by Lola Keeley
“Good,” Veronica says. “Shall we go and see what Pedersen wants? Then I don’t know about you, but I fancy getting the hell out of this place.”
“Deal.”
Later—much, much later—Cassie finds herself staring up at Veronica’s bedroom ceiling. There’s a tiny mark on the otherwise spotless white paint, and having noticed it Cassie can’t bring herself to look away. She’s aware of Veronica beside her, propped up against the pillows in her silk kimono, flipping through a journal with a much-deserved glass of Pinot Gris. Cassie is aware she’s sprawling, still unapologetically naked.
“So ‘outwitting the bad guys’ sex is pretty great. Making a mental note,” Cassie says to break the comfortable silence. “Though I could live without another fright like that, honestly.”
“Yes, next time you can be the one trying to make friends with the murderous embezzler,” Veronica agrees, taking a sip of her wine. “Since you were the one being framed, I think it’s only fitting that I swoop in to save the day. I’m very competent, you know.”
Cassie turns just enough to press against Veronica’s thigh, as it’s the nearest bit of exposed skin. “I’m just glad I get to keep coming to work. And seeing you there. I’d have been really mad if I’d had to hand in that resignation. Your plotting and planning saved the day, where my storming into argue with people? Not so much.”
“Well, at least you’re gorgeous when you get all man the barricades. Speaking of acts of bravery, I think I’ll tell Angela about us tomorrow,” Veronica says, putting her journal aside and draining her glass. “Otherwise Daniel is going to start blackmailing me for ‘keeping my secrets’.”
“And that’s a big deal?” Cassie asks, unsure of the territory. “I mean, as long as Danny’s okay with us, that’s what I was worried about. And everyone at the hospital knows, on our wards, at least.”
“Yes, but there’s something about telling your ex that makes it more official,” Veronica replies, nudging Cassie with her foot. “You sure you’re ready to take all this on? Teenage son and all?”
Cassie pulls herself up to sitting as well, so they’re exactly side by side against their respective pillows. “I think I’d put up with a whole classroom of them, to be with you.”
“Why, Major. You’re getting romantic on me.”
Cassie leans over to kiss Veronica soundly. “I’m a born romantic. Deal with it.”
“I can hear your mind working from here,” Veronica complains a moment later. “Out with it, before it ruins what’s left of our evening.”
“It’s just saying everybody knows about us,” Cassie says. “But then Pedersen told us he wants to combine departments into a Critical Care facility, making us co-leads, and didn’t seem to have the first idea that we might be together. Can we… I mean, is it possible we could do both?”
“I don’t see why not, if we sign all the proper forms.” Veronica looks across at her in the lamplight. “I don’t care who knows how I feel about you. And we’ve more than proven that we make a good team.”
“Right. Um, how you feel about me?” Cassie doesn’t mean to sound so unsure. How to explain that she feels too lucky? That it shouldn’t be possible to have all this? She left the only life she knew with a broken heart, and now at St Sophia’s, Cassie finds herself with both purpose and…yes, love. Not quite ready to express out loud yet, but love all the same.
“Don’t go fishing. But…yes. Assume that all those feelings are positive. Positive enough to shout it from the rooftops, more or less.”
Cassie smiles into Veronica’s shoulder for a moment. “Good, then. I’m feeling pretty positive about you as well. You know, it’s not that late, and since you’ve already put your bedtime reading down…”
“Well, look at that,” Veronica says, shifting position so they can kiss again. “Major Taylor had another bright idea.”
About Lola Keeley
Lola Keeley is a writer and coder. After moving to London to pursue her love of theatre, she later wound up living every five-year-old’s dream of being a train driver on the London Underground. She has since emerged, blinking into the sunlight, to find herself writing books. She now lives in Edinburgh, Scotland, with her wife and three cats.
CONNECT WITH LOLA
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lolakeeley
E-Mail: [email protected]
Other Books from Ylva Publishing
www.ylva-publishing.com
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© 2019 by Lola Keeley
ISBN (mobi): 978-3-96324-146-8
ISBN (epub): 978-3-96324-147-5
Also available as paperback.
Published by Ylva Publishing, legal entity of Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.
Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.
Owner: Astrid Ohletz
Am Kirschgarten 2
65830 Kriftel
Germany
www.ylva-publishing.com
First edition: 2019
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Credits
Edited by Lee Winter and Amanda Jean
Cover Design and Print Layout by Streetlight Graphics