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Back upstairs, Kent found Damian at the table. Kent thanked medics Nick Martin and Zach Lacey for breakfast and made himself a plate. He joined the chatter around the table as they talked about the Golden State Warriors and how they used to get tickets for thirty dollars, and how the best way to watch them these days was from the privacy of your own home. Kent preferred college basketball over the NBA, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
When they finished, Damian and Kent went downstairs and got into their rig. They would stage at Station 49 until they got a call. On the drive there, Kent told his partner about his plan and waited for him to respond.
“Why are you doing this?”
Kent rolled his eyes. He was growing tired of answering the same question. “Too many reasons to list,” he said.
“Do you like her or something?” Damian asked.
Kent thought about the question and smiled when the answer presented itself with an image of Palmer in his mind. “Actually, I do. She’s definitely someone I would’ve asked out.”
Kent’s phone vibrated in his pocket, and an uncomfortable feeling rose. He kept it off during his work shift, but he had promised Palmer he’d leave it on, just in case. He took it from his pocket and saw Maeve’s name on the screen. Kent sent the call to voice mail. He had nothing to say. If it was important, Maeve could leave a message.
“You’re going to have to talk to her sooner or later.”
“Preferably, later,” Kent said. “How’d you know it was Maeve?”
Damian pulled their rig up to the curb and put it in park. “Because if it was anyone else, you would’ve answered it.”
“I have nothing to say to her, and I don’t want to hear her excuses. After the first night together, she should’ve said something. Hell, she could’ve said, ‘I’m separated and looking to be wild.’ I would’ve been okay with that. But she led me on.”
“Yeah, that’s messy.”
“See why I want to leave?”
Damian shrugged. “I do, but I don’t. It’s your life, though, and you seem to have a connection with the banker.”
“Palmer—that’s her name,” Kent said. “You’ll like her.”
Damian laughed. “I don’t envy you.”
Kent didn’t need Damian to expand on his comment. He had spent last night scouring the internet for everything he could find on glioblastomas, and what he couldn’t find on the web, he searched for through his textbooks. Kent wanted to be prepared for everything and anything that might come his way. He also wanted to make sure they equipped his car with what they might need. He started for a list of what they’d need for their road trips. Extra clothes and water were at the top.
“Where are you taking her?” Damian asked, interrupting Kent’s thoughts.
“I don’t know. I’m going over tomorrow with an atlas. We’ll plan it all together.”
“Does she know you’re taking a sabbatical?”
“No, I haven’t told her yet. I decided this morning to ask for that instead of time off when I saw the option.”
“What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?” Damian asked.
Kent hadn’t thought about Damian. Instantly, he felt like shit. Like he had quit on his partner. “I’m sorry,” Kent said. “I know this sucks, but I have to do it. I want to do it for her. For me.”
“I get it.” Damian opened the door and got out of the truck. Kent gave him a head start and then followed. When he walked into the station, Damian wasn’t in their normal spot. Kent had upset his partner, and there wasn’t much he could do about it. He would not take his offer off the table where Palmer was concerned.
His phone rang again, and this time it was Palmer’s name on his screen. “Hello, Palmer? Is everything okay?”
“Yes, Kent, it is. I’m calling because my office is throwing a goodbye party.”
“I’m sorry, they’re what? Giving you a party because you’re . . .” He still couldn’t bring himself to say “dying” to her.
“Oh, God, no,” she whispered. “I told you the other day that I quit my job.”
“Oh, right. I’m sorry. I forgot. But why not just tell them the truth?”
“Because I didn’t want their pity or to hear how sorry they were.”
“Makes sense. So, why the call?”
“My boss told me to invite my friends, and well, you’re my only genuine friend.” Her words broke him. She added, “Do you want to come to the bank for cake? There’s other food as well.”
“I’m working, remember?” He was afraid her memory had already slipped.
“I remember, but you’re in the Financial District, right?”
“We are. Tell you what, I have to find my partner—he’s around here someplace—and then we’ll be over unless we get a call.”
“That will be great,” she said. They hung up. Kent went to look for Damian and found him coming out of the bathroom.
