Page 59 of Forced Proximity

Somehow hearing this out loud makes my chin quiver. I pick at my cuticles and nod.

‘I get it. As your friend, I get it.’

I swallow. ‘And as my boss?’

‘As your boss, I accept your resignation only for this assignment. We’ll have Jack stay longer today and have a temporary replacement come in. Knowing the case as intimately as you do, you can brief the new person. I’ll write you up for falling asleep while on duty and place it into your permanent file. But you’re not quitting.’

Relief rushes through me at the same rate as gut-punching sadness. ‘Thank you.’ I sigh. ‘Now what?’

‘Now, you’re going to go home, sleep, take a shower and take a week off,’ he says, lifting his mug back to his mouth. ‘Then we’ll talk about your next assignment.’

I lay my hand on his arm, the biggest show of affection I’ve given him in years, and leave.

And try to accept the fact that I may never see Justin again.

Chapter 29

Justin

‘What the fuck do you mean she quit?’ No way did Jack just say those words.

This morning, I’d woken up an hour earlier than normal, took a long, hot shower and bounced downstairs, hoping to find Doc tucked in and asleep on the couch. Instead, I found a folded blanket, an empty couch and an apologetic Jack.

‘This doesn’t make any sense. Why the hell would she quit?’ None of this is his fault, but he’s the only one here and I want some goddamn answers.

‘I don’t have a lot of details.’ Jack shrugs and offers his version of a sympathetic smile. ‘Marcus apologizes for the lack of communication but wants to assure you that your safety is our top priority.’

‘Cut the shit.’ Quit. This can’t be happening. ‘Everyone else is more worried about my safety than me. I promise if I thought there was an actual threat, I’d take it more seriously.’

Jack rubs his hand across his military buzz cut. ‘I’ll be here a few extra hours today, and they’ll send a temporary replacement until we can pair you up with someone who’s low profile like Doc.’

I can’t believe she quit. My chest tightens. She left me, just like that. Like I don’t even matter. Like I’m just another job. But we’re more, right? I didn’t make this up in my head. I know that we’re more.

Is this about her diabetic shock? Or is this about the nightclub?

‘Sorry, man, but the temp guy is great. He’s a vet like me. Been on the job for close to a decade.’ He waits a moment, then pivots back to his station.

I storm out of the room, lie on my bed and wait for Zane. I have to talk to Doc, find out why she quit and convince her we can move past it. I grab my phone and call her. It goes straight to voicemail.

No … no, this can’t be. She just wasn’t feeling well, that’s all. I’m not ready for this to be over. There are a million things I need to say. Before she got sick, I was so close to telling her how I feel. And now, that opportunity has been ripped away. I pick up the phone again and tap her name. Voicemail. Again.

An hour later when Zane walks into my room, I’m staring at the same spot on the ceiling. ‘She quit.’

‘Doc?’ Zane frowns as they check their watch. They march to my closet and soon I hear clothes shuffling.

‘Yep,’ I say. ‘I called her, and she’s sending it to voicemail.’

Zane glances from the closet doorway. ‘No way. Really? Are you sure?’

I nod.

‘There’s no way she just quit, right?’ Their mouth twists. ‘Because of you and Conner’s fight? But … she came back the next day. Why quit now?’ Zane leans against the doorframe. ‘I’m sorry, Justin. I really liked her. I know you liked her a lot, too. Damn. What a kick in the balls.’

I scoot up and put my back against the headboard. ‘I fucked up.’

Zane stops scurrying in the closet and peeks their head out from the door. ‘What do you mean?’

Everything in me feels tight and hot. ‘When I saw Doc and Conner outside the club, she had it under control. He was on his knees, probably in terrible pain, but I charged in anyway. I just … I fucking saw red.’