Which is why it shouldn’t really surprise me when my steps lead me to the nurses’ station. Bridget sits behind the desk with another woman. A few other nurses work behind them. Each of them are quiet, busy doing their own thing. My girl has her head bowed over a book, wearing a pair of cute glasses. Sexy nurse meets sexy librarian. That’s a fantasy mash-up I never saw coming.
“Ash Kelly. Holy crap, you’re tall.” The woman I haven’t met notices me first and elbows Bridget.
She rubs her arm and glances up at me. “Mr. Kelly. What are you doing up? Did you need something?”
“You can just call me Ash.”
“Ash.” She pauses after saying my name like she isn’t sure how she feels about using it. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine. Just bored.”
A small smile lifts the corners of her pouty mouth. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
“Impossible.”
“Is your pain increasing?” She gets a cute little furrow between her brows.
“No. I meant sleep is impossible because I know you’re down here.”
The girl next to her giggles, but Bridget cocks her head to the side and gets this sexy annoyed look in her eyes. “Mr. Kelly.”
“Ash,” I remind her.
“Ash. You really need to try to rest. Your body has been through a lot tonight.”
Don’t I know it, but it’s just another reason that I don’t want to sit and stare at the walls.
“What are you reading?” I ask her, then finally give the other nurses enough attention to realize their gazes volley between me and Bridget.
“She’s studying,” the girl next to her says. She smiles at me. “I’m Hannah. Huge fan. Go Wildcats!”
Ah, an ally.
“Nice to meet you, Hannah.” Smiling, I rest my good arm on the desk and lean forward. “Busy night?”
“Yes,” Bridget says, returning her gaze to her textbook at the same time Hannah says, “No.”
I look at Hannah. “Did Bridget tell you we’re old friends?”
“We are not friends,” Bridget interjects quickly.
Ignoring her, I keep my attention on Hannah. “We met at a game. I gave her a puck during warmups and tried to get her number. I’ve been looking for her at every game since. Imagine my surprise when I end up here and she’s my nurse.”
The accusatory glare Hannah sends Bridget makes me chuckle. “You went to a Wildcat game? And met Ash Kelly?” Her voice climbs higher. “When?! And how could you not tell me something like that?”
“It was forever ago and it wasn’t a big deal.”
“Last month,” I clarify. “The home opener.”
Hannah tips her head to the side. “With Gabe?”
Bridget says nothing but gives her coworker the tiniest of nods.
“Is that the boyfriend?” My jaw clenches remembering the way that asshole talked to her. I’d forgotten about him in my excitement at seeing Bridget again.
“Ex-boyfriend.” Hannah’s big grin matches mine.
Giddiness I haven’t felt since I was a kid spreads through me. They broke up. Hell yeah. Best news I’ve had all day.
5
BEEN CALLED WORSE
BRIDGET
It’s been a weird shift. Everyone’s lost their mind over Ash being here. All night I’ve fielded questions about him. What’s he like? Is he nice? Is he just as hot as he looks on TV? And on and on. The guy is obscenely good-looking from every angle, and it just gets worse the closer you get to him. It’s like a contact high. But there’s no way I’m admitting that to anyone.
He’s signing scrubs and scraps of paper for all my coworkers while I try to drown it out and study. School is kicking my butt this semester and I need every minute of study time I can get. But Ash’s presence has thrown me off completely. Before he walked up, I’d reread the same section of my homework notes five times and I still don’t remember a word of it.
I’m not usually so easily shook, but today has been one too many things piling up on my plate. First, I found out my landlord isn’t extending my lease. I live in this cute one-bedroom guesthouse. It’s tiny, barely more than a bed, bathroom, and a counter with a hot plate and sink, but it’s within walking distance to the Whittaker campus and the rent is cheap.
Crisis number two: I went to get my morning coffee and saw my ex-boyfriend. Gabe didn’t see me （thank goodness）， but just seeing him added to the already crappy start of the day. A sighting of my dick ex would be enough to put me in a bad mood, but at my coffee spot? Surely I should get custody of the Starbucks near my house and school? He doesn’t live or work nearby, so I’m pretty sure he was there just hoping to run into me. We broke up a month ago and he still thinks there’s a chance we’ll get back together （never going to happen）。