Kayla Winter's boyfriend, Brett Perkins, decides to join the Marine Corps right after high school. They promised to stay in touch, but life happens. Flash forward eight years and see what has become of the two. Will they meet again and get back toge...
I smiled down at the older lady. I have been taking care of her for the past two days, and every single time I came in, she said that to me.
"Well you are my favorite patient, Mrs. Aldertree."
"You don't need to try and flatter this old lady. Although I won't say no to some chocolates." I chuckled.
"I will have to bring in some chocolates tomorrow. For now, you sadly have to deal with the Jell-O. I will be back in a bit to check on you." I patted her hand before leaving her room. I stifled a yawn as I headed to the nurses' station. I was literally running off of caffeine and a twenty-minute power nap. An eighteen-hour shift will make anyone tired, even a seasoned nurse.
"I thought you were off already, Kayla," one of my friends, Mindy, said as I leaned against the desk.
"Ended up taking Julie's shift, but I am off in thirty minutes." The clock straight ahead of me showed it was eight in the morning. I wanted nothing more than to be in bed right now.
"Isn't this your third shift this week?" I nodded, running a hand down my face. "It is only Thursday! You've worked basically all week."
Yes, working three twelve-hour shifts wasn't the greatest, but I didn't mind. It was money and I had nothing else to do. It was better than going home to an empty apartment.
"We need to get you a boyfriend," she said. Rolling my eyes, I looked at her.
"Mindy, we've been through this."
"You don't want a boyfriend; you are fine alone. I get it, but you work too much. It isn't healthy." I recited the whole thing in my head. I'd heard it a thousand times already.
"How about I set you up with someone?" another nurse, Kelly, asked. I have worked at this hospital for over four years, and I have been set up about five times by other nurses. It never worked out, of course. I just wasn't interested in dating. Sure, I have gone out with guys over the years, but none of them held my interest. None of them held a candle to the man I gave my heart to eight years ago.
"Thanks, Kelly, but I am okay. Really, guys, I am fine," I declined. I was tired of being set up with guys that never worked out. I was fine being single.
"Kayla—" I put up a hand to stop her.
"I am going to go home and go to bed, dreaming of how nice it is to be single." I moved around the desk to the locker in the back, where I kept my things.
"Kayla, you should go out and let your hair down. You are twenty-six for crying out loud! You know it isn't a sin to go out with multiple people and sleep with them. You haven't had sex in what, three years?"
"How do you know I didn't get some last night?" I raised an eyebrow at them.
"You would be glowing if you did, and you would be more pleasant." Kelly and Mindy laughed at that.
"Ha Ha. While you two stay here and talk about my sex life, I am going home to go to bed before my next shift." I sent them a wave as I walked down the hallway to the elevator.
They may be right about the no sex in three years thing, but I was not the type of girl who had one-night stands. Yes, I missed the touch of a guy and going out on a fun date, but I was fine with my routine life. It was simple, easy.
As I walked to my car, the face of someone I once knew flashed through my head. He was the one guy I truly loved, but that was gone now. He is gone. I would not let myself think about that, so I shook my head and cleared all thoughts of love, dating, and sex out of my mind. Instead, I got in my car and thought about my warm bed waiting for me.
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