For someone like me reading medical feks was no je But somehow, tot aan Made the of the past month had shifted something in me, grounding me in ways i didn’t wa
When Lona walked in, she stopped for a second Then he came night over and tapped me tags! Welcome back
She was the only person I’d told about Hayson’s death and the only one who knew where to ban his ashes
Leaning into her, I caught the faint smell of disinfecta
“I want a feast,” I said.
“Say no more! I’ll make it happen.” Her voice had that slightly stuffy, emotional edge
She’d probably been waiting for me to crawl out of my dark hole.
And I was finally doing it.
Hayden was gone. But I was still here, and there was life waiting for me to live.
At the restaurant, I took a bite of my food and asked casually, “Have you seen Jace lately?”
“Seen him?” Lena snorted. “Try every day. He’s been in the hospital this whole time–ever since, you know, the crocodile bite.”
I frowned. It had been over a month–surely he should’ve recovered by now. “He’s still being treated?” “Yeah, there’s this one wound that won’t heal. The tissue keeps breaking down, and they’ve had to scrape it out a few times,” she said, making my appetite waver
The image of Jace being bitten flashed through my mind. “It’s that bad?”
Lena gave me a cautious look. “Want to go see him?”
“Of course. He got bitten because of me,” I said, taking a sip of juice to steady myself.
Lena sliced off a piece of meat and dropped it onto my plate. “Eat more. You’ve lost so much weight this. past month.”
“Have 17 I’ve been eating three proper meals a day.” I said honestly. I wasn’t lying–I had been eating and sleeping regularly.
“Then it must be the heartbreak,” she teased, smirking
They say women are mirrors. Looking at Lena’s radiant complexion, I couldn’t help but tease back. “You’re glowing yourself. Nate must be treating you right.”
She shrugged, trying to downplay it. “It’s alright. He’s always busy, and I’ve got my own stuff. When he’s free, I’m in surgery. When I’m free, he’s halfway across the world doing a lecture.”
Her tone said one thing, but the smile creeping onto her face said something else. This must be what
12
people muran by. If it’s real, distance doesn’t
matter
“What about you?” she asked, her voice turning cry Wit’s pot that we back to my
She didn’t have to finish. We both knew work had beery whole ide try yours
“Of course, I’m going back What else am gonna dy
word opus ma
“It’s not like you can’t afford it,” Lens teased, reminding
of the forure to way wom
The amusement park, the money Dad left me, and the fund then the hed Technically, I could retire now and live comfortably forever
to
“But lounging around isn’t my style,” I said with a gon Worston–ge to lay we queues, mate even spark a little workplace romance.
Lena froze for a second, then burst out laughing She raised her dose eyes twinking wet pour workplace romance!”
I grabbed my juice to clink glasses, but something–or someone–yepage we could see
A man was walking down the stairs from the second floor His outfe was casual, nothing fasty, but there was no hiding his aristocratic vibe. The kind of presence that filled a room without trying
“What are you staring at? Lena asked, noticing my sudden stiliness
“Lena,” I said quietly, my grin fading if1 see someone here today–a very familiar face–do you think it’s just coincidence? Or something planned?”
Her smile dimmed as she followed my gaze
“If it’s him,” she said, her voice low, then it’s definitely planced”
And as if on cue, the man turned his head and locked eyes with me
