It was supposed to be practice. A technical exercise. It wasn't supposed to feel like getting hit by lightning.
"Earth to Logan." Austin waves a hand in front of my face. "You're staring at the wall like it insulted your mother."
I blink, refocusing on the present. The station hums with familiar energy—the clank of equipment being checked, the soft static of radios, Bradley's voice floating from the apparatus bay as he walks Nathan through some maintenance issue.
"Just tired," I mutter, gathering the scattered papers in front of me.
Austin drops into the chair opposite mine, grinning like he's just figured something out. "This wouldn't have anything to do with you and Savannah Bailey holding hands all over town this morning, would it?"
My head snaps up. "How did you—"
"Dude." Austin laughs. "Eddie stopped by to drop off supplies and asked if we were throwing you guys an engagement party soon."
Jesus Christ. Small towns.
"We're not engaged," I say, which is possibly the stupidest response in the history of conversations.
Austin's eyebrows shoot toward his hairline. "But you are dating?"
I open my mouth, close it again. The lie should come easily, that was the whole point, after all. But something sticks in my throat.
"It's... new," I finally say, which isn't a lie. It's just not the whole truth.
"Huh." Austin leans back in his chair, studying me with unexpected seriousness. "Never pictured you with someone like her."
Something defensive flares in my chest. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He holds up his hands. "Nothing bad. Just... she's not your usual type. She's more..." He struggles to find the right word. "Real?"
Savannah is real, authentic in a way that makes most people seem like they're trying too hard. No artifice, no agenda, noperformance. Just genuine warmth and a quiet strength she probably doesn't even recognize in herself.
"Yeah," I say softly. "She is."
Austin gives me a strange look, then breaks into another grin. "Well, she makes the best damn scones in town, so don't screw it up."
He leaves me with my thoughts, which immediately spiral back to this morning. To the weight of her hand in mine. To the way her cheeks flushed when people noticed us together. To the softness of her body pressed against mine when I kissed her.
Bradley walks in as I'm staring at nothing, startling me when he drops a clipboard on the table.
"Inventory check," he says, then pauses, studying my face. "You okay? You look... distracted."
"I'm fine," I mutter, running a hand through my hair. "Just thinking about the... safety inspection."
Bradley's eyebrow lifts slightly. "Right. The safety inspection."
Heat rushes to my face.
Nathan walks in with a stack of patient charts, settling at the long table across from us. "Leave him alone. He's nervous."
"I'm not nervous," I protest, even as I check my reflection in the window for the fourth time in ten minutes.
Nathan glances up, his expression mild. "Logan, you asked Arthur if your hair looked 'aggressively styled.' You've been pacing like a caged animal."
"He's got a date with the baker," Austin announces, strolling back in with his typical lack of subtlety. "Logan is in LOVE and I've been waiting for this moment!"
"I'm not in love," I snap, hating the heat that rushes to my face. "It's just a date."
Bradley folds his arms, leaning against the doorframe. "With Savannah? The one you walked around town with this morning?"
