“I’ll try not to kill him in his sleep.”
“If you decide to go through with it, nobody will ever know I gave you a ride tonight.”
We both smile awkwardly.This kind of exchange is unusual for us.
“Take care,Captain,” he says before turning and heading for the door.
I watch him walk away into the darkness, then instinctively call out, “Be safe!”
He turns back to me.
“Well, it’s night, you’re alone in the car, and…”
The Doctor smiles gently, then heads down the stairs.
I hear his light footsteps, the soft creak of the door, the gentle click as it shuts.Then I hear his shoes on the gravel, the car door closing, the engine’s roar, and at last, the sound of silence.
I sit on the bed beside Nick’s helpless body, listening to the wall clock’s rhythmic ticking while something wild pounds inside my chest, refusing to slow down no matter how deeply I try to breathe.
Chapter2
Jamie
Igreet the teammates invited to the event before heading to the altar to say hello to the man who will tie the knot today and his groomsmen.
Wearing my best jerk smile, I walk up to them.It’s probably not ideal today, but I love messing with the O’Connors — and since they get so worked up, I’m not about to miss the chance.
“Hello, O’Connors!Are you already freaking out?”
“Just what we needed!”Nick says, immediately growing nervous.
“What is it?Is it the tension before the big event?”
“Things were good until you showed up,” Nick retorts.
“What does this have to do with me?”
“Please don’t make it worse,” Ryan comments.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing.It’s just that…”
“That someone is losing it?”
“Is that appropriate, Jamie?”Ryan admonishes me.
I shrug innocently.
“I didn’t force him to marry.If he can’t do it…”
“Why?What makes you think I can’t do it?”
“Enough,” Nick says, grabbing me by the arm.“Let’s go for a walk, just the two of us,” he threatens, glaring at me.
I laugh, pleased with myself and my doing.
We head for the outdoor buffet set up for the occasion, each of us taking two glasses of a very colourful drink with hardly any alcohol in it.
