engaged. Very happy together too. I’ll make sure to send you a save the date.”
“This isn’t funny. You’re a great guy, a real catch. And even if you are my brother, the word is that you’re hot. I know, gross.”
“Disgusting. It’s not like I haven’t dated. I don’t have time for a relationship, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“I noticed. But sooner or later you’ll have time. And then what? Are you going to settle down with someone because the timing is right? It doesn’t work that way.”
She wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t thought of at one time or another, when he had time to think about personal shit. Which was about ten minutes out of every twenty-four hours. Yeah he was alone, and he hadn’t planned it that way. He’d wanted to marry Ivey right after medical school. He figured his wife would put up with the long resident hours and near poverty like no girlfriend ever would. He’d taken a lot for granted.
“What about one of those computer matchmaking services?”
Jeff couldn’t help the tick that formed in his jaw or the way his hands tightened around the glass he held. “You mean like the one where Ivey found her perfect match?”
His sister had the decency to look shamed. “Obviously she didn’t, or she wouldn’t be back in town, single again. That’s what worries me. You two are going to gravitate back toward each other like magnets.”
While that had a nice ring to it, he had his doubts. “Don’t worry about that. She hates me. The way she sees it, I broke up with her.”
Ali froze and stopped rinsing the plate midair. “That’s because she doesn’t know, does she?”
“And she never will.”
One month after their fight, he’d made it through exams and headed home to Ivey. To spend the entire weekend in her arms and never leave the bedroom. He’d been too abrupt with her in their last conversation. One week later he’d regretted it, but instead of calling, he’d waited and hatched a scheme to surprise her. Gone by his parent’s house to pick up his grandmother’s ring. His idea of a compromise. Ivey would understand how he felt about her. There was no else for him, but he needed more time to put his career in order. He would propose, and they’d have a long engagement. Ivey would get the surprise of her life.
Yeah. Surprise!
“It’s for the best that she never knows, believe me. You two together were too intense. Young love. Bound to burn itself out in time.”
If that were true, why did he still feel like he was waiting for that flame to die out?
Chapter 6
“You can’t be serious.” Marissa Hartsell fixed Ivey with a look equal parts badass and college professor. Ivey was pretty sure that not a single one of Marissa’s patients thought twice when she ordered them to push.
Even though her A Little Miracle office waiting room was filled with clouds of pink, blue, and white, Marissa didn’t give off the same calming vibe. Ivey hadn’t known what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this.
Marissa had managed to fit Ivey into her schedule two weeks after Ivey had phoned to ask for some time to talk about her midwifery practice. They were sitting on two chairs in the empty waiting room of the office converted from an old Victorian in the middle of town, and Marissa, from the looks of it, was not one bit thrilled by the idea of a staff of midwives at St. Vincent’s Hospital’s new women’s center.
Ivey had explained the dilemma and her appointment to the subcommittee. She’d explained the doctors’ objections to the idea. This was where Marissa should get on her soapbox and have a tirade about the unfairness of it all.
“Why on earth would you want to work in a hospital?” Marissa asked.
“Because I want women to have the choice of a completely natural labor without any medical interference.”
“In a hospital?” Marissa nearly squeaked out the last word.
“I realize it doesn’t sound like the best place to avoid medical
“This isn’t funny. You’re a great guy, a real catch. And even if you are my brother, the word is that you’re hot. I know, gross.”
“Disgusting. It’s not like I haven’t dated. I don’t have time for a relationship, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
“I noticed. But sooner or later you’ll have time. And then what? Are you going to settle down with someone because the timing is right? It doesn’t work that way.”
She wasn’t saying anything he hadn’t thought of at one time or another, when he had time to think about personal shit. Which was about ten minutes out of every twenty-four hours. Yeah he was alone, and he hadn’t planned it that way. He’d wanted to marry Ivey right after medical school. He figured his wife would put up with the long resident hours and near poverty like no girlfriend ever would. He’d taken a lot for granted.
“What about one of those computer matchmaking services?”
Jeff couldn’t help the tick that formed in his jaw or the way his hands tightened around the glass he held. “You mean like the one where Ivey found her perfect match?”
His sister had the decency to look shamed. “Obviously she didn’t, or she wouldn’t be back in town, single again. That’s what worries me. You two are going to gravitate back toward each other like magnets.”
While that had a nice ring to it, he had his doubts. “Don’t worry about that. She hates me. The way she sees it, I broke up with her.”
Ali froze and stopped rinsing the plate midair. “That’s because she doesn’t know, does she?”
“And she never will.”
One month after their fight, he’d made it through exams and headed home to Ivey. To spend the entire weekend in her arms and never leave the bedroom. He’d been too abrupt with her in their last conversation. One week later he’d regretted it, but instead of calling, he’d waited and hatched a scheme to surprise her. Gone by his parent’s house to pick up his grandmother’s ring. His idea of a compromise. Ivey would understand how he felt about her. There was no else for him, but he needed more time to put his career in order. He would propose, and they’d have a long engagement. Ivey would get the surprise of her life.
Yeah. Surprise!
“It’s for the best that she never knows, believe me. You two together were too intense. Young love. Bound to burn itself out in time.”
If that were true, why did he still feel like he was waiting for that flame to die out?
Chapter 6
“You can’t be serious.” Marissa Hartsell fixed Ivey with a look equal parts badass and college professor. Ivey was pretty sure that not a single one of Marissa’s patients thought twice when she ordered them to push.
Even though her A Little Miracle office waiting room was filled with clouds of pink, blue, and white, Marissa didn’t give off the same calming vibe. Ivey hadn’t known what to expect, but it certainly wasn’t this.
Marissa had managed to fit Ivey into her schedule two weeks after Ivey had phoned to ask for some time to talk about her midwifery practice. They were sitting on two chairs in the empty waiting room of the office converted from an old Victorian in the middle of town, and Marissa, from the looks of it, was not one bit thrilled by the idea of a staff of midwives at St. Vincent’s Hospital’s new women’s center.
Ivey had explained the dilemma and her appointment to the subcommittee. She’d explained the doctors’ objections to the idea. This was where Marissa should get on her soapbox and have a tirade about the unfairness of it all.
“Why on earth would you want to work in a hospital?” Marissa asked.
“Because I want women to have the choice of a completely natural labor without any medical interference.”
“In a hospital?” Marissa nearly squeaked out the last word.
“I realize it doesn’t sound like the best place to avoid medical
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