Page 9 of Bless My Body

Sadie may be annoying the crap out of me right now, but she’s right. I’m in my third year of

medical school, which means all the clinicals. I haven’t taken a day off from anything since I started

at the University of Florida.

I’m doing what I’ve been dreaming of for so long. I want to come in, get this shit done, and get

out. And I’m well on my way to making that happen. Taking a day off feels like it will put me behind

even though I know it won’t.

“Brunswick is only like two hours from here. It’s not like I’m road-tripping across the country.

And I got approval to take a day off because I have to be there on Friday for the rehearsal or

whatever.”

Sadie shrugs a little before hopping off the barstool in our shared kitchen. We live in a three-

bedroom apartment close to campus with our other roommate, Liam. The three of us met our first year

here and immediately hit it off. Probably because we were all so busy and stressed, we didn’t have

time to make any other friends.

“Well, I know I’d love to see Ezra Sanders all dressed up in a tuxedo. I’m sure you’re going to

impress your little small-town girlfriend.” She crosses her arms, and a smirk forms on her lips. Lips

that I have regrettably kissed once.

“Oh, God. She is not my girlfriend.” Here we go again. I should have never told her about Celine.

“You haven’t seen her in a while. Maybe she’s pining over you now like you were for her three

years ago.”

“I was not pining.” I try to defend myself, but it falls flat because I was, in fact, pining. I missed

the hell out of Celine when I first moved to Florida. We became good friends my senior year at

Brunswick University, and I missed having her around. Did I want to sleep with her? Absolutely. I’ve

wanted that since the moment I laid eyes on her. But she made it very clear that I was friend-zoned so

that’s where I’ve been ever since.

It’s probably for the best anyway. A long-distance relationship would have been tough. Celine is a

wild child. A free spirit. She doesn’t want to be held down. Which is the total opposite of me.

I can be wild, but my wild side comes out more in private situations than in public. And that’s

how I want it to be. I put on a good face around everyone. People like me. I’m respected.

I come from a good family with old money, so I’m expected to uphold the family reputation. It’s

all I knew for so long. I thought I would be fine following in my father’s footsteps, but once I got out