shoulder. While Tanner still wore that damn smirk, Kiefer looked as oblivious as ever.
“I’m fine. I promise.”
Brody jerked his hand away and walked back over to the table. While he knew he should sit back down and act as if everything were normal, his racing heart just wouldn’t allow for it. All of his brain cells were screaming for him to run before he did something stupid like blurt out to Chauncey how much he’d been thinking about him. That he regretted leaving that morning and how he’d been wanting to go back ever since.
Brody took in a shaking breath as he ran a hand through his hair. “I think I’ll go clean out the rig.”
Kiefer frowned. “Are you sure? It’s my turn.” “Yeah, I need some fresh air.”
“But you usually hate cleanup duty.”
After giving a quick shrug, Brody began to back away to the door. Now that he had an escape plan of sorts, it was taking all he had not to give in to the urge to bolt away at full speed.
“No, I don’t.”
Kiefer shot him an are-you-kidding me look. “Okay, enough of this crap. What’s been up with you lately?”
Tanner crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, what’s been up with you?”
Horrified and more than a bit angry, Brody turned on Chauncey. “You told him! You asshole.” Kiefer threw his hands up in exasperation. “Told him what?”
Brody ignored him, choosing to keep his glare directed on Chauncey instead. A thousand questions bounced around his head. Why would Chauncey break his promise? Why did that hurt Brody so much, since he knew that Chauncey never liked him in the first place? Had the whole thing been just a joke to him? Was it all some sadistic game between Tanner and Chauncey? Did they laugh it up over the stupid medic who’d so easily given it up?
“Fuck you,” Brody hissed at Chauncey.
Brody tossed down his clipboard and stormed out of the room, fully aware that he’d left the last vestiges of his self-respect behind him. He rushed outside and over to his rig. Taking refuge in the space between the side of the ambulance and the wall of the bay, he finally stopped to catch his breath. Leaning his back against the rig, he fought to get himself under control.
How could he have been so stupid? After all the times Chauncey made it clear that he couldn’t stand him, Brody had still foolishly allowed himself to believe that there could be anything between them. Brody should have remembered that they were from two different worlds and that they’d never be able to mix.
Sure, it happened with Kiefer and his boyfriend, but that had been a onetime thing. An anomaly that would never happen again. In other words, a fairy tale that wasn’t going to be repeated. Especially for somebody like him.
He looked down at his scuffed work boots as he fought to get a grip on his emotions. Kiefer would be coming out to join him soon and the last thing Brody wanted was to have to deal with more questions.
“What in the hell was that all about?” Chauncey demanded as he rounded the ambulance.
Brody jumped in shock, then flushed as he realized that was the second time he’d done the scared kitten stunt in less than a half hour. Recovering, he shoved his hands in his pocket, then casually kicked at a pebble.
“I’d tell you, but then you’d probably go blab it all over Pontiac, you big, fat tattle tale.”
Chauncey stormed over, not stopping until they were inches apart and facing each other. That still didn’t seem to be enough for the nurse. He braced his hands on either side of Brody’s head and leaned in until their noses were almost touching.
“I didn’t say a word to Tanner,” Chauncey growled.
“Then why was he giving me the whole I-knowwhat-you’ve-been-doing look?”
“Because with the way you usually act, he thinks he does.”
Outraged, Brody tried to shove Chauncey away, only to find the nurse wouldn’t budge. Brody silently cursed fate for giving him such a scrawny build as he huffed in
“I’m fine. I promise.”
Brody jerked his hand away and walked back over to the table. While he knew he should sit back down and act as if everything were normal, his racing heart just wouldn’t allow for it. All of his brain cells were screaming for him to run before he did something stupid like blurt out to Chauncey how much he’d been thinking about him. That he regretted leaving that morning and how he’d been wanting to go back ever since.
Brody took in a shaking breath as he ran a hand through his hair. “I think I’ll go clean out the rig.”
Kiefer frowned. “Are you sure? It’s my turn.” “Yeah, I need some fresh air.”
“But you usually hate cleanup duty.”
After giving a quick shrug, Brody began to back away to the door. Now that he had an escape plan of sorts, it was taking all he had not to give in to the urge to bolt away at full speed.
“No, I don’t.”
Kiefer shot him an are-you-kidding me look. “Okay, enough of this crap. What’s been up with you lately?”
Tanner crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, what’s been up with you?”
Horrified and more than a bit angry, Brody turned on Chauncey. “You told him! You asshole.” Kiefer threw his hands up in exasperation. “Told him what?”
Brody ignored him, choosing to keep his glare directed on Chauncey instead. A thousand questions bounced around his head. Why would Chauncey break his promise? Why did that hurt Brody so much, since he knew that Chauncey never liked him in the first place? Had the whole thing been just a joke to him? Was it all some sadistic game between Tanner and Chauncey? Did they laugh it up over the stupid medic who’d so easily given it up?
“Fuck you,” Brody hissed at Chauncey.
Brody tossed down his clipboard and stormed out of the room, fully aware that he’d left the last vestiges of his self-respect behind him. He rushed outside and over to his rig. Taking refuge in the space between the side of the ambulance and the wall of the bay, he finally stopped to catch his breath. Leaning his back against the rig, he fought to get himself under control.
How could he have been so stupid? After all the times Chauncey made it clear that he couldn’t stand him, Brody had still foolishly allowed himself to believe that there could be anything between them. Brody should have remembered that they were from two different worlds and that they’d never be able to mix.
Sure, it happened with Kiefer and his boyfriend, but that had been a onetime thing. An anomaly that would never happen again. In other words, a fairy tale that wasn’t going to be repeated. Especially for somebody like him.
He looked down at his scuffed work boots as he fought to get a grip on his emotions. Kiefer would be coming out to join him soon and the last thing Brody wanted was to have to deal with more questions.
“What in the hell was that all about?” Chauncey demanded as he rounded the ambulance.
Brody jumped in shock, then flushed as he realized that was the second time he’d done the scared kitten stunt in less than a half hour. Recovering, he shoved his hands in his pocket, then casually kicked at a pebble.
“I’d tell you, but then you’d probably go blab it all over Pontiac, you big, fat tattle tale.”
Chauncey stormed over, not stopping until they were inches apart and facing each other. That still didn’t seem to be enough for the nurse. He braced his hands on either side of Brody’s head and leaned in until their noses were almost touching.
“I didn’t say a word to Tanner,” Chauncey growled.
“Then why was he giving me the whole I-knowwhat-you’ve-been-doing look?”
“Because with the way you usually act, he thinks he does.”
Outraged, Brody tried to shove Chauncey away, only to find the nurse wouldn’t budge. Brody silently cursed fate for giving him such a scrawny build as he huffed in
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