Page 257 of Red Marked

I miss the clinic. I miss having a job that matters and a team at my back. I need to wait for Flint to start at the second clinic before I can go back. It isn’t going to be the same without him there.

I sigh and look in the box, smiling.

The doorbell rings. I look up.

“I’ve got it,” Koda yells from somewhere inside.

It’s more than likely for him. He has a big friend circle. I pull out a couple of my old paperbacks. They’re dog-eared and stuffed with bookmarks made of torn envelopes. I stack them up, deciding to keep them all for a reread, and then I’ll donate them. I squeal when I find my old diary.

Oh my word!

I hug it to my chest. I wrote in this thing throughout my teenage years. There must be a ton of interesting tidbits in here. I wonder if my mom read it. My cheeks flush. I hope not.

The door from the kitchen opens.

Koda comes into the garage with his hands in his pockets and a look on his face I can’t place. He’s biting the inside of his cheek. His eyes are bright.

“What’s up?” I look up from the box. “Are you going out?”

“It’s for you.”

“For me?” I push my hair back. “Who is it?”

“I’m not sure, but you should come.”

It’s probably Scarlet. She’s pretty with her fiery red hair. I’m sure Koda noticed.

I get up, brush the dust off my knees, and step over the keep pile. My hair is in a bun that gave up an hour ago. I don’t bother fixing it.

I go through the kitchen and down the hall to the front door, which is standing wide open.

Flint is on the porch.

I almost swallow my tongue when I see him.

This was the very last thing I expected. The last person I expected to see.

He’s in jeans and a T-shirt. He looks amazing.

What is he doing here?

Just like that, I start panicking a little.

“Are you just going to stand there?” Koda laughs.

“Oh…um…” I start walking over there.

“Hi,” Flint says. He smiles. It’s shy, and my stomach flips. I feel a little sick and a lot excited.

No!

He’s not here for that. He isn’t.

“Hi.” It comes out strange. “What are you…? Um…”

Koda is right behind me. I can feel him there. I step back and make myself act like a normal person.

“Flint, this is my brother, Koda. Koda, this is Flint. Um…Flint is the male who⁠—”