The Doctor's Undoing (Doctors in Training 3)

A woman prone to giving too much of herself and a man who held too much back? Heartbreak in the making.

Haley knew how to make commitments, but she had always maintained a healthy dose of self-preservation. She dedicated herself fully to a cause only when she truly believed a positive outcome was achievable.

The success of her family’s new restaurant venture back when she was in high school? Achievable, and she’d thrown herself into helping them. Earning her u

ndergraduate degree, doing well on the MCAT, getting into medical school? All achievable. Keeping her grades high and her test scores respectable during her training? Tough, but achievable. Getting into a good residency program, maybe even a triple-board program if she chose to go that route? Also achievable, if she stayed on her current course.

Maintaining a lifelong relationship with a fellow student who wouldn’t even commit to a first choice of a specialty? Who had once mentioned to the group that he’d never been involved in a serious, long-term relationship with a woman? Who even seemed willing to give up on his own family because of their shortcomings?

She might be an optimist, but she wasn’t a masochist.

She was relieved when two classmates Kristie and Lydia, in sparkling holiday dresses, wandered up to chat with her and Anne, bringing an end to that suddenly uncomfortable conversation. Or so she had hoped. After only a brief exchange of small talk, one of the newcomers looked at Haley curiously.

“Where’s Ron? He’s coming tonight, isn’t he?”

Haley smiled brightly. “Yes, he said he’d be here. I guess he’s just running a little late. You know Ron.”

Kristie laughed. “Without you there to keep him on track, he’s probably been distracted by a video game or something.”

Lydia grinned. “Or gotten into a conversation with somebody he passed in a hallway or parking lot. You know how Ron loves to talk and clown around.”

“And flirt,” Kristie agreed with an arched look at Haley. “Does that ever bother you, Haley? The way he flirts and teases with all the women around him?”

She lifted an eyebrow. “Why would it bother me? Ron’s just very friendly—he flirts with his senior citizen patients as much as he does with women our age.”

“You don’t worry that someone else might decide to flirt back?”

Haley shrugged lightly. “No. I don’t worry about that. Ron and I don’t have that sort of relationship.”

Lydia frowned. “I thought you were dating. I mean, you’re together almost all the time at parties and everything.”

“We’ve dated, but it’s nothing serious,” Haley said. She didn’t know if she was trying to convince them or herself—or why she felt the need to do either at that moment. Maybe she was simply trying to save face if it turned out that Ron had already decided this complicated affair wasn’t worth the effort. “I have no claim on Ron if he wants to go out with someone else.”

“Oh. Well.”

Kristie and Lydia exchanged looks as if they didn’t know what to say. Haley was aware that Anne was studying her with a frown, but she studiously avoided her friend’s eyes.

“I guess I thought you and Ron had more of a commitment,” Lydia commented with a shrug and a quizzical smile.

Haley gave a little laugh that sounded fake even to her. “After two and a half years, you should know Ron better than that, Lydia. He doesn’t do commitment.”

Kristie blinked, then looked past Haley’s shoulder. “Oh. Speak of the devil.”

Haley whirled. How did he keep doing this?

Ron was in midstep toward her, far enough away that she wasn’t quite sure whether he was close enough to have heard anything they said. She certainly couldn’t tell by his expression, which was as relaxed and cheery as usual. Like everyone else, he had dressed for the occasion, and he looked delicious in his dark suit and white shirt. The tie he’d chosen was typically Ron—dark green festooned with a cartoon Santa Claus and flying, skipping and dancing reindeer.

“Don’t you ladies look lovely tonight,” he said in greeting, sharing an admiring smile with all of them equally.

“It’s a nice change from scrubs,” Lydia replied, her own smile coy as she glanced from Haley to Ron. “I was just standing here wishing someone would ask me to dance.”

Ron gave a little bow. “Well, far be it from me to let a pretty lady be disappointed. Shall we?”

Giggling, Lydia placed a hand on his arm. “Sure.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Ron spoke to Haley. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

Oh, yes, she thought with a hard swallow. He’d heard enough to tick him off but good, despite the lazy grin he wore for the others.