Page 22 of The Ampersand Effect

“You hid? Why?”

“I panicked,” Grier admitted, bracing for another snide remark from her overly involved niece.

“Auntie, you don’t have to hide. If you want to talk to her, just say hi.”

“How old are you? How did you get so wise?” Grier stared at her, humbled by the simple directive. It provided her with an astonishing calm that had been absent moments before.

“From me, obviously.” Grant appeared at Grier’s side, grinning as he leaned in to kiss her cheek and squeezed Delta’s shoulder in passing. “Sorry, I got sidetracked. I ran into Dr. Rhodes and wanted to catch up.” He mentioned one of the hospital’s pediatric surgeons— someone Grier absolutely adored and had mentally paired with her brother ages ago, just waiting for him to be ready.

“It’s okay,” she muttered. “I’m just avoiding humiliation over here, only to be schooled by your daughter about appropriate adult conversation techniques.”

“Those techniques aren’t exclusive to adults, Auntie. Most conversations start with a ‘Hello.’” Delta’s smirk twisted into a full- blown grin as she suddenly lifted her hand and waved enthusiastically at someone behind her.

“Or a wave,” she added impishly. Her eyes gleamed with conspiracy.

“Delta, if I turn around right now, I better see Alix or Maren.” “Don’t worry, you would.” Her niece’s grin sharpened into something smug. “And Captain Maes.”

Grier had approximately half a millisecond to breathe and prepare herself for what she estimated could only be a disaster in the making.

“Hi, Delta.” The voice slid across Grier’s skin before she even turned. Chills spread along the bare skin of her open back and along her arms, stealing the moisture from her mouth.

“Hi, Captain Maes! We were just talking about you!” Delta beamed. Grier had to fight the urge to run away. Or cover her face in humiliation. Her mouth was so dry.

“Good things, I hope. I don’t think I left too poor an impression on you during your tour last week.” Captain Maes literally crooned, settling smoothly into place beside Grier.

Grier refused to make eye contact, delaying that part of her mortification as long as possible. She could feel the captain looking at her, imploring her to turn and face her.

“Auntie was just saying she saw you and hoped she got to talk to you tonight,” Delta piped up.

Desert. Her mouth was as barren as the Sahara. She managed a sideways glance, and a thin, embarrassed smile.

“Interesting,” the captain drawled. “I could’ve sworn she ducked out of sight the second she saw me.”

Grier froze, unable to dispute the captain’s roast. The captain’s grin told her she was enjoying this torture.

“But, if what you say is true, Delta, then I’m not nearly as offended as I thought I was.” Captain Maes flashed a devastating smile at Delta.

They were working together, and enjoying every second of Grier’s discomfort.

“All true. She thinks you’re hot.” Delta replied deviously.

The captain’s smile widened, crinkling the corners of her eyes. “I’m suddenly recalling how very candid this family can be.”

“Sometimes a little too candid.” Grant narrowed his eyes at Delta, then shot Grier a sympathetic look. “I’m Grant—Grier’s brother, and that miscreant’s father.” Pride slipped through, despite his warning glance at his daughter.

Grier stared at her empty glass—just ice and meltwater left. She had to risk it. She couldn’t say anything with her tongue sitting in her mouth like lead. And she needed to say something to try to recover from this shit show.

She threw back her empty cocktail glass. A remnant of ice hit the back of her throat and ruthlessly lodged there, takingup residence. She coughed. But that didn’t dislodge the ice. She coughed again, louder. Heat spread across her face, half fear, half humiliation.

Captain Maes turned directly toward her, bending her knees to bring them eye to eye. Concern softened her features. “Dr. Savage, are you okay?”

Still coughing, Grier managed only a simple nod as tears welled along her eyelids. Death by ice cube. This isn’t how she thought she’d die—but at least her final sight would be a goddess.

A warm, firm hand landed with a thud between her shoulder blades. Twice. The ice dislodged from her throat and landed, mercifully, on her tongue, wetting it just enough to allow her to croak. “Thank you.”

Heat rose to her cheeks. She hadn’t died—but she wanted to. Except the warmth on her open back hadn’t ceased with her coughing. The captain’s hand had remained. What fresh hell was this? One torture to the next. She couldn’t read the captain’s intentions, and that uncertainty was dizzying.

A flick of movement caught her eye—Alix and Maren, two yards away, eyes wide, white, and unrepentant. Shock and amusement were plain in their expressions. They were shamelessly gawking at the entire display, from Delta’s invitation to the captain to Grier’s near-death experience. She felt like a train wreck, her friends more interested in goose-necking than offering to rescue her. She glared daggers; they were received with zero remorse.