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It was a problem, and every so often we had to smack people around. Like surgeons and especially trauma bitching they didn’t have the chance to get appointments made like others and have their own practices for the bonuses.

Yeah, our surgeons shouldn’t ever complain. I knew how much they made, and the trauma surgeons like Tommy… They wouldn’t find better.

Especially for the headaches they tended to be.

I promised to put a meeting on the books and figure out a way to get things going even before the renovations. I wanted to make sure this didn’t piss off ortho first and they didn’t just find out a shifter doc was getting a physical training addition. That would validly set them off.

We thanked Clark for the dumplings and headed out to finish our days. I did notice there were about twenty dumplings left for him to stuff in his mouth and be adorable again.

I should have been annoyed because the man didn’t need to be cute to me when he was already so sexy, but… I really had needed the laugh and it was funny.

I stopped on the way home and decided Saturday nights were now going to be my self-care and spa time. I bought some overpriced bath bombs for the huge tub I never got a chance to soak in. A few hydrating masks and even exfoliating foot peels.

I even grabbed a few exfoliating scrubs that normally made me feel stupid for using them like I was playing into the gimmick. The sales lady told me that was because I bought the daily ones at Walgreens. These were weekly ones that really got the job done.

She was confident though and promised a money-back guarantee if I wasn’t grossed out by what came off my skin.

I was. She won. Enough said.

But I liked the spa night. I had wine and delivery and had a conditioning mask on my hair while eating in my new spa robe. It was… I was worth this.

It wasn’t like I didn’t have the money for it.

I even took the time to plot out my own damn month, not just everything for the hospital. I had a personal planner that I never used, and it was nice to pull it out and really take stock of myself and what I had coming out.

Not much personally. My regular appointment to get waxed.

Was that really it to my month?

No, not even close. Once I started thinking about what I’d been putting off, the list grew and grew.

I decided to see if the department heads wanted to time-share a personal assistant. I definitely needed one, but coming up with the lists and thinking of things for the person to handle to make it a full-time job would… Be another job for me and stressful.

I was aiming for less stress.

Fine, it wasn’t the new year, but spring was a good time to reassess and do better too.

Monday morning, I walked up on a staring contest between Tommy and Clark... No, Dr. Fitz or at least Fitz. He wasn’t Tommy anymore as we weren’t together in any way.

Hell, I was embarrassed I’d ever gotten involved with him. Yeah, he was Fitz.

But there was a staring—no, glaring contest going on.

“Best to let them be idiots on their own,” Joyce suggested when she realized I was slowing down to get involved.

The way she said it made me worry it was about me. No, Fitz had way too much to deal with to care about me and our twice-a-month fun. He just didn’t like to lose or be told no. He was way over that by now.

Apparently not.

I was about halfway through my lunch when I froze in my next bite as Fitz just pulled up a chair and sat down, joining Joyce and me completely uninvited.

Plus, the entire cafeteria turned to look at what was going on because I didn’t think I’d ever had lunch with Fitz.

Ever.

Maybe if I had to talk to Alan and he was sitting with the trauma department, but… Nothing like this.

“Is there something you need, Dr. Fitz?” I asked him, glancing from his tray to his face, clearly asking what the fuck he was doing.

Joyce snickered. “Besides manners? I’m sure a lot.”

Fitz shot her a quick look but then slapped on a smile. “No, I just thought it would be nice to have lunch with you.”

The audacity of this man was seriously over the top. “How lovely for you to decide that all on your own and just make it happen.” I gestured between Joyce and myself. “And we don’t get a vote? Aren’t important enough to be asked if you could join when you weren’t invited?”

He frowned, glancing around the cafeteria before giving a chuckle. “It’s not that big of a deal. It’s just the cafeteria, not like I crashed a reservation somewhere.”

“Gaslighting,” Joyce coughed giving the shit look right back to Fitz this time.

“Clearly, you need to be signed up for extra sensitivity training, Dr. Fitz,” I said firmly. “ You do not get to decide for others what’s a big deal or not, especially when it’s abundantly clear that your judgment cannot be trusted for much.”

“I wouldn’t have thought it was a big deal either given he already reported your relationship,” the head of HR said with a smirk as she stopped by our table. “He wanted to make sure it was recorded right away and asked if anyone else had tried to record a relationship with you.”

I felt the migraine forming as I slowly looked up at her. “And what did you tell him?”

“That there was no one yet, but I’d keep him in the loop if someone did actually admit to having a sexual encounter with you.”

I let out a long breath and smiled, shooting an amused glance at Fitz.

“Well, at least your crap is useful for once.” I looked back at the head of HR.

“You’re fired. Effective immediately.” I ignored the gasps around us and kept her gaze.

“Was I unclear that any disclosure of the relationships reported would be grounds to be fired immediately?

“I did clearly state that for everyone to hear. It’s also been in the emails and memos.

And lastly, it was in the addendum you already signed , so you’re held to it.

” I stood and glanced around until I found security.

“Please escort her to her office to retrieve her personal belongings only and lock her out of everything.”

“You cannot be serious,” the woman hissed.

“Have I ever joked about such things?” I asked her with a raised eyebrow.

She realized it was really happening and I saw her snap as she threw her tray onto the table. “You are such a fucking bitch. You are the worst boss I’ve ever had, and all this bullshit of Ms. Reed when you’re just jealous that you’re not a doctor and don’t matter is laughable.

“You think he’s toxic to the hospital, but it’s you, and you’re pissed I told people he’s fucked you? You should be glad he was willing to admit it, you fat loser. I never expected anyone to admit to having sex with you, but—how much have you paid him to fuck your pathetic ass when—”

“That’s enough,” Joyce roared. “Get this lunatic out of here.”

I honestly barely heard it all, focused on Fitz the whole time… And his amusement. He thought he’d won something and now I was claimed.

No, I wasn’t having that. Not when I was in charge and doing so much to clean up his mess already.

“Dr. Fitz, you’re lucky you haven’t signed the addendum yet or you’d be out of a job,” I said loudly, settling this as publicly.

I nodded when he finally looked up at me.

“I understand that things didn’t go as you wanted, but there hasn’t been a sexual encounter to report, and we certainly aren’t in a relationship. ”

Anger filled his eyes as he glanced around, pissed I was calling him out in front of everyone. “You’re twisting what the rules—”

“I am not shotgun , and you cannot call me because of what you want,” I snapped.

“Now, say it honestly for everyone here before today is your last day.” I stared him down with hate.

“Have we had any sexual encounters to report? The new policy that was announced Friday and isn’t even in effect yet. Have we had sex since then?”

I knew I’d still give the gossips something to talk about, but at least them whispering that I’d ever had sex with him was way better than them thinking we were involved now.

“No,” Fitz bit out.

“Are we in a relationship?” I raised an eyebrow at him when he ground his jaw and wouldn’t answer. “Should I call the head of security at my condo and have him tell everyone here that you’re banned from the building? Do you want to give people the details of—”

“No, we are not in a relationship,” he growled.

I glanced around at everyone watching and listening. “And this is why it says in the new rules that reporting a false relationship to HR will also get you fired. You cannot reserve people you want to be with. This isn’t a matchmaking service where you—”

“Enough,” Fitz snapped as he stood and slapped his hands on the table. “You’re twisting this all around because you’re pissed at me. You’re not being truthful either or—”

“No, she is, and I have no problem telling everyone that I got you banned from the building because you threatened me to stay away from her and threw a fit in the lobby more than once,” Clark said as he moved behind me.

“That only matters because she owns the damn building,” Fitz blasted. “No one would care or overreact otherwise!”

I heard someone swear behind me, guessing Alan because he knew I owned the building as well… And he was probably how Fitz had found out.

“You knew,” I whispered, my hands shaking. Fitz focused on me and his face went pale as he realized what he’d admitted. “You knew I owned the building. Since when?”

“Wait, he’s right?” Clark asked as he moved next to me. “You own our condo building?” He glanced between us.

“Of course you knew,” Fitz snapped at him. “That’s how you—”

“ Dr. Fitz , enough of the floor show!” I yelled, probably the first time ever in the hospital like this. “Answer me. Since when did you know? How long?”