Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
But no, Veronica was next. She got A&E. Lucky her. Before I knew it, the hat was back in Jacob’s hand. He grinned and pulled out another strip of paper.
The look of sheer terror in his eyes gave it away. I knew. I knew it was my name on that paper he was holding. I knew I faced four months of total torture. Holy Madonna Louise Ciccone.
“Sutton Scott,” he said, holding up the paper.
My heart corkscrewed into my stomach. How was it possible for me to be so intent on staying away from a person only to have the universe flip me and my intention off so violently at every turn?
“We’re going to be together,” Gilly said. “So fun.”
“Sooo fun,” I said, trying to sound as genuine as I possibly could.
The rest of the names were picked and Wanda held up her notepad. “As you’ve all been picked, I’ve made a note of who got what specialty. Do not under any circumstances—not even if you think your life depends on it because, believe me, it won’t—come and try to change where you are going to spend the next four months. If you do, I will put you on a special laundry rotation I’ve devised for my favorite foundation doctors.
“Now you know where you’ll be heading, you’re going to hear from each doctor about what to expect, and what not to expect, during your rotation.”
I sat forward on my bench and started taking copious, detailed notes. I wasn’t going to remember anything about this lecture and I’d need to have a full record of what was said. If I didn’t focus, I knew all I would be able to think about was the next four months working in the same department as Jacob, seeing him every day, having to brief him on patients and ask him questions about medicines. All the while hoping no one noticed how much I was desperate for him to touch me.
The next four months were going to be hell.
Twelve
Jacob
Thankfully I was due at Nathan’s tonight. If I hadn’t been, I would have probably driven up to Norfolk. I desperately yearned for something to ground me, something to take away this ache inside me every time I laid eyes on Sutton. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through the next four months without descending into madness.
“You look terrible,” Nathan said as he opened the door.
“Thanks, mate,” I said, pushing past him. At least I had the day off tomorrow so I could have a couple of glasses of his ridiculously overpriced red wine. “I need a drink.”
He followed me into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle from his wine fridge. “I’ve been saving this for a special occasion, but seeing as it’s you . . .”
Nathan stayed quiet as he opened the bottle of wine, like he was a priest preparing for the sacrament.
He pulled the cork from the bottle. “So, how’s it going positioning yourself for the head of foundation program?” he asked.
It was exactly the wrong question. I groaned. “I don’t want to talk about it. Can we stick to business?” For some reason, Nathan liked to bounce ideas off me. I didn’t know anything about business. Yes, I’d had a lucky break at university that made me a lot of money but it was just that—luck. I wasn’t a businessman. I was a doctor.
“We can, but it’s not like you to avoid—”
“I know. I just need a break from everything tonight. Let’s not . . .”
“Hey,” Madison said, as she swept into the kitchen. “How are you?” Nathan’s fiancée greeted me with a kiss on both my cheeks and put her hands on her hips. “Where’s my glass?”
Nathan moved to pour her one and she hopped up onto the stool next to me. “How’s your love life?” she asked. I groaned for a second time.
“Yeah, Beau told me he set you up on a date.”
If Beau was here now I’d strangle him. “Beau didn’t set me up. Beau got me to stand in for him on a blind date. Worst decision of the last twelve months.”
“Wow, it can’t have been that bad,” Nathan said. “Wasn’t she your type? Oh that’s right, your type is a mash-up between Marie Curie, Florence Nightingale, and Kate Beckinsdale.”
“Is it?” I asked, genuinely weirded out by what he’d said, particularly as Sutton definitely had a Kate Beckinsdale look about her.
“Yeah,” Nathan said. “They’ve got to be kind and selfless and off the charts clever—”
“I’ve never said any of that,” I said, a little affronted.
“I don’t think you’ve said those actual words,” Madison said. “But the reasons you haven’t liked women in the past are because they’re not those things. Look at Audrey. What excuse did you use for not making a go of it with her?”