Sweet Nothing: Novel

“What’s fucked up is that thing she did with a beer bottle.”


Quinn shook his head. “I’m telling her not to cook for you anymore. You’re a twisted asshole.” He held out a can of soda for me and I took it with a grateful nod.

“Twisted asshole. I think that’s what she called that other move.” He shot me a warning glare and I shrugged. “It’s part of my charm.”





By the time my shift had ended, my eyes felt burned open. The night had been relatively calm compared to most, but that didn’t mean it was easy. I’d dealt with a choking victim and a lost child before things kicked up a notch and we helped a man who had suffered a tragic table-saw incident. Usually, flirting with the nurses in the ER made the night bearable, but I was far too exhausted to mutter any one-liners as we flew in and out of the hospital.

I hurried home and took Dax out for a walk before crashing from exhaustion.

My self-induced coma only lasted a few hours before my phone began to ring. I answered it while rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“This better be important,” I groaned, rolling onto my back.

“Twins.”

I sat up, blinking open my eyes. “What the fuck are you talking about, Quinn?”

“Fucking twins, Josh. Blondes with some tig ole bitties. Get down to Corner Hole, bro. They told me to call a friend.”

I glanced at the bright red numbers on the alarm clock beside my bed before stifling a yawn.

“You owe me a beer,” I grumbled.

“You help me seal the deal with these chicks, I’ll give you my firstborn.”

“I’ll just take the beer.” I clicked to end the call before tossing the phone next to me on the bed. “This better be worth the time,” I mumbled to myself. I slipped out of bed and padded my way down the narrow hall to the bathroom. Even splashing ice-cold water on my face did little to snap me from exhaustion.

I dressed quickly, not bothering to double-check how I looked before heading out into the cool night air.

Corner Hole bar was located almost exactly halfway between my building and St. Ann’s. Because of the location it was the bar of choice for hospital staff, making that horrible little dive perfect for fraternizing.

Being a weeknight, the place was practically empty, but a few familiar faces popped into view, one of which made me smile. Avery looked shocked when her gaze settled on mine, but she quickly worked her way through the crowd toward me.

“Thank God you’re here,” she said as my chest puffed out from the surprise greeting.

“It’s good to see you too.”

“I need you.” Her thin, long fingers circled around my wrist as she pulled me toward the bar. I zeroed in on the door to the backroom. It would be the perfect place for us to fool around.

“Whoa, Avery. I’m into you too, but I didn’t think you were that kind of girl,” I joked.

She didn’t find it funny, instead glancing back over her shoulder to glower at me. “No, pervert. There is this guy over here who won’t leave me alone. I figured you could help a girl out?” She cocked her eyebrow and waited for my response.

“Lead the way. I’ll teach the asshole a lesson.”

Avery pulled me toward the bar. Her friend was waving at her with a forced smile plastered on her face, and standing next to her was a very sloppy-drunk Quinn.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” I mumbled, stopping in front of him. Two very pissed off women were waiting for me to do something.

“I believe you know Quinn, the asshole.” Avery swooped her hand out in his direction dramatically, fighting against a smirk.

Clearing my throat, I struggled to appear serious. “What’s going on, man?”

Jamie McGuire & Teresa Mummert's books