Page 43 of Rules of the Heart

Then why did the decision feel like a shroud being pulled over her?

17

Ella

“So? What happened next?”

Ella felt herself blushing. “Well, you know.”

“I get the idea, but I want the details, Ella. You know I’m not getting any right now. The least you can do is let me live vicariously through you.”

Ella couldn’t help grinning. She loved how she and Kate had the kind of friendship that they could talk about this kind of thing. Even though their friendship had started from a failed date, it hadn’t left any awkwardness between them. It felt natural being friends with Kate, as it had from when they first met on the train. Ella realized that although she could appreciate Kate was attractive, that she wasn’t really attracted to her and that had been important.

It had become quite clear to Ella recently that it was older powerful women who did it for her, and one in particular.

Kate was fun and easy to be around and Ella realized she probably did need a friend in her life. Friends were important, right?

“Well, she took my pants off and fucked me hard with her fingers over the desk. Then she sat on the edge of the desk andmade me get her off with my tongue. After that, she dismissed me like a naughty schoolgirl.”

Kate frowned. “What an ass. She could at least have said thank you.”

“She wasn’t exactly pleased with me at the time.”

“It sounds like you did the best possible thing for your patient. I don’t see why she’s so mad about that.”

“Oh, you don’t know Valerie. Surgery is her first love, but rules are a close second. Any rule breaking is almost as bad as murder to her.”

“She sounds awful. I don’t understand why you have feelings for her.”

“I do not havefeelingsfor her!”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You go all starry-eyed every time you talk about her, even when she’s pissing you off. You’re in deep, Ella.”

Ella wondered if Kate was right. She was pissed at Valerie, but that didn’t mean that the other feelings just went away. Maybe Kate had a point.

Still, that didn’t mean she was at all impressed with Valerie right now. Valerie had taken avoiding Ella to a whole new level. They had hidden it quite well from her, but Ella strongly suspected that the nurses were involved in helping Valerie make sure they didn’t so much as catch a glimpse of each other.

“I don’t like that she’s avoiding me,” Ella admitted. “Whatever else was between us, she was my best friend at one point. I know she doesn’t want more, and I’m not willing to engage in sex without a real relationship, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. There’s no chance of that when she won’t talk to me, though.”

“She sounds like she has her own issues to work out. I don’t think there’s anything you can do except leave her to it.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I—hang on.”

Ella’s pager started beeping loudly. She glanced at it and swore. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. There’s been a building collapse and all available doctors are being called to the site to help.”

“Go, work your magic. We’ll chat when you’re back.”

“Thanks, Kate.”

Ella grabbed her coat and rushed out.

The first thing she noticed was that Valerie was on the transport bus. Of course, Valerie wouldn’t put avoiding Ella above helping patients when she was so desperately needed. Ella listened carefully as Valerie briefed them.

“Alright, people, listen up. This is going to be a tough one. There are a lot of people trapped under the collapsed building. We need to be ready as the rescue crews pull them out. You all know the drill—triage anyone who needs it and then attend to the red tags first. Good luck.”

The site of the accident was a nightmare. There was smoke and dust everywhere. People were screaming and running around, and rescue teams were pulling horribly injured people out of the rubble.

From that moment, everything was a blur. Ella was soon covered in blood and dirt, her eyes streaming from the smoke and dust.

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