Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,20
made it clear when she broke up with me that I failed her. And she’s still punishing me for not spending my days trying to win her back all these years later.
I only deal with her to beg time with Jayden.
It’s paying off. She’s actually asking for my help. I can’t let her down now. “I’ll take care of it. When are you going to bring him over?”
As she gives me the details, I make a mental list of who I can call to switch shifts with me. Will Lia think I’m avoiding her after the kiss? Our stilted goodbye when I dropped her off at her place after the wedding had to be as uncomfortable for her as it was for me. And after the shower episode, I don’t know if I can work with her and ignore the fact that the fantasy of her got me off.
I could call her, but my dick is already excited that it might hear her voice. No, I’ll call Mitch and see if he can trade shifts and I’ll leave it up to him to let Lia know.
I should call her though.
But we’re not really dating. I don’t normally tell her when I switch shifts unless we happen to work together and I know I need to trade. Likewise for her.
I get ahold of Mitch and turn my brain off when it comes to Lia. Of all people, she’ll understand.
Chapter 6
Lia
He’s avoiding me.
I arrived for my shift Monday morning armed with water bottles, a packed lunch, and a stomach twisted in knots at the thought of seeing Ford. We’d be alone in the ambulance cab. Alone at our post while waiting for a call. Alone together.
Would he be aloof and cool like he was after the wedding? Could we fall into our same old groove as partners? Or had that kiss irrevocably changed things between us?
All that worry for nothing. I’ve spent the last eleven and a half hours with Mitch. Ford is working with Arnesh this Saturday instead.
Mitch backs the ambulance into the garage bay and I’m dutifully guiding him, surrounded by diesel fumes, but in reality, I’m distracted. Good thing Mitch has done this a thousand times and doesn’t take out the garage doorframe. Instead of switching out for driving after each run, he likes to split the shift. I’ve been riding shotgun since noon. Which is fine.
It’s just not my routine with Ford.
Mitch punches the button to close the garage door and gets out. He catches me scowling at the ambulance. “Did I do something to piss you off, Wescott? You’re acting like you got stuck on the douche crew.”
A moniker we’ve given Russel, another paramedic who should’ve been fired years ago. Mitch isn’t so smug he’s dangerous like Russel is. “No. Why?”
His expression says the answer should be as clear as the blue lips on the emphysema patient we just left at the ER. “You’ve barely said a word that didn’t have to do with patient care.”
What is he talking about? It’s been a steady day. When did Mitch and I have time to chat?
There was the hour over lunch when we had no calls. Then the first stretch this morning when I was lost in a cloud of wondering why Ford wasn’t working. Mitch said something about Jayden, but Ford’s never gotten to have his son so long that he had to take off work.
Of course a twelve-hour shift would be the first time Cass allowed it.
“Wescott.” His brows are raised like he can’t believe he lost me mid-conversation. He’s given me that look more than once today.
“Sorry, no. You did nothing wrong. I like working with you, Mitch.”
“But not as much as working with your boyfriend?”
I wince. I hate lying to people. Letting Samuel, my parents, Ford’s mom, and his ex think we’re an item is one thing. But Mitch isn’t meddling family or a shitty ex. He’s a nice guy and an amazing paramedic.
“It’s not that.” My answer sounds as weak as my resolve to keep lying to a guy I consider not just a coworker but a friend. I mean, I was at his son’s graduation party last year. I traded cookie recipes with his wife.
“Did you two get in a tiff?” He says it with a joking tone, but his eyes are all serious. He’s worried about me.
Guilt wells up and the truth spills out, mostly because I have no one else to talk to. Normally, I’d tell Ford since he’s my closest