Page 38 of Lie for a Lie

“Arizona is nice,” Seth adds, and I turn my attention back toward him.

“Too hot,” Graham says, just shrugging.

“How is what Graham does different from what you do, love?” Bre asks Chris, and it makes me smile.

“I am just general practice. I cover more like family medicine and blood pressure medications.”

I let out a small laugh, catching Seth and Graham’s attention. I look between them feeling so confused. I have to adjust in my chair again uncomfortably.

“I don’t know how you three do it,” Seth says, almost bored playing with whatever was left on his plate. “I took a week of EMT school with Chris and quit.”

“Really?” Clint asks, seeming surprised, and Seth just shrugs.

“I never thought I would work in an emergency room. Growing up, I watched medical shows all the time, but I didn’t think of nursing as a career I would enjoy until Bre suggested it.”

Bre adds, “Oh, you were obsessed with that one show with all the surgeons.”

“OR?” Chris chimes in, sounding rather excited as Graham just shakes his head.

“Every Wednesday night, Chris would have us watch it after dinner.”

Clint softly chuckles. “Oh, he got so mad when they killed that one doctor he liked. What was his name?”

“Dr. Bowie!”

Chris and I scoff, full of emotion.

The whole table bursts into laughter, and I can feel Graham’s eyes lock on me again. As the laughter settles my eyes lock on him, and I can’t stop thinking about that smile.

“Paige,” Seth snaps next to me, and the whole world cracks.

I just let out a small sigh, reaching for what is left of my water and taking it like a shot before I notice Graham leaning back in his seat, eyes locked on Seth.

“Seth,” Chris snaps, almost like a warning.

“I got this,” Seth says with a bit of attitude before smiling towards me, “Gorgeous, can we talk for a second?”

“Sure.”

I smile, pushing my seat back, and follow him silently through the house until we reach the front door.

“What are you doing?” he asks as the door closes behind us, and I look at him, genuinely confused.

“I am eating dinner with our family and friends.”

I lay on the sarcasm a little thick, heading towards the lawn to distance ourselves.

“You like him,” he says so matter-of-factly.

It pissed me off because neither of us need clarification of who “him” is.

“I like all of them. And you like…um...eighty percent of the time.”

“Look, after everything that happened with David, I am not looking to start shit. All I am asking is for you not to fucking throw yourself at Graham. He is engaged and not interested.”

I clench my jaw, so frustrated that I let myself drown in Graham, but it’s all I want. I cross my arms and can feel the tears building behind my eyes. Seth’s words shouldn’t hurt this much.

“I am not throwing myself at Graham. We are friends. That’s it.”

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