Page 49 of Her Paramedic (Men in Uniforms #3)

T alia was headed to the bathroom when voices from down the hall caught her attention.

She immediately recognized them and she bypassed her original destination.

She knew Slate had come inside to bring out more paper towels.

He’d said something about getting them when they started running low outside, and shortly after, Talia saw Alivia enter the house a few minutes before Slate did.

She had every intention of making her presence known, but stopped to make out the words.

“A couple of weeks ago, we were supposed to have dinner. She stood me up to stay with you. She’s allowed to spend time with someone other than you.”

Talia’s brow furrowed because she’d never in their friendship stood the woman up, and the time she was referring to was no different.

Talia had called Alivia and sent a text before Slate got home.

She’d even sent a second text closer to the time they were supposed to meet when she hadn’t gotten a response.

“I never said she wasn’t,” Slate replied. “And you’re wrong. I don’t like Talia. I love her, and I don’t just treat her right, I treat her the way she deserves.” She couldn’t help the smile that took over her face if she wanted to, but it quickly vanished at Alivia’s response.

“Whatever you say,” she responded in a tone that let Talia know she didn’t believe him. “As long as she’s happy, I have no reason to dislike you. Respect the boundaries of the time we spend together and it’ll stay that way.”

Talia had heard enough and rounded the corner. “Alivia,” she chided, and they both turned to her. She kept her eyes locked on the other woman. There was a brief stare down before her attention shifted to Slate. “Babe, will you give us a minute?”

“Of course, baby.” He grabbed the paper towels and exited the kitchen, kissing her temple as he left.

“What was that about?” Talia asked.

Alivia shrugged. “It was just a reminder that he isn’t the only person in your life, and that he doesn’t get to be selfish and monopolize all your free time.”

When Talia had met her the following evening after the incident for dinner, she’d apologize for having to postpone.

She hadn’t told Alivia what happened to Slate because it wasn’t her friend’s business.

Hell, she hadn’t even told her sister. She’d said she needed to spend an extra day with him.

It seemed Alivia had taken it as Slate asking Talia to stay, and she agreed when that hadn’t been the case.

“I didn’t stand you up for him. I called, and I texted twice, letting you know I needed to reschedule.

If I had stood you up, I wouldn’t have reached out,” Talia pointed out.

“Slate also doesn’t monopolize my free time.

” Talia still spent the same time as she had before with Alivia and the other women, so she wasn’t sure what her friend was talking about.

“You did stand me up. I was already at the restaurant when I saw your text. And it’s very reminiscent of all the times you changed or cancelled plans with me because ‘Chris wants to’ insert whatever bullshit reason he gave you,’ which only ended up with him wanting to get his dick wet.

” Talia took note that she didn’t comment on her other statement.

“That isn’t my fault. I called and texted the first time hours before we were supposed to meet.

If you didn’t check it, that’s on you. If you had an issue with it, you should have said something to me the next night.

You could have called me that night, and we could have talked about it.

And okay, maybe it felt that way to you, but that’s never happened with Slate until then.

You should have brought it to me, not him.

There was no reason to be rude to him because my decision to stay was mine after what happened. ”

“Happened? Something happened?” Alivia asked. “Were you okay?”

“I was fine.” Talia debated briefly whether to tell Alivia.

She hadn’t before because it didn’t concern her, and although she didn’t owe her an explanation because she hadn’t stood her up, she gave her the cliff notes version.

“Slate was responding to a fire. There were some kids trapped inside, and he ran in to get them. He got hurt. I stayed because I was worried about him.”

“Tal, I’m…I’m sorry. I just assumed that—”

“You’ve been doing a lot of that during my entire relationship,” Talia cut her off. “What happened to you being fine until he gave you a reason not to be?”

“I thought he had. I’m sorry.”

Talia sighed. “I know. I know you are, but at some point, I’d like you to not have to be.”

She exited the kitchen, the need to empty her bladder now nonexistent as she returned outside, making a beeline for her boyfriend, who was talking to Gram. He looked up as she approached, said something to Gram, and met her halfway. She fell into his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you okay, baby?”

Talia didn’t answer for a couple of seconds, and that seemed to be too long as he walked them to a corner of the backyard, away from everyone else.

“Are you okay?” he asked again.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m sorry. I didn’t tell her why I needed to reschedule, because it was your business, and your choice who to share it with. And because I didn’t, she blamed you for a decision I made because of past situations.”

“I’ve told you before, I don’t care if Alivia doesn’t like me. I’m not a fan of hers either, but I can be civil with her because I don’t want us not getting along to upset you.”

“Trust me, it wouldn’t. She’s a lot to take, and I’ve gotten used to people around me not being her biggest fan.

” For as long as Talia could remember, Alivia and Journee did not get along, and she knew that Kaydence only tolerated her for Talia’s sake, but she was genuinely a good friend.

She had seen Talia through every rough patch and things other people didn’t even know about.

“Most of the time, she doesn’t mean any harm.

She just doesn’t know how to…approach things at times. ”

“Again, I don’t care, baby. I’m not dating you and Alivia.

I don’t need her approval of me for me to be good to you, to love you.

You don’t have to apologize for her or try to justify what she does because she doesn’t matter to me.

You do, and as long as your friendship with her works for you, as long as she’s a good friend to you, I don’t care about the rest of it. ”

Talia draped her arms over his shoulders, one hand going to the back of his neck as she pulled him down into a kiss because she thought words wouldn’t describe what she felt in that moment.

She’d dated several men who found butting heads with Alivia, some fun fucked up challenge.

It’d been exhausting to play mediator between them.

She’d believed him the first time he said he didn’t care that Alivia didn’t like him, and when he proved it again by holding his tongue, even though he had every right to argue, just to keep the peace for her, Talia fell even deeper in love.

A throat clearing caught their attention, and when they pulled apart, Talia had to refrain from sighing at Alivia in front of them.

“I’m not trying to cockblock,” she started. “I wanted to apologize, Slate. I made an assumption when I should have spoken to my friend. I’ll be sure to do that in the future.”

“I don’t need you to apologize to me,” Slate responded. “I’m not the one you upset.”

“I’ve already apologized to Tal.”

“Then that’s all I care about,” Slate replied. Alivia nodded before walking over to Nova.

“Now that that’s over. I finished planning your birthday surprise last night,” Talia said. “I can’t wait for you to see.”

“I take it you won’t tell me as some form of payback for me keeping our trip location secret,” he teased.

“Smart man,” she replied with a smile. “When we leave here, I want to spend the rest of the day watching movies and cuddling on the couch.” He was leaving tomorrow afternoon since he was back on nights, and she didn’t want to do anything else but breathe his air until then.

Slate kissed her. “We can do whatever you want, gorgeous.”

Talia knew he wouldn’t be opposed to it, and she just might give him a consolation prize for coming in second during their tournament.