The Doctor's Undoing (Doctors in Training 3)

She hated the pirate ship. But she’d rather ride that than continue this particular discussion. “It’s a deal.”

Elissa sighed lightly, but stood to join the others as they left the dining pavilion.

Though James and Elissa remained on the ground, Haley and Ron rode the Ferris wheel. Ignoring the other riders in the big gondola, Ron kissed her at the top, assuring her it was tradition to do so. Grinning, a teenage boy on the opposite seat took the opportunity to steal a kiss from the blushing girl with him.

The huge, wildly swinging pirate ship made Haley close her eyes and cling for dear life to Ron’s arm. Laughing, he pulled her close on the pretext of keeping her safe. She decided maybe she didn’t dislike that particular ride so much, after all.

James was nearly toppled by a runaway preschooler when they moved on down the fairway. He caught the little redhead just before the collision, keeping a hand on the laughing tot while the four of them looked around for the adult in charge of him. Only moments behind the boy, a fresh-faced young redhead in her early twenties ran toward them.

“I’m sorry,” she said breathlessly. “I let my nephew out of his stroller just for a moment so I could clean out some popcorn he spilled, and he took off running.”

“No problem.” James handed over the boy with one of his lazily gorgeous smiles, making the redhead blink rather dazedly. Haley didn’t blame her. When James turned on the charm, every woman in the vicinity responded with an instinctive sigh. She wasn’t totally immune to it, herself, though she had never been drawn to James in a romantic way.

Ron was the one whose grins made her heart skip beats, she mused, looking at Ron from beneath her eyelashes. He was ruffling the little boy’s hair, making the child shriek with laughter. He was so good with children. He’d be a wonderful pediatrician.

Remembering the things Elissa had said, she wondered where he was considering applying for his residency program. And whether there was a triple-board program wherever he might end up.

She forced that errant thought aside as the redhead held out her hand to the boy. “Come on, Jack. You’re going back in your stroller. Your mom’s probably wondering where you are. Thanks for catching him,” she added to James, glancing at him over her shoulder when she led the child away.

James nodded. His gaze seemed to linger for a moment on the redhead’s slender back before he courteously returned his attention to his companions.

After they had wandered through the Arts and Crafts Building and the Hall of Industry, Ron decided he wanted to go on one more ride. When Haley declined, he dared James to join him in a basket that would be lifted high in the air, then flipped over a few times. James didn’t look overly enthusiastic, but he accepted the dare. He and Ron got in line, leaving Haley to try to make conversation with Elissa.

“Are you having a good time?” she asked after swallowing a bite of the caramel-covered apple in her hand.

Sidestepping a rambunctious toddler carrying a sticky, cotton-candy cone, Elissa gave a little shrug that might have held a slight apology. “The fair’s not really my thing,” she said candidly. “I’d have preferred a nice restaurant or a club. But it hasn’t been too bad. What about you?”

Faint praise, indeed. Haley smiled. “I enjoy anything that gets me out of my apartment and away from studying for a few hours. It seems like that’s all I’ve done for the past two and a half years. I’m sure you know the feeling. You must have to study a lot, too.”

Elissa nodded. “Yes. It’s more difficult than I expected, actually. I’ll be glad to finish.”

“How much longer?”

“Another year.”

“Same here.”

“Yes, I know.” Elissa motioned vaguely toward James.

“Oh. Of course.”

Elissa edged a bit closer. “Can you tell me a little more about him? James, I mean. This is our third date and I still know next to nothing about him, except that his parents are academics and he already has a Ph.D. in microbiology.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Oh, you know.” She glanced over to make sure James and Ron were still in line for the ride, safely out of hearing. “Has he dated a lot during medical school? Is he looking for permanence or just playing the field? It’s hard for me to tell.”

“Sorry, I can’t answer any of that,” Haley replied honestly. “James has been a good friend and study partner, but he keeps his private life to himself, for the most part. I know he’s brought a few dates to school social events, but I can’t tell you much more than that.”

“Dates,” Elissa repeated. “So there hasn’t been anyone serious since you’ve known him?”

“Not as far as I’m aware.”

She had no intention of saying more than that. Anything else of a personal nature Elissa wanted to know about James, she would have to ask him herself. Haley took another bite of her juicy apple, trying not to get the caramel coating all over her face.

Maybe Elissa got the unspoken message. She nodded and let the subject drop, moving slightly away again.

A group of noisy teenagers ran up to the ride entrance, jostling Haley’s elbow. She tried to move out of their way, though the area was already almost shoulder to shoulder with people stopping to watch the shrieking riders or trying to pass toward the children’s ride section or surrounding games and concessions.