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"And what about you? Any ideas on what you want to do?"
"What I want is to be with you. You and Robby. The question is, do I have the guts to make the move?"
"It's your work, isn't it? You love it."
"Yes, very much."
"Then what if you just take a break – a sabbatical? Go with me, meet the people at Sanctuary, see what you can do there, and then decide."
"That's an excellent idea. I'll talk with the people at BioNow and see what they think. But for now, I've got a girl's night to shop for. Naomie is coming over to stay until she returns to Texas, and I need to get some food and wine."
"Or weed," Riggs chuckled. "She likes her herb, you know."
"Don't I ever." She stood but leaned over to kiss him softly. "I'll see you in the morning?"
"I sure hope so."
"Count on it." She then kissed Robby on the top of his head. "Sweet dreams, little one."
On the drive home, she turned her mind to how she was going to deal with Josh. By the time she pulled into her driveway, she still had nothing concrete. Shoving aside those thoughts, she turned her attention to unloading the groceries from the car and putting things away.
As she put things into the refrigerator, she heard someone at the door. Her good mood vanished when she found Josh standing on the landing. "Josh. Why are you here?"
"Go away with me."
"Pardon?" Surely, he couldn't be serious.
"Go away with me. Just for a week or a few days. Let's go somewhere we can have some privacy, really talk, and figure out if there's a chance for us to patch things up."
Georgie was dumbfounded. How could he stand there and ask her for something like that after what he did? "No." She went with her first reaction.
"I'm sorry, did I hear you say no?" His pleasant manner vanished, and surly Josh appeared.
"Yes, you did."
"Well, you might want to rethink that answer," he took a step toward her, and she slipped entirely outside the door, closed it, and leaned back against it. At least outside, they were in the public, so to speak.
"I said no, Josh. I can't go anywhere with you."
"Oh, I think you can. And will."
"No. Why would I change my mind?
"Maybe because money talks."
"Well, that's clear as mud."
He rolled his eyes. "Let's just say it would be in your friend's best interest. I happen to have people working for me in the hospital, people eager to make some extra cash. With one call—just one—I can ensure that an air bubble develops in one of Riggs' IV lines, or that his medication is swapped, or the baby could appear to die from SIDs or—"
"You wouldn't!" she interrupted, shocked by what he said.
"Won't I? Are you willing to risk their lives? Or will you ensure their safety, go with me, and give me a chance to make up for my one mistake? Don't you owe me that?
Georgie didn't feel she owed him anything and didn't want to be alone with him. But she couldn't risk Riggs or Robby's life. Her mind raced, trying to devise a way to agree, but delay. Riggs would be leaving in a couple of days to go to Texas. There was no way Josh could threaten him there.
That gave her something to latch onto. "Okay, fine. But I can't leave until after the weekend. I have to put in for the time off, bring someone up to speed on all my cases, and file all my reports."
“Fine.”