LITMIR.BIZ

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time.”

      Crossing to the counter, he picked up his car keys. “My cell number’s on the refrigerator. Don’t hesitate to use it if something happens. Courtney doesn’t usually wake up more than once in a night.”

      “I’ll just handle her like you did if she does.”

      He nodded and went to the door. After a last, prolonged look at her, he left.

      Emily knew they were both deluding themselves. Chemistry wasn’t easily kept under wraps.

      Unless Jared wasn’t feeling the intensity she was. If that was the case, then there was nothing to worry about at all.

      Midafternoon the next day, Emily was escorting a patient to the desk to make a follow-up appointment when the door to the reception area opened. Jared’s daughters came running in, followed by a striking blond woman who looked to be in her forties.

      “Emily!” they cried when the twins saw her.

      She stooped down to greet them. “What are you doing here?”

      “See Daddy,” Amy said with certainty.

      Chloie extended her hand. “You must be Emily Diaz. I’m Chloie Madison, Jared’s cousin. He asked me to bring the girls in because he might not get home until after they’re in bed tonight.”

      Jared came out of his office and saw them standing in the hall. “Way past their bedtime,” he said, and crouched down to tickle them both and give them a hug.

      After he straightened, he explained to Emily, “My mother’s having surgery this afternoon and I’m going over to the hospital for the rest of the day.” He took the girls’ hands and led them to his office. “You can tell me all about what you did this morning with Chloie. About fifteen minutes,” he mouthed to Chloie.

      She nodded.

      Then he disappeared to spend some time with his daughters.

      Chloie and Emily moved to an alcove in the hall. “Am I keeping you?” Chloie asked.

      “No, I had a cancellation.”

      “I hear you witnessed one of Courtney’s night terrors. Scary, isn’t it?”

      “Yes, it was. But Jared handled it so calmly.”

      “I’ve watched him a couple of times myself, so I think I’d know what to do if she has one when I’m there. It still spooks me a bit, though.”

      “I’m concerned about Amy as well as Courtney,” Emily said.

      Chloie nodded. “That makes sense. She’s connected to her sister in ways we’ll never imagine. That’s the way twins are.”

      “Did you and Jared grow up together?”

      “Yes, we did. I was two years younger but we were friends and watched out for each other.”

      “Are you friends now?” Emily knew she was prompting a bit, prying too much maybe, but she was curious about Jared’s life and his relatives.

      “After Valerie died, he became a totally different person.”

      “In what way?”

      “He put walls up where there shouldn’t have been walls. He didn’t try to reach former friends who lived here. He said all he cared about was doing a good job and helping his girls grow up strong.”

      “It’s not unusual to withdraw when you lose someone you love. Even though they were divorced, he must have still cared about his ex-wife.”

      “It was the way he lost her,” Chloie said.

      “The way?” Emily questioned.

      “I shouldn’t say any more. You’ll have to ask Jared about it if you want to know. Secrets have hurt Jared more than once in his life. That’s why he doesn’t trust easily and why he rarely lets anyone get close.”

      Rarely lets anyone get close. Emily wondered about her own secret and what effect that would have on Jared. Should she tell him now about what had happened in Corpus Christi?

      She remembered their second kiss and how it had made her feel…how Jared made her feel. Yet he’d clearly told her he didn’t want to get involved.

      Did she? Hadn’t Richard shown her men walked away when marriage got hard? Hadn’t he abandoned her when she’d needed him most?

      If she was smart, she’d forget about getting involved with Jared at all. Finding another job wouldn’t be all that easy. She liked her life here.

      Yet something about Jared tugged at her.

      The question was—would she give in to the tugging?

      Maybe. But she’d also keep her secret to herself.

      For now.

       Chapter Four

      Emily entered the surgical waiting room at the hospital and spotted Jared immediately.

      She watched him as he walked to the rack on the wall, took out a magazine, flipped through the pages and slid it back into its place without really looking at it. Then he crossed to the window, stared out into the dusky twilight and jammed his hands into his trouser pockets.

      She went to him, watching her reflection take form next to his, not knowing how he’d feel about her being here. “Jared?”

      When he turned, he looked surprised. Then he scolded her. “You should be at home having dinner.”

      Maybe she should be—for more than one reason. She didn’t belong here with him. Her heart would be safer at home. She wouldn’t feel as if she should reveal anything about her life to him.

      But after her last patient of the day, she’d thought about Jared sitting by himself, waiting for his mother to come out of surgery. No one should have to go through that kind of crisis alone.

      “I wanted to stop in and visit Leanne and her baby.” Jared had delivered their patient’s little girl last night. “How’s your mother?”

      “She’s in Recovery. I won’t be able to see her for about an hour.”

      “You don’t like waiting, do you?”

      His mouth curved up a bit. “I suppose that’s obvious. No, I don’t. I’m used to taking action, not sitting and waiting for another doctor to do his work.”

      She glanced at the cup of coffee sitting on the table. “How many cups have you had?”

      “I lost count. Maybe four. I shouldn’t have had any. I’m ready to pace the room until I wear out the soles of my shoes.”

      “Do you want to take a walk? The air might help the caffeine buzz.”

      Two nurses passed by the doorway as he thought about it. “Are you sure you have the time?”

      “My time’s my own. Francesca’s tied up with the Neonatal Unit.”

      “And you don’t like going home to an empty house.”

      Was she that easy to read? “No, I don’t. The truth is—it seems empty since Tessa moved out. I mean, we all work erratic schedules, but with three of us, someone was always there. I miss her.” Emily shrugged and smiled. “But she and Vince are happy and they’re in the process of adopting two wonderful kids.”

      “Didn’t you say they just married recently?”

      So Jared was one of those rare men who listened. “Yes, they did. But the adoptions were sort of in the works before they married. Vince had unexpectedly become legal guardian of his best friend’s little boy, and Tessa had been on an adoption list. She got the call right before they married.”

      “That’s a lot

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