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I guess that’s fair. As far as my friends here are concerned, the storyisthat I lied to them for a year. I guess it’s reasonable to think they would be having a hard time coming to terms with that.Although, Priya hasn’t been too weird about it. Then again, I do talk to Liam nearly every day, so maybe that’s why he’s seemed off this week. Maybe he’s feeling awkward that I kept it from him for so long.
“Yeah, about that...” I stop what I’m doing, crossing my arms. “I’m sorry I never said anything. I know it’s gotta be super weird finding out like everyone did.”
“I get it,” he offers. “I guess it’s just... It’s hard to picture you with Noah.”
I cock my head. “It is?”
“He’s just so... serious.”
Noah’s barely-there smile and his quiet laugh crop up then, and despite everything, I find my lips curling slightly. “He’s actually not as serious as he likes to pretend. People just aren’t his forte.”
“So, you’re, like,reallymated?”
I laugh at that. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know.” He throws up his hands. “Jessica from Radiology was telling us in the break room the other day that you might be in some sort of hostage situation.”
FuckingJessica.
I roll my eyes. “I am not in a hostage situation. It’s all perfectly consensual, I promise.”
I can’t be sure, but something about the expression on Liam’s face looks almost wistful. Is he truly that worried about me?
“I promise,” I add, wanting to assure him. “I’m really okay. Great, even. Living the dream, and all that, you know.”
“Right,” he says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Well, I’m glad to hear that, at least.”
“Seriously, don’t worry about me,” I say, playfully shoving his arm. “I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah.” He nods at me, looking a little more himself now. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. Just worried, you know.”
“It’s fine.” I wave him off, wiping the lingering bit of blood from my now-neat line of stitches. “You can pay me back by taking Mrs. Kowalski’s vitals. She’s in room 408.”
He groans. “She’s not here again.”
“Absolutely again,” I laugh. “She has a ‘cough’ she’s worried about.”
“We need to prescribe that woman a friend so she can treat her hypochondria.”
“You know,” I say seriously, “I think she keeps coming back because she likes you.”
“You might be evil incarnate,” he huffs.
I make a fist save for my pinkie, bringing the fingernail there to the corner of my mouth and arching my brow. “Dr.Evil.”
“Nerd,” Liam chuffs. “Fine, fine. I’ll take care of it.”
My smile falters as he gathers up the used gauze to throw away on his way out, chewing at the inside of my lip as I consider the conversation we just had. I surreptitiously press my nose to my shoulder, and sure enough, there is a wave of Noah mixed up with me that washes over my senses, making me dizzy all over again.
“Hey, Li,” I call after him.
He turns, eyeing me curiously. “Yeah?”
“Is it really that noticeable? That I was with Noah?”
He frowns. “Pretty sure any shifter would be able to smell you from a mile away.”
I’m still thinking about it long after he’s left me; I was obviouslyawarethat it would be noticeable, what we’ve been doing—I mean, that’s the wholepoint, after all—I just don’t think I had actually given it proper thought before now. I feel my cheeks heat as it occursto me thateveryoneI work with has probably been discussing my supposed sex life with Noah Taylor, and I honestly can’t decide what is making me blush harder: the idea of people discussing it or just the actualideaof it.
