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Sht for sure

"So there's a job opening at the hospital where I work," Josie says out of the blue, and I almost drop the quiche I set it down on top of the stove and drop the mitts on the counter as I turn to face her "It's not neonatal, but they are searching for a labor and delivery nurse In fact, the job hasn't even been posted publicly yet, but feelers were put out to staff for any personal recommendations"

"Okay," I say hesitantly

"If you're interested, I want to personally recommend you," she continues

"But why?" I blurt out, walking to the island that separates us "You don't even know me"

"That's true," she replies with a wave of her hand "So maybe let's start with thisare you interested in a job here, and if so, are you qualified?"

"Of course I'm qualified," I tell her with a smile "And I have excellent references My supervisor was surprisingly understanding of why I had to leave so soon without giving notice, so I'm not too worried about that But I'm not sure how to answer your first question, am I interested?"

"Because if you were interested that would mean you're reconciled to stay here peruess

It's a dahtly "It would be a fresh start for me"

Josie studies me for a moment, but then she just merely nods toward the quiche "Want to serve that? I'"

The request startles me for a et some plates"

I slip into hostess mode and plate up two perfectly sliced pieces of the quiche As I reach for soht, Josie asks, "Are you here to stay then?"

If I had my way, yes

If Owen gets his way, no

My answer coht, because Lord knows I've spent a lot of da about it already "I think I'd like to But I want to getat Marek's house"

"Is he still being a dick?" Josie asks as she stabs her fork down into the quiche "Because I can get Reed--"

I shakelike that II can tell"

"Then what's the proble to find a place to stay and pay for it"

Another hard shake of my head "That's not it It's just"

My words trail off because it's all kinds of fucked up I don't even want to say it out loud

But Josie's eyes go a little wide as if she's had an internal epiphany and she leans across the table a bit s for him, don't you"

Shas my head down, and when I risk a peek back at her, I adry as I was at hiet your first love"

"And now you two have been thrown back together in less than ideal circu to put pieces of a puzzle together

"It doesn't reallythis any further "Marek will never forgiveLilly a secret And besides, he's just a playboy He ht want to mature up and be a daddy, but that's all there will ever be between us Parenting responsibilities He's made it perfectly clear that he likes his freedom from a romantic commitment"

"I don't know about that," Josie says as she shakes her head "You should have seen hi ot feelings"

"Doesn'tto even let s are way too up in the air with Owen throwing a wrench into things and expecting ed now that he found out I had Lilly and didn't tell him"

Excepthe did alht

But he was drunk, Gracen

Drunk and being stupid That's all there is to it

"We're friends, right?" Josie asks me as she sets her fork down and I blink at her in confusion

"Umyeah"