Passionate Rivals

by Radclyffe

  “I know,” Syd said. “I already thought of that. And the trauma alerts are always a few minutes before EMS arrives anyhow. It’s just—I think I’ve forgotten how to have fun.”

  “It’s easy to do.”

  “Forget?” Syd asked softly.

  “Have fun, I meant,” Emmett said just as softly. She wanted to add she’d be happy to help Syd remember, but she was back to walking on eggshells again. The invisible wall Syd had thrown up between them was crumbling, minute by minute. She was warring with herself, half of her clambering to be careful, the other half hopping around in celebration. Syd must’ve been reading her mind, because she suddenly headed toward the kitchen.

  “We still ought to get going,” Syd said.

  “Right.” Two steps forward, one step back. Sighing, Emmett followed, praying Hank or Zoey hadn’t polished off the rest of the pizza that morning. She sighed in relief when she found three pieces in the box on the bottom shelf. She put them in the toaster oven and leaned back against the counter. Syd glanced around the kitchen with a curious expression. Emmett tried to see it through her eyes. A couple of coffee cups on the counter, no visible cookware. Not even much in the way of dishes in the glass-fronted cabinets. “We don’t cook a lot.”

  Syd laughed. “Really? Don’t I remember Zoey saying that one time about it being your turn to cook?”

  “Uh…I don’t think she meant—”

  Syd waved a hand. “Never mind. I got the message.”

  Emmett froze. Amazing how fast the ice returned. “I don’t think you did.”

  “Emmett,” Syd said, “none of my business, okay? It’s cool.”

  “It’s not what you think.” Oh, man, could that sound any worse? “I mean—”

  “Hey, I don’t think anything. Can I get a look upstairs? Because I’m ready to eat that pizza, cold or not, and I really do want to get back.”

  “Sure.” Emmett couldn’t figure out a good way to explain her relationship with Zoey. Most people didn’t get it, and until now, she’d been happy to let them think whatever they wanted. But damn it, Zoey had sent a message and the one Syd had gotten wasn’t right. And definitely wasn’t the one Emmett wanted Syd to have.

  She started up the stairs and paused before she reached the landing. She hadn’t noticed it before, but it sounded like the shower was running.

  Syd stopped one step below her. “What’s up?”

  “Someone’s in the bathroom. I know it’s not Hank, so I guess Zoey’s here.” Emmett frowned. “That’s weird. I didn’t think she was on call last night, but she must have been if she’s home already.”

  “We should probably go,” Syd said.

  “No, it’s okay. I’ll just show you my room. Hank’s is about the same size. Then we’ll grab the pizza.”

  “Okay, if you’re sure,” Syd said.

  “It’s no problem. She doesn’t bite.”

  “I wasn’t worried about that.”

  Emmett wasn’t altogether certain Zoey wouldn’t bite someone, most likely her. She’d mentioned to Zoey the place next door would be empty soon and maybe she’d tell some of the residents about it, but she hadn’t actually said who.

  “So I’m down here at this end,” Emmett said, pushing open the door. Her room was usually neat since she rarely spent time in it. Now that she saw it in daylight, it kind of looked abandoned. Not even a book or empty glass or pair of underwear anywhere.

  Syd peered over her shoulder. “Are the other rooms this big?”

  Emmett pulled the door closed. “Pretty much. Like I said, Hank’s is at the far end and about the same size. We have two bathrooms, which is nice cause the guys can have their own. Zoey’s is—”

  The door opposite Hank’s opened and Zoey walked out in a tank top and panties.

  “What the fuck?” Zoey stared from Emmett to Syd, her bewildered expression rapidly turning to annoyance. “Having a nooner, McCabe?”

  Emmett flushed. “Hell, Zoey. I didn’t know you were here.”

  “Obviously.”

  “I was just showing Syd the house—”

  “Uh-huh.”

  The bathroom door opened and a woman Emmett didn’t know stepped out, wrapped in a towel and nothing else.

  “Oh,” the stranger said, taking in the group with an embarrassed smile.

  “Hi, Mitchie,” Syd said dryly.

  “Syd! I mean…Dr. Stevens…uh, sorry!” She jumped back into the bathroom and slammed the door.

  Emmett looked at Syd.

  “Intern,” Syd said.

  “Okay.” Emmett blew out a breath. “Maybe next time give me a heads-up, Zo.”

  Zoey jammed her hands on her hips. “I’m not required to inform you who I’m sleeping with. Or when. If you’re feeling left out, you’re free to pencil me in anytime you want.”

  Emmett rolled her eyes. She hadn’t been sleeping with Zoey lately, but that was never a regular thing for them anyhow. Maybe more regular than lately, but Zoey’d never kept track before. “Come on, Zoey.”

  Zoey glanced at Syd. “Sorry if this ruined your lunch plans.”

  “No,” Syd said casually. “Not at all. I hope you don’t mind if I have some of your pizza. That’s all I’m interested in.”

  Zoey looked from Syd to Emmett. “I’m sure.”

  Emmett followed Syd’s rapid descent down the stairs. “Jeez, I’m sorry about that.”

  “Not your fault.”

  Emmett grabbed the pizza out of the toaster oven, snagged a couple of paper plates from the cabinet, and handed Syd her slices.

  “All the same to you,” Syd said flatly, “I think I’ll eat this on the way back to the hospital.”

  “Listen—”

  “Hey,” Syd said. “Zoey’s house. I don’t blame her for being ticked off.”

  “I was just gonna say, sorry it was awkward.”

  “It wasn’t awkward for me,” Syd said, heading out of the kitchen. “Zoey’s not my girlfriend.”

  Emmett hurried to catch up. Great. Just great.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Syd used eating her pizza as an excuse not to talk to Emmett about their little run-in with Zoey and Mitchie. She hadn’t been kidding when she’d said she was starving, so she didn’t feel too guilty about the silence. Still, she made her one and a half slices of pepperoni last almost all the way back to the hospital.

  “So what do you think?” Emmett asked when Syd polished off her last bite.

  “Decent pizza.”

  Emmett shot her a look. “Not what I meant.”

  Syd hadn’t thought so, but really—Zoey was not high on her list of people to think about, let alone discuss. Besides, she didn’t think much about Zoey’s afternoon assignation at all, actually. She’d been immersed in hospital culture since her second year in medical school and could think of half a dozen times when she’d been trying to find her resident, or even one of her attendings, who’d gone AWOL. After repeated pages, they’d show up either a little flustered or, more often than not, slyly triumphant. When time was limited and choices of potential partners restricted to the people you saw every day, relationships or casual hookups were going to happen when and where and with whomever. She wasn’t even bothered that Zoey had somehow managed to hook up with one of the ex-Franklin interns so quickly. Zoey was attractive, if you liked long-haired blondes with taunting blue eyes. Syd didn’t have anything against sexy blondes. She just tended toward the dark and intense types herself, when she tended in any direction, which hadn’t been anywhere at all in a long time.

  Probably that’s what bothered her more than anything. Not that Zoey was getting some, or even that she wasn’t, but that she didn’t even think about it. Or at least when she did, it was fleeting, and quickly squashed. She’d made such a mess of things from the very beginning, and then what she might’ve chalked up to simple inexperience had turned into a disaster she still couldn’t shake free of.

  She didn’t care when or with whom Zoey was enjoying some action, but s
he was curious about one glaring question. Why didn’t Emmett get that Zoey was seriously jealous? Zoey so clearly acted as if Emmett was her territory, even when she’d just gotten out of bed with another woman. Syd had nothing against open relationships, either. Simpler in lots of ways for people who didn’t have the time and emotional energy to put into a relationship, but if one person had a different view of it than the other, that seemed like a recipe for disaster.

  Another sort of disaster she really wanted to stay far, far away from. Which accounted for her lack of any kind of anything, simple or not. Syd realized Emmett was waiting for her to speak.

  “Are you talking about Zoey and Mitchie?” Syd slowed as they approached the hospital. No rush now. Their little excursion was just about over.

  “Mitchie, huh? So you know her,” Emmett said.

  Nothing in Emmett’s tone hinted at jealousy, and Syd was unexpectedly relieved. “I know Mitchie a little. She was on my service for a month early in the year. She seems smart and pretty steady and that’s about all I know about her. I heard she was engaged to one of the other residents. Maybe she still is.”

  Emmett rolled her eyes. “Zoey does have a way of getting herself in the middle of things sometimes.”

  “Just to be clear, I’m not interested in getting in the middle of anything, and if Zoey thinks otherwise—”

  Emmett held her hand up. “Whoa. You’re going in the totally wrong direction. Zoey and I are not a thing.”

  “I know you say so, but I’m not so sure Zoey feels the same way.”

  Emmett look honestly befuddled, and Syd had to admit, it was charming. Emmett was anything but naïve or innocent, but sometimes she was maybe just a little bit clueless. That was so surprising and so…cute, Syd wanted to reach out and brush her fingers through the dark lock of hair that kept tumbling over Emmett’s forehead. And if that wasn’t insanity, nothing was. She kept her hands decidedly to herself.

  “Zoey and I are friends. She’s cool with that.”

  “Like I said—if you say so.”

  “Okay then,” Emmett said. “If we can stop talking about Zoey, let’s talk about the house. Did you like it?”

  Knee-jerk was to say no, but Syd couldn’t manage it. “I do like the place. I know Dani and Jerry will love it. I have to at least tell them about it before I give you a decision, but I’d say ninety percent they’ll want to take it.”

  Emmett’s smile was blazing. “That’s great.”

  Syd shook her head. “I’m not totally sure that’s true. Zoey doesn’t seem to care much for any of us, and even though I don’t expect we’ll be sharing potluck dinners, we’re bound to run into each other, coming and going. I’m not looking for an uncomfortable situation while I’m sitting out on the porch having a beer. Life is tough enough at work.”

  “I guarantee it won’t be uncomfortable,” Emmett said. “Really, you don’t know Zoey very well, but I do. She’s my best friend. Sure, she runs hot sometimes. She’s intense. But she’s a good person, and she doesn’t have any reason to have anything against you guys. It’ll be fine.”

  Syd had to take her word for it. Emmett wasn’t the type to fool herself so badly, even if she might be blind to Zoey’s different interpretation of friend. The place was perfect for the three of them, and she wasn’t about to be scared off from a great thing because Zoey might not want to be besties. “All right. I’ll let you know by tomorrow morning at the latest. I just need to track them down and get their go-ahead.”

  “That’s great. I’ll call—”

  Syd’s trauma beeper went off at the same time as Emmett’s. She glanced at Emmett as they jogged toward the hospital. Emmett’s eyes had taken on that sharp battle glint again. Yes. Their little excursion into the other world was definitely over.

  As soon as they came through the ER doors, Honor flagged them over. “A bunch of teenagers were racing ATVs and a couple of them collided. We’ve got five incoming. Reports of multiple injuries in all five. Peds surgery is on their way.” She looked around. “Where’s the rest of your—”

  Hank and Morty came breathlessly careening around the corner from the opposite direction.

  “Here,” Morty sang out, pushing his glasses up with one hand and nearly coming to attention. “We’re here.”

  “Good, get geared up. They’ll be here in a couple of minutes.” Smothering a smile, Honor motioned for her ER residents to follow her out to meet the EMS vans.

  “Okay,” Emmett said as they all pulled on paper gowns and disposable gloves. “Honor will triage as they come in—the ER residents will manage airways and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Syd, Morty…we’ll assess the chest and abdomen for surgical trauma. If you find something, get an attending or me. Hank—you’re with Morty.”

  “Right,” Syd said as Dani and her junior resident ran in.

  Grabbing a gown off a rack as she stormed up, Dani demanded, “Anybody seen Zoey?”

  Emmett glanced at Syd.

  “Not in the last ten minutes,” Syd said. Revealing Zoey’s lunchtime activity wasn’t going to help anything right now.

  “I’m right here,” Zoey said from behind Syd.

  Zoey must have come in right behind her and Emmett. She’d probably also heard Syd cover for her.

  “Great,” Dani said, instantly turning to Emmett. “What have we got?”

  “Some fun afternoon, huh?” Zoey grinned at Syd.

  Syd couldn’t help it. She laughed. Zoey did have a way. “Awesome.”

  * * *

  Emmett waited just inside the doors. Sirens coming closer announced the imminent arrival of the patients. Quinn wasn’t on-site yet, but she wasn’t worried. Plenty of help down here if she needed backup. Plus she had Syd. The two of them could handle most anything.

  Zoey edged over and whispered, “What the fuck, Emmett? What were you doing at the house with Stevens in the middle of the day?”

  “She was looking at the place next door,” Emmett said, lowering her voice even though no one could possibly hear them with all the other noise. “How was I supposed to know you’d be there? In bed?”

  “I wasn’t in bed. Not then anyhow. What do you mean, looking at the place next door?”

  “Claire and the rest of them are out of there this weekend. Syd, Dani, and Jerry are looking for a place closer to here. I told you I was going to mention the place to some residents.”

  “You didn’t say it was them,” Zoey hissed.

  “I didn’t think I had to.” Emmett cut a look in Syd’s direction. She didn’t appear to be listening. “They’ll probably take the place.”

  “Well, that will be cozy,” Zoey said.

  “What’s your problem with them?” Emmett said.

  “I don’t have a problem with them. Other than the fact that we have to share our cases with them and do a lot of handholding.”

  Emmett shook her head. “I don’t think that’s it. So far there’s been plenty of cases for everyone. I haven’t seen you sitting around with nothing to do.”

  Zoey narrowed her eyes. “You haven’t seen me at all since the whole bunch of them showed up.”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “You’re hardly ever home. When you’re here, you’re too busy for…anything.”

  “You’re kidding.” Emmett slowly shook her head. “Are you pissed because we’re not sleeping together?”

  “I’m pissed because we’re not anything anymore.”

  “Zoey,” Emmett said. “That’s not true.”

  “Are you sure, Emmett?” With a shake of her head, Zoey turned away as the first of the trauma patients came rolling through the door.

  * * *

  Syd went to meet the first stretcher as the doors swung wide. Armand fell into line along with the others pushing the gurney.

  “Fifteen-year-old, closed head injury, possible C-spine injury, unresponsive in the field,” the EMT pushing the gurney called out.

  “Airway?” Armand asked.

&nbs
p; “Breathing on his own.”

  Syd quickly listened to his chest and lungs while they were still moving. “Breath sounds are good, heart sounds regular.”

  “Armand,” Honor said, “take him in one.”

  Syd dropped back as the next patient rolled in. This one was awake and screaming.

  “I can’t feel my legs. I can’t feel my legs.” A girl, fifteen or sixteen, long blond hair matted with leaves and mud, writhed against the gurney straps crossing her midsection, her eyes unfocused and wild. “Why can’t I feel my legs?”

  “Someone page neuro,” Honor called. “Emmett—”

  “I’ve got it,” Syd said. She couldn’t say why exactly, but ever since she’d treated the guy with the head injury with a burr hole in the ER, she’d been drawn to the neuro cases. She’d scrubbed on a couple and the surgery had been fun, but the surgery was only part of it. The saves. When they came, they felt so fundamental. So…huge.

  “Okay—trauma two,” Honor said and turned away.

  While an ER resident checked the airway and central nervous system status, a med student inserted a second IV line and drew bloods. Syd listened to the girl’s heart and lungs.

  “Chest is clear,” she said.

  “BP’s eighty,” the resident said. “Pulse ox ninety-two.”

  “Belly feels good too.” Syd leaned over until she could make eye contact with the girl. “What’s your name?”

  Clouded green eyes skittered from side to side. “Why can’t I move?”

  “You’re in the emergency room. You were in an accident. I’m Dr. Stevens.” Syd spoke slowly and firmly. “You’re strapped down so you won’t fall off the stretcher. You’re in the emergency room. We’re going to take care of you. What’s your name, can you tell me that?”

  “Cindy. It’s Cindy.” She sobbed, her gaze slowly settling on Syd. “We crashed, didn’t we?”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “I told him to slow down. I told him. Oh my God. What about Kimmie? And Ry—”

  “We’ll find out about them in a little while. You first.” Syd smiled as the girl’s frantic breathing slowed. “Good. Cindy, do you hurt anywhere?”