Could This Be Love? by Lee Kilraine Page A

front entrance of the hospital, where the paparazzi again awaited them. Ten minutes of photos with the hospital administrator and the employee of the month, and then they were escorted inside. A few back slaps—Sijan’s back, not hers—visitor ID badges, and an elevator ride later and they were on the pediatric oncology ward.
    The staff was happy to see Sijan but not surprised. From the greetings, it sounded like Sijan had visited before. Well, that made sense, since by his own admission he had other scandals to downplay, and what better way than to visit sick children? A few nurses tittered and fluttered around him, but most just treated him like a regular guy.
    Avery had seen plenty of movie stars expect and even demand star treatment and plenty of people willing to cater to those demands. Some actors had genuine smiles for the cameras, but the minute the cameras disappeared, so did the smiles and the friendly attitudes. Sijan did change when they left the cameras behind, but to her surprise, his smile warmed and relaxed as he met with the staff.
    “Nancy, this is Avery, my . . .”
    “His friend.” Avery reached out to shake the nurse’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Nancy.”
    “Sweet. Another movie star.” Nancy talked too fast for Avery to correct her. “The kids will be excited. And you’re pretty enough to counteract his ugly mug.”
    Avery grinned and glanced at Sijan for his reaction, but he only laughed and wrapped an arm around Nancy.
    “Nancy was the love of my life in sixth grade. And then Davey moved to town, and it was ‘good-bye, Sijan, hello, Davey.’ I blame it all on that spelling bee. Only a future doctor would get ‘osteochon-drous’ correct.” He turned to Nancy. “Is he around today?”
    “Home sleeping after working the night shift in the ER. I’ll tell him you tried to have your wicked way with me.” She threw Avery a wink. “Now, go work your magic, Sijan.”
    When he walked into the rooms of the patients, Christmas morning smiles popped onto the faces of children and parents alike. Yep, his presence did magical things to the pale, pain-filled faces. He hugged frail bodies, kissed bald heads, and handed out high fives while he asked about school, new crushes, favorite movies, sports teams, and chemo. He took time to talk to the parents too. He shook hands or wrapped someone up in a hug and pulled them off to the side, where he’d quietly tease out what they needed, nodding as they listed one or two favors for their children.
    A little girl, too small and frail to be fighting this battle, whispered, “Sijan, I thought you wouldn’t make it.”
    “You’re my best girl, Bethany.” Sijan leaned in and kissed the young girl on her cheek, and Bethany giggled, blushed, and beamed all at once. Magic.
    Avery had to step out of the room when her eyes teared up. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Lord, it was heartbreaking to see those kids, babies practically, waging battles for their lives. But if these children and their parents could handle it, then so could she and Tansy. If the biopsy result and second opinion came back with the worst-case scenario, they would handle it.
    That thought helped center her. Which was good, because now she another problem to deal with: trying to talk her heart out of going all gooey over this movie star, because seeing how much his visit meant to the children and their families, and to Sijan too, was doing just that.
    Five years ago, she had easily stuffed all actors into the same “too selfish to deal with” box, and along comes this movie star pushing his way out of that box and messing with her life. She could withstand his drop-dead gorgeous sexiness. Sort of. Maybe. Okay, it was debatable, but she had so far. But throw nice into the mix, and holy cow!
    Of all the movie actors, in all the towns, in all the world . . . Ugh. It was like asking her to resist a decadent fudge brownie after drizzling it with warm salted caramel.