Chapter 256
Khandng clouds hung free se freen stred outside Adam’s house, watching Thomas load their bags. Her mood couldn’t have beste
Maxanwhile, Matatie tonunced on her toes nearly, grinning like shed ist won the jackpot.
* Country is gorgeras this time of year, Natalie said, fussing wither already perfect blazer. I packed some special equipment Adam will love.
Trene kept quiet. Why bother coming if Adam was happy with Doctor Perfect tagging along? She’d turned her schedule upside down for this trip, and for what?
Thomas closed the trunk and nodded to them. “Ready to go.”
Natalie beamed and stepped toward the lead car where Adam waited “Great! I have some ideas I’d love to discuss on the
“Dr. Snow, Thomas cut in, face blank as a new sheet of paper, “you’ll be in the second vehicle. He pointed to the identical car behind, “Mr. Haven doesn’t share his ride. You’ll come with me.”
Natalie’s/smile stuck to her face like it had been glued there. “Oh.”
He made an exception for Dr. Sterling,” Thomas added, twisting the knife without changing expression.
As Thomas walked Natalie to the second car, her eyes burned into Irene’s back as she was guided to Adam’s vehicle. Natalie clutched her bag so tight her knuckles went white before yanking her car door open.
In Adam’s car, Irene pressed herself against the door, suddenly fascinated by trees and houses. The silence grew thick as they pulled
away.
“Got a problem with me?” Adam finally asked.
“Nope,” she answered, still counting mailboxes.
“Liar.”
Her head whipped around. “If you don’t trust me as your doctor, you could’ve saved us both the hassle. I’ve got patients who actually want my help back home.”
Adam’s mouth twitched. “After all this time, you think I don’t trust you? You’re the doctor I picked myself.”
Heat crawled up Irene’s neck as it clicked. He heard me talking to Natalie. Her bold words from the mansion came rushing back, making her stomach do gymnastics. What had gotten into her?
“I had two reasons for bringing Natalie,” Adam said, watching her too closely.
Irene met his eyes, curiosity winning the battle with embarrassment.
“One was to shut my mother up,” he said, gaze steady as a rock. “The other was making sure Natalie gets the message that I only need you.”
“Oh. The word slipped out small and quiet.
The car suddenly felt tiny and too warm. Her heart pounded like it was trying to escape her chest. The air between them sparked with things neither was ready to put into words.
1/2
Chapter 256
She turned back to the window, trying not to show how those four words had cleared her storm clouds in a heartbeat,
Later, high above the clouds
The jet engines hummed as Irene pulled a blanket over herself, fighting to keep her eyes open. The morning drama and gentle vibration soon pulled her into sleep. Her head drifted toward Adam shoulder.
He glanced over at the weight against him. Her blanket had slipped, and he tucked it back around her with surprising care,
“Adam,” Natalie whispered from across the aisle, loud enough to carry. “While it’s quiet, I’d love to go over my treatment plan.”
He didn’t look up from his papers. “Later. Reading.”
“Or maybe we could discuss your mother’s ideas for-
“Busy.” The word dropped like a brick.
Natalie’s smile flickered. After watching Adam fix Irene’s blanket a third time, she closed her eyes, pretending sleep was better than watching him fuss over the other doctor.
Sometime later, Irene mumbled something in her sleep. Adam’s face softened in a way Thomas had seen maybe twice in years.
When Irene finally woke, she found her seat perfectly angled, blanket snug around her, and water waiting. She glanced at Adam, typing away like nothing had happened. Something warm bloomed in her chest that had nothing to do with the cabin temperature.
Chapter Comments
LIKE
43
POST COMMENT NOW
