Second Chance at Forever | C. Cullen

006

CHAPTER SIX
Breaking the Rule

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-Abigail-

Even though she knew it wasn't her fault, she was still nervous about Monday. She knew that Carlisle was a surgeon in the ER which meant she would be working with him pretty closely as it could get kind of tight in the trauma rooms. Part of her wanted to call in sick, but she decided she was still new enough that it would be bad practice, plus she didn't want his reaction to her to ruin her career. So he doesn't like you, big deal, she thought, though it made her shudder and actually tear up. Angrily she pushed the tears aside and forced herself into the car with Beth to head for Forks Community.

"Hey, Brett!" she called to the on-call doctor as she headed for the lounge that was for staff only and included lockers for the nurses and doctors along with a small kitchenette, a couple tables, and a couch. Beth said goodbye at the elevator to go up to the third floor where maternity was. Abigail was all smiles until Dr. Cullen was spotted reading through a medical journal on the couch. She knew his sabbatical ended at the end of last week—Maybe he really did have a meeting, it could've been about his return to work, she thought to herself, though she wasn't sure she believed it. Still, it was better than the irrational fear that he hated her for no reason.

"Good morning, Dr. Cullen," she said quietly. It was met with silence. Sighing silently, she headed in to her locker, gulping as she felt eyes land on her, though she didn't look up as she busied herself looking through her bag for her badge and thermos of coffee that she always brought with her. The thermos was easy and she set that atop the locker, but her badge seemed to have disappeared. Her eyebrows furrowed with frustration and she finally took out her wallet, keys, and phone to search without the clutter.

Please tell me I didn't forget it, she thought irritably. She shoved everything back in and checked the inside pocket she never used before tossing her bag in and searching the pockets of her dark purple, gray, and black plaid peacoat. She sighed as she found it in the right pocket, wondering how it got there as she always tossed it in her bag, but she had been off lately so she supposed she wasn't completely shocked. The jacket was tossed in next along with her thermos, knowing it would keep mostly warm, before heading over to set her bagged lunch inside the fridge, clipping her badge on the bottom hem of her scrub top as she went.

She was proud of herself, she hadn't looked at Dr. Cullen once, even though she still felt his eyes on her. No use torturing yourself like this, Abi. He's just a man; forget about him. But even as she thought it, she knew he would never be "just a man."

Turning to head for the door, she gasped and stumbled backwards against the door to the fridge as someone suddenly blocked her path. Hands shot out to steady her, and her gaze whipped up, her breath slamming out in one strangled gasp as she stared into Dr. Topaz Eyes himself. His face was as blank as it had been the other day, at least at first, but then he smiled kindly, if a bit sadly—Oddly enough—as he made sure she was steady in her footing.

"Miss Goodwin, I didn't mean to startle you. My apologies."

Between his smile and the words he finally honored her with, her heart all but stopped in her chest as her mind raced for something to say that didn't sound totally stupid. He stayed patient as she worked through...whatever it was that was happening in her mind, and finally she managed to get herself under control enough to shake her head.

"I-I'm fine, Dr. Cullen. Thank you." She took a step away, unable to concentrate with his cold, lovely long fingers keeping her trapped. Well, it felt that way, or maybe it was his eyes... Blinking quickly, she cleared her head and got her heart going again, giving him a quick answering smile. "And you can just call me Abigail. Or Abi." She shrugged. "Whichever you want."