Liz
Five
After I’ve finished the afternoon’s meetings, I step into Hudson’s office, clutching my notebook, and he glances up from his monitor with a smile that makes me think he’s waiting to be impressed.
“Is it that time already?”
“Well, I’m done with the meetings, but if you need some time, we can talk tomorrow.”
“No, no. Sit. I’ll be here for hours figuring out how accounting messed up the budgets we put together last fall.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Hardly. But tell me, how’s it going? Feedback has been super positive.”
“Already? Well, thank you. I’ve got a lot to learn.” I look down at my notes. “I sat down this afternoon with everyone who was out of compliance. Grace Nishida wants to retire. Her vision isn’t as sharp as it used to be, and she doesn’t want to risk malpractice.”
Hudson sits back. “Is she even fifty?”
“Forty-five.”
He makes a quick note. “Good catch. I’ll meet with her and see if she’d move into a mentoring role for the surgical interns. She’s too good to lose.”
I nod. “I think anything’s worth a try. All she can tell you is no.”
He types something into his computer and looks at me again, so I continue. “Dr. Wells and Ryker Paradise already scheduled their CMEs. They were short two hours, so they’re doing a BC Health course up north.”
“Great.” He leans forward. “How about our biggest offender?”
I smile. “You must mean Alaric Dempsey.”
“Exactly.”
“I’ve confirmed that he’s all set to fulfill his continuing medical education requirement. Twenty hours next month in Hawaii.”
Hudson blinks. “Hawaii? You got him to commit to something in Hawaii?”
“It’s all done.”
He laughs, shaking his head. “Unbelievable. We’ve been sending him emails for months.”
“I might have nudged things along.” I slide the file across his desk. “The hospital’s portion of the registration is complete, and the conference approved him. He still needs to book his flight, but everything else is finished.”
Hudson flips through the paperwork. “How did you manage this?”
“I figured he’s too busy to deal with logistics. He’s working seven days a week right now, filling in shifts, running Behavioral Health, probably putting out fires no one tells you about. So I took care of the setup myself.”
He looks up at me, clearly impressed. “Liz, this is incredible. We can’t afford to lose him. You’ve solved one of my biggest headaches.”
“I just made it easier for him to do something good for himself,” I say, tucking my pen under my notebook strap. “He won’t take time off unless someone pushes him. Now, he has no excuse.”
Hudson laughs again, leaning back until his chair creaks. “You might be the first person who’s ever managed to out-organize Alaric Dempsey.”
Hearing his name out loud does something strange to my chest. I force a smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is. Keep this up and I’ll have to change your title from Assistant Director to Miracle Worker.” He nods, still studying the papers as he hands them back. “Seriously, nice work.”
“Thank you.” I stand, tucking the file back into my binder. “I’ll follow up next week to make sure he booked the flight.”
“Please do. And if you can get him to actually relax once he’s there, I’ll personally nominate you for sainthood.”
“Let’s not get carried away. One miracle at a time.”
He chuckles, waving me off, and I can’t help smiling to myself. If only he knew how complicated that miracle really was.
“Hey, Liz, wait a second.” Hudson’s voice stops me halfway to the door.
I turn back. “Yes?”
“When exactly is that conference in Hawaii?”
“Next month. The third week of February. It’s the Western Alliance for Medical Innovation.”
His eyes light with recognition. “That’s the one I signed up for. The administrative track.”
“You’re going?”
“I was,” he says with a sigh. “Now, I can’t. The board rescheduled the quarterly budget review for that week.” He leans back, thoughtful. “But someone should go. Someone organized. Someone who can make sure Dr. Dempsey actually attends the sessions and gets his required hours.”
The way he says this makes my stomach tighten. “You mean…me?”
He gives me a calm, managerial smile. “You’ve already done all the groundwork. You know the itinerary, the program director, and the credit requirements. You’re the logical choice.”
“I set it up so Alaric—Dr. Dempsey—could relax and take a real break. The last thing he needs is someone from admin shadowing him with a clipboard.”
He shakes his head. “You make it sound like I’m asking you to babysit. I just want someone there who can make sure the hospital’s investment pays off. And I’ve already booked a spot in the admin sessions. Consider it professional development. Besides, Hawaii in February isn’t exactly punishment.”
“It’s work,” I say automatically, though my voice wavers. I haven’t taken a real vacation in years.
Hudson catches the hesitation and pounces. “Perfect. You can attend a few administrative sessions, represent the hospital, enjoy the sun, maybe a luau, and make sure Dempsey checks in at his classes. I’ll authorize the travel today and have Misty get it moved into your name.”
Misty Brandt hasn’t said two words to me thus far and hasn’t been very helpful. I’m not sure how that will go. “I really don’t think—”
He raises a hand, ending the conversation. “I do. Pack something tropical and bring your badge. You’re going.”
I exhale, knowing I’ve lost. “Fine. But if Dr. Dempsey skips out for surfing lessons, I’m not chasing him down the beach.”
Hudson grins. “Deal.”
A few moments later, the elevator doors slide open at the end of the hall, and as I step inside, my reflection stares back—wide eyes, a faint flush. Hawaii. With Alaric Dempsey. What could possibly go wrong?
Back in my office, I’m not sure if I should scream in frustration or celebrate a free week in the islands. Instead, I text Trinity.
Me: Hey, are you around? Can I come by after work?
Her reply comes quickly.
Trinity: Come on over. Greyson’s working the late shift tonight. We can order pizza.
I finish my last few tasks and pack my bag, frustration growing with every step.
By the time I pull into Trinity’s building’s guest parking, the sun’s gone and the cold has that sharp edge that sneaks in once the snow starts to refreeze.
I buzz her unit, and the click of the lock feels like an exhale I’ve been holding in all day.
I’ve spent the entire drive over working myself up about Alaric Dempsey—why Hudson thinks I should keep an eye on him in Hawaii, why I agreed, and how on Earth I’m supposed to survive a week in Hawaii with the man my heart once belonged to.
Upstairs, Trinity opens the door before I even knock, holding out a glass. “You sounded like you need this.”
“Desperately.” I step inside and take the drink, something pale and citrusy with a sugared rim. Warmth hits instantly, both from the cocktail and the fire flickering in her living room.
Before I can launch into my rant, something on the dining table catches my eye. Blueprints, sketches, and color samples are spread across the surface, anchored by a mug and a tape measure. “What’s all this?”
Trinity grins, brushing a stray curl off her cheek. “Greyson and I are thinking about building. We inherited a plot up on the cliffs overlooking the lake, just west of where Ryker and Beckett live.”
“On Paradise Hill land?” I ask, circling the table.
“Technically, yeah. But it’s the rocky stretch that can’t support vines. Useless for wine, perfect for a house. Greyson keeps saying it’s the best view in the valley. Their grandparents gave each of them a plot of land, so he’s probably right.”
Seems like they’re more than just thinking about it. These plans are detailed—big windows, a wraparound deck, and an open kitchen that spills into a living area with floor-to-ceiling glass. I can already imagine the sunsets pouring through. “It’s beautiful.”
Her face softens. “We’ve outgrown the condo. Between his hospital shifts, my admin work done mostly from home, all of Theo’s toys, and the constant parade of family dropping by, it’s starting to feel small. This seems like the next step.”
I smile, caught up in her excitement. “It looks like home already. And I see extra rooms for when your family grows.”
She nudges my shoulder. “Enough about me. What’s going on? You sounded stressed.”
I take a long sip, letting the sugar melt on my tongue. “Let’s just say our boss has a sense of humor, and it involves sending me to Hawaii with Alaric Dempsey.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, this I’ve got to hear.” Trinity moves into the living room and pats the sofa. “Sit. Start from the top.”
I sink into the cushion, kicking off my heels and curling one leg beneath me. She tucks her feet under her, glass in hand as well, and waits, the picture of patience and quiet curiosity.
“How was your day?” she prompts.
I laugh softly. “Busy. Productive. Infuriating.”
“Infuriating sounds interesting.”
“I arranged for Dr. Dempsey to catch up on continuing education hours next month at a conference on Kauai, and when I told Hudson about it, he assigned me to go along in his place.”
Her lips twitch. “You and Ric? I told you you’d run into him.”
“You were a little late since you waited to tell me until after I moved here.”
“Hawaii sounds lovely.” She doesn’t push. She just waits until I fill the silence.
“Yes, Hudson realized Dr. Dempsey will be attending the same conference he was supposed to go to but can’t.”
Her brow furrows.
“The board scheduled a budget review, so now I’m going instead. He wants me to attend a few admin sessions and make sure Alaric gets to his classes.” I add air quotes around the last part.
“You know that’s how Greyson and I met.”
I shake my head. “No, it isn’t. He sat down next to you on the ferry. You two just hooked up after that. Not the same thing.”
She laughs. “Still, conferences are magical.”
“Yes, for one-night stands. And before you suggest it, Ric and I have been there, done that.”
Trinity leans back, biting her grin. “So your boss wants you to babysit your ex-boyfriend in Hawaii?”
“I didn’t tell Hudson he was my ex-boyfriend. I didn’t think there was a reason to.” I rub my temples. “It’s not professional. But this is not healthy. And it’s definitely not my idea of a vacation.”
“Why didn’t you tell Hudson you didn’t feel comfortable with this?”
“I’m not going to tell my boss about my personal life. This is part of my job. I can do it.”
She hums, seeming unconvinced. “Are you sure?”
“It’s fine,” I say too quickly. “I’m just getting used to him being around. The last time I saw him was three years ago at Leah and Trey’s twins’ christening in North Van, and he disappeared before the party. But we’ve both moved on.”
Trinity studies me over the rim of her glass. “And yet here you are, worked up enough to come over the minute your day ended.”
I open my mouth to argue, but I can’t. My thoughts tumble back to Alaric’s sharp eyes during our meeting, the way his voice still finds that nerve I swore I buried. “I just don’t want to dredge up the past,” I say finally. “It ended for a reason.”
She nods slowly. “Sometimes healing means facing what broke you.”
The words land like a pebble in still water, rippling outward until something deep inside me shifts. No. That can’t be true. I’ve built a life, a career, a new version of myself. But even as I think it, I know she’s right. I’m not over him. I never really have been.
I look down at my glass, watching the ice swirl. “Then I guess it’s time to face it.”
Trinity smiles. “Or at least survive a week in the tropics without losing your mind.”
“Strictly by the book,” I say, nodding, as if I can convince myself. “Professional. Civil. That’s it.”
“Sure,” she says with a teasing glint. “What could possibly go wrong?”