Page 63 of The Candle Palace (Jamison Valley 6)
My plan at the moment was to keep my chin up, fake a false sense of confidence and hope that Vernon didn’t bring up the kiss. Hopefully his delusions of a relationship between us had been thoroughly shattered and he’d go back to treating me like he had in the beginning—a nurse.
“You’re off at four?” Milo asked as we reached the side door.
“Yep. I’ll come home and change out of my scrubs, then maybe we could go and get some dinner.”
“Sounds good. Call me if anything happens.”
Milo was arguably as nervous as I was. He’d tried to talk me out of going to work but I’d promised that things would be fine. I was a professional. Vernon was a professional—most of the time. I’d just make sure not to find myself alone in his company.
And if anything did happen, at least the kiss he’d forced upon me was on record with HR.
“Nothing will happen. It will be fine.”
Milo frowned. “Okay. Check in with me today.”
“I will,” I promised. “See you later.”
He bent and placed a kiss on my lips as I rose up on my toes. Then with a finger wave, I went to the door, scanned my badge and disappeared inside.
The cement-and-bleach smell of the stairwell wasn’t as comforting as it had once been. Nor was the sterile scent of the burn unit. Out of habit, I walked down the hallway for the locker room door, but twenty feet away, my feet froze on the linoleum. My tennis shoes wouldn’t take another step.
There was no way I was going into that locker room.
I turned and went to the nurses station, deciding that simply coming to work was brave enough for today. I’d made it here, mission accomplished. Maybe tomorrow or the next day or the day after that I’d brave the locker room.
I stowed my purse and coat underneath the counter and turned to find Kym coming my way.
“Hey. Welcome back.”
“Thanks.” I smiled. “How are things?”
“Good.” She shrugged. “Busy. We’re split evenly on sides right now. Four each.”
“We haven’t had that many patients for a while.”
“No, but it looks to be a hectic week. I’ve been on this side for three days straight.” She tossed a thumb over her left shoulder. “It might be easier if I stick with them. Then I’m off for three days.”
Which left me with Milo and Luna’s side of the unit. “Sounds great. I’ll get going.”
The routine of the morning was refreshing and not as difficult as I’d expected. I fell into the bliss of a normal day. After an hour of checking on patients, changing dressings and helping get them ready for the breakfast delivery, I felt more like myself. Steady. Sure.
Lost in the morning bustle, I stopped fretting about Vernon. I didn’t notice as he came into a patient room behind me, and at his voice, I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“How are we today?”
“I—” I turned from the sink and opened my mouth with no idea what to say, but he wasn’t speaking to me. He’d asked the patient.
My heart came out of my throat, though it still raced. I stood back, out of his reach, as he examined the patient. When he was done, Vernon smiled and said good-bye to the woman in the bed. Then he looked at me briefly, his smile fading.
“Sara.” He gave me one nod, then disappeared from the room.
That’s it? No angry glares. No snarls. Just my name, a nod and a look on his face that said he couldn’t care less about my presence here.
Maybe he didn’t know I’d reported him to HR. Or maybe he didn’t care.
I excused myself from the room, warily entering the hallway. Vernon was standing along the far wall, swiping through something on an iPad.
“We have a pretty busy day today,” he said, not looking up. “I’d like to have your help in 504 next.”
