Page 96 of Asystole

Apparently, there’s no room to be human, either.

“Yes, sir,” I say, knowing my role here is to keep my goddamn mouth shut.

I think my verbal lashing is over when he starts to walk away, but he stops and looks back at me.

“Did I see on the schedule that you’re off next week?”

“Yes, sir,” I say again, not bothering to tell him why.

“If you want to keep your spot in this residency program, I’d cancel those plans and offer to take call this weekend instead.”

“Sir, I would but⁠—”

“It wasn’t a suggestion, Dr. Matthews.”

Great.

So now, I have to decide if I want to be kicked out of my residency program or miss the biggest day of my best friend’s life, all while figuring out how to keep my ex-girlfriend from running her stupid mouth to my father.

Maybe I have completely lost my mind. Maybe it’s more than an identity crisis. Maybe this program finally broke me. Fucking around behind my girlfriend’s back—with a guy—being late to the hospital, missing my OR time, trying to buy a house in the middle of all of this? What the fuck am I thinking? This is everything I’ve been working for, and I’m about to throw it all away.

Pulling out my phone, I send Logan a text message.

Chase

Trip’s off. I can’t believe I’m going to miss Hanny’s wedding and Aruba, but I have to stay here.

Immediately, I slide the phone into my pocket, convincing myself I made the right call, and when I get home, I’ll explain that I’ve totally fucked this all up and then I’ll throw myself at Logan’s mercy and beg that he let me stay until I can find a new place to rent.

Bzzzzzz.

I will not check my phone.

Bzzzzz.

I will not check my phone.

Bzz. Bzz. Bzzzzz. Bzz. Bzz. Bzzz⁠—

“Hello?”

I cave faster than a house of fucking cards when I see Logan’s name on the screen.

“You’re really gonna drop a bomb like that and then not answer your phone? What’s going on, Chase?”

Answering was a mistake. Logan’s voice pulls me back under his spell immediately, and I find myself wanting to tell him everything that just happened.

“Chase?” Logan says again when I stay silent.

He doesn’t know I’m holding back tears. I struggle to speak through them.

“We’ll talk later. I’ve got to go.”

Chapter 35

Logan

Oh, fuck no.