Rachel
I wipe the bar counter down now that the last people have gone home. Nelson paid for him and Traive and Eamon because he won about three hundred bucks. Lucky bastard. Maybe I need to take up shuffleboard bowling, so I can school some of these assholes and take home a purse full of bills for way less work than I'm doing now on the up-and-up.
Eamon left with Traive draped over him and didn't so much as look back.
My stomach doubles over every time I think about seeing Eamon. He has to feel something for me or he wouldn't be so pissed when I'm flirting with someone else, but will he ever admit it?
And pleated-khaki-pants-boy isn't my kind of guy, but at least he was nice. Not nice enough to give him my real number, though.
What a mess this all is.
***
Doc Jansen is leaning back in his office chair; his white hair matches his coat and is neatly combed back off his face making me wonder if there are any young doctors in the state.
Nerves flitter through me as he takes me in.
"What made you decide to go into nursing?" he asks.
I smirk. "I've been patching up Tobin and Eamon since I was five."
That brings a full-on smile to Doc's face. "You know those two boys came in here so often I teased their mother that I ought to give her a punch card that would entitle them to every tenth visit free."
"How many free visits would they get?" I ask.
His brows go up. "A lot."
"Sounds about right." I lean forward in my chair. "I'm a fast learner and I really appreciate the opportunity, and--"
He holds his hand up between us. "Your teachers rave about you. Word gets around in places this small. I'm worried because I was told you're only taking one class right now?"
My gut drops. "It's all I can afford. And really, all I have time for with Mama and bills and..."
He nods. "Well, I run a very small practice, but it'll give you something to put on your resume when you finish school."
"Thank you. Really."
"Tomorrow morning then?" he asks. "First patient is at eight thirty, so I'll need you here about a half hour before. Sound good?"
What it sounds like is that I'll be working tomorrow on about four hours of sleep, but what's new. At least this job is a major step in the right direction. Something that I'll use in the future. I can't say the same about cleaning up after a bunch of drunks and getting hit on every night by random strangers.
"Perfect. Thanks."