Page 47 of Cat's Outta the Bag

“Maybe if I met with them? I’m still not convinced.”

What the hell is he doing? We came here to tell Steven to fuck right off, not to let him convince Jason to do a new project. I’m opening my mouth to say something when the music suddenly goes quiet, and I hear it.

Fuck. Me.

My on-call phone is blaring.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

I pull it out and nearly puke when I see that I have eight missed calls. How did I not feel it go off? Oh my god.

I don’t even look at Jason before I take off, aiming for the front door. I’m fuming, not only at him but also at myself. I knew I shouldn’t have come to this fucking party.

As soon as I’m outside, I answer the call.

“Hello, Dr. Masters speaking.”

“It’s Nurse Halloway. We have a multi-car accident coming in. It sounds like one patient is coming in with a partial amputation. Dr. Jordan is asking how long it’s going to take for you to get here?”

“Shit, I’m on my way. Ten minutes, fifteen tops. Please let Dr. Jordan know I’ll be there asap.”

I’m hanging up when Jason joins me, keys already in hand.

He opens his mouth but snaps it shut when I hold my hand up. “Don’t. I don’t want to hear anything right now. Just get me to the hospital. We’ll talk later.”

Thankfully, he listens, and we spend the car ride in silence.

I sit there the whole time trying to reign in my feelings. I need a clear head right now; the night sounds like it’s going to be a long one.

I don’t even say anything to him when he pulls up to the hospital entrance. I just jump out and run in. Dr. Jordan is the lead attending for the ER. If I have any chance of becoming an attending here, I may have just blown it. Shit. Fuck!

***

Hours later, I feel dead on my feet. Dr. Jordan gave me a look when I entered the ER but kept any comments to herself since we had patients to treat. At around seven this morning, my phone pinged with a meeting request for a disciplinary meeting tomorrow. I’m so screwed.

The whole night, when I wasn’t treating patients, all I could think about was that my dad was right. I let myself get swept up in our relationship and ignored my duty to this job, to my patients. And now I might lose it.

I don’t answer any of Jason’s texts or phone calls. Instead, I order a car and spend the whole ride trying not to cry. Pretty sure the driver wished they hadn’t accepted my ride request.

I’m dreading what I have to do next.

Chapter 34

Jason

Ispent the whole night in emotional agony. Not only am I disappointed in myself for not telling Steven off right away, I’m absolutely devastated that Alexis missed so many calls. The look on her face when she got out of my car. I never want to see that again.

I'm sitting on her couch, feeling sick to my stomach, when I hear her come in.

I’m off the couch like a rocket, heading for the door. Maybe once I see her, I’ll stop feeling like the world is ending.

But when I see her face, I just know.

"Fuck, Alexis, baby, I'm so sorry." She holds her hand up; her eyes are cold and face blank. No, no, no, no, no!

“Jason, I can’t do this right now.” She moves past me into the living room, looking absolutely defeated. I follow her because I can’t not. When she feels me follow, she whips around, fire and anger blazing.

“You nearly cost me my job last night. In fact, you probably cost me my spot as an attending!”

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