Passionate Rivals by Radclyffe

Author:Radclyffe [Radclyffe]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635552324
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2018-08-08T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

“So,” Emmett said as they walked out through the ER into noonday sunshine, “have you had much of a chance to look around the area?”

“No,” Syd said. “I haven’t really been out of the hospital much since we started.”

“Yeah, I kinda noticed that. There seem to be an awful lot of residents around all the time.”

Syd laughed. “Uh, yes.”

“How’s everybody doing?”

“You mean the ex-Franklins?”

“I meant the new PMC people.”

Syd smiled. Emmett really was trying. “They’re okay. I think the initial nerves are settling down, and the friction has been just the normal kind of personality stuff.”

“That’s good. There’ll always be some people who don’t exactly jibe.”

“For sure.”

Emmett shot her a look. “Problems?”

“No.” Syd wasn’t going to repeat Dani’s complaints of how difficult Sadie was to manage. Smart, Dani allowed, but resistant to authority, especially Dani’s. Not a terrible trait in a surgeon necessarily, but a pain in the behind when it was one of your junior residents. Syd wasn’t about to mention Sadie by name, though, especially not if Emmett and Sadie had a thing. Had had a thing. Past tense. Maybe.

“Are you playing chief resident already?” Syd asked.

“No!”

Emmett’s genuine surprise made Syd regret the offhand remark. Snark wasn’t her thing. “Sorry. You’ve been really fair with all of us, and—”

“Hey, Syd,” Emmett said, catching Syd’s fingers for a second in hers.

Syd’s breath caught, and she casually moved her hand away. “Yes?”

“The sun is shining.”

Syd laughed, a lightness coming over her she totally did not recognize. What was she doing outside in the middle of the day? With Emmett McCabe? She had no idea and right this instant she didn’t really care. “All right. Next year is off the table.”

“Deal.”

They covered half a block in silence before Emmett asked, “Did you see the email about the reception thing?”

“I read it this morning,” Syd said.

“You’re going, right?” Emmett said.

“I was going to ask you if there was any way I could get out of it. Is it like, mandatory?”

“Well, it’s out of the ordinary, which means Maguire set it up special. And that means we all better show. Pass the word to your people.”

“Okay,” Syd said. “I’m on call, though. So maybe—”

“Nope. Maguire has staff covering for us for the night of the reception.”

“You’re kidding,” Syd said. “Staff are staying in house to cover us?”

“Yep.”

“Wow,” Syd said slowly. “I guess it really is mandatory.”

“Guess so.” Emmett grinned. “We’re down this way.”

Emmett led her onto a residential side street about seven blocks from the hospital. The houses were mostly attached twins, set a little way back from the sidewalk, most with small front yards, many with low picket or wrought-iron fences. Unlike the Northeast, where most of the trees had died or been removed over the years, this area was bursting with greenery. Maples and oaks and all kinds of shrubs, and azaleas and rhododendrons. Many of the front yards sported flower beds, and gliders adorned quite a few front porches. Children’s swings and bikes populated many of the backyards visible down the wide paths between houses.

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