Page 208 of My Fake Dating with the Grumpiest Highlander
“How do you?—”
“Lily heard it from Keira. Everybody knows, Finn.”
Everybody knows.
Perfect.
My cowardice is officially public knowledge now.
“It was the right decision,” I say stubbornly, voice rough.
“The right decision?” Nate repeats incredulously. “You shattered her.”
“I’m protecting her.”
“Are you protecting her? Or protecting yourself?”
I don’t answer.
Because I don’t have an answer.
Or rather, I do.
I just refuse to admit it.
Nate turns fully toward me now.
“That little girl in Edinburgh? You weren’t responsible.”
“I don’t want to?—”
“The investigation cleared you, Finn. Your colleagues supported you. But you refuse to forgive yourself.”
My hand tightens around the door handle.
“If I forgive myself, then her death stops mattering.”
“No,” Nate says more gently. “It means her death doesn’t get to ruin two more lives.”
Something twists violently in my chest.
“I could’ve saved her.”
“Maybe. Or maybe not. You’ll never know. But what you do know is that you’re a good doctor. You save lives every day. You’ve helped dozens of people in Glenfield.”
“That doesn’t bring her back.”
“No. But it still matters.”
I close my eyes.
The image of the girl’s mother slams back into me.
Her screams in the hospital hallway.
Her accusations.
You should’ve known. You should’ve done more.
