Love in the ER

CHAPTER 15

Later that evening, Oliver sat in a familiar corner of their favorite pub with his childhood friends, Diego and Lucas, nursing a glass of whiskey. The pub was packed with the usual crowd—loud, bustling, and filled with the scent of greasy food and laughter. It had always been their spot, ever since they were teenagers. Back then, it was the place where they escaped life's pressures and had a good time, but tonight, Oliver's thoughts were far away.

"So," Diego began, taking a sip of his beer, "are you going to tell us what's been going on, or are you just going to keep staring at your drink all night?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Lucas chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Come on, man. You've been in your head all evening. It's written all over your face."

Diego smirked, exchanging a knowing look with Lucas. "Let me guess—this has something to do with that cute nurse at the hospital. What's her name? Paris?"

Oliver tensed at the mention of her name, though he tried to play it off casually. "It's nothing."

"Oh, it's definitely something," Diego teased. "We've known you too long to fall for that. Spill it. What's going on with you and Paris?"

Oliver sighed, taking a long sip of his drink before setting it down on the table. "It's complicated. I've been trying to keep my distance, you know? We work together, and I didn't want to make things messy."

Lucas nodded thoughtfully. "So you've been avoiding her?"

Oliver leaned back in his chair, staring at the amber liquid swirling in his glass. "Yeah. I thought if I just... stayed away, it would help. That I could keep whatever feelings I have under control."

Diego leaned in, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "And? How's that working out for you?"

Oliver laughed, but it was a dry, humorless sound. "It's not. It's actually making things worse. The more I try to stay away, the more I realize... I can't stop thinking about her."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "So, what are you going to do about it?"

Oliver ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling up. "I don't know. I thought keeping things professional would be the right move, but now I feel like an idiot. She's probably noticed I've been distant, and I don't want her to think I don't care about her at all. The truth is, the more I try to push her away, the stronger my feelings get."

Diego grinned, leaning back in his chair. "That's what happens, man. You can't fight it. When it's real, it just keeps coming back, no matter how much you try to push it away."

Lucas nodded in agreement. "It's obvious you've got feelings for her. Trying to ignore it isn't going to make it go away. So maybe it's time to stop running from it and face it head-on."

Oliver looked between his friends, feeling the weight of their words sink in. They were right. He had been avoiding his feelings for Paris, but that had only made them grow stronger. He couldn't deny it anymore—he liked her. More than he was willing to admit, even to himself.

"But what if I make things worse?" Oliver said, voicing the fear that had been gnawing at him. "We work together. If I cross that line and it doesn't work out, it could get messy."

Diego shrugged. "Yeah, it could. But it could also be something amazing. You'll never know if you don't take the risk."

Oliver sighed, staring at the ice melting in his glass. He hated feeling like this—torn between his head and his heart. But every time he saw Paris, every time he heard her laugh or caught her in one of those quiet moments when she was so focused on her work, his feelings for her only grew. And pretending they didn't exist wasn't helping.

"I'm just not sure how to approach it," Oliver admitted. "I've been keeping my distance, and now... I don't know how to go back to how things were."

Lucas leaned forward, his voice serious for a moment. "Just be honest with her. You've always been the guy who does things straight-up. Don't overthink it. If she feels the same way, you'll know. And if she doesn't, well, at least you'll have your answer."

Diego nodded. "Exactly. You've been stuck in your head for too long, man. It's time to act. You can't keep avoiding her forever."

Oliver felt the truth of their words settle in. They were right. He couldn't keep pretending like there wasn't something between him and Paris. The distance he had created hadn't helped—it had only made him more certain of his feelings. And the more time he spent trying to ignore it, the more he realized that he might be missing out on something real.

"Maybe you're right," Oliver said quietly, his resolve hardening. "I can't keep doing this. I need to talk to her."

Diego grinned, lifting his glass in a mock toast. "Now that's the Oliver we know. Go after what you want."

Lucas raised his glass as well. "Here's to Paris—and to you finally admitting what you've been feeling."

Oliver smiled, clinking his glass with theirs. "Here's to figuring it out."

But as the night went on, and they continued to drink and laugh like old times, Oliver couldn't shake the thought of Paris. He knew that whatever happened next, he couldn't keep pretending his feelings didn't exist. It was time to stop running—and face the truth.