LITMIR.BIZ

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back in on the man who was studying her. The man who’d been inside her friend’s apartment.

      Was Amy dating him? She hadn’t said so, but her friend had been enthusiastic when talking about him. She’d gotten the impression Amy had been hinting at a possible romance between Taylor and the doctor during the music festival, hints Taylor had ignored because she’d not been interested in a man since long before her divorce. She had no plans for a relationship and, even if she had, she’d just as soon have her fingernails ripped out as to get involved with another doctor.

      He held out his hand. “Jackson Morgan.”

      He’d introduced himself without using his medical title, something her ex would never have done. Kudos for that.

      “Nice to meet you, Jackson.” Taylor returned his smile, shook his hand, and marveled at the tingles of awareness that shot up her arm at the warmth of his hand.

      Men sworn off or not, the guy was electric.

      “My friends call me Jack,” he commented as she pulled her hand free from his.

      “Jack.” Taylor let the name roll off her tongue. “You’re the hotshot traveling emergency medicine doctor Amy works with at Rockin’ Tyme each year.”

      “My reputation has preceded me yet again.” His eyes danced with mischief.

      Taylor tried to recall what her friend had said but couldn’t pull up much. She’d thought Amy matchmaking when she’d gone on and on about the doctor they’d be working with at the festival. Taylor had been excited about seeing her best friend, not about meeting a man. What had Amy said?

      “Good looking, funny—can’t wait for you to meet him. Think you’ll really like him. He’s the best.”

      “Nothing bad,” she admitted, smiling at Jack. If he and Amy were an item, then good for her friend and even better for this guy. Any man would be lucky to call Amy his own. If he was good to her friend then, doctor or not, Taylor would hug him for a totally different reason than the one that had hit her upon first seeing him.

      “Good to know she’s not talking smack about me.” He glanced around the medical tent, his gaze skimming over the cots along a far side where a group of workers was chatting. “I’ll miss her being here. Hated to hear about her grandmother.”

      “That makes two of us. She convinced me to sign on and now she’s not here.” Following his gaze out the open flaps of the tent, she took a deep breath. “I can’t help but wonder what she’s gotten me into.”

      “No worries. She made me promise to take good care of you.”

      Taylor’s gaze cut to his. “Oh?”

      He grinned, and his eyes crinkled. Wow, such a great smile. “At least a dozen times—and that was just this morning.”

      Taylor smiled. Her friend always had looked out for her.

      If only Taylor had listened better.

      Jack working as a traveling doctor must create relationship problems. “Do you get to see her often?”

      “I see Amy several times a week,” he answered, looking a little surprised at her question. “I liked Warrenville so much I temporarily relocated here a couple of months ago to fill in for a doctor on an extended medical leave.”

      “Oh.” Had her perky friend influenced that decision? Good for Amy. Taylor was happy for her but why hadn’t Amy told her? Maybe her friend had been afraid of jinxing whatever was happening. Still, that Amy hadn’t mentioned their relationship made Taylor sad as once upon a time they’d shared everything.

      Then again, hadn’t she put on a face for her friend for years? Not wanting Amy to know the truth behind her miserable marriage?

      “Have you met the rest of the crew?” Jack asked, drawing her focus back.

      Taylor shook her head. “Do you already know each other?”

      “Mostly,” he admitted. “There are always a few new people, but most of us come back each year. It’s a tradition. A lot of the staff are locals, but some do travel. It’s a good bunch who work the medical tent. You’ll enjoy hanging with us.”

      Either way, it was just for a few days so she’d survive. She’d survived worse. Besides, wasn’t she all about new life experiences and stepping outside the box she’d lived in for so long?

      “How did you get involved with the festival?” she asked, glancing out the front of the medical tent to the “oasis” that was located about a hundred yards away. Fake palm trees planted in a huge sand pit with splash pools for play and cooling down during the hot July heat.

      This was definitely a new life experience.

      “Music festivals are in my blood. My grandparents were hippies and actually met at Woodstock.” Grinning, he made a peace sign with his fingers. “I’ve been going to festivals since before I could walk. My parents thought I’d grow up to be a musician—or a gypsy,” he added, chuckling. “But medicine called me. Since I left med school, I’ve worked numerous festivals every year so it’s a balance of work and play. Makes me feel I’ve evolved from those days of driving across the country with a car load of buddies with nothing on our brains except good music and good times.”

      “Sounds like fun.” Taylor couldn’t imagine the carefree trips he was describing. Her strict parents had barely gotten by and Taylor had had her first job at fifteen. She’d been working ever since. Even then, there’d never been money or time for cross-country road trips to soak up the sun and music. For a short while early in their relationship she’d felt happiness and a sense of peace with Neil. After their wedding, nothing had been carefree during those torturous two years.

      “The best.” Jack grinned, but something was off in his smile as he looked back out over the festival. “Let me give you the low down on how things will run the next few days in the tent and introduce you to the others.”

      Taylor was scheduled to work Thursday and Friday from four a.m. to four p.m. and on Sunday from four p.m. to four a.m. on Monday.

      “We’re on the same work schedule,” she commented, spotting Jack’s name on the schedule near hers.

      “It’s not a coincidence,” he admitted, grinning. “Amy and you are purposely on the same schedule as mine. Didn’t see a reason to change it when Amy cancelled at the last minute. How else can I keep my promise if you and I are on different schedules?”

      “How indeed?” At least she was guaranteed a friendly face during her shifts because Jack seemed to always smile. He was the most laidback person she’d encountered in a long time. Maybe ever. “Do most of the crew sleep or participate in the festival activities during their down time?”

      “A mixture. Most take in a few concerts. But some hang around the camping area or leave the farm to check out local attractions.”

      “Is that how you fell in love with the area?”

      He hesitated a minute, then said, “Amy had a lot to do with that.”

      If she’d had any doubt, there was her confirmation that there was something between her friend and Jack. She fought back a fresh twinge of disappointment that he was taken, reminded herself he was a doctor and she wasn’t interested anyway. Plus, she truly was pleased for Amy. She’d just met Jack and she already liked him.

      “I’m happy for you.”

      He stared at her a moment, then his eyes lit with surprise. “Not sure what Amy told you...” he chuckled as he continued “...but we’re just friends. I’m sure she feels the same.”

      Heat flooded her face. Just friends. “Oh.”

      “You thought she and I were more?”

      Oh, good grief. Her face burned. Her ears burned. Could the ground just please open and swallow her now?

      “Well,

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