Tap Out (Reaper's Den Book One) - Nikki Mays Page 0,14

that have specifically requested me today.” He winks at me before turning and walking out.

Guess I know what I need to do.

Stacey

I hang up the phone and lean back into my chair. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. There is no way that this is happening. No freaking way!

“Why do you look like you’re about to pass out?” Kealy, a fellow nurse and one of my friends asks from her chair right next to me.

My eyes pop open and I just stare at her. I open and close my mouth a few times. “I’m getting a new patient.” I croak out.

“Okay.” She says slowly, not understanding my reaction. Not that I can blame her. The only one who would understand my reaction would be Brad. And thankfully, he’s nowhere near here right now. With any luck, he won’t know that Danny is here for a long time. “This isn’t your first day.” She says, but not unkindly. Truthfully, Kealy is probably the sweetest person in the universe.

“It’s Danny Sobihan.” I say while imploring her with my eyes to….I don’t even know.

I see recognition light her eyes. “Oh my God! He’s a friend of yours right?” She has no idea. “You must be so worried about him. Totally understandable that you’d be upset. But at least you get to take care of him yourself, so you know that he’s in good hands.”

I don’t know whether I want to laugh or cry. Seriously, how could I end up having the one man that I’m avoiding like the plague as a patient? I mean, how bad could I have been in a past life for karma to treat me like this all the time? I don’t even use real leather for Christ’s sake, I use vegan leather!

I nod my head. “Yeah, I’m just really worried.”

She pats me on the shoulder. “It’ll be okay, you’ll see.” She gives me a smile before checking the screen as the call bell goes off. “That’s mine. Be right back.” She tells me before going to tend to her patient.

I log into the computer and look up the information on my newest patient. Reading through the notes, I can’t help but cringe a little. Danny must be in some serious pain. The fractures that he has are definitely not something to sneeze at. I don’t even want to know how he sustained this injury.

Probably carrying around some other tramp, I think bitterly.

I take a breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. I am a professional dammit. Just because my heart is shattered into a billion pieces because of him, doesn’t mean that I will act or think unprofessionally towards him. I will take care of him just like I do all of my other patients.

Even if I know this man’s body intimately.

I just have to make it through this shift, call out tomorrow, and then I’m off for three days. By the time that I come back, he’ll already have another nurse that he would’ve been with since the surgery. Hopefully I can get out of having to have him again. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. I can totally do this.

Lying to myself has gotten through me plenty of things in life. I’m sure that it will help me get through this. Well, that and wine. I see a lot of wine in my near future. Which is a win-win. I won’t even feel bad about calling out when I’m too hungover to function.

Okay, that’s not very professional, but screw it. Self-preservation is more important to me than being professional. I can’t be professional if I completely lose my shit.

I hear the elevator ding and can feel my hands begin to sweat. Out walks transport, wheeling Danny onto the floor followed by Sage, Missy, Becca, and Paige.

I get up on wobbly legs and put on the fakest smile that has ever graced my face. I walk over to the group and motion for them to follow me to the room.

Luckily for him, he has a single and won’t be annoyed by a roommate. There really is nothing worse than having a roommate. You never know if they, or their family, will be obnoxious.

I stand off to the side as they wheel Danny in and watch as he gets up from the gurney and moves into the bed. The entire time, I can feel four sets of eyes staring at me.

I smile at the transport guys. “Thanks guys.” I say while they hand