Unfriending the Dr: A Small Town Friends to Lovers Romance

Long gone.

We had no future together, not as long as she was entertaining her ex in the middle of the night. That thought sliced at my insides and I stood, slowly moving Titus onto the pillow where he immediately curled into a ball, still sound asleep.

Anger and hurt raced through my veins and I tried so damn hard not to look at either of them. I promised Persephone that nothing would change, that I wouldn’t go anywhere if we didn’t work out and I had to keep that promise. I owed it to myself as well as to Titus. He didn’t deserve having another man abandon him, even if that first man was trying to snake his way back into the picture.

So I sucked back my hurt and my anger, and put on my big boy boxers. “Titus is fine. Cal said he had a bad reaction to a bug bite. They’re running his blood to figure out what, exactly.”

“Thank you, Ryan.” Persephone took a step forward and I took a step back.

“You should probably check on Titus. I’ll see you…around.” I ignored the hurt in her violet eyes because I had to, and then I did the hardest thing I’d probably ever have to do.

I walked away from the woman I loved.

Persy

“Well that was awkward as hell.” Ferguson’s poorly timed words did not help the hurt, and the anger, coursing through my veins at Ryan’s dismissal.

“Shut up, Ferguson.” I wanted to go to Ryan, to run to him and explain that whatever thoughts were running through his pretty little head were ridiculous at best, insulting at worst.

“Hey, what are you mad at me for? I didn’t do anything.”

I let out a grunt and shook my head. Titus needed me and he was my primary focus. He needed me and I needed to know everything about what happened tonight.

“Mom? You’re here.” Titus sat up with a sleepy smile and looked around the hospital room. “Where’s Ryan?”

Good question. “I think he went to get your things from the campsite, I’m sure he’ll back soon.”

Titus accepted my answer with a nod and I felt my shoulders relax a fraction as I sent up a thanks that little kids were so trusting. “Okay. Who’s that?” He pointed at Ferguson and that tension returned ten-fold.

Nobody. That’s what I wanted to say, but that wasn’t the truth and I couldn’t lie to my little boy. I wouldn’t. “He’s a friend. Kind of.”

“But I thought Ryan was your boyfriend.” There was a hint of defiance in his voice as he puffed out his little chest and glared at me. “I saw you kissing in the kitchen on movie night.”

I sucked in a breath and nearly choked on it at his accusatory words. “You did?”

He nodded.

“Why…never mind.” I couldn’t believe he’d seen us together on movie night, but Titus was a ninja when he wanted to be. It was more surprising that he’d kept the news to himself for so long.

“Why is your friend here?”

I had to bite back a laugh at his tone, so protective. I wasn’t sure if it was for me or Ryan. “We were having an important talk when I got the call you were in the hospital.”

“You didn’t answer. Ryan called you. Lots.”

Ouch. “You were camping and perfectly safe with Ryan, Titus. I had no reason to think it was him. Or you.”

Slightly mollified, Titus folded his arms and glared over my shoulder at Ferguson. “Who are you?”

Ferguson opened his mouth to speak and I held my hand up to stop him. I wouldn’t give him the pleasure of revealing his identity to Titus, to get the pleasure of saying those words. I’m your dad.

“His name is Ferguson and he is your father.”

A small gasp escaped from him and Titus took in the man whose absence had occupied so much of his mind. Sure, he had Ryan and he loved the man beyond all reason, but that sense of abandonment didn’t go away easily. I watched my son take in the details of the man who had contributed half his DNA. I expected to see excitement, or at the very least, curiosity. What I found instead was indifference. “Can I call Ryan now, Mom?”

Ferguson let out a strangled choking sound, which I presumed was shock that Titus wasn’t jumping up and down in childish excitement that the father who’d abandoned him had shown up out of the blue.

“Titus, don’t be rude.” Everyone in town complimented me on how polite he was and I refused to let that change. My kid was nice and polite, even when the situation was strange. Awkward. Unexpected.

“Sorry, Mom. But I really just need to talk to Ryan.”

Ferguson released a huff of annoyance and walked away. Serves the jerk right for walking away in the first place.

“Sorry.” Titus apologized again, this time sincerely. His small shoulders drooped forward and he let out a sigh that was far too mature.