"Yeah."
"And to see you?"
I snort. "Hardly. She can't stand me. Let's just say we should make sure there aren't any sharp objects nearby when she and I are in the same room together."
My best friend’s face turns serious. "So, you've already seen her?"
I nod. "That's where I was coming from when I called you." I sigh. "She hates me."
"No offense, Owen, but she has a pretty good reason." Ace has never been one to mince his words. I like that about him.
I shake my head, rubbing my forehead as shame creeps over me. "I know."
I still grimace when I mentally replay some of the things I said to her that night. Ace was with me that day. He made the long drive out to Santa Clara with me where Autumn was going to college. At the time, we were roommates at University of Arizona. We barely knew each other, but Ace was up for a road trip, and I was too blinded by immature anger to care about who came along to watch me self-destruct and clip the tenuous ties that still held Autumn and I together.
But she hurt me too. After everything we went through, she just fucking ghosted me. Didn’t answer my calls, returned all of my letters, deleted my emails. It’s like she diedand I was left with no closure and an apology that never got to leave my lips.
“I thought I was going to marry her,” I say, taking another chug of my beer.
Ace claps me on the back. “There’s your problem … you believe in marriage.”
That causes a grin to pull at my lips. “You’re going to be a sixty-year-old spinster with two girlfriends and half a dozen illegitimate children.”
We both chuckle over that, but then Ace’s face takes on a serious look.
"Do you want to turn Faith's care over to me?" he asks out of nowhere.
My surprise is evident in my face. "Why would I do that?"
No fucking way. Faith is my patient and I will get her well again. I’ve done it before, and I won’t let personal shit get in the way.
"Gee, I don't know," he says in a tone that tells me I should most definitely already know. "Conflict of interest?"
"It's always been a conflict of interest." This is a smallish town; every patient is a conflict of interest to some degree.
"Right, but now it's a front-line conflict. In a major way. Your patient's closest family wants to grind you into hamburger meat. Do you think that could affect Faith's care? Emotions fuck shit up, man. You know that."
I shake my head. And here I was calling Autumn the stubborn one. I know Ace is right. Thereisa conflict of interest and emotionsdofuck shit up. But I didn’t have any conflicting emotions with Faith. I wouldn’t hesitate to make good medical decisions where she was concerned.
Both these things have existed for years; they just haven't been a problem until now. If they even will be at all. I can deal with Autumn, explain to her that she and I need to figure out how to be adults and get along, and as for the emotions part, well, there is no dealing with that. I have to be the one treating Faith, because I need to know I've exhausted every possibility, gone down every path, left no stone unturned. I'll never forgive myself if I don't, and part of that is being the person in charge of her care.
Ace stands, taking the basketball I brought from its spot underneath the bench. "You ready to play?" He tosses his empty beer can back in the bag.
I drain the rest of mine and do the same.
"I'm going to kick your ass," I inform him, just as he throws the ball at my chest. I wasn't expecting the pass and I end up grunting before barely catching it.
He scoffs. "You've never beaten me, asshole."
"Sure," I say, passing the ball back to him. "But there's a first time for everything."
Ace laughs, then proceeds to hand my ass to me. Figures.
I can't catch a fucking break today.
* * *
"Coming,"I yell at the front door.
