Journey (3)

Chapter 52

dancing with our hands tied- taylor swift

CONNOR'S POV:

"You can tell me," Will is saying to me. "Is there something going on between you?"

We're both on the earliest shift, at an impossible hour in the morning, and I can barely keep my eyes open, let alone answer these questions.

"For the last time, no," I tell him, shaking my head. "There is nothing going on between us. There's your answer. Does that satisfy you?"

"You're both being very evasive about it," Will says. "She went to the airport to talk to you, and then...what happened. Neither of you will say what happened after that."

"Why are you so desperate to find out?" I ask him. "Don't you have your own relationship issues to be dealing with? I noticed that Natalie has been conveniently avoiding you for the past few weeks."

Will is silent for a moment. "You're changing the subject," he says, finally. "You don't want to tell me the truth, so you're projecting it back onto me. That means there's something going on between you."

"It really doesn't mean that," I tell him. "Tessa came to the airport but I'd already made the decision to break up with Kyla." I sigh, thinking of how to proceed with the lie. "And...that's it. Nothing else happened."

"So, when Tessa comes in to start her shift, she'll also tell me the same thing?" Will asks, and I can tell that he doesn't quite believe what I'm saying.

"Don't ask her," I say. "Not because I'm hiding anything, but because she won't want to be subjected to your non-stop questioning the minute she walks in through the door."

"Fine, fine," Will says, shrugging. "But I'm not the only one who suspects that there's something going on between you."

"It seems like you're the only one," I say, sarcastically. "But even if you weren't, there's nothing going on. What happened at the airport is just...coincidence."

"Coincidence," Will repeats, nodding. "Sure." He smirks slightly.

"I'm done with this conversation," I tell him. "I have a surgery to scrub in on anyway." I roll my eyes. "When Tessa comes in, don't start questioning her."

"I won't," Will says, putting his hands up. "I wouldn't just start questioning her like that. Don't worry."

"I'm not worried," I say, walking away. So far, I think that I managed to pull that off. All we have to do is wait until it all dies down, before letting everyone know. It's better this way, even if it means lying to Will, and anyone else who might have questions.

...

several hours later

I'm heading out of the OR, after a successful surgery, and Ava walks closely behind me, trying to say something.

"That was impressive," Ava tells me. "And that wasn't an easy surgery. I think that we make a good team."

"Do you?" I ask her, with a slight hint of sarcasm. I am well aware of how Ava can be. I don't know whether this is a friendly gesture, or whether she has an ulterior motive.

"Yes, I think so," she says. "So, you're going down to see Tessa?" she asks me. "I know that her shift started about an hour ago."

"I was going to check on a patient," I tell her. I have no idea why she's even bringing Tessa into the conversation. We haven't even spoken outside of the OR in weeks.

"People are saying that you're dating her," Ava explains. "I heard something from Doris. Something about an airport. Is it true?"

"That I'm dating her? No." I don't know why Ava has taken the sudden interest. "And whatever you heard from Doris, I can guarantee, it isn't true."