She bites her lip. “How long do you think it will take for the rest of the staff to hear about us?”
She doesn’t necessarily look worried when she asks, but I can tell that underneath her jokes and her quips, Mackenzie is at least considering what our lie will mean for our lives at the hospital. I can already imagine the rumor mill, an ER physician barely out of her residency being the secret mate of the biggest ass of Denver General (yes, I’m aware of my reputation), the hottest gossip ever to circulate. It’s going to make for an interesting workday, that’s for sure. I can already feel my quiet existence slipping right through my fingers.
I chuff out a laugh, albeit a dry one, shaking my head. “Trust me,” I tell her. “They already know.”
5
Mackenzie
I have to admit, there had been a part of me that had actually believed that it wouldn’t be a big deal, this thing between Noah and me. My last few shifts have been so busy that I hadn’t taken the proper time to lift my head up and notice my coworkers being dodgy. Sure, I assumed the news would get out, but I don’t think I’d actually prepared myself for how interesting literally everyone would find it. I guess I underestimated how rarely this place gets fed good gossip. Our story might as well be blood in the water.
I can see it now in the furtive glances when I walk down the hall, hear it in the whispers that seem to stop as soon as I enter a room; hell, an RN I’ve never met before approached me in the break room only an hour after my shift had started to ask me if I was actually seeing Noah Taylor. I couldn’t exactly tell if she was envious of me or worried I was in a hostage situation. To be fair, either scenario is entirely within the realm of possibility. I mean, Noah might be surly, but he is arguably also very hot.
By lunchtime, I’m half considering taking my food into a bathroom stall to get a break from it all, but I reason that the best way to disperse the curiosity quickly is to face it head-on as if nothing is amiss. Parker sidestepped my invitation to eat with me in the hospital cafeteria, claiming he had a server issue he needed to work on, but I suspect he is punishing me for what he feels is a bad judgment call. He likes to pretend he’s my mother sometimes.
I find out quickly I hadn’t needed to look for a lunch date at all, having underestimated the number of people who would want to grill me about my new relationship status. Gossip, it seems, is an ample incentive for social interactions. I’ve barely had time to unwrap my plastic spoon and open my apple juice when a familiar face plops down into the seat across from the table.
“You have to tell me everything.”
I take a sip of my juice to give myself a moment to form an answer, noticing how excited my friend Priya looks and taking it as a bad sign. I have to remind myself that I cannot tell anyone else the truth, even if the other person is someone I like. Noah would be pissy as it is if he knew I told Parker.
I feign ignorance. “Sorry?”
“Don’t you dare.” Priya rolls her eyes, flicking her long, inky hair over one shoulder. “How could you not tell me?”
“I . . .” I shift in my seat. I’m not the best liar in the world. I should have taken that into account before I jumped into this agreement so readily. “You see, Noah and I decided before I started that we wouldn’t—”
“I mean, I get it,” Priya huffs. “I heard from Jessica in Radiology”—I have never met Jessica from Radiology, and I’m already wondering what makes her the authority on my fake relationship—“that you didn’t want to, like, color your reputation with his or something. Totally respect that and all, but I can’t believe I’ve missed out on a year’s worth of gossip. What’s it like?”
My brow arches. “What’s what like?”
“Don’t even,” Priya tuts. “What’s it like being with an alpha?”
“Oh.” Right. That’s supposed to be a unique experience. I guess it would make sense that other shifters would be curious about it. I try for a casual response. “It’s honestly not any different than any other shifter guy. Mechanics are all the same.”
“Bullshit,” she scoffs. “It’s so rare for an omega and an alpha to hook up. It has to be mind-blowing, right?”
Oh. Right.
Suddenly I’m second-guessing my decision to tell Priya what I am.
“Well, I . . .” I try to think of something that might sate her curiosity. “It’s definitely the best I’ve ever had.”
Honestly, it’s almost unfair that I have to lie about this without ever having gotten the chance to try it out for myself.
“But I mean—” Priya looks around before she lowers her voice, like she’s afraid of being overheard. “Is it true they have . . . You know. Right? Do they?”
She’s absolutely lost me. “What do you mean?”
“You know . . .” Another furtive glance around us, and then she leans in closer. “A knot.”
Oh. Oh. Wow. That’s not something I’ve actively considered yet. The mechanics of Noah’s . . . private parts. Knotting had been at the very bottom of my list of things I wanted to ask Noah about during our lunch date yesterday.
“Oh, um.” I can feel heat at the tips of my ears and in my cheeks. “That’s . . . Well.”
“Oh my God, you’re blushing. You have to tell me what it feels like. Does it hurt? Do you have to get used to it? How long does it usually last after it happens? Are you, like, stuck together for an hour or something?”
I was not prepared for the knotting section of the fake mate quiz.
“Oh, it’s . . . great,” I tell her, figuring the least I can do is substantiate her fantasy. “Life-changing, really. Once you go knot you’ll . . . want for . . . not.”
Priya bursts out laughing, gaining us attention from an elderly gynecologist sitting nearby who I recognize from my rounds. I mentally urge him to turn back to his tuna salad, knowing even someone in his field is most likely as unprepared for this conversation as I am.
“Shh.” I lean in conspiratorially. “I’m totally kidding. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Says you,” Priya snorts. “God. It must be so nice to have someone to spend your heat with.” She looks almost wistful. “Those heat hookup apps are a fucking nightmare.”
I can’t tell her that I wouldn’t know on either front. No way would I ever let anyone’s incisors near me when I was on my heat.
“I can’t even imagine what it’s like being with Noah,” she barrels on, blessedly changing the subject. “Does he frown during sex?”
Now it’s my turn to laugh, because I could actually picture it, strangely. “It’s a sexy frown.”