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CHAPTER 8

EMBER

What the hell is he doing here?

“You can’t be serious.”

I shift in my chair as I maintain eye contact with Janice, my boss, across her desk. When I arrived at the agency this morning to finish up some paperwork, I asked to speak to her in private so I could let her know I’d be leaving for a while. I knew it would be a hard conversation, but I didn’t think she’d actually be angry.

“I’m sorry, Janice,” I say with a shrug. “This is a patient that I’m uniquely qualified to deal with.”

“Your ex-fiancé’s mother,” she says as if she doesn’t quite believe it. “That’s a huge conflict of interest.”

“Maybe. But she’s already gone through several nurses.”

“So I’ve heard.”

“What?”

“We’re not the only agency in town, and I network,” she tells me. “I’ve heard about the mother of a Soulless King.”

I scrunch up my nose. “Right.” Living in a small town has its perks, but the rampant gossip isn’t one of them. And I find that I’m disappointed that Janice seems to be tapped into that particular grape vine. “Well, I know you can’t hold my job,” I say, getting to my feet. “Especially since I don’t know how long this will be. But I do plan on coming back if there’s still a position open.”

“You’re assuming I’ll take you back,” she says bluntly.

Masking my frustration, I smile. “Of course.”

I’ve never had a problem with Janice. All of my performance reviews have been stellar, and I care more about the patients than any other employee here. The fact that she’s being this petty is pissing me off, especially because it’ll be the patients who suffer, not me.

You might suffer. You’re gonna be working for Parker—no, Ghost—after all.

“Are you going to work out your notice?” she asks as I turn to leave her office.

I glance over my shoulder. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I don’t want to start with a new patient only to leave them so soon.”

“Right. Fine.”

“Look, Janice, I have no problem working out a notice. None at all. I just want what’s best for the patients. I hope you know that.”

“If that were true, you wouldn’t be leaving us,” she snaps.

“Ya know what?” I snap back. “No, I won’t be working out a notice. I’ve been a valuable employee for years, and this is how you treat me? I’ll make sure all paperwork is completed before I leave but today will be my last day.”

I told Ghost I had to give notice and couldn’t start for at least two weeks, but I guess I can text him and let him know I can start earlier. Or I could take the time to decompress and get my house ready for me to be gone for who knows how long. Either way, I’m not spending a minute longer in this office than I have to.

Janice nods curtly. “Turn your badge in before you leave.”

With that, she returns to whatever she was doing before I came in, effectively dismissing me. I don’t know what is going on with her, but she’s never treated me so poorly.

Maybe it’s her time of the month.

I stifle a laugh and walk to my office. It takes me longer to clear out my personal items than it does to finish up any work, and three hours later, I’m heading to my car. Tears threaten as it finally hits me that a huge chapter of my life is over, but I don’t let them fall until I’m safely tucked into the driver’s seat.

While I cry, I pull my cell from my purse and type out a quick text.

Me: I can start any time

Before I can put the car into gear, my cell dings with a notification, and I glance at the screen to see a text from Parker.

I really need to change his contact info if I’m ever going to get used to calling him Ghost like he insists

I do that before I look at the message.

Ghost: Thought u had to give notice

Me: I did. Didn’t go as planned

Ghost: Oh. Wanna start tomorrow or do u want a little down time?

Me: Can you give me 2 days to get things in order at my house?

Ghost: No prob

Me: Thanks.

I wait for a response, but none comes. Apparently, the matter is settled for him. Rolling my eyes, I put the car in drive and pull out of the parking space in the agency’s employee lot. The drive home feels like forever, but I use the time to make a mental list of all the things I need to get done.

When I reach my driveway, a dark figure standing on my porch catches my attention, and I groan when I spot the Harley parked close to the garage door.

Ghost.

What the hell is he doing here?