Page 23 of Broken Dream (Steel Legends #3)

Chapter Twenty

Jason

Lindsay.

Julia.

Angie.

All ghosts in my nightmare.

Love.

Loss.

I toss and turn as I wake, the echoes of their names still whispering in my ears. The room is filled with darkness and the chill of night, and I’m haunted by memories I’d rather forget. With a heavy sigh, I sit up in bed.

Lindsay.

Her laugh was like the tinkling of wind chimes on a breezy afternoon. The way her eyes sparkled when she looked at me, as if I held all the secrets of the universe. Each memory feels like a shard of glass, sharp and painful.

Julia.

My baby, her laugh so contagious. So young and innocent.

Their absence is a tangible presence in this hollow room, filling up every forgotten corner. I can almost hear Lindsay’s laughter intertwined with Julia’s childish giggles.

My heart yearns for them, my soul cries out for their touch. But all I get is silence.

Then…Angie.

So quietly vibrant, a beacon of light in my bleak world.

Sleep is a distant wish once I banish the nightmare.

Lindsay.

Her touch used to bring comfort on sleepless nights.

Julia.

Watching her sleep was a sight that could mend any broken heart. Her little snores and dreaming twitches were so full of life and peace.

Guilt.

Remorse.

Regret.

Anger.

Rage.

They’re all there, taking me back to the void where I spent most of the past three years.

Until her.

Until Angie.

I let out a huff.

This is all ridiculous.

I untangle myself from my blanket and get out of bed, not bothering to shower. I splash some cold water on my face and riffle my fingers through my hair.

I have a day’s worth of beard growth. Scruffy. Messy. I don’t care.

I throw on a pair of jeans, sweatshirt, moccasin slippers.

Then I grab my leather jacket and walk the three doors to Angie’s place, where I ring the doorbell.

A moment later, she opens the door.

She looks like an angel. Her dark hair is damp from a shower. She’s wearing leggings and a large sweatshirt that says Steel Vineyards on it. Her feet are bare, toes painted red.

Why didn’t I notice that last night?

Red toenails.

Lindsay never would’ve worn red. She thought it was too garish.

Angie seems too quiet to be a red-toenails girl, yet here she is.

She widens her eyes upon seeing me. “Jason. Good morning.”

I walk past her into her home but then stop short.

Another one of my students is here. Tabitha. The same one who showed up the day I realized I lived three doors down from Angie.

Fuck. She’s caught me here twice now. She’s going to be suspicious.

I take a few steps back. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you had company.”

“Dr. Lansing,” Tabitha says. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Jason, please.” I give her an awkward wave. “Hi, Tabitha.”

Tabitha stares at me. No doubt because I look like I tumbled right out of bed. Which, of course, I did.

I can see the gears shifting behind her eyes. She’s wondering why I’m here. Why I always seem to show up at my student’s house.

And the obvious conclusion she’s going to come to is exactly what happened.

“We’re…um…having coffee.” Tabitha gestures to the two paper cups on the coffee table. “I only brought two, but I’m sure Angie can make a pot.”

“No, that’s not necessary. I just came over to…” I search for the words in my mind.

None come.

“To say hello,” I finally finish, aware of how hollow the words sound.

Angie, bless her, doesn’t question my intrusion and instead offers a gentle smile.

“Hello then, Jason,” she says, her voice soft.

My heart lurches at the sound of my name on her lips.

Tabitha looks between us, the curiosity in her eyes magnifying. I ignore the look and focus on Angie.

Her eyes meet mine, and for a moment we get lost in each other’s gaze. I find myself drowning in the depth, and it’s both terrifying and comforting.

Angie breaks the silence first. “You are welcome to have coffee with us if you’d like, Jason.”

It’s a simple statement, but it holds so much more under its surface. It’s an act of reaching out in friendship, the same as she’s doing with Tabitha.

At least that’s what I tell myself.

“Sure,” I hear myself saying before I can stop myself.

Coffee with two students is fine.

It’s Saturday, and Angie is my neighbor.

Tabitha looks at me, her head cocked, but Angie shoots her a reassuring smile and walks to her kitchen.

I stay standing, saying nothing, until Tabitha excuses herself and goes into the kitchen with Angie.

A few minutes later, the smell of freshly brewed coffee fills the townhome.

I inhale the warm and comforting aroma. It takes me back to those mornings with Lindsay when we used to sit on our small balcony with two mugs of coffee and watch the world wake up while Julia was still asleep in her crib.

“Jason, do you take cream and sugar?” Angie calls from the kitchen.

“No,” I reply, shaking myself out of my thoughts. “Just black.”

A moment later she and Tabitha emerge. Angie hands me a steaming mug and gestures toward the living area. I take a seat on a recliner, while Angie and Tabitha sit across from me on the leather couch.

Tabitha’s expression is curious. I’m sure she’s wondering what I’m doing here. Why would I come over on a Saturday morning just to say hi to one of my students?

She’s not wrong to question it.

“Anatomy,” I say out of the blue.

Both women look at me, Angie with a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes, Tabitha with confusion.

“We’re studying anatomy,” I say. “You’re both my students, and we’re bound to bump into each other from time to time since we’re neighbors.”

What the hell did I just say?

“Yeah, of course,” Angie says.

“What does that have to do with anatomy?” Tabitha asks.

I raise my eyebrows. “Doesn’t everything a person does have to do with anatomy?”

I’m talking in circles. She’s going to think I’m high or something.

“I… I mean…” Tabitha takes a sip of coffee. “Never mind. I missed having lab yesterday. I hope everything is okay with you.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” I ask.

“You canceled lab and all,” she says.

Right. I did. For my appointment with Louisa and Gita.

Good news. Hopeful news. Which I celebrated by fucking my student.

“Yes, everything is fine,” I say. “Something came up. An unforeseen appointment. But we’ll be back in lab next Thursday to begin cutting.”

“I wish we could have lab every day.” Tabitha grabs a spoon and absentmindedly stirs her coffee. “Not just Thursdays and Fridays.”

I’m not sure what to say to that. That’s when the lab is scheduled, Thursday and Friday mornings.

Angie, on the other hand, is looking a little green around the gills. “We’ll be cutting on Thursday?” she asks.

“Yes. I’m sorry we couldn’t start yesterday as planned.”

Tabitha is beaming. “I can’t wait.”

“And you, Angie?” I ask.

She blinks for a few seconds before responding. “I’m looking forward to learning .” She bows her head.

I know how she feels about cutting into cadavers. She’s made that very clear.

“No matter what kind of medicine you decide to practice, you’ll still be a medical doctor,” I say, “which means you need to learn anatomy in lab.”

“I know, I know,” Angie says. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

I have no doubt she’ll be fine. Most of them are really looking forward to this, like Tabitha.

I finish my coffee quickly. Then I stand. “I should let you get back to your studies. Thank you for the coffee, Angie.”

“Of course. You’re welcome. Anytime.” She bites her lower lip. “Anything for…a neighbor.”

I nod as my cock responds to the glistening full lip she’s nibbling.

Then I leave.

I still need to talk to her.

Figure out what the hell this is between us.

And make sure it never happens again.