Love between two heartbeats

egendarily terrible, which was precisely why He

overhead with the persistence of mechanical insects, casting everything in a harsh, honest glow that stripped away pretense. Around her, the hospital breathed with it

ewer complications, fewer forced smiles, fewer opportu

roke another glass. Mom's crying in t

thirty-seven seconds-she counted-before she typ

ge- How? You'

er textbook, but the words blurred together. She knew every muscle, every nerve, every vessel in the human body, could r

dents. She approached Heaven's table with the hesitant gait of someone walking

ion neutral as Switzerland. "

dder surgery yesterday. Dr. Martinez is in surgery, and Dr. Patel is with the trauma that just came in. The family is asking

ladder surgeries this month. Each one should have been routine. That word-complicatio

d of comp

er voice. "The patient is asking about things that don't make sense. Claiming

ble-patients sometimes retained fragments of consciousness despite being under general a

tes," Heaven said, already

ts of a conversation from the hallway-two nu

formance in the lobby? I swear, that

owns half the pharmaceutical companies that supply this h

ppened with his cousin at Johns Hopkins? Whole family t

the reckless attitude. Everything she despised about entitled students who thought medical school was just

fting to the patient waiting in the ER. Complications.

--------------------

made him question his life choices, which, admit

ith their impossible complexity. Pharmacology equations swam before his eyes like hieroglyphics, each symbol a r

it go to voicemail. He already knew what she'd say. Something about the "incident" at the hospital lobby reac

ed thirty seconds later. Against

Really, sweetheart, I know you think you're being charming, but people are watching. The

d it mid-

d chosen the most isolated table, partly for privacy and partly because he was tired of being recognized. Being a Callah

iendly enough to overlook Draven's last name. He slid into the opposite chair without i

cepting the offered coffee gratefully. "Apparently, my brain wasn't desi

xtbooks, then leaned back in his chair. "You know, you might want to talk to Heaven Wils

of reverence usually reserved for surgical instruments or patron saints. Heaven Wilson-the untouch

ho never talks to an

ally understand this stuff instead of just memorizing it." Jake paused, studying Draven's expression. "Althou

ut my rep

t say circus performances in hospital lobbies don'

enuinely trying to prove himself, his past followed him like a loyal dog. Every joke, every moment of levi

xpects me to be either a clown or a saint. No one considers

ential. You ask good questions in class, even if you do it while making

with a text from an unknown number: If you wan

"Well, I'll be damned. You are just invited

ha

lson. Everyone knows her where she sits to study or tea

d meet the legendary Heaven Wilson face to face. Six hours to prepare for

would definitel

rs closed, Draven caught his reflection in the polished steel-rumpled scrubs, tire

ing, those two things l

s mind was already racing ahead to 6 AM, when he'd finally come face to face

gerous on his tongue, full of sh

't wait t