Read Online Unlocking the Surgeon's Heart by Jessica Matthews - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jessica Matthews
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check on Jose.
“I won’t be long, I promise.”
“Yeah, right,” she said, unable to hide her skepticism.
“You don’t believe I can get away in a reasonable amount of time?”
“Only if you went incognito,” she said.
“I thought I was,” he said. “No one will expect to see me looking like this.”
“Like this” meant dressed in a polo shirt, cargo shorts, and a pair of sandals. It wasn’t his usual garb, so he’d cause quite a stir when the staff saw him. She spoke from experience because she still couldn’t believe this was the same man who’d sat at the kitchen table a few hours ago looking scruffy and bleary-eyed.
A little water and a shave could do amazing things.
As great as he looked now, though, her first image of him was indelibly etched in her brain. His muscles had flexed and rippled under his skin just from the simple act of pouring his own cup of coffee. As much as she’d enjoyed seeing those wide shoulders as nature intended, it was a good thing Derek had piped up when he had. She might have done something really stupid, like set off the smoke alarm or drool in her grapefruit.
Nope, if more women saw the sight she’d been privileged to see, cardiology offices would be standing room only.
“They won’t, but if you’re going to be longer than thirty minutes, give me a call, will you?”
“Okay, but, whatever you do, don’t load them up with a bunch of sugar and junk food.”
She paused, momentarily hurt by his remark. “Do you honestly think I’ll turn them loose at the candy machine?”
He shifted uncomfortably in the seat. “I think you’d spoil them if you had the chance,” he began slowly.
“And you wouldn’t, I suppose.”
“Once in a while, I do,” he admitted, “but—”
Aware of two sets of little ears in the back seat, she lowered her voice and clenched her fingers into a tight fist as she interrupted, “But you think I’ll do it all the time.”
“Maybe not all—”
“Why else would you remind me?”
He shut off the engine, then gripped the steering wheel with both hands. “I only meant—”
She cut him off once again. “I know what you meant.” She didn’t know why his lack of faith bothered her, but it did. Yes, they’d only been joint parents for less than twenty-four hours, but where had he gotten the idea she’d let Emma and Derek run amok, nutrition-wise? And if he thought she’d turn a blind eye to their eating habits, what did he think she’d do when making other decisions?
“All I can say is, if you’re that worried, you’d better finish your business as quickly as possible so you can supervise what they choose for a snack,” she said stiffly.
“I am not worried,” he said.
“You are, so you may as well admit it.” As she turned to face the children, she pasted on a smile and injected a lighter note into her voice. “Okay, gang. Let’s go!”
While the two scrambled out of their seat belts, he grabbed her arm. “I’m not worried,” he repeated.
“Of course not,” she said politely. “My mistake.” Then, shaking free, she hopped out of the car and herded her two charges into the hospital like an overprotective mother hen.
When she directed them to the stairwell, Derek complained, “Can’t we take the elevator? Uncle Linc is.”
“We’ll take it on the way up,” she prevaricated, unwilling to see for herself or admit that sharing such close confines at the moment was more than she could handle.
With luck, an hour or so of mindlessly watching the fish swim around the aquarium would restore her good mood.
* * *
Linc had major damage control facing him. For a man who was normally efficient at stating his thoughts, he’d missed the mark today. He’d hurt Christy with his thoughtless remark—that had been evident and he deeply regretted doing so.
To make matters worse, in trying to explain, he’d practically told her that she was a pushover when it came to Derek and Emma and he knew she wasn’t.
“I won’t be long, I promise.”
“Yeah, right,” she said, unable to hide her skepticism.
“You don’t believe I can get away in a reasonable amount of time?”
“Only if you went incognito,” she said.
“I thought I was,” he said. “No one will expect to see me looking like this.”
“Like this” meant dressed in a polo shirt, cargo shorts, and a pair of sandals. It wasn’t his usual garb, so he’d cause quite a stir when the staff saw him. She spoke from experience because she still couldn’t believe this was the same man who’d sat at the kitchen table a few hours ago looking scruffy and bleary-eyed.
A little water and a shave could do amazing things.
As great as he looked now, though, her first image of him was indelibly etched in her brain. His muscles had flexed and rippled under his skin just from the simple act of pouring his own cup of coffee. As much as she’d enjoyed seeing those wide shoulders as nature intended, it was a good thing Derek had piped up when he had. She might have done something really stupid, like set off the smoke alarm or drool in her grapefruit.
Nope, if more women saw the sight she’d been privileged to see, cardiology offices would be standing room only.
“They won’t, but if you’re going to be longer than thirty minutes, give me a call, will you?”
“Okay, but, whatever you do, don’t load them up with a bunch of sugar and junk food.”
She paused, momentarily hurt by his remark. “Do you honestly think I’ll turn them loose at the candy machine?”
He shifted uncomfortably in the seat. “I think you’d spoil them if you had the chance,” he began slowly.
“And you wouldn’t, I suppose.”
“Once in a while, I do,” he admitted, “but—”
Aware of two sets of little ears in the back seat, she lowered her voice and clenched her fingers into a tight fist as she interrupted, “But you think I’ll do it all the time.”
“Maybe not all—”
“Why else would you remind me?”
He shut off the engine, then gripped the steering wheel with both hands. “I only meant—”
She cut him off once again. “I know what you meant.” She didn’t know why his lack of faith bothered her, but it did. Yes, they’d only been joint parents for less than twenty-four hours, but where had he gotten the idea she’d let Emma and Derek run amok, nutrition-wise? And if he thought she’d turn a blind eye to their eating habits, what did he think she’d do when making other decisions?
“All I can say is, if you’re that worried, you’d better finish your business as quickly as possible so you can supervise what they choose for a snack,” she said stiffly.
“I am not worried,” he said.
“You are, so you may as well admit it.” As she turned to face the children, she pasted on a smile and injected a lighter note into her voice. “Okay, gang. Let’s go!”
While the two scrambled out of their seat belts, he grabbed her arm. “I’m not worried,” he repeated.
“Of course not,” she said politely. “My mistake.” Then, shaking free, she hopped out of the car and herded her two charges into the hospital like an overprotective mother hen.
When she directed them to the stairwell, Derek complained, “Can’t we take the elevator? Uncle Linc is.”
“We’ll take it on the way up,” she prevaricated, unwilling to see for herself or admit that sharing such close confines at the moment was more than she could handle.
With luck, an hour or so of mindlessly watching the fish swim around the aquarium would restore her good mood.
* * *
Linc had major damage control facing him. For a man who was normally efficient at stating his thoughts, he’d missed the mark today. He’d hurt Christy with his thoughtless remark—that had been evident and he deeply regretted doing so.
To make matters worse, in trying to explain, he’d practically told her that she was a pushover when it came to Derek and Emma and he knew she wasn’t.
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