Here With Me by Megan Nugen Isbell Read Free Book Online Page B

face.
    “Fine,” she relented. “Kenna was talking about going out with Nate the next time Ryan and I go out.”
    The smile on Cole’s face faded.
    “So you went out with him then?”
    “Yes, I did.”
    “How was your date?”
    “It was fine,” she replied, not offering up any details. 
    “And you’re going out again?” Mallory was quiet and Cole looked at her with that smirk again. “Well, are you?” he asked again.
    “I’m not sure,” she said quietly.
    “You’re not sure?  What do you mean you’re not sure?”
    “Well,” she said hesitantly. “He hasn’t exactly asked me out again.”
    A pit formed in her stomach at hearing the words leave her mouth.
    “A little bummed, are we?”
    “Oh, just shut up, Cole,” she snapped.
    “You’re awfully testy.” 
    “Well, yeah, I am when you won’t stop bothering me about it.  I had a really good time last night and I’m a little frustrated that he hasn’t called me yet, okay?  Maybe he’s busy at work or something, but still…” she said as her voice faded.
    “Don’t get upset, Mal.  He’s just one of those people who’s here for the summer and then gone.  Where would it really go anyway?”
    “Seriously, Cole?   Even if that’s true, I really don’t need to hear it from you.  You’re supposed to be my friend, or did you forget that?”
    “Believe me, I haven’t forgotten.”  He was staring at her in the way he did sometimes.  She knew what he was implying, but she wasn’t going to feed into him. 
    “I need to go.  My break’s almost over.” 
    “No, it’s not.  You just don’t want to talk to me anymore.”  The smile that spread across his face was smug, but she couldn’t help but smile back.  Even though he was annoying and persistent and hopeless, he was her friend and she loved him.
    “I never could get one by you,” she said, picking up her salad dish and walking to the trash can. “I’m sure your grandmother’s test is over by now.  I’ll see you later.”
    Not waiting for him to say anything, she turned to head back to the ER.  She shouldn’t be worried that Ryan hadn’t called yet.  It hadn’t even been 24 hours since their date.  She always did this and she hated it about herself.  Obsessing about things she could not control would not get her anywhere.  It would only ruin her day and she refused to let that happen.  She’d had a great time and she assumed Ryan had as well.  If, in fact, he had, he would call.  If she’d misread him, he wouldn’t and she would survive.  She didn’t have time for anything serious right now anyway.  And like Cole had said, Ryan would be gone at the end of the summer, so it wouldn’t go anywhere.  She couldn’t help but think it would be fun while it lasted though.

Ch apter Six
     
    The fun was not going to last.  It had been three days and not a word from Ryan.  He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to just blow someone off.  At the very least, she’d expected some kind of text, which was completely lame and immature, but it was better than nothing at all.  Ryan had seemed like a nice guy, but obviously, she’d been wrong.  She couldn’t help but wonder what she’d done to turn him off.  She knew she hadn’t imagined the chemistry between them.  She told herself it didn’t matter though, although she didn’t dare tell Cole he’d been right.  They hadn’t spoken since that day at the hospital and she could only imagine him gloating if he found out Ryan had given her the brush off.  Kenna knew though and she’d gone off on an obscenity laced rant about Ryan and Nate and what losers they really were.  Mallory suspected Kenna was more upset she’d never gotten a shot with Nate rather than how badly they’d misjudged Ryan. 
    Pushing him to the back of her mind, she went over the Doctors Without Borders application that lay sprawled out in front of her.  It had been in her desk drawer for over a year, but her conversation with