Page 66 of Fighting For You

Liz and Jen were on the bench in the locker room when I walked in after shift, mid-conversation. They went quiet when they saw me.

I went to my locker and started changing. Behind me, the silence held for a few seconds before Jen pushed her chair back.

"I'll go on ahead," Jen said. "See you tomorrow."

She left without looking at me. Liz took her time. She checked her phone, zipped her bag. Then she walked out past my locker without a word.

The door closed behind her. I pulled my scrub top over my head and reached for my T-shirt.

Gracelyn came in a minute later, still in her scrubs, her badge swinging from the lanyard.

"Good shift today." She opened her locker two down from mine. "You handled that wrist case well. Harlan noticed."

"Thanks."

"So." She pulled her jacket out and closed the locker door. "You're meeting Knox's parents this weekend. Are you nervous?"

"I already know Dr. Sullivan." I smiled. "So I'm halfway there."

Gracelyn laughed. "That's one way to look at it."

"He's not exactly warm and fuzzy on the floor."

"Maybe he's different at home." She shrugged. "Some people are."

I doubted that. I still remembered how Knox and Cliff had spoken when Knox came to pick me up. No warmth at all between father and son. And Knox saying it's complicated and leaving it at that told me there was more to their relationship that he wasn't ready to talk about.

"If I were introducing you to my parents," Gracelyn said, "they would be delighted."

"Thank you, Gracelyn."

My phone buzzed in my locker.

KNOX

Outside.

"That's my ride." I grabbed my bag and closed the locker. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have fun tonight." She waved me off. "And stop worrying."

Knox's truck was idling by the curb. I pulled the passenger door open, tossed my bag on the floor, and leaned across the console to kiss him.

"Hi," I said.

He put the truck in drive. "Crew's got family stuff tonight. So it's just us."

"Good."

He pulled out of the lot and turned onto the main road. I watched the streetlights pass for a while before I said it.

"I'm nervous about this weekend."

Knox nodded. "If it helps, I'm not looking forward to it either. But I can't keep ignoring my mother."

He reached over and took my hand. His thumb ran across my knuckles once, slow and steady.

"Thank you for coming with me," he said.