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“Dr. Bellows.” Graham’s low voice causes my spine to stiffen.

“Mr. Callahan,” I respond coolly, placing my suitcase between us as a barrier. Because I don’t trust myself around him anymore, and I need to keep my distance.

“I’d like for you to accompany me to the airport. We have some things to discuss,” he says lightly, adjusting the grey tie around his neck and smoothing it down his chest. He leans forward, a devilish smirk turning up the corner of his mouth. “You can’t ignore me forever, Ana,” he whispers so low that only I can hear it. He looks over at the group of medical staff all but leaning forward to listen and straightens up. “Consider it a business meeting on the go.”

My heart sinks, knowing that I can’t escape him. “Fine,” I grit out through clenched teeth, fighting the wave of nausea churning in my stomach.

“Good. We’re pulling out in about ten minutes. The car’s out front.” He turns on his heels, leaving me glaring at his well-dressed back.

Unbelievable.

“I wonder if she’s getting fired,” one of the trainers whispers as I stalk past them.

“Could be,” another one confirms. “I heard they had a pretty heated argument in the exam room about her treatment call for Finn.”

I roll my eyes and grind my molars together, bile rising in my throat as their words sink in. Graham wouldn’t fire me, would he? I did say that we shouldn’t continue whatever we were doing because he was my boss.

Surely he wouldn’t…

“You coming, Bellows?” Graham’s voice is ice water in my veins.

I turn around, fighting the panic blossoming in my chest and spreading through my entire body. A thin layer of sweat coats my skin as I walk slowly up to him, feeling a little like I’m walking to the gallows.

“You okay?” he asks quietly, taking my suitcase from me.

I let it go without a fight and nod, my entire body feeling heavy and numb.

He drops his hand to the small of my back, guiding me to the car in silence. He opens the door and waits for me to buckle up before closing the door. My suitcase goes in the trunk and then Graham climbs into the driver’s seat.

I catch a blur of motion out of the corner of my eye, but when I turn my head, there’s nothing in the tree line bordering the parking lot. I turn my eyes back to the dashboard, staring at the line on the map as it recalculates, pulling up a route to the airport.

I can feel his eyes on me, but I can’t bring myself to look at him. “Are you firing me?”

Silence.

He clears his throat. “It would not be in the team’s best interest to let you go in the middle of the season.” His voice is level and controlled, business-like.

My head whips around and I blink back the tears gathering on my lashes. “The team’s best interest?!” His jaw clenches and I watch his knuckles tighten on the steering wheel. His shoulders rise and fall as he takes several deep breaths. “What about you?”

The miles tick by in tense silence, neither of us daring to even breathe too loudly. My vision blurs through the tears streaming down my cheeks, and my heart clenches in my chest. His lack of response is answer enough.

We can’t possibly make this work.

Every time we’re together we basically bite each other’s heads off. The age difference is too much, and we’re at different points in our lives. I have to accept that this is the decision that I wanted.

That we needed.

As we pull into the rental return lane at the airport, I wipe my eyes with the back of my hands and take a steadying breath.

I can do this.

This is my dream job, and I need to put personal issues aside so I can be there for the players and practice the best medicine. It’s what they deserve.

“Ana,” he calls as I climb out of the car and pull my suitcase from the back. Graham rounds the car and steps into my path before I can make my escape. He steps closer and tentatively brushes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “It’s in my best interest –”

“Dont,” I cut him off and hold up my hand, stepping away from him. “We’re in two different places, and I’m not sure I can even get to the place you are.” I turn and disappear into the crowd of travelers, eyes still burning from the tears leaking down my cheeks. I glance over my shoulder and find him still standing in the same spot, eyes watching me as I leave him behind.

Something inside me shatters, and it feels like I’m leaving that piece behind with him.