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Jack Abbot was going insane.
At least he felt like he was. And all because of one particular aroma.
He was an hour into this shift making a note in a chart when the scent hit him for the first time. He paused, fingers hovering over the keys as his nostrils flared slightly. Vanilla and honeysuckle with an undertone he couldn’t name. He turned his head left, then right. Nothing.
It wasn’t one of the staff, he’d long since memorized all of their natural scents and could pick them out blindfolded. No, this was new. He shrugged, figuring it must belong to a patient even as his instincts were screaming at him to find the source. He stretched his neck then shook it off. He had work to do.
“Forget it,” he muttered to himself and went back to the chart.
Twenty minutes later he was discussing next steps with a patient that Nazely was working on. The college kid had tripped over his own feet in his drunkenness and cracked his head on a concrete planter. The scent came again, stronger this time. He paused then turned, scanning the immediate area. No one but him, Dr. Toomarian and the drunk frat boy. The scent lingered then faded and Jack returned to the conversation.
When he left the room, he tried to track it down but nothing. Then he was called away for a consult on a case. The scent hit him again at the hub while he was scanning the board. He stopped, one hand on the counter and inhaled. There. Faint but unmistakable. It pulled at every instinct he had. He straightened, ran a hand through his hair and did a slow lap around the department. He caught traces of it again once or twice but nothing more.
“I’m losing my fucking mind,” he said then ran a hand over his face.
Midnight came and went. Jack stood at the hub reviewing test results for the patient in Twelve. Parker slid up beside him, her arm brushing his as she reached for a tablet.
The scent hit like a punch to the solar plexus.
He went completely still. It was coming from Parker. The same scent that had been driving him quietly crazy for hours and it had been right there with his senior resident all along.
He cleared his throat.
She glanced at him, brow lifting. “You okay, boss?”
“Yeah.” His voice came out rough and he cleared his throat again. “Fine. Just—” He hesitated a moment. “Are you wearing perfume?”
Parker blinked as genuine surprise crossed her features. “No, of course not. Why?”
Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “This scent has been driving me crazy for the whole shift. It seems to be coming from you but I know it’s not yours. Maybe I am going crazy.”
Parker glanced down at herself. Her gaze catching on the faded hoodie she was wearing. Her expression shifted and a slow smirk crossed her face that Jack did not like at all.
“Sorry,” she said, not sounding apologetic in the least. “Must be the hoodie. I’ll stash it in my locker.”
She peeled the article of clothing off in one smooth motion and headed for the locker room. She looked just a little too pleased with herself. Jack stood at the hub, teeth clenched, and watched her walk away.
***
Parker closed the locker room door behind her and chuckled lowly. She’d been in a hurry tonight and had grabbed the first jacket she’d seen. It just so happened that the one she picked up was the one you’d worn yesterday. It wouldn’t be the first time it had happened in the years you’d been first friends, then roommates. Though normally it was you stealing her clothes rather than the other way around.
Parker folded the hoodie and put it in her bag inside her locker then she pulled out her phone to send you a quick text. You’d still be working but she knew you’d get it when you got off and could check your phone.
Hey roomie. Bring me food? Please? I’ll love you forever. You’ll have to bring it in though. Busy night.
She always met you outside when you brought her anything during shift. It was about time her colleagues met you. She smirked, locked her phone and headed back to the floor.
The night was young and it was about to get a whole lot more interesting.
***
You peeled the last of your suppressant patches off as you walked through the casino parking garage, wincing as the adhesive tugged at your skin. The things itched like crazy and you always removed them the moment you stepped outside of the building. You tossed them in a nearby trash can without much thought. You rolled your shoulders as you shook off the sensory overload that was your place of employment. Too many people crammed in too small of a space with overly bright lights and the clamoring noise of the slot machines.
You waited until you got into your car to check your phone, not wanting the distraction in the dimly lit garage. You cleared your notifications, snorting in amusement when you saw Parker’s text. The last thing you wanted to do after your shift was to go into the hospital, but she rarely asked. And lord knows she’d ran enough weird errands for you over the years.
Food options were limited this time of night, but between you and Parker, you’d found them all. Your favorite was the food truck that served nothing but mac and cheese. Yes, please. You ordered for both of you then got back in the car and made the short drive to PTMC.
This time of morning, the waiting area was emptier and the line was short. You held up the bag when you got to the window. “I come bearing food for Dr. Ellis.”
She smiled. “She told me you were coming. Go on back. Head for the big desk in the middle of the floor. They’ll find her for you.” The door to the right buzzed and you pushed through.
The desk was easy to find. You sat the bag on the counter and waited for the woman on the phone to acknowledge you. She held up a finger, finished her conversation and looked at you with a smile. “How can I help you, hon?”
“I’m looking for Parker Ellis. I brought her food.”
Her smile turned into something less customer service. “And how do you know our Dr. Ellis?”
“Roommate/besties,” you said with a grin.
“Well, you’re fine to wait there. She’s in with a patient but she should be out in a minute.”
“Thanks.” You tapped your hand softly on the counter as you bounced your foot. You were always wound up after a shift. You caught movement from the corner of your eye and turned your head.
A man had left a room a short distance away and stopped in his tracks. You ran your gaze over him, taking in the auburn hair scattered amongst the gray curls. He wasn’t overly tall and his build suggested he spent time in the gym. He was just your type from head to toe.
You checked his neck first. Finding no mating bite, you looked at his hand. Wedding ring. Damn. You made the mental adjustment you needed at knowing he was unavailable. It was disappointing, but not surprising. You were just dropping off food for your roommate and the attractive doctor was—
The attractive doctor with the wedding ring was staring at you.
His jaw worked, but his eyes didn’t move from your form. He stepped closer until one hand gripped the edge of the counter a short distance from you.
“Ah, Dr. Abbot. This is Parker’s roommate. This is our senior night shift attending.”
Parker’s boss. She’d mentioned him before, several times in fact. “Hi,” you said because it seemed like the thing to say.
Abbot opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
“Hi,” he said finally. His voice was rough, lower than you’d expected.
You couldn’t stop the small shiver that crawled up your spine. Fuck.
***
That delectable scent he’d smelled all night until Parker ditched her hoodie slammed into Jack the moment he opened the door to the patient room he’d been in. His head snapped up as he sanitized his hands absently, zeroing in on you standing at the hub.
The small sampling he’d had earlier had nothing on you here in person. My god, you smelled delectable. There was no question in his mind that you were his Omega. He forced himself forward, one step, then two, until he was holding onto the counter.
He didn’t know how to go about this, how to broach the subject. His wife had been a beta, there was no need to have the ‘hey, you’re my mate’ conversation. Did he just…tell you? No, that didn’t seem right.
He vaguely registered Lena introducing you as Parker’s roommate. He managed to stutter out a greeting but before he could say anything else, Parker appeared from the room she’d been in for the last ten minutes. She zeroed in on you and pulled you into a hug.
Jack’s hands flexed at his sides as he reminded himself that Parker wasn’t a threat and that you had no idea who the fuck he was.
Parker draped an arm across your shoulders. “You are a goddess.”
You hummed in agreement. “Fat Cats.”
She groaned. “I owe you my first born. Maybe my second, too.”
“I’d be concerned about being saddled with your random children but I know you don’t want kids.”
Parker laughed then turned to Jack with a smirk. “See you met my roommate, boss.”
Jack huffed. “You could have just told me.”
She shrugged. “Could have. Didn’t. This is so much more fun.”
Your brow furrowed as you looked between the two of them. The look of confusion was absurdly endearing. “Am I missing something?”
Jack was at a loss for words which was entirely unlike him. Parker grinned wider and turned to you. “Dr. Abbot here would love to take you to breakfast. And you want to let him.”
Silence stretched for a beat before the two of you spoke in unison. “I do?”
Jack’s head snapped to you to find you already looking back. The corner of his mouth lifted in a small smile. “I mean…I do. After shift?”
You glanced at Parker. She gave a small, deliberate nod.
“Sure. I can do breakfast, I guess, if Parker’s gonna be weird.” Your gaze dropped to his left hand, to the ring he hadn’t been able to bring himself to remove. “Your wife will be okay with that?”
“Widower,” he said, deciding it best to just be blunt.
You blinked once, glanced to Parker who nodded again before you looked back to him. “Sure. Breakfast sounds good. I can meet you here, I was picking Parker up anyway.”
He nodded, hoping the surge of happiness he felt wasn’t completely evident on his face. He should have a little decorum dammit. “I’ll meet you by the bay door?”
“Yeah, sure. Parker can let me know if you’re running late.”
So, you didn’t want to give him your number yet. He understood that. After all, you didn’t know what he did, his suppressants firmly in place. “I’m looking forward to it.”
You gave him a small smile at that. “See ya, doc. Parker.” The narrow-eyed look you shot Parker had him chuckling.
You’d no sooner gotten out of sight when Parker’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and laughed as she typed. “Her exact words? ‘What the fuck was that?’”
Jack crossed his arms and shifted his weight. “And what did you say?”
“I told her to trust me.” She put her phone away and grabbed the bag. “Now I am going to eat at least part of this before I get called away again.”
Jack’s gaze trailed her as she walked toward the break room. She turned around part way there. “Oh, and Abbot? She my not be my mate, but she’s my person. Don’t hurt her.”
He held Parker’s gaze, sure and steady. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
***
You waited near the bay doors, off to the side where you’d be out of the way. A couple of people going inside had glanced in your direction but kept walking without questioning you. You must look harmless enough for them to leave you alone. You tapped your foot as you wondered if this was really a good idea or not. You’d dwelled on it all night, your brain circling back to the odd conversation with Parker and her boss that you seemed to be missing a piece to.
The door hissed open and you glanced up to see Parker stepping out. She had your hoodie thrown over the top of her scrubs. She gave you one of her famous grins and waved, car keys in hand. You hadn’t given much though on how you were supposed to get home after this…date? Yeah, you supposed it was. Dammit, Parker.
She didn’t stop to talk to you, just calling back. “He’ll be out in a minute. You can thank me later.”
You stared after her, shaking your head. “I’m going to murder you. Slowly,” you yelled after her.
Her laugh floated back to you. “You’re welcome!”
You were still shaking your head, mouth curled into a crooked smile when the scent reached you. Rich, citrusy with a hint of cedar. Alpha. Yours.
You inhaled deeply and turned your head slowly to the side to find Jack Abbot standing a few feet away.
The scrub top was gone, leaving him in a fitted gray t-shirt. His curls were damp around his face, like he’d splashed water on it before coming out. He gave you a real smile. Not the small one you’d seen earlier. A wide, careless gesture that crinkled the skin around his eyes.
“Oh,” you said. That was inadequate but you were still processing that this was your Alpha. Yours. And Parker had obviously known and let you walk in blind. Damn her.
Finally, you said, “Hi.”
“Hi,” he echoed as his warm gaze took you in. He held out a hand, not in greeting but rather in invitation.
You took it, his touch everything you needed as he laced your fingers together.