Page 85 of Asystole

I feel my eyes widen in surprise at her audacity.

Chase is literally the nicest guy I’ve ever met. How the fuck does he put up with this?

It’s on the tip of my tongue to say, ‘Do you come at Chase with that attitude?’ But I swallow the words at the last second.

Deciding my racing heart won’t allow me to go back to sleep anytime soon, I pad into my bathroom and grab a shower before starting on meal prep and cleaning the kitchen. Using my headphones to drown out the noise, I have a great time, slamming cabinet doors like a petulant teenager.

And while I understand that something is very wrong with me, I replay Chase and I’s New Year’s kiss in my mind the whole time I work, adding petty fuel to my fire.

I’m not proud of the fact that I willingly engaged in an act of adultery, but honestly, I feel less bad about it every time Kendra opens her mouth. I’m currently so fired up that I’m really allowing myself to get lost in that moment—until I remember that today is their anniversary. Suddenly, I wish I were working tonight. Hell, I wish I had been scheduled to work this whole week.

Since I’m not, I decide to leave the condo for a while. Maybe fresh air and a change of scenery will help.

It’s five-thirty when I return home from running errands, only to hear Kendra grunt in the living room.

“Everything okay?” I ask, placing several bags on the kitchen table.

“He never answers his phone,” she whines, immediately erasing any sympathy and understanding I had tried to employ while removed from her presence. It seems she and I cannot talk about Chase without me getting defensive.

“Did you ever stop to think that he’s probably in an OR, helping save a life, or he’s calling a nurse back, or visiting with a patient, or getting his ass chewed out by the surgeons who judge every decision he makes because people’s lives depend on it?”

This bitch looks right at me and says, “All I hear is that he has time for everyone except me.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?” I bellow. “All Chase does is give to other people; what the fuck do you give him?” I ask.

Before she can answer, the front door opens, and in walks the object of all our heated conversations.

I see the moment the tension enters his features. He sees us facing each other, our belligerent tones and stances betraying our hostility toward one another.

But Kendra will win, of course, and I was insane to let myself get involved in whatever this is.

“Um, guys?” Chase asks with a note of hesitation.

Immediately wanting to set him at ease, I paste a smile on my face.

“Hey, Chase. Meals for tomorrow are in the fridge since you go back on call in the morning, and your laundry is folded on top of the dryer.” I slap him on the shoulder and snag my keys from the counter. “Happy anniversary, you two.”

“Wait,” Chase says, blocking my path. “Where are you going? I just got home.”

“To grab a drink with a friend,” I lie, needing to get out of this condo before their celebrations commence.

“What friend?” he asks, almost sounding hurt that he wasn’t invited.

“Alex, one of the pilots from the other team,” I lie, saying the first name that popped into my mind.

When Chase’s face falls, I almost confess that I’m making all of this up simply because I’m jealous of Kendra, and I can’t be here when they…celebrate. Although it looks like Chase will only be awake for another four minutes—but hey, that’s their problem. Not mine.

Having Kendra here has certainly been eye-opening, and I’d meant to leave my eyes firmly closed until Chase figured his shit out.

Because realizing that I’m falling in love with Chase Matthews isn’t going to help anybody right now.

Least of all me.

Chapter 32

Chase

“Alex?” I ask. I’m dumbfounded because I’ve never heard the name.