Page 87 of Forever Fighting
I set my phone down on the side of the stone, get undressed, and slip into the pool. I don’t even know what I’m after or what answers I’m seeking. I just know I don’t feel right.I’d call Skylar, but she’s sleeping and has been exhausted during her first trimester, and I don’t want to bother her. But I do need to talk to someone, and while I could call Wren or even Katy, they’re cousins of Roman.
I unlock my phone and dial Quinn.
She picks up after the third ring. “Hey, first-time caller, long-time listener, welcome to the ortho all-night party line.”
I snicker. “How long have you been awake?”
“If we’re asking, I’m on hour sixteen, but in fairness, it’s been a hell of a shift, and I was supposed to take an hour and a half nap two hours ago.”
“But you didn’t?”
“I tried. This is what happens when you graduate early, and everyone thinks you’re a prodigy when you’re actually not. They throw a million things at you and ask you all the questions because they think you have all the answers. I’m fourth year, not a freaking attending.”
“Yeah, but you’re the age of second years, and you’re a gold medalist.”
“Pshft. Like that matters. Where are you and why are you calling me in the wee hours of the morning?”
I put my phone on speaker and rest my forearms on the edge of the pool so I can kick my legs out behind me. “I’m still in Mexico, awake in the middle of the night, on the terrace because my bed buddy is sleeping. I heard a rumor you’re possibly doing some of your residency with the Rebels.”
I hear her moving around in the background and then a door closing. “Never repeat rumors. But I will give that a maybe in the hopes of never. Unfortunately, I am at the will of my attendings. Working with my brothers and father sounds horrible, and I prefer hockey over football.”
“Is that because of your ex or your brothers?”
“Ha! You’re very funny.”
“I have my moments.”
“You don’t sound good. What’s up?”
I blow out a breath and stare out into the darkness, toward the water I can’t quite see but can hear. “I had a horrible dream I can’t fully remember. I know Nash was in it, but that’s not the horrible part. It woke me up. I think it was a work dream.”
“Ah. One of those. Ghosts of ER patients past?”
“Something like that.” I sigh. “I’m keeping a secret from you. From all of you.”
“And does this secret include your sleeping bed buddy?”
“Roman and I… we’re?—”
“Ahhhhh!” she screams, and I wince as she’s on speakerphone. “Oh my god!”
“A little louder,” I deadpan. “I don’t think everyone in the hospital and at the resort here heard you. For that matter, I have you on speaker and I don’t want you to wake up Roman while I’m talking about him.”
“Yeah, but I don’t care. Tell me everything. Are you okay? What does this mean? Are you together? Is this just for fun? Has he told you how he feels about you? Have you told him?”
“Whoa, slow down, Nancy Drew. We’ll get to the end of the mystery soon enough. It’s not just that we’re sleeping together. We’re… married.”
A beat of silence and then. “I’m sorry, what? Did you say you’remarriedto Roman Fritz?”
“Yep. It happened in Vegas.”
She snorts a laugh. “You sound like Mason and Sorel.”
Right. I kind of forgot about them. Mason is Quinn’s older brother, and his wife is Sorel Fritz. “Sorel was a runaway bride, and she married Mason as revenge. Mine wasn’t that. Adam didn’t even cross my mind that night while we were doing it. How weird is that?”
“Weird, but also kind of awesome. Is this a quickie weddingfollowed by a quickie divorce or is this a lifetime of love and making babies?”
I kick my feet up and down beneath the water surface. “It started out as the former, and I’m not saying we’re staying married or want to be married because we don’t. It’s not like that. Honestly, I don’t know what it is now that we’re having sex. How can we do this and yet be married and get divorced?”
