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I look up only to notice that the woman I did the interview with is standing in the break room with me.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I was just coming to check in with you and wanted to see how everything was going. From the end of that conversation, I think I may have my answer, but I want to hear it from you.”
“Um, so yeah. This hospital is amazing, and the ER runs so smoothly, but I don’t think I’m going to be a good fit. I really love the atmosphere, but I miss my people. And not just the tiny human you heard me talking to, but my staff.”
“She’s adorable and is enough to miss. I understand completely. Is she related?”
“Um, I used to date her dad. Today’s her birthday and thankfully my best friend was able to call so I could talk to her.”
“I’m sorry, Chayse. That’s tough, but it shows what kind of a person you are that you’re still trying to maintain that relationship. We’re definitely going to be sorry that we won’t be adding you to the team, but we completely understand. If you want to head back home instead of coming in tomorrow, that’s also fine.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity so much, but my heart is at home.” With that, I stand to shake her hand. She bypasses it and gives me a hug. It shouldn’t surprise me since we are in a children’s hospital. I go back out on the floor to say bye and thank you to a few people before I high tail it out of there and head straight for home.
I’m glad I came and checked out a new job and environment, but I’m miserable without my people and can’t wait to be home. It’s the longest three hour drive, but pulling into my driveway, I’ve never been more grateful to be home.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cash
Iamtryingsodamn hard not to beGrumpy growly daddy beartoday since it’s Penny’s birthday, but I’m fucking miserable. It’s been one of the longest weeks of my life, and trying to act like everything is fine and be on the same level as Penny is for her birthday is fucking exhausting.
I almost canceled her swim lesson with Landon today, because I’m a chicken shit, but I couldn’t do that to Penny, especially on her birthday. I did take the cowards way out and made Reid bring her on Tuesday. I just wasn’t ready to face Landon.
Penny has been going non stop since she woke up and thankfully hasn’t picked up on how shitty of a mood I’ve been in all week. It doesn’t help that I can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I picture the look on Chayse’s face before she turned around and went into her house and never looked back.
Since that moment, my mind has been replaying everything that happened on Saturday and the only conclusion is that I fucked up. I fucked up big time, and my mistake could cost me and Penny the most amazing woman to have walked into our lives. I can’t believe I let her go and thought it was a good idea.
After breakfast, it’s time to head out and meet Landon and I’m dragging my feet. Luckily, Penny talks my ear off the whole way there about the presents I got her and what she thought everyone else would get her. Even though her party is Sunday, she knows Uncle Reid will show up at some point to give her the most over the top present and to eat cake with us.
Pulling into the parking lot, Penny squeals as she sees Landon leaning up against his car waiting for us to show up. I reluctantly get out and go snag a squirming Penny out of the back.
“Well, if it isn’t the prettiest little birthday princess I have ever seen!” Penny giggles as she launches herself into Landon’s waiting arms. They squeeze each other and both giggle endlessly like they have a secret joke that only they know.
I don’t even realize my shoulders are dropping and some of my anxiety draining until the ache in my jaw subsides. Even though Reid said he was fine on Tuesday, a part of me was afraid Landon would treat her differently now that Chayse and I weren’t together. I know it was an irrational fear since he’s always adored Penny, but try telling that to my anxiety.
With Penny distracted, Landon pierces me with the fiercest glare I’ve ever seen on him. I now know how he gets unruly patients to cooperate, because I’m about to do anything he wants so that I’m not on the receiving end of whatever he’s plotting.
He gives me a little head nod before turning away and heading into the building. Instead of disappearing into the locker room like I expected him to, he went straight into the pool area and sat on the bleachers. There was a giant pink bag waiting for Penny with flowers and balloons, too.
She jumped up and down and clapped her hands before giving Landon a gimme hand gesture. He just laughed and shook his head at her.
“The balloons and flowers are from me. The big pink bag is from Chayse. She was so bummed she couldn’t give it to you herself, but she wanted to make sure you had it on your birthday.”
“Isn’t she coming to my party?” Landon focuses his death glare on me again while trying to figure out how to answer my daughter. Chances are Chayse wouldn’t be showing up anywhere anytime soon since I’m such an ass.
“She should be, but she didn’t want to wait until the party for you to have your present.”
Penny nods her head like it makes perfect sense before she dives in and has tissue paper flying everywhere. She pulls out a make up, hair, and nail set and it takes everything in me not to groan. I’m not sure if she’s trying to torture me with that gift, but I’m definitely not thrilled about it.
“Oh My God! This is the bestest present EVER! Can I call her on your phone and say thank you. I wanted to call her last night, but daddy was too busy being a grumpy growly daddy bear and said we couldn’t bother her while she was away for the new job. I told him I didn’t care because I want her to come home and he went on and on about how I can’t be selfish like that.”
Landon discretely flips me the bird while he digs out his phone. Before I can even object, I hear the sweetest voice and my heart cracks open wide. I haven’t seen or talked to her since Saturday, and they were not nice words. She’s being so sweet to Penny, but my guts roll when I realize she’s crying. She covers with Penny saying they are happy tears, but I can’t imagine that’s true.
I snap at Penny when she tells Chayse she wishes she would come home and I about melt into a puddle when Chayse tells her she wants Penny to be honest with her, even if it might hurt her feelings. How could I be so fucking stupid to push this woman away? She is way too good for me and proves it by being sweet to my Penny. The final kick in the balls is when Penny tells her she loves her before saying bye and coming over to me to grab her swim stuff.
From the murderous look on Landon’s face, I can tell Chayse took that hard. He doesn’t say anything, and I don’t hear Chayse tell him bye. He just lowers his phone and seethes while staring me down. I go to open my mouth, but he just shakes his head at me.
“I don’t want to hear your bullshit excuses, Cash. That’s the third time in as many days that I’ve seen my tough as nails best friend cry. You wanna know the last time I saw her cry? It was that pile up when we lost the whole family, but the oldest child. She was crushed that we couldn’t save them, but even more so that he would be alone. That’s a good reason to cry, but crying because you’re a dick is most definitely not.”
