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"That's fine," I say immediately—too quickly. Too fast for me to remind myself it's not.

If I finally feel ready to put down roots again, bouncing between hospitals and cities isn't enough.

There's the clicking of keys on the other end of the line.

Then they stop.

And I suck in a breath.

"Lenora…" Kent's voice is soft. "Is this about being back close to home?"

Dylan's head snaps toward me.

I close my eyes for half a second.

How does he know? How does Kent of all people have even a clue?

Regardless, Jace's face comes to mind. Then the short drive to Mage Hollow—close enough but still at a distance. Next is my mother, my father, my siblings. Then, Dylan. Vienna.

Home.

And I answer with the only word that makes sense for it all.

"Yes."

He clicks his tongue. "Okay," he says. "Then here's what we can do."

I straighten slightly.

"I'll start digging immediately," he continues. "I'll look at everything within, say, a reasonable radius of Golden City. Contracts, per diem, even facilities I know that don't always post publicly. But I need you to understand—there's no guarantee I'll find something."

My chest tightens.

"So… it'd be Alaska or nothing."

He sighs. "It might be. For now at least. Maybe for a few weeks, months—it would depend on cancellations and needs in the hospitals around the city."

Dylan offers a sympathetic smile, but there's no real hope behind her eyes.

"Okay," I mutter.

"And if I don't find something," he adds, "you need to be prepared to make a decision quickly. One that may keep you out of the ER for however long it takes to find something where you want to be. Alaska won't wait forever."

There it is again.

The choice I know I have to make.

I nod even though he can't see me. "I understand."

"I'll call you back either way," Kent says. "Give me a few hours."

"Thank you," I breathe.

"You're welcome."

The line clicks dead.

And for a moment, I just stand there, phone still in my hand.