Page 100 of The Exception

He was done.

“You mean you’re not going to fightforme.”

“Trav—”

“Goodbye, Sonya.”

Thirty-eight

Two weeks later

It was a little after six and Sonya should’ve been gathering her things to meet Emma, Dani, and Cat at a new restaurant downtown, but instead she’d offered to cover rounds for a nurse who had to leave early.

Working late had become her thing and so had coming in early. She was basically surviving on coffee, protein bars and spending as much time at the hospital as she could.

Anything was preferable to being alone in her condo with reminders of Trav and her racing thoughts. Not that the ghost of him wasn’t lingering in every corner of the hospital. It was just that the ones at home were harder to ignore.

Helping him study at the dining table and rewarding him with kisses when he’d get the quiz questions right. Sitting on the floor between his legs as she’d taught him how to help her take her braids out while binge watching Netflix. Laying in bed all wrapped up in him for much longer than she should’ve on Sunday mornings. Those memories were like knives in her chest.

She missed him so damn much that she couldn’t breathe. She hadn’t seen him since the stairwell when their relationship had taken its last breath. Was he happy in ED? Happy to be away from her? Who could blame him? She could barely stand being around herself lately.

Sonya finished taking vitals before stepping out of Ms. Wesley’s room, thinking about using working late as an excuse to bail on girls night all together, but she came to an abrupt stop when she collided with another person.

“I’m so sorry… ”

She looked up and her heart leapt into her throat, cutting off her words.

Trav.

After weeks of not seeing him, here he was back on her floor. He was scruffier than he’d been the last time she’d seen him, exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes, but to Sonya, he was even more handsome than she remembered.

Her mouth felt like the Sahara but she managed to say, “Trav.”

Those eyes that had once warmed her with just a glance, now left a trail of ice as they watched her warily.

“Nurse Pope.”

While it was so good to hear his voice, the formal use of her title made Sonya die a little on the inside.

“What are you doing up here?”

Trav ran his hand through his hair in that way he did whenever he was uncomfortable. “I was visiting Frank.”

Her shoulders fell. Of course that was it. For a split second, she’d allowed herself to think he was there to finally give her a chance to explain what had happened that day in Abi’s office. Obviously, that was just wishful thinking.

“Oh. I’m sure he was glad to see you.”

There was a long pause as she waited for Trav to say something to keep the conversation going. Instead, he just stood there determined to look at anything in that hallway but her. Even so, she wanted nothing more than to keep him there a little bit longer.

She took a deep breath. “How are things in—”

Trav cut her off. “I should get going.”

Whatever hope Sonya had deflated like a balloon. He didn’t want to talk to her. Hell, based on his tense posture, he didn’t even want to be around her. She dropped her gaze to the floor and tried to ignore the stinging behind her eyes. If this was the way it was going to be between them, she would play her part. Even if it made the hole in her heart even wider.

Stepping aside, she swallowed hard and willed her voice not to crack. “Good night, Intern Travis.”

Trav stepped around her, stopping just long enough to mumble, “Good night.”

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