Drawing the Line

by KD Williamson

  “You look happy.”

  “I am.” Rebecca grinned.

  Rick sighed loudly and moved around them, bringing Sandra with him. He smiled as he looked over his shoulder. “I’m starvin’. My stomach is practically yellin’ at me.”

  “Ignore him and his hypoglycemia,” Dani muttered.

  “I already am,” Rebecca said.

  As they got closer to the kitchen, Alvin made his way out. “Wells, you don’t seem like the type of woman to be late to her own party.” His eyes twinkled. “Good to see you, though.”

  “Alvin,” Rebecca grumbled. “Leavin’ already?”

  He chuckled. “Don’t sound so broken up.”

  Rebecca grinned. “Can’t help it.”

  “Uh-huh, well, it’s my weekend, but did you know there’s a woman draped all over you? Never felt any lesbian vibes comin’ from you. Damn, I’m sorry I’m gonna miss the show.” Alvin paused. “Who is this, by the way?”

  He just had to be an ass. Rebecca opened her mouth.

  “This would be Dr. Russell,” Dani said, beating her to the punch. “But you can call me Dani.”

  “Oh, feisty. That figures. Good to meet you.” Alvin smiled. “ I already met your Rick. Interesting crowd.”

  “I agree totally.”

  “Okay, maybe we’ll be able to dance around each other some other time.” Surprisingly, he stepped closer, pulling Rebecca into an awkward hug. “Gotta go.”

  She patted him on the back. He pulled away seconds later and left.

  Rebecca blinked.

  “That was nice. I think,” Dani said.

  “Yeah, maybe.” Rebecca smiled. She was sure he’d left her guessing on purpose.

  An unfamiliar laugh pulled Rebecca back toward the kitchen. When they walked in, Lieutenant Benz was the last person she expected to see. Wasn’t it weird for authority figures to mingle with the peons? Apparently, Benz hadn’t gotten the memo. She clinked her glass with Mark’s and laughed again at something he said.

  “Who’s that?” Dani asked.

  “My Lieutenant.”

  “Oh, you have an Olivia Benson.”

  “I guess I probably do,” Rebecca agreed.

  Mark looked up. He smiled and waved them over.

  Lieutenant Benz downed the rest of her drink. “So, Wells, here we are. Everyone is buzzing about you. Turns out you’re a talker when you need to be.” She raised her empty glass toward Rebecca. “Perfect fit.” Benz turned her gaze toward Dani. “Now don’t be rude. Introduce your guest.”

  Rebecca scraped her fork across her plate. She’d eaten way too much and would probably regret it later. She looked around. Rick laughed at something Emmet said. Mark smiled down at his daughter, and Sheila eyed them both affectionately before turning back to her conversation with the Lieutenant. While Dani and Sandra had been talking earlier, they weren’t now. Sandra drained her wine glass and reached for the bottle.

  Dani slumped against Rebecca, who put her arm over Dani’s shoulders and pulled her closer.

  “You still with me?” Rebecca asked.

  “Mmm, trying.”

  Rebecca kissed her on the side of the head. “We’ll go back to my place soon. Round fifty-seven, remember?”

  Dani smiled sleepily. “I remember.”

  Looking up, Rebecca caught Rick watching them. He smiled. Rebecca smiled back and took in everything and everyone around her once more. She had something old and something new, but it was all precious.

  She was where she needed to be—home, starting again.

  As Morning Report ended, Dani slipped out quietly. She could usually be patient, but not today. She pulled the door open to the stairwell and took the stairs down, two at a time. Dani should have been meeting with her team to start morning rounds, but this was more important. She could have waited and delivered the news with Dr. Meda and the rest of the team in tow, but Dani didn’t want to. She had a vested interest in Jacob and Sheri. When she was just a flight of stairs away from the pediatric oncology wing, Dani started to smile and found that she couldn’t stop.

  With her iPad tucked into her side, she practically ran past the nurses station toward Jacob’s room. Dani didn’t bother to knock before swooping in. She stopped abruptly at the sight before her.

  How could he be sleeping at a time like this?

  Sheri pressed her finger to her lips but tilted her head slightly as she studied Dani. Then her eyes widened. Dani held up her iPad, pointed to it, and then waved her toward the hallway. With a smile still firmly planted on her face, Dani gave Jacob one last glance before stepping out. She could have woken him, but as a kid, he deserved the huge amount of attention he was about to get from his entire treatment team. After all that Jacob had been through, he needed the party. This moment was for his mother.

  After pushing the door almost closed, Sheri stepped out into the hallway. She pressed a hand to her chest and stared at Dani. Her eyes remained wide, and her lips trembled. Sheri’s gaze was so full of trust and hope that her eyes started to spill over. She wiped her tears away and smiled, transforming from a concerned mother to an ecstatic one. “It’s good news.”

  Dani nodded and chuckled. “Yes—am I that obvious?”

  “Well, I’ve never seen you smile like that.”

  “I could say the same,” Dani responded. “Your face is going to hurt by the time I’m done. There was no lymph node involvement, and the histology of the tumor was favorable. We’re sticking with the plan for a round of post-operative chemo, but other than that, he’s a very lucky and incredible boy.”

  Sheri blinked rapidly. “What…what did you just say to me?”

  Since it would probably be unprofessional to whoop like she was at a basketball game, Dani grinned and took a step closer to Sheri. She reached out and touched her arm. “He’s going to be fi—”

  “Shut up.” Sheri closed the distance between them, engulfing Dani in a hug. She squeezed tight and whispered, “Just…thank you.”

  Dani sucked in a surprised breath and returned the hug with fervor. It would have been easy and expected to tell her “you’re welcome,” but the situation with this family went deeper than that. Dani thought of Becca, Rick, and who she, herself, had become.

  Somehow, Sheri and Jacob had helped her break down the hard parts and realize that it was okay to be human, to feel just like everybody else. “Thank you.”

  Epilogue

  “Sandra’s runnin’ late,” Rick announced. “She’ll get here soon as she can. We might as well get started. What’s our movie choices?”

  “Imitation of Life or The Hitman’s Bodyguard.” Rebecca reached for her Coke.

  “Wait. Imitation of Life? The first or second version?” Dani asked.

  Rebecca turned toward Dani. It was really hard not to glare, so she didn’t fight it.

  Dani laughed as she stuck her hand in the huge bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. “So, the second version, then.”

  “I guess you know me after all.” Rebecca grinned.

  “I try.” Dani’s gaze smoldered. “Really hard sometimes.”

  “Ugh, will you two stop. I know what y’all are talkin’ about. I’m a doctor, so I’m not stupid.” Rick dug into the popcorn. “The Hitman’s Bodyguard, that’s with Samuel L. Jackson, right?”

  “Yeah. Dani took me to see it when it was in theatres, but still.”

  “Well, you did that shit on purpose.” He leaned away and stared at Rebecca.

  “What are you talkin’ about?”

  “Who the hell wants to watch Imitation of Life and end up bawlin’ like a baby and depressed at the end?” Rick asked.

  “It has a good overall message,” Rebecca shot back, but it was difficult to keep a straight face. “Plus it’s my house and my TV, so I get some say in the choices.”

  “Whatever! I
’m here visitin’, so that should count for somethin’.”

  It did. Rebecca was happy as hell to see him, but when it came to movies….

  Rick pointed his finger in Rebecca’s face. “Besides, we’ve supported your Samuel L. Jackson obsession and even added to it, so don’t even go there.” He narrowed his eyes but grinned as well.

  Dani brushed her lips against Rebecca’s cheek and slid her arm into the crook of hers. “Just give it up.”

  “I’m puttin’ our votes in for The Hitman’s Bodyguard.” Rick crossed his arms over his chest. “So you win.”

  “I knew I would.” Rebecca bumped his shoulder.

  “Well, you got the woman. All kinds of winnin’ right there.” Rick’s voice was soft, and his expression even more so.

  Rebecca turned toward Dani. “Yeah, I did.” She leaned in for a kiss.

  Rick stood and put in the Blu-ray.

  Rebecca snagged some popcorn for herself. The bowl was already half gone. The good-natured bickering between them made Rebecca smile, but the bond between them was something she’d never take for granted again.

  He sat back down and started looking around the living room. “Where’s that crazy-ass cat of yours? Hidin’ in a dark corner?”

  “What? Don’t talk about Peyton like that. She can be a real sweetie,” Dani chimed in.

  As if she’d heard her name, a series of meows started and got closer and louder with each one. Peyton sprinted into the living room and jumped onto Rebecca’s lap. She meowed again and began purring like a freight train. Peyton rubbed herself against Rebecca and then jumped into Dani’s lap to do the same.

  “See? I told you.” Dani stroked the cat’s head.

  A few seconds later, Peyton ended up in Rick’s lap.

  “Dani’s right. She’s mellowed out a little,” Rebecca added.

  “Maybe.” Rick looked down at her. He raised his hand, and before he could even touch Peyton, she hissed at him. “Goddammit!” Rick pushed her off and pressed himself against the arm of the couch.

  Rebecca laughed.

  “Don’t women go crazy for this Ryan Reynolds guy?” Rick asked about halfway through the movie.

  “I feel the same way about Samuel L. Jackson,” Rebecca said.

  “I don’t think you feel exactly the same.” Rick leaned back and glanced at her.

  “Eh, you’re right. Probably not.”

  Rick shook his head slowly.

  “Anybody want more popcorn?” Dani asked.

  “Yeah, we should pop a couple more bags. I’ll come help and get more drinks too.” Rebecca jumped in before anyone could answer.

  Dani grabbed the bowl, stood, and headed for the kitchen. Rebecca was right behind her.

  “Hurry up!” Rick called out.

  Taking a moment to have Dani closer without interruption, she wrapped her arms around her from behind as they entered the kitchen. “You stayin’ tonight?”

  After setting the bowl on the counter, Dani turned in her arms. “I was thinking more of staying the weekend. I have to work, but still.”

  “I think I can live with that.”

  “I thought you could. If Rick is busy while I’m working, you can always go over to Mark’s.”

  Rebecca paused but continued to hold Dani’s gaze. “I might, but I’ll be fine here on my own too, if that’s how it ends up.”

  “It’s ending up a lot like that lately.”

  That’s when it hit her, and Rebecca’s insides melted. “You’re tryin’ to look out for me.”

  “My fellowship just started, so I’m going to be stretched thin. I don’t want—”

  Instead of letting Dani finish, Rebecca pulled her into a kiss. One that was deep enough and hot enough to leave her flustered. Their foreheads touched.

  Dani’s eyes were still closed, and she seemed to be trying to catch her breath. Rebecca’s own breathing was ragged, but she found the words she needed to say. “We talked about this.”

  “I know.” Dani opened her eyes. “I just…worry.”

  “It doesn’t feel like it did before, does it?”

  Dani shook her head.

  “Because it’s not. We’re not.”

  “I understand that, but it’s best that I check in with you. Not take anything for granted.”

  “Patti encourage that?”

  Dani sighed. “No, she said to be careful not to become hypervigilant.”

  “Mmm.”

  “Aaand, I’m already there.” Dani looked heavenward.

  Rebecca smiled. “I wouldn’t say that.”

  “What would you say, then?”

  “That I can tell you’re where you wanna be.” Rebecca leaned forward close enough for their lips to almost touch.

  Dani nodded and slid her arms back around Rebecca’s neck. “Yes.”

  Rebecca brushed Dani’s mouth with her own, teasing it open in hopes that by speaking to her this way, each word would be absorbed and etched in finality. “I can tell I’m important…we’re important.”

  “Yes.” Dani’s expression was open, vulnerable, and her voice dripped with emotion. She looked at Rebecca like she wanted to crawl inside her.

  “I can tell that you love me.”

  Dani whimpered and exhaled shakily over her lips. “God, yes.”

  Rebecca wasn’t naïve enough to think they’d made all their mistakes the first time around, but any new ones they stumbled on were going to be handled by different people. Their foundation was strong. There was concrete beneath Rebecca’s feet, not shifting sand. Rebecca kissed her with that confidence and conviction.

  One of Dani’s hands fisted in Rebecca’s hair as she gave back everything she got and plenty of her own.

  “I don’t smell pop… Jesus Christ, move! I’ll do it.” Rick sounded amused. He pushed them out of the way and opened the cabinet, hunting for the popcorn.

  Dani grinned as they continued to kiss.

  “When y’all are done, think you can manage to bring out the drinks? Or do I need to do that too?” Rick smirked.

  Rebecca pulled back and glanced at Dani. “We done here? We understand each other?”

  “We’re done.” Dani didn’t hesitate.

  Smiling, Rebecca met Rick’s gaze. “Yeah, we’re good.”

  About KD Williamson

  KD is a Southerner and a former nomad, taking up residence in the Midwest, east coast, and New Orleans over the years. She is also a Hurricane Katrina survivor. Displaced to the mountains of North Carolina, she found her way back to New Orleans, where she lives with her partner of ten years and the strangest dogs and cats in existence.

  KD enjoys all things geek, from video games to super heroes. She is a veteran in the mental health field, working with children and their families for more than ten years. She found that she had a talent for writing as a teenager, and through fits and starts, fostered it over the years.

  Other Books from Ylva Publishing

  www.ylva-publishing.com

  Blurred Lines

  (Cops and Docs – Book 1)

  KD Williamson

  ISBN: 978-3-95533-494-9 (mobi), 978-3-95533-495-6 (epub)

  Length: 92,000 words (283 pages)

  Kelli MacCabe is a no nonsense detective with a tough exterior. Only a select few know her as a loyal, loving friend. Committed to her family, her friends, and her job, Kelli puts her needs behind everyone else’s.

  As a surgeon, Nora Whitmore is used to being in control. The hospital is her life and leaves room for little else. Respected by her colleagues, but misunderstood by the residents, Nora takes what she needs and keeps everyone at arm’s length. In the process, she creates unexpected enemies.

  Tragedy brings them together. As chaos grows around them, the lines between them begin to blur. Despite being from different worlds,
friendship grows between them, turning quickly to attraction. Will these two strong, independent women find a way to deal with their individual baggage? Or will they be overcome by it?

  In a Heartbeat

  (The L.A. Metro Series – Book 3)

  RJ Nolan

  ISBN: 978-3-95533-156-6 (mobi), 978-3-95533-157-3 (epub)

  Length: 97,000 pages (370 pages)

  Veteran police officer Sam McKenna has no trouble facing down criminals on a daily basis but breaks out in a sweat at the mere mention of commitment. A recent failed relationship strengthens her resolve to stick with her trademark no-strings-attached affairs.

  Dr. Riley Connolly, a successful trauma surgeon, has spent her whole life trying to measure up to her family’s expectations. And that includes hiding her sexuality from them.

  When a routine call sends Sam to the hospital where Riley works, the two women are hurtled into a life-and-death situation. The incident binds them together. But can there be any future for a commitment-phobic cop and a closeted, workaholic doctor?

  Code of Conduct

  Cheyenne Blue

  ISBN: 978-3-96324-031-7 (mobi), 978-3-96324-032-4 (epub)

  Length: 91,000 words (264 pages)

  Viva Jones was great once. A top ten tennis player with a grand slam trophy to her name, she had the world at her feet. Then an overzealous lineswoman’s bad call knocked her out of the US Open, and a persistent injury crushed her career. While battling to return to the game she loves, a chance meeting with the lineswoman, Gabriela, forces Viva to rethink the past…and the present.

  Away from the court, Gabriela is sexy, athletic, and lives for her career as an umpire. She seems to be falling for Viva as hard and fast as Viva is for her. There’s just one problem: players and officials can’t date.

  A lesbian romance about breaking all the rules.

  In Fashion

  Jody Klaire

  ISBN: 978-3-96324-091-1 (mobi), 978-3-96324-092-8 (epub)