15 | Fifth Weekend Doctor T.
TESS
I woke up warm.
Too warm.
And not alone.
My cheek was pressed against something solid. Rising and falling in a steady rhythm. My arm was draped across—
Oh god.
I was wrapped around Theo like a vine.
My head on his chest. My leg hooked over his. His arm around my shoulders, his hand tangled in my hair like he’d fallen asleep holding me.
We’d started on opposite sides of the bed. I was sure of it. I remembered the space between us. The awkward goodnight.
A brief touch of our hands that felt like a lot more.
Now there was no space at all. Not even an inch.
His breathing changed. Shifted from the deep rhythm of sleep to something lighter.
He was waking up.
I should move. Should extract myself before this got even more awkward.
But for one more second, I let myself stay there. Let myself feel the warmth of him, the steady beat of his heart under my ear, the way his hand felt in my hair.
Then I pulled back.
Fast.
His arm fell away. His eyes opened—confused, sleep-soft, focusing on me.
“Morning,” he said. His voice was rough.
“Morning.” I sat up, putting distance between us. “Sorry. I—I don’t know how—”
“It’s fine.”
“I must have—”
“Tessa.” He sat up too, running a hand through his hair. “We were asleep. It happens.”
Right. It happens.
But why hadn’t it ever happened to me before? Not even once when I was with Charles?
And why did my heart feel like it was trying to break out of my chest?
“I should—” I gestured toward the bathroom. “Shower.”
“Yeah. Me too. After you.”
I grabbed clothes and practically fled.
By the time we made it downstairs, everyone else was already gathering for breakfast. Coffee, pastries, the easy morning chatter of people who’d slept well.
Theo and I exchanged exactly two words on the way down.
This was fine.
Everything was normal.
“Morning!” Linda called out from the kitchen. “Coffee’s fresh. We’re doing a hike after breakfast if you’re interested.”
“Sounds great,” Theo said.
I nodded. Poured coffee. Tried not to think about the fact that I’d woken up in his arms.
----
The hike started easy.
A trail through the woods, everyone paired off naturally. David and Linda in front, setting the pace. James and Marcus behind them, holding hands. Marina and Robert next.
Claire and Andrew.
And us.
Theo and I fell into step beside each other. Not touching, but close. The kind of proximity that felt automatic now.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
“Yeah. Why?”
“You’ve been quiet.”
“Just tired.”
“Tessa—”
“I’m fine.”
He didn’t push it.
The trail narrowed, with trees closing in on both sides and dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves. It was beautiful in that effortless way nature had—no trying, just existing.
“Okay, couples challenge!” David called from the front. “There’s a fallen log up ahead. One person has to guide the other across blindfolded.”
Groans came from the group.
“Come on, it’s team building!” Linda laughed.
We reached the log. It was wide enough, stable enough. Not actually dangerous—unless you fell off into the rocks and brush on either side.
“Who wants to go first?” David asked.
“We will,” Theo said.
I looked at him. He was already pulling a bandana from his pocket—apparently David had handed them out while I wasn’t paying attention.
“You trust me?” he asked quietly.
“Yes.”
He tied the bandana around my eyes. The world went dark.
“Okay,” his voice said close to my ear. “I’ve got you. Step up.”
His hand found mine. Steady. Sure.
I stepped up onto the log.
“Good. Now three steps forward. Slow.”
I moved. His hand guided me, his voice calm and certain.
“Little to the left. Perfect. Two more steps.”
I could hear the others watching. Could feel their attention.
But all I focused on was Theo’s voice. His hand in mine.
“One more. And down.”
I stepped down. Solid ground.
He untied the blindfold.
“See?” he said. “Easy.”
Around us, people were clapping. Someone—James, maybe—whistled.
“You two are disgustingly good at that,” Claire said. There was something in her voice. Something sharp underneath the lightness.
“What can I say,” Theo said easily. “We know each other.”
“Our turn!” Claire announced. She tied the bandana around Andrew’s eyes with a flourish. “Okay, babe, step up.”
He stepped onto the log carefully.
“Go left—no wait, your other left—”
“Which way?”
“Left! Like, towards me—no, the other way—”
“Claire, I can’t see—”
“I know! That’s the point! Just—okay, step forward—”
“How far?”
“I don’t know, like, a normal step? Just go—”
Andrew moved forward. Too fast.
“Wait, not that far—turn right—RIGHT—”
His foot caught the edge of the log.
For a second, he teetered.
Arms windmilling.
Then he fell.
Backwards, off the log, into the brush and rocks on the side.
Then we heard the crack of branches breaking and a shout.
“Andrew!”
Claire rushed forward. He was on the ground, already pulling off the blindfold, his face twisted in pain.
“Don’t move,” I said automatically.
Everyone looked at me.
I knelt beside him. Blood was seeping through his sleeve, spreading fast.
“Let me see,” I said.
He pulled his arm away from his body. His sleeve was torn. Underneath, a deep gash ran from his forearm to his elbow—ragged, already welling with blood. He’d caught it on something sharp on the way down.
Someone behind me made a sick sound.
Claire had her hand over her mouth. “Oh my god, I—I didn’t mean—”
“Left and right, Claire.” Andrew’s voice was tight with pain. “That’s literally all you had to do. Tell me left or right.”
His face was white.
“Okay,” I said, keeping my voice calm. “It looks worse than it is. But we need to stop the bleeding and clean it.” I looked up. “Does anyone have a first aid kit?”
“In my pack,” David said. His face was pale. “Should we—is he going to need stitches? Should we call—”
“No cell service up here,” James said, checking his phone.
“We’re forty-five minutes from the cars,” Marina added. Her voice was tight.
People were starting to panic. I could feel it—the way the group energy shifted from calm to frantic in seconds.
David looked at me. “Can you handle this?”
Not unkind. Just uncertain. Looking at me and wondering if I knew what I was doing.
Before I could answer, Theo spoke.
“Yes.” His voice was calm. Certain. No doubt in it. “He’s in good hands.”
I looked at him. He was watching me with complete confidence. Like there was no question I could do this.
“Okay,” I said, turning back to Andrew. “David, I need that first aid kit. And water—does anyone have clean water? And someone give me a clean shirt or cloth, something I can use for pressure.”
They moved. Robert stripped off his flannel. James pulled out a water bottle. David fumbled with his pack.
I worked quickly.
Poured water over the wound to clear the blood and dirt. Pressed Robert’s shirt against it—firm, steady pressure.
“This is going to hurt,” I told Andrew. “But I need you to stay still.”
He nodded, teeth gritted.
Claire was hovering. “I’m so sorry, I should have been clearer, I just—”
“Claire,” Theo said quietly. “Give her space to work.”
She stepped back.
I kept pressure for two minutes. Three. When I lifted the cloth, the bleeding had slowed.
I cleaned the wound properly. Deeper than I’d like it to be, but clean. No debris. The edges weren’t too ragged.
From the first aid kit, I pulled out gauze, antiseptic, medical tape.
“You’re lucky,” I said, starting to bandage. “It’s deep, but it missed anything major. You’ll need stitches when we get back. Probably eight or ten. But this will hold until then.”
I wrapped his arm carefully. Firm enough to keep pressure, not so tight it would cut circulation. Checked his fingers—still pink, still warm.
“Can you move your hand?” I asked.
He wiggled his fingers. Winced but managed it.
“Good. That means no nerve damage.” I sat back. “You’re going to be fine.”
The group seemed to exhale collectively.
Claire was crying now—relief mixed with guilt. “I’m so sorry, babe.”
“Just leave me alone,” he said. “You’ve done enough.”
Theo and Robert helped him up. We started back down the trail. Slower now. More careful.
After a few minutes, David fell into step beside me.
“That was impressive,” he said. “How did you know what to do?”
“I’m a vet tech,” I said. “I deal with wounds like that pretty regularly. Dogs get into fights, cats jump through windows, rabbits chew through wires and cut themselves.” I shrugged.
“Animals?”
“Yeah.” I glanced at Theo, who was helping Andrew navigate a tricky section of trail. “Though it’s definitely easier without the fur.”
Theo caught my eye. Smiled.
David laughed. “Well. Thank god you were here.”
“Happy to help.”
Behind us, I heard Claire murmur something to Marina. Too quiet to make out the words, but the tone was clear.
Annoyed.
Like I’d done something wrong by helping.
I ignored it.
----
By the time we got back to the cabin, it was late afternoon. Andrew was settled on the couch with ice and painkillers. Claire was hovering, alternating between grateful and stressed.
“I’m going to take him to the ER,” she announced. “Just to be safe.”
“I’ll drive you,” Robert offered.
“Maybe Theo should drive you,” Marina said quickly. “For safety.”
I caught the look she exchanged with Claire. The one that said this wasn’t really about Andrew.
They left in a flurry of goodbyes and reassurances.
And then it was just our group. Smaller now. Quieter.
Meaner.
Dinner was subdued. People were tired from the hike. Worried about Andrew.
I pushed food around my plate and tried not to notice the way Marina kept looking at me.
After dinner, I wandered toward the kitchen to refill my wine. Marina appeared beside me at the counter.
“That was impressive today,” she said. “Seriously. Most people would have panicked.”
“It wasn’t that complicated,” I said. “Just pressure and patience.”
“Still.” She poured herself more wine, easy and unhurried. “Andrew’s lucky you were there.” A beat. Genuine, I thought. Then: “Are you coming to Napa?”
I looked at her. “Sorry?”
“The corporate retreat. Two weeks from now.” She glanced toward the living room. “I assumed Theo mentioned it.”
He hadn’t.
“We haven’t talked about it yet,” I said carefully.
“You should come.” She said it simply, no edge in it. “It’s beautiful. And honestly”—she lowered her voice slightly, not conspiratorial, just private—“Vanessa’s going to be there.”
I went still.
Vanessa.
Risk assessment.
The black dress and the hand on Theo’s arm and the conversation that had lasted twenty minutes while I stood alone with a champagne glass.
“Those trips have a way of getting out of hand,” Marina continued. “Open bar, mountain air, everyone away from real life for a few days.” A small shrug. “She’s been very focused lately. If you care about keeping him—I’d be there.”
She said it like advice. Like she was doing me a favor. Maybe she was. She topped up her wine and drifted back toward the others.
I stood there.
Napa.
Two weeks.
After our six weeks would already be up.
Vanessa.
I turned the name over in my head and tried to feel nothing about it.
I didn’t succeed.
????
I know we’re angry about Napa, but what about a certain financial douchebag? Kind of satisfying that he got hurt for once, isn’t it (The One I Almost Forgot fans—I did that for you)?
Every comment and reaction means more than you know—if you’re enjoying the story, please leave a little trace. I read and love every single one.