Page 183 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

Today, I finally feel like I belong. I finish updating a patient's chart before slipping it into the rack.

"Annette."

I turn and squint at Mrs. Alvarez who is standing beside the front desk waving her hand in the air.

"You forgot your pen."

I feel for it and sure enough, it's no longer tucked into its usual spot behind my ear.

I laugh as I walk over to retrieve it. "I didn't even know it was gone. Thanks."

She studies me for a second longer than necessary before handing over the chart.

"You're smiling again."

"What?"

"You've been smiling all morning."

"I have not."

She raises one eyebrow. "You smiled while changing stretcher linens."

"I was thinking."

"You smiled while organizing the supply cabinet."

"It was alphabetized."

"It always is."

I can't help laughing. "Maybe I appreciate organization."

"Maybe."

She closes the chart. "Or maybe something else is making my favorite intern unusually cheerful."

Heat creeps into my cheeks. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Hmm."

She nods once, clearly unconvinced. "I've been working with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and sports med interns for almost thirty years." She starts walking toward the nurses' station. "I've learned to recognize that smile."

"What smile?"

"The goofy one people get when someone special keeps wandering into their thoughts."

I nearly miss a step. Fortunately, she doesn't look back.

By the time I reach the station, she's already speaking with another therapist as though she hasn't just dismantled my composure with one sentence. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. I am not smiling because of Jamie Walker.

...Probably.

I log into another patient file, determined to think about literally anything else. Instead, my mind wanders.

Jamie arguing that resistance bands were clearly designed by sadists…

Jamie pretending not to notice when I switched his terrible coffee for something drinkable…