Chapter 16
Amelia
“Amelia, can I see you in my office for a minute?”
Luna’s voice cuts through the room as she stands by her door, and something about her tone makes my stomach clench. I save the draft of my piece about the school’s new reading program and follow her into her office.
She closes the door behind me, which only adds to my uneasy feeling.
“Please sit,” she says, settling behind her desk with a tight expression.
I take a seat, hands clasped in my lap, back straight. “Is everything okay?”
Luna rests her arms on her desk, leaning forward. “I wanted to give you a heads-up before you hear it through gossip. We’ve had another application for the position.”
The words hit like a smack to my face. My carefully thought-out plan suddenly feels like it’s tipping.
“Another application?”
Luna’s watching my face carefully. “Tannis Wenzel. She’s got ten years of experience with The Boston Times. Her portfolio is impressive.”
The Boston Times. The name replays in my head as I try to process.
“I see.” My voice sounds fragile and hollow even to my own ears.
“Look, you’re still very much in the running,” Luna continues. “Your community connections are valuable, and you know this town better than anyone. Tannis brings a different skill to the table.”
A sense of dread fills me. “When do you expect to make a decision?”
“After my vacation. I’ll be interviewing her next Friday morning.” She leans back slightly. “Amelia, if you have a story that shows your journalism the best, now would be the time.”
I nod, unable to speak through the tightness in my throat. The Adrian interview suddenly feels like my last chance.
I clear my throat, trying to remain professional. “Thanks for letting me know.” Standing on shaky legs, I head back to my desk, where I stare at the computer screen. Ten years of experience at The Boston Times.
I can’t compete with that.
“Hello.” Violet waves her hand in front of my screen.
I blink, trying to focus. Turning to her, I let the words tumble from my heart. “There’s competition for the promotion.”
“What kind?” Violet’s eyebrows knit together.
“I need a miracle story if I want to stand a chance.”
“Shit.” Violet drops into the chair beside me. “What are you going to do?”
All I keep thinking about is the interview Adrian promised. It could be my one shot to prove I’m the right choice.
“I have something in mind. The interview with Adrian. His side.”
“Amelia, get the story. Show them that you’re the one for the job.”
Her words echo my inner thoughts, ones I’ve been too scared to voice.
The extra money that comes from the promotion will stop me from struggling.
Tannis Wenzel doesn’t know it yet, but she’s not competing for a job. She’s threatening my ability to take care of the people I love most.
Later that day, I step out of the car, ready to celebrate the hard work of setting up the fundraiser. Tomorrow is the big day.
The street buzzes with conversation and bursts of laughter from passing groups. Pulse Point Tavern’s neon sign glows, its light flickering against the windows.
I pull my beige trench coat tighter around me, suddenly questioning my outfit choice.
The boots add a few inches to my height, making me feel more put-together, more confident.
Dark jeans hug my legs, and the soft sweater skims my curves just right.
It’s casual, but deliberate. Just enough to look like I put in effort without making it obvious.
My hair falls sleek and straight over my shoulders, and I only did the bare minimum with my makeup with a little mascara, a hint of color on my cheeks and lips.
Anything more, and he might think I dressed up for him. Which, in fact, I secretly did.
Stepping inside, warmth rushes over me, carrying the scents of beer, fried food, and smoke. A loud cheer from a group gathered around the TV watching the latest football game pulls me in. The bar is packed, a mix of post-work drinkers, friends catching up, and people like me, meeting someone.
Leon, the bartender, spots me instantly.
“Hey, Amelia. How’s your mom?” he asks, coming over to wipe down the bar in front of me.
I force a polite smile. “She’s good.”
It’s always about her. No one ever asks how I am. I swallow down the familiar frustration and look around, scanning the crowd.
“What about you?” Leon leans against the counter. “What brings you in tonight?”
I smile. “Meeting a friend.”
“Anyone in particular?”
Before I can answer, my gaze lands on Adrian.
He’s seated at a table, already watching me.
His lips curve into something subtle, something unreadable, then his eyes flick down, taking me in from head to toe.
Heat rushes up my neck, and I have to fight the instinct to shift from foot to foot under his intense scrutiny.
I swallow hard, suddenly too warm beneath my coat.
“Want me to bring a drink over?” Leon asks.
“Has he ordered?”
“No, he was waiting for you.”
That shouldn’t make my body tremble, but it does.
I shake my head. “No, but thank you, we’ll order together.”
Leon nods. “I’ll come over and take your order in just a moment.”
I move toward Adrian. He’s chosen a table away from the main crowd, far enough from the sports fanatics that we won’t have to yell to be heard, but not secluded enough to draw attention. It’s a good spot.
“Hi.” My voice comes out a little breathless. I hate that.
Adrian rises from his seat, giving me a full view of him. He’s changed out of his usual work attire. No suit and tie. Just dark blue jeans and a fitted charcoal shirt, the sleeves rolled up his forearms. Relaxed but still devastatingly good-looking.
“You look beautiful,” he says with a warm smile.
“Thanks.” I unbutton my coat, draping it over the back of the chair. He pulls it out for me—a simple gesture, but one that sends a strange tug through my chest. I sit, and he pushes the chair in slightly before taking his own seat.
“Leon said he’ll come over to take our orders soon.”
“Okay.” Adrian’s smiling, but there’s something in his eyes… something tired and distant.
“Rough day?”
He sighs, leaning forward slightly. The table between us is small, leaving little space. My arms rest against the wood, and his aren’t far from mine.
“Interesting,” he says finally.
“Interesting good or interesting bad?”
He doesn’t get a chance to answer before Leon arrives with a small bowl of complimentary nuts. We place our drink orders—Beer for him, white wine for me. Adrian orders us an appetizer. I add to it, because somehow, I already know we’ll be here for a while.
Once Leon leaves, Adrian runs a hand over his jaw. I notice the stubble there, darker now under the tavern’s light, and for a second, I wonder how it would feel against my skin.
I shove that thought aside when he speaks.
“So, there was a problem at work,” he starts.
“An elderly patient came in with pain, but showing signs of confusion. My gut said something else was going on, but my superior ordered me to discharge her.” He pauses, eyes dropping to his hands, which are tapping the table.
“He said that confusion comes with being old.”
Leon brings the drinks over and then quickly leaves again.
Adrian immediately takes a long pull from his drink as if he needs it to steady himself.
I stay quiet, eating nuts and just listening as I try to process this new information.
This isn’t the doctor I’ve been writing about.
The man sitting across from me is talking about gut instincts and patient care.
“I couldn’t do it. So I ordered more tests anyway.” His jaw tightens. “Turned out, she had a severe UTI that was causing early signs of sepsis. If I’d discharged her like he wanted…” He shakes his head. “She could’ve died at home.”
His words settle heavy in my chest. This Adrian genuinely cares about his patients and isn’t the controversial doctor I thought he was.
The weight of holding that type of responsibility, having to choose between following orders and potentially letting someone die, I can’t even imagine. “But you saved her.”
“This time. But it gets me in my own head, you know? Makes me doubt myself. After my past mistake, I sometimes wonder if I’m just stubborn or if I actually know what I’m doing.” He meets my eyes briefly. “I don’t like following orders when they feel wrong. That’s what got me in trouble before.”
That earns a small smirk from me. “Yeah, I kind of gathered that.”
He huffs a quiet laugh.
Holding his gaze, I feel exposed under his attention, those blue eyes seeing right through me.
I was wrong and force myself to say what I’ve been thinking.
“There’s one person I trust when it comes to judging character, and that’s Keith.
If he believes in you, then I do too. If he wants you at his practice—the most important thing to him—then I trust that you’re not some reckless doctor who doesn’t care.
And in the time I’ve spent with you, I see it too.
You care. You’ve been kind to me and to my family.
If you were truly an ass, you would’ve been an asshole to all of us.
But you haven’t been. That tells me something. ”
The words hang between us, my cheeks heat from the possibility of saying too much.
Adrian watches me, like he’s searching for the right words but can’t quite find them. Something flickers across his face, surprise, maybe? Before he looks down at his hands.
I take a slow sip of my wine, letting the rich, sweet taste settle on my tongue before setting the glass down. Across from me, Adrian leans back slightly, rolling his beer bottle between his fingers. His eyes lock on mine as he takes another swig, setting the bottle down with a quiet thump.