her head as she glances back down to her paperwork.
After my discussion with Lowell last night, I realized I needed to tell Sarah, too. She’s the first true friend I’ve made in a while, and I don’t want her to find out from someone else.
“Hey, do you have a minute?”
Frowning at the look on my face, she follows me back to the office and closes the door. Sitting in the two chairs in front of the desk, I walk through what I’d told Lowell last night. Stunned, she sits there for a minute, then reaches out to pull me into a hug. I start crying at this immediate gesture from her big heart.
Patting me on the back, she lets me cry for a few minutes before pulling back and blurting out, “Did I ever tell you about the time I dropped a baby?”
Startled, I shake my head as my tears slow. Wiping a hand across my face, I swipe away my tears.
“I don’t even have an excuse. I’d worked as a nurse for five years, and as I was handling a baby to get its weight, I dropped him. Thankfully, it was only the counter, and he landed just right, but it could have been devastating.” Thinking back, she shakes her head. “For a long time, I couldn’t even hold a baby until I decided avoidance wasn’t an option. As a nurse, I needed to handle children, including babies. Determined to get over this fear, I started holding them again for a brief second until I could work up to weighing one again.”
“That was an accident! You’re a wonderful nurse.”
“Well, I’m sure you didn’t give David a nausea medication on purpose to kick him out of the trial, did you? Had you ever even had a patient qualify for a trial?” She waits for my answer.
“Well, no.”
