Page 40 of Ten Day Affair

“I mean, whoever’s behind this concierge care push, they’re going to hire someone like me. A fixer. A PR team. Someone to spin it like it’s progress instead of gutting the foundation your mom helped build.”

I lean back in my chair. “And I’m supposed to what? Start a counter-campaign?”

She lifts a brow. “I’m saying don’t sit on your hands and hope the board sees the light. Start gathering stories, talk to patients, families, and anyone who benefited from your mom's efforts, and subsequently, the wing. Create pressure points. Emotional leverage.”

“And then what? Email it to the board with a hopeful subject line?”

"Yes, exactly. I can help you with it."

"That isn't my position in all of this. I'm a resident atthe hospital. I'm not even a full-time employee, technically. I'm like a second-class citizen."

Arden rolls her eyes. “Sam. I love you. But you can’t keep pretending you’re just a surgeon in this. You’re Evelyn Taylor’s daughter. Whether you like it or not, you’re the face of that wing. If this gets ugly, you need a narrative ready. Before they give you one.”

I swallow hard. “You think they’ll cut it?”

She doesn’t answer immediately, watching me instead. “I think someone’s already decided the math makes more sense without it. Otherwise, they wouldn't have all of this chatter and be calling a vote."

"Shit."

"I think you need to decide how far you’re willing to go to fight that. Before the fight, if you catch my drift.”

I nod slowly, rolling her words around in my head. “I don’t know. It just seems so much bigger than me.”

Arden shrugs. “Most things feel like that until you step into them.”

I go quiet, picking at the corner of my napkin. For a second, all I hear is the hum of the espresso machine and the low murmur of the brunch crowd.

My thoughts swirl. The meeting. The fight. My future.

And then—Cole.

It slips out before I can stop it. “His mouth twitches when he’s trying not to smile.”

Arden looks up, caught off guard. “What?”

“It’s just this little thing he does. Barely noticeable. But it’s there.”

A beat passes. She lifts one brow, smug as hell. “Right. And you’re not into him.”

I sigh and drop my head back against the booth. “We were doing so well, staying on topic.”

"Cole Houston is so much more interesting, though."

My phone vibrates against the table. I grab it, grateful for the interruption. As if I summoned him again, it's Cole.

"You're in luck. He just texted."

"Give it to me. What did he say?"

Good morning. Been thinking about our conversation. Would you show me the Taylor Wing sometime? I'd like to get a tour of it through your eyes.

My thumb hovers over the screen for a second too long.

Arden leans in like we’re debriefing classified intel. “Don’t just sit there. Read it to me if you're not going to give me the phone.”

I turn it toward her.

Arden’s brows shoot up. “Oh, damn. That’s good.”