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“Wanna bet?”
“I’m reporting you to security.”
“Please do. In fact, call them now. I’ll wait until they get here. Then I’ll tell them you opened a volunteer’s locker without permission.”
“You can’t prove that.”
“Actually, I can. I have the video evidence on my phone.”
Heavenly sent Beck a shocked stare. “How did he get that?”
“Seth and I planted a recording device in your locker two weeks ago, with Nurse Lewis’s permission. Kathryn needed to be stopped. It was the only way we could catch her in the act.”
“You and Seth?” Worked together…for me?
Something dangerous fluttered in her chest.
A pained expression lined Beck’s face as he dragged a knuckle down her cheek. “Don’t you know we’d do anything for you, little girl?”
“Are you a cop?” Kathryn gasped.
“No. I’m your worst nightmare. You played games with the wrong woman. I’m going to make sure you pay.”
With an indignant howl, Kathryn ran out of the supply room, wiping away dark red liquid—was that blood?—from her eyes. Heavenly gasped and snapped a glance at Beck, who laughed at Kathryn.
“Stop right there, Nurse Hitch,” Bridget Lewis barked.
“Help. Look what’s happened to me!” Kathryn demanded as she sent Bridget a pleading stare. “I’ve given four good years to this hospital and I don’t deserve to have tainted blood all over my—”
“You bullied a volunteer who did absolutely nothing to you. That’s not acceptable.” Nurse Lewis turned to the security guards. “Walk with me while she gathers her things, then escort her to the door.”
“The door?” Kathryn screeched.
“Yes, Nurse Hitch. You’re fired.” Bridget dismissed her and headed toward the lockers.
Beck gave Kathryn a mocking little clap.
She turned a seething glare on him. “You’re in on this?”
“You bet your ass I am. Couldn’t happen to anyone more deserving.”
Kathryn narrowed her eyes, glaring at Beck with malice. Heavenly almost stepped back at the pure hate in her expression.
“You set me up just because you wanted to protect your girlfriend’s tender little feelings?”
“Actually, you’ve been miserable to almost everyone in your unit, Nurse Bitch. Or rather, Hitch. But you’ve been especially awful to Heavenly.”
Seth stepped out of the locker area with a broad smile and twinkling eyes. “Hi again, angel.” Heavenly’s heart skipped as he quickly ate up the distance between them, then turned to Kathryn. “We set you up because you’re a helpless, hopeless, hot mess who’s desperate for attention. Well, you got it. Enjoy.”
As the security guards led a sputtering Kathryn away, Beck grinned, raising his palm in the air at Seth. “Way to go, man. We got her.”
Seth grinned, high-fiving him. “Hell yes, we did!”
Heavenly watched, dumbfounded. They were still taking care of her, despite…everything. Because they still cared. She had the strongest urge to rush to their arms and pepper their mouths with kisses.
She didn’t.
“Thank you. Both of you,” she said instead. “This means more to me than you know.”
Before she gave in to her urges, she retreated to the nurses’ desk alone.
Hump day. More like humped day. It had been another awful one. Heavenly hated being down all the flipping time. But every morning her alarm went off, her reality was still the same. Her father was weaker, her schedule was overwhelming, her wallet was empty…and her life felt beyond meaningless without Beck and Seth.
Oh, they tried to engage her every day. Beck still brought her lunch and did his best to coax her into conversation. Seth showed up at the end of her shift and walked her from the hospital to the bus, talking to her about anything and everything—how much he missed her, the fact his new business was surprisingly busy, that he still found California weather baffling. He smiled, flirted, charmed.
To be honest, they were wearing her down.
Damn it, she was trying to be noble. Why did it have to be so hard and hurt so much?
There was one bright spot in her life. It had been eight glorious workdays since Kathryn had been fired. The look on that hag’s face when Nurse Lewis had escorted her to her locker for the final time, then walked her out the door had been sweet. Heavenly hated to relish in anyone’s misfortune, but Kathryn had gotten what she deserved.
Since her dismissal, the ER had been blissfully peaceful. Even Marcella had been nicer. And instead of Heavenly being worried about placating Kathryn in order to get a decent recommendation after graduating from nursing school, Nurse Lewis had all but assured her that she had a job if she wanted one.
It was a relief.
Too bad graduation wasn’t coming anytime soon.
With a sigh, she stepped off the bus, avoiding a twitching man who looked wild-eyed and picked at his pockmarked face as she dashed toward the pharmacy. Thankfully, the first official day of spring was tomorrow and she had a bit more sunshine to walk with every day. The trek to this discount location was necessary…but had been a little scary during the dark winter months.
