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Glancing up, I spin my phone over. “No one.”
My older sister pushes her dark-framed glasses up her nose, her reddish-brown curls pulled into a messy ponytail. The blue scrubs are freshly washed; she’s getting ready for her first night shift of the week.
Collins is a second-year resident. I’ve spied through the hospital security cameras from time to time to check on her and have been in awe of her critical thinking skills. She handles stress better than most and has become a dependable member of the emergency room department of Mass General Hospital.
But right now, it’s not the doctor persona staring at me—it’s my big sister.
“Who is she?”
I shrug, playing up my smile. “Nobody.”
“The same nobody you visited the other day?”
Damn overbearing older sisters.
“Who’s spying on whom now, Colli-belle?”
I laugh as she makes a face. She hates the nickname—that’s why I use it all the time.
“Where did you go?” she asks, grabbing the canister of tea overhead. “Is this girl the reason you haven’t gone home?”
Rolling my shoulders, I push my phone away before I’m tempted to look again.
It’s not that I can’t go home; I don’t want to go home. Being here the last few days, surrounded by my family, eases the knot of tension in my shoulders that I can never relieve.
I’m here when Collins comes home from a shift, drained but fulfilled. I’m here to as Hayes picks her up, and hold her worries for a while.
I’m here when Maeve has a nightmare and is walking the halls, checking the doors for potential danger. I’m here when Killian finds her, coaxes her back to bed, and helps her fight the demons that still haunt her.
I’m here when Sloane stops by with the twins, beaming with pride. I’m here when Lex gazes at her and their family, as if it’s the greatest treasure ever given.
This place might be the start of my torment and banishment, but it’s where my family is. Call me sappy, but it’s the first time it’s ever truly felt like home. It’s the first time I’ve felt included.
And it’s really fucking reckless. But I can’t seem to make myself leave.
“Speaking of not going home,” I drawl, tapping the counter. “Why do you come down to the main kitchen when you and Hayes have your own apartment upstairs? You have a fully stocked pantry.”
Collins’s cheeks flush pink. “I like coming down here.”
I glance at her hands. “For tea?”
She waves it in the air. “The chef always has a better selection than I do,” she defends. “Besides.” Her eyes dart to the swinging kitchen door. “It’s my way of checking on Maeve.”
“You know, Killian’s got her covered.”
“I know.” She sighs. “But I feel like when I come down here, it reminds her she’s not alone. I can’t be sure, but I think she appreciates seeing us.”
Because she’s a control freak. But like, the cool kind.
“You know she keeps it stocked for you.” I point at the canister. “She keeps Chef on his toes by ordering all these weird blends. Is there any jasmine in there?” I peer over the edge, and she throws a tea bag at me.
“You’re in luck. I’ll share.”
“Har, har.”
The kitchen door opens, and our oldest sister walks in, wearing torn sweats and an oversized band T-shirt. Her hair is twisted into a knot, and the purple circles under her eyes are more pronounced.
She’d better sleep tonight.