Shock - Marie Johnston Page 0,5
really makes her stand out. Her tone is firm but her voice is soft and she always thinks before she acts. My first impression of her is what I’ve heard called “good breeding.” In short, when she was introduced as my new partner, my first thought was that she was too good for me. Then she bent to grab a pen off the floor and kicked a leg out like a giraffe drinking from a flood pool, blowing apart the entitled princess image.
I’m in danger of lifting my gaze to her ass, so instead I tease her like I’m ten and on the playground again. “Butterfingers.”
She straightens with a chuckle, “As always,” and climbs into the patient compartment.
I crowd in behind her. “Or did you think Mack was still around and you wanted to flash him?”
“Oh my God, you did not just go there.”
“Go where?” I ask innocently. “We both know he’s been getting bolder. Was that a door he opened for you the other night?”
“He was just being nice—and it was for both of us as we wheeled that pediatric patient out.”
A three-year-old I made clown faces at to keep her from crying after a seizure while Lia took her vitals. “I told him to back off.”
She stops with a cabinet open and raises a brow. “You did what?”
“He was hitting on you at work. I told him to be professional.”
She thinks about it for a moment and shrugs. “Thanks. I don’t really want to date right now.”
“Gotch yer back, partner,” I drawl.
By the time we finish stocking, the shift is over. I wait for Lia to grab her things so we can walk out together.
“I’m thinking of asking Cass if I can have Jayden for the weekend.”
“Think she’ll let you this time?”
I wince at the this time. But that’s how it is. I ask. Cass turns me down. For over two years, I’ve had to beg and plead for time with my son. Cass’s family has money and I don’t. She has all the power, she made sure of it, and I can’t fight her.
When I can’t sleep at night, I dream of suing her ass off for custody.
“I have no idea, but if I ask for a weekend, maybe she’ll give me a few hours.” And maybe I can overlap that time with going out to eat with my mom. Cass blames her for my fall from future doctor grace and hardly ever lets Jayden around her.
Lia grins. “Playing her. I like it. See you on Wednesday.”
“See you.” She goes to her car and I go to mine.
The car seat in the back cements my resolve. I call Cass.
“Yeah?” She always answers sounding irritated.
“Hey. I have the weekend off. Would you mind if Jayden hangs with me? We can do an overnight.”
“The whole weekend? Ford, he hasn’t been away from home for more than a night.”
Which means his other grandparents have had him spend the night. I tamp down the irritation. Letting it out will only make things go in reverse with Cass. “How about just a night?”
“We’re going out of town this weekend. Dad’s taking us to Lake Tahoe.”
My heart sinks. I can’t compete with Lake Tahoe. “Are you sure you don’t want to let him stay here so you can have some adult time?”
“That’s just the thing, Ford. I can have adult time and keep it away from Jayden. I can’t have him seeing the tramps you trot in and out of your place.”
I grind my jaw together. My personal life is none of her business, but she uses it against me whenever possible. And I have no rebuttal. Guilty as charged. But going home with a new girl every night off is a lot better than looking at my four walls, wishing I could get to know my son.
“What can I do, Cass? How can I prove that I’m a decent father so you’ll trust me with him?”
“Um, maybe start with going on more than one date with someone? The fact that you have to ask is an issue. Christ, Ford. Our son needs a father who can commit to something. Prove you can be a good role model for your son.”
She hangs up.
“Fuck.” I fist my hands and spin around before I do something stupid like hit the frame of my car. I gotta keep my job and breaking my hand would make it hard to do that.
It’s not like I dropped out of high school and fucked off with my life. I