My work phone began to ring from inside my scrubs. “Shit, I’ve got to go. I’m sure they’re calling me about one of my patients. Good night, Caleb,” I said and hung up, holding the other phone to my ear. “This is Whitney.”

“The patient in room 614 needs you. He’s in extreme pain,” the unit secretary said.

I pushed myself off the couch, trying to find enough energy to hurry out of the room. “I’ll be right there,” I told her and disconnected the call.

As I was on my way down the hallway, my personal phone vibrated from my pocket, and I pulled it out and read the screen.

Caleb: Good night, Whitney. I love you.

Thirty-Two

“How are you feeling?” I asked Lindsay, the nurse who was supposed to be on last night but had gotten into a car accident and called in.

She stood next to me inside the nurses’ station, rubbing her neck like it was sore. “Ugh, girl, my husband broke his arm, and we spent most of the night at Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s ER. I’m fine, just a headache from hell and some tenderness. Nothing a little Tylenol can’t handle.” She patted my shoulder. “Thanks for covering for me.”

“Of course.” I smiled, surprised I still had the energy for that. “I’ve updated all the charts. The patients in 602 and 614 have been awake for most of the night. Their pain isn’t improving, so I paged their doctors to up their meds. Still no response from them yet. The patient in 627 just had her bandages changed, but you need to keep an eye on her incision. I’m worried an infection is brewing.”

“Got it. Anything else?” When I shook my head, she draped her arm around me and walked me out from behind the counter. “Now, scooch your buns out of here before another crisis pops up and we keep you for another twelve hours.”

I squeezed her hand. “I wouldn’t survive.”

She grinned, watching me take a step back. “Go get some sleep for the both of us.”

“Will do.”

I made my way into the break room and grabbed my bag, slinging it across my body. Rebecca was standing a few feet away, putting on hers.

“How excited are we to go home?” She laughed.

“Like I just won the lottery.”

“Same, sister. Same.” She came closer to me. “Taking the train? I’ll walk with you to the station.”

I looped my arm through hers as we went toward the door. “Nope. Caleb is picking me up.”

“Oh, you lucky girl.”

With our arms still linked, we headed to the elevator and took it down to the lobby. Once we were by the entrance, she slowed and pulled me in for a hug. “Thanks for saving my ass last night. I really don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“I’ve always got your back.”