Could Charlotte keep herself from going in on a new bet for a whole shift.
Note that the last one had been the only bet she’d failed so far.
“You won for the most compliments in a twenty-four-hour period from non-hospital staff,” Mateo said. “Which I had to double-and triple-check because I still don’t get how your patients and patients’ families never fail to make sure everyone in the hospital knows how amazing you are.”
“You doubt the compliments are genuine?”
His eyes darkened. “No. Because I know exactly how amazing you are.”
The parts of herself she’d closed off squirmed. She ignored those parts. “Then what’s the problem?”
“You’ve won every pool this week.”
“And?” she asked.
“And you’re getting rich off us.”
She laughed and held out her hand for the envelope of cash, not a single regret in her mind because everyone in this room made enough money. “So I’m a little competitive, so what?”
Mateo snorted. “A little? You still haven’t forgiven Montana for beating you out on the number of surgeries you performed in a twenty-four-hour period last week.”
“That’s because she cheated.”
“I did not!” Montana pointed at her with a soda can. “It’s not my fault I got called onto the floor for one last surgery before the end of shift.”
“It was fifteen seconds until the end of your shift. It shouldn’t have counted. In fact, let’s just have a redo.”
Montana suddenly beamed. “Yes, let’s.”
Charlotte nodded her head.
“Ha!” Montana practically bounced up and down as she clapped. “You just lost today’s bet, the one where you promised not to go in a pool today.”
Well, damn.
“Your hot streak is over,” Montana said.
“Temporarily only,” she said.
The crowd went back to talking and eating. Well, everyone except Mateo, who was just watching her, slowly shaking his head.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
“It’s something,” she insisted. “Let’s hear it.”
He looked at her for a long moment. Then he smiled with his eyes. “Maybe another time.”
“Why?”
“You’re not ready.”
And then he walked off. She found herself watching him go. “When will I be ready?”
He turned and caught her staring at his ass, and the smile hit his mouth. “Maybe sooner than I thought.”
AN INCREDIBLY LONG week—which felt like five years—of “rest and relaxation” later, Levi finally escaped the family house for a doctor’s appointment. After an exam and the removal of his stitches, he walked out of the doctor’s office to where Tess was waiting for him in the parking lot. He slid into the passenger seat of her car, relieved as hell.
“Well?” she asked. “Is your head still scrambled?”
“Only slightly. Headaches might be a thing for me for a while yet.” He could live with that. “The good news is my freedom’s been obtained. I’ve been cleared to drive again.” And the relief was nearly overwhelming. He’d forgotten what it’d been like to live at home.
“Prepare for the inquisition, then,” Tess warned. “You know Mom’s been holding back for this very moment, trying her very best not to hound you about Jane, and why she hasn’t checked in on you.”