Page 15 of Resisting You

“Sorry, I should have figured you have plans. Have a good night. Sorry again.” He rushed off to avoid further humiliation, though he could hear Renato say his name softly as he left. It took him a moment, but he thought that was maybe the first time Renato had actually used his name outside of reaming him out.

It probably should have meant something, but he wasn’t in the mood to read into it. He’d embarrassed himself enough for the night, and there was no doubt that whatever friends Renato did have—most of them probably surgeons Frey would have to work with—would hear all about his bullshit by his Friday morning shift.

Which was just fucking fantastic.

Chapter Four

“Uhg, I need a massage. Do you think I could pay one of the nurses to do it?”

Renato looked up at Foster with a frown. He couldn’t decide if the man was getting worse or if Renato was just starting to pay attention to the shit that fell out of his mouth. “Sure. If you want a lawsuit.”

Foster scoffed. “No one would believe them.”

“Then do it,” Renato said flatly, going back to his stack of papers that needed to be signed. His back was hurting, and for the first time in a while, he wished he was in back-to-back surgeries instead of doing admin bullshit. “But don’t call me to bail you out when you’re arrested. And I won’t provide a character witness.”

“Harsh.”

“Forgive me for not supporting sexual harassment in the workplace,” he muttered.

“Forgive me for trying to make a joke, Dr. Agosti. I’m going to talk to my other friends and leave you alone in your silent contemplation.”

When he and Grady had gotten married, he’d thought about changing his surname, but Grady had insisted he’d worked too hard to erase what he’d earned. At the time, Renato had agreed with him. Now, he found himself wishing he had that small comfort to hold on to. He was alone. He was always alone now. And people seemed to take joy in pointing that out.

Like Frey had before Renato had walked off. He felt an ache deep in his chest because it was the first time in almost a decade of this little cinema routine that he’d been interrupted, and of course, it had to be the damn nurse who haunted his every step.

Renato had known he’d miss Grady every single day for the rest of his life, but his memory was a source of comfort more than it was a vicious ache the way it had been at the beginning. And that was why he kept going to that theater. He’d expected to keep that little routine too, except now it felt tainted by Frey’s presence, and his voice, and his godforsaken apology because he really was a nice guy.

When he first set eyes on Frey walking into the theater, his heart dropped. And as predicted, they’d gotten into a verbal sparring match that left Renato wondering if he could get a job on the West Coast and just be done with all the bullshit.

Yeah, he’d leave Grady’s resting place behind—and his brother-in-law, who he still loved—but he’d at least have peace of mind at work.

But in the end, he knew it wasn’t worth it to burn everything to the ground because of one man. He’d let Frey win this one. Hell, he wasn’t even upset by what Frey had said to him. He’d heard worse from people he liked a lot more than him.

No, what had thrown him off kilter was getting found out.

No one, not friends nor family, knew how he spent his Thursday nights. If they found out he was buying movie tickets only to sit through the announcements to talk to Grady’s disembodied voice, they’d insist he seek therapy. They’d have him committed.

But he liked his routine. Hearing Grady, even if it was just advertising nonsense on repeat, was comforting. It was like the way some people kept their lost loved ones’ voices on voicemail. It was just a physical reminder of who they’d been, and Renato had appreciated that Grady’s voice would never atrophy with his fading memory.

But Frey had ruined it.

When he fled the theater, he hadn’t expected Frey to come after him. And he most definitely hadn’t expected the genuine apology. It had thrown him off-balance to the point he almost said yes when Frey invited him to the bookstore, but he’d known immediately that was a bad idea. He didn’t want to be friends with him. He didn’t want to spend more time in his presence.

Frey was making his work life miserable, so why would he invite that into his Thursday night safe space?

Because if you do, you might realize you actually like him.

He told that quiet, honest voice to shut up. He didn’t want to like Frey. That would add complications to a life he finally had in order.

“Okay, so I know you didn’t get laid. And I know you didn’t go on a date, which means that face you’re making has nothing to do with being ghosted,” Foster said, leaning his chin on his hand. “Wanna share with the class?”

Renato set his pen down, then walked the stack of papers over to the little outgoing tray and dropped them in a neat pile. “No.” He started off, but Foster abandoned his own work and followed him down the hall.

“You know I can probably help, right?”

Renato picked up speed, but Foster matched him, which wasn’t a surprise. The man lived at the gym when he wasn’t at work. “I don’t need help, thank you.”

Foster caught his arm, and Renato almost stumbled into the wall. He wrenched away, giving his so-called friend a furious glower.

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