Free Defective (The Institute Series Book 3) by Kayla Howarth

I’ve only been doing this a few months, but I’m really beginning to wonder why I struggle with it so much. It’s not that I think I’m too dumb, it just doesn’t come easily. I have to force it.
    Jayce hasn’t offered up too much info about himself apart from the fact he goes to university, is studying psychology, and lives with his sister. He’ll be starting shifts on his own in a few short weeks, so we’ve managed to stick to mostly medical talk, which is fine by me. The more I learn about him, the more I reluctantly like him.
    He’s out back dealing with the laundry when I hear the door swing open and look up from the reception desk to find Ebbodine strolling in to take over for the day shift. We haven’t spoken since she ditched me at the Institute on Monday. I returned her car, put her keys in her mail slot, and walked home. I was fearful that if she saw me, I’d have to endure yet another conversation about dating, or my mum, or anything else she likes to lecture me on.
    “Hey,” she says in a calm, almost sympathetic tone.
    “Hey.” My tone is curt compared to hers.
    “I’m sorry about what I did.”
    “Ambushing me into a horrible date, or ditching me with your car?”
    She looks down at her feet. “Both?” She eventually meets my stern eyes and then rolls hers. “Fine. I promise I will never set you up on a date again,” she pauses, “until you want me to.”
    “No! No ‘want to’, I don’t want to date anyone. Why can’t you understand that? Stop pushing me into something I’m not ready for.” Why is this such a preposterous request to her?
    “Laundry’s done,” Jayce’s voice comes from behind us. We turn to look at him, and I wonder how much he heard. He’s staring at me, his arms crossed, his expression neutral.
    The urge to explain myself brings words to the tip of my tongue, but I can’t get them out. Luckily, Ebb breaks the silence.
    “Hi,” she says with a flirtatious smile. “I’m Ebbodine. We met the other day,” she says reaching forward and shaking his hand.
    “Hey,” he replies, taking her hand in his before crossing his arms again.
    “So how are you settling in?”
    He shrugs. “Fine, I guess.”
    “If Allira hasn’t been all that welcoming, I understand. She can be a bit crabby at times.” She smiles like she’s joking, but I know she’s telling the truth. Even I’ll admit that I’m crabby a lot of the time. I don’t mean to be – it just comes out of me.
    He looks back at me and smiles. “She’s actually been pretty great.”
    My heart does an involuntary jump.
    Ebb looks at me with narrowed eyes, then back at Jayce with a smile. “Well how about I take you out for a proper welcome? Say, dinner and drinks? Tonight?” she asks before side glancing at me. I stiffen in my seat reflexively, but I hope she doesn’t notice. Did she really just ask him out? And so casually as well. I could never pull something like that off.
    Jayce awkwardly glances at me for a moment, before glancing back at Ebb. “I actually have plans with my brother tonight.”
    “Bring him along. Allira can come with us, too. The clinic is closed tomorrow so we’ll all have the day off to… recover.”
    Did she actually just wink? Ugh. The last thing I want to do is go to dinner and watch Ebb fawning all over Jayce.
    She turns to me. “You’re up for that, right?”
    “Aunt Kenna said something about me working tonight. Relief nurse can’t make it or something.” Ebb just stares at me, knowing that I’m lying. “Ebb,” I say in a warning voice that says she’s crossing that line again.
    She grunts, her shoulder’s slumping forward as she grabs my arm and drags me out into the treatment room.
    “You have to,” she states as soon as we’re out of ear shot of Jayce.
    “No, I don’t,” I counter. “You literally just promised no more dates, and now you want me to go on a double date? Are you freaking kidding me right now?”
    “It’s not a double date. It’s