Read Online Healing Dr. Fortune by JUDY DUARTE - Free Book Online Page A

will certainly complicate my life.”
    Hell, just meeting her seemed to have complicated his life already.
    â€œThis sounds serious,” Lily said.
    â€œIf you’re talking about love, it’s way too soon for anything like that. I’m attracted to her, of course, but it’s even more than that. She really intrigues me, and I’m drawn to her.”
    â€œIt sounds like love at first sight to me.”
    Jeremy slowly shook his head. “No, it can’t be that.”
    â€œI’ve been in love twice in my life,” Lily said. “So no one knows better than I do how inexplicable that feeling can be.”
    â€œIt’s not love,” Jeremy repeated, sure that he couldn’t possibly have feelings like that so soon. “I don’t even know her.”
    But if truth be told, he wanted to get to know her a whole lot better—starting tomorrow.
    Â 
    The next day, while Max was out pounding the pavement again and Anthony napped in the Portacrib that served as his bed, Kirsten decided to spend the quiet time unpacking some of the boxes she’d been storing in the hall closet, a chore she’d been putting off ever since she’d moved into the house.
    She’d just pulled out a box filled with college text books that she hadn’t wanted to get rid of, but as she looked through them now, she realized it was silly tokeep them. They took up so much space—and they were heavy, too.
    Maybe she could donate them to the library or sell them on eBay. As she considered her options for disposing of them, the doorbell rang.
    She had no idea who it could be on a weekday afternoon. It was probably a salesman. She’d ignore the person at the door completely, but she was afraid that whoever it was might ring again. And a second chime could wake up the baby, who’d just gone down for a nap and should sleep for a couple hours.
    So she got up from the floor, where she’d been kneeling before the box of books, and answered the door.
    When she spotted Jeremy on her porch, wearing a pair of black slacks, a pale blue polo shirt and a dazzling smile, her breath caught.
    â€œI hope you don’t mind me stopping by unannounced,” he said.
    Her only concern about his impromptu visit was that it hadn’t given her a chance to run a brush through her hair, to put on some lipstick and to change into something other than a UT San Antonio T-shirt and a comfy pair of frayed denim jeans.
    But she shook off her momentary embarrassment and said, “Not at all.” Then she stepped aside and let him in.
    Needless to say, she was surprised to see Jeremy, but the two white bags he carried left her especially curious about why he’d stopped by—in spite of her being glad that he had.
    Once she closed the door, she asked, “What’s that?”
    His eyes glimmered with mirth. “I owed you dessert, remember? So I hope you’re hungry.”
    â€œYou brought dessert? ” She laughed. “I wasn’t going to hold you to it.” Again, she studied the bags, awed by the gesture. “What did you do? Buy out a bakery?”
    â€œI didn’t have to go that far. I just called Bernardo’s and ordered takeout of every dessert they have on the menu, including the chocolate soufflé, which is still warm and supposed to be their specialty.”
    And he’d brought all of it to her?
    His efforts were both adorable and mind-boggling. Was this what dating Jeremy Fortune was going to be like?
    Not that they were dating, exactly.
    Oh, no? a small inner voice asked. And just what would you call it?
    â€œCome with me,” she said. “I’ll get some plates and forks.”
    He followed her into the small kitchen, where her dinner simmered in a Crock-Pot on the counter, filling the room with the aroma of chicken and vegetables.
    â€œWhere do you want me to set this up?” he asked.
    Still amazed at his presence, as well as his