One year later
“Are you worried about today?” Ren asked.
Dani turned on her side and slid an arm around Ren’s waist. “Morning. I’m not worried about anything right now.”
Ren laughed and kissed her back. “Sorry. I wake up and my mind starts working.”
“I’ve noticed that a time or two hundred.”
Ren snuggled closer. No matter how many times she woke up with Dani, her first sensations were always brand new again. Surprising, exciting, comforting. And then came the rightness of being exactly where she was. “I know my mind isn’t the only thing that’s working right now.”
Dani chuckled and stroked the length of Ren’s belly in such a possessive move Ren instantly quickened. A few minutes later, Dani said, “How’s your mind doing now?”
Ren sighed and wrapped her arms around Dani’s shoulders, holding her as close as she could. With her cheek pillowed on Dani’s chest, she murmured, “Can’t think of anything particularly important. Right now.”
“Good. Are you worried about today?”
“No, not at all. Well,” she added, “I want you to win, of course. But that’s not a worry.”
“You know I’m good with it if you do, right?” Dani said.
“Of course.”
Dani kissed her. “It’s all kind of irrelevant, anyhow. No matter what happens, it’s not going to change anything between us.”
“No, nothing ever will.” Ren kissed her. “I love you.”
“I know, and I love you back.”
“So,” Ren began carefully, “I think I should move in here.”
Dani pushed up on her elbow. “Really? What about your house?”
“I can rent it. If Zoey is going to move out, we’d have this place all to ourselves. And Syd and Emmett are right next door. It’s nice to have other people around sometimes. Just not…”
She broke off at the sound of footsteps passing in the hall outside the bedroom.
“Just not,” Dani agreed, stifling a laugh, “someone always in line for the shower.”
Ren looked up. “That is, if you, you know, want me around twenty-four hours a day and not just for the awesome sex when we can manage the time.”
Dani raised her brows, her eyes sparkling. “Hey, I like the booty calls. But I’d also really like having you here all the time, even if we probably wouldn’t see each other half of it anyhow.”
“All right,” Ren said, mentally preparing the to-do list, “I’ll contact a Realtor to rent the house and find a property manager. And then we’ll need to schedule a mover, and coordinate our schedules, and—”
“Baby,” Dani murmured, “I think we better get to the meeting, or we won’t have jobs and we won’t have to worry about the rest of it.”
“Oh!” Ren sat up. “That’s a much better plan.”
Zoey waited while they showered and dressed, and the three of them left for the hospital together. Along the way they met Syd and Emmett, and when they reached the auditorium, Jerry and Sadie were waiting.
“Hey,” Syd said, “we’re all together. That almost never happens.”
Jerry smiled, and even Sadie seemed glad to see everyone. “Seemed like something we should do as a group.”
They took seats in the second row, and promptly at seven, Quinn came in, gave them the results of the surgery match, and let them all know that once again the incoming first year residents were a good crop.
Quinn surveyed the hall filled with residents. “Tomorrow all of you fourth years will be chief residents. You’ll be responsible for guiding the junior residents through the upcoming year. Zoey Cohen”—she shot a fleeting smile in Zoey’s direction—“will be the chief surgical resident, seeing that all of you make the most of your last year of training. Congratulations, Zoey.”
Zoey gasped and searched the far side of the room where Dec sat as those around her turned to congratulate her. Even Sadie gave her a quick shoulder bump.
“We’re also,” Quinn continued, “very pleased to announce that the recipient of the Franklin Surgical Award, given each year to the outstanding chief resident who demonstrates proficiency in surgery…”
Ren reached over and grasped Dani’s hand.
“…is Emmett McCabe.”
“Whoa,” Emmett blurted loud enough to make everyone laugh.
Ren and Dani simultaneously called, “Hey, way to go, McCabe. Go get your award.”
Syd kissed Emmett and pushed her to her feet. “Go. Congratulations, baby.”
Ren glanced at Dani as Emmett made her way to the stage. “Emmett was a good choice.”
“Yep. Totally cool. And totally right.” Dani smiled. “You would have been too.”
Ren said, “You know, I already have all I want. I have you. I love you.”
“Funny,” Dani said, “I’d say it’s a win-win for both of us then, since I love you back. So, about those plans…”