Page 93 of Her Paramedic
“I thought he had. I’m sorry.”
Talia sighed. “I know. I know you are, but at some point, I’d like you to not have to be.”
She exited the kitchen, the need to empty her bladder now nonexistent as she returned outside, making a beeline for her boyfriend, who was talking to Gram. He looked up as she approached, said something to Gram, and met her halfway. She fell into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her.
“Are you okay, baby?”
Talia didn’t answer for a couple of seconds, and that seemed to be too long as he walked them to a corner of the backyard, away from everyone else.
“Are you okay?” he asked again.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m sorry. I didn’t tell her why I needed to reschedule, because it was your business, and your choice who to share it with. And because I didn’t, she blamed you for a decision I made because of past situations.”
“I’ve told you before, I don’t care if Alivia doesn’t like me. I’m not a fan of hers either, but I can be civil with her because I don’t want us not getting along to upset you.”
“Trust me, it wouldn’t. She’s a lot to take, and I’ve gotten used to people around me not being her biggest fan.” For as long as Talia could remember, Alivia and Journee did not get along, and she knew that Kaydence only tolerated her for Talia’s sake, but she was genuinely a good friend. She had seen Talia through every rough patch and things other people didn’t even know about. “Most of the time, she doesn’t mean any harm. She just doesn’t know how to…approach things at times.”
“Again, I don’t care, baby. I’m not dating youandAlivia. I don’t need her approval of me for me to be good to you, toloveyou. You don’t have to apologize for her or try to justify what she does because she doesn’t matter to me.Youdo, and as long as your friendship with her works for you, as long as she’s a good friend to you, I don’t care about the rest of it.”
Talia draped her arms over his shoulders, one hand going to the back of his neck as she pulled him down into a kiss because she thought words wouldn’t describe what she felt in that moment. She’d dated several men who found butting heads with Alivia, some fun fucked up challenge. It’d been exhausting to play mediator between them. She’d believed him the first time he said he didn’t care that Alivia didn’t like him, and when he proved it again by holding his tongue, even though he had every right to argue, just to keep the peace for her, Talia fell even deeper in love.
A throat clearing caught their attention, and when they pulled apart, Talia had to refrain from sighing at Alivia in front of them.
“I’m not trying to cockblock,” she started. “I wanted to apologize, Slate. I made an assumption when I should have spoken to my friend. I’ll be sure to do that in the future.”
“I don’t need you to apologize to me,” Slate responded. “I’m not the one you upset.”
“I’ve already apologized to Tal.”
“Then that’s all I care about,” Slate replied. Alivia nodded before walking over to Nova.
“Now that that’s over. I finished planning your birthday surprise last night,” Talia said. “I can’t wait for you to see.”
“I take it you won’t tell me as some form of payback for me keeping our trip location secret,” he teased.
“Smart man,” she replied with a smile. “When we leave here, I want to spend the rest of the day watching movies and cuddling on the couch.” He was leaving tomorrow afternoon since he was back on nights, and she didn’t want to do anything else but breathe his air until then.
Slate kissed her. “We can do whatever you want, gorgeous.”
Talia knew he wouldn’t be opposed to it, and she just might give him a consolation prize for coming in second during their tournament.
28
Slate leaned back in the passenger seat as he stifled a yawn. He’d driven directly to Colorado Springs when he’d gotten off that morning at seven. He’d slept for a few hours when he’d made it to Talia’s house, but he knew she wanted to take him somewhere for his birthday and didn’t want to throw off her plans if they were on a schedule.
“You could sleep on the way, baby,” Talia said, pulling out of the driveway.
“Does that mean we’re in for a long ride?”
“Maybe.”
Slate chuckled. “You know the road signs will give it away,” he parroted from their last trip.
“Well, then wait for them to tell you.”
He assumed that wherever they were going wasn’t far. They hadn’t packed anything, which meant they weren’t staying. From that, he gathered their destination was a couple of hours away at most.
“We’ll have a late lunch when we get there. Is that okay with you?” she asked.
