Page 39 of Wild

He turns to her, surprised.

"No, what?"

"No to all of it. She's not doing that interview today, and she's not going to any center tomorrow. Yesterday she nearly passed out during rehearsal. She needs as much rest as possible before tomorrow night's show. I sent you an email last night: today is full rest, and tomorrow too until the afternoon sound check."

Something that looks like a rash creeps up Jude's neck, and he runs his hand over it before dragging it back through his hair, which today is slicked straight back.

"I'm not asking for anything physically demanding. The interview is just answering a few questions, and the—"

"I said no." Erin's voice doesn't waver, her expression doesn't change, but the tone is cold enough that Jude actually shifts in his seat.

Nell doesn't bother hiding her satisfied smile, and Noah keeps his eyes fixed on histablet, because if he looks up he's absolutely going to burst out laughing at Jude's face. Mia, though, stays quiet, watching them both.

"You don't have the authority for this, Dooley. Your job is to make sure she doesn't collapse—or to bring her back if she does—"

"I don't know if you bothered to read the contract I signed," Erin cuts him off again, and Jude stands, because it makes his ego feel a little less flattened, "but I do have that authority. In fact, it's a condition. What's the point of my being here if wedon't apply what I determine she needs to recover properly after each episode?"

"Okay, maybe you have a point there, but I think you're overdoing it this time. She already said she feels fine. She rested all yesterday afternoon, and look at her—her eyes are brighter."

Erin tilts her head and looks at him like he's being dense.

"I'm done arguing about this, Jude. She may feel perfectly fine, but that doesn't mean she doesn't need to recover. I'm convinced the main driver of her episodes is stress and not enough rest. I don't care if you think I'm overreacting—Mia is resting until tomorrow afternoon, and if that doesn't happen, I'll call Violette and have her escalate it to the insurance company. I'm sure they'll love hearing that you're ignoring medical recommendations."

Shooting Erin a look that would make most people flinch—though she doesn't seem to feel it—Jude pockets both phones and grabs his blazer.

"Fine. In that case, there's nothing left to cover in this meeting. Mia rests until tomorrow, as instructed."

He walks out of the suite without saying goodbye, and everyone stands to leave. Noah gives Erin a wide, conspiratorial smile as he passes, and Nell stops beside her for a moment.

"Well done, Doc. You've got to shut him down early or he'll walk all over you and you'll never shake him," she says, giving her arm a squeeze before heading out with Noah.

"I don't need you defending me," Mia says when Erin turns to leave.

"I'm not defending you. I'm doing my job. Those are different things."

"Right. Everything's just work," the singer murmurs.

Erin exhales in frustration.

"Can we stop this, Wilder?" she says, her voice low but sharp. "I'm here for you—to take care of your health—and I'm trying todo it as well as I can. If you don't like how I do it, that's fine. We can end the contract and you can find another doctor. But if you're going to keep me, stop second-guessing every call I make and every way I act."

Mia holds her gaze with those blue eyes gone dark, like they're announcing a storm. But she takes a step back and nods, because even though it would be easier to let Erin go and find someone else, she doesn't want to. With Erin, she feels okay. The fear fades faster during her episodes when it's Erin's voice she hears, and she doesn't want anyone else taking her place—because she likes the doctor enough to make the effort worth it.

Mia has never felt this kind of pull toward any woman before, and even though nothing is going to happen between them, she's not ready to stop seeing her.

"Fine. You, your job. Me, mine. I won't complain anymore—not even when you look at me like that," Mia says, pointing at her, and Erin frowns.

"Like what?"

"I don't know." Mia's shoulders rise and fall. "Like I'm an inconvenient case you take on anyway because the pay is good."

Erin could tell her that's not exactly it—that she looks at her that way because it's how she protects herself, how she keeps Mia at a distance. But she's not going to say that, precisely for that reason. They have an understanding now: each of them to her own side, and that's what she needs until the contracted time is up and she gets her empty life back in New York.

"I'll check on you later. Call me if you need anything."

"I will," Mia says—though she has no intention of doing so unless she feels like she's about to go under.

Chapter 15