Playboy Surgeon, Top-Notch Dad

“WHAT real life soap opera?” Blair pretended to have no clue what he referred to. Darn Oz for massaging her neck last night, for saying she was sexy. For so many reasons, darn him. “I lead a dull life.”

“Dull?” Dr Talbot picked at a loose thread on the white blanket covering his legs. “That’s not how I hear it.”

Stephanie had told him. Blair sighed. Of course the woman had told Dr Talbot what she’d seen.

“I’m not sure what you heard, but I assure you my love life is quite dull.”

“Did I mention your love life?” Dr Talbot’s thin brows lifted.

She’d walked right into that one.

“Besides, if your love life is dull, it’s because you choose for it to be.” Dr Talbot’s lips pursed in disapproval. “You should date. If I had my way, you’d be up for auction at my benefit just so you’d get out and meet a nice guy.”

“A nice guy wouldn’t necessarily bid on my date.” Not at any point had she considered being one of the bachelorettes. She’d be busy enough helping oversee the night’s events without being auctioned. “Besides, I don’t have time for dating. Addy and Reesee are my priorities. Not searching for some elusive Mr Right.”

They’d had this argument before. Dr Talbot didn’t understand why she refused to date. Then again, he didn’t know how badly she’d hurt after Chris. How betrayed she’d felt when she’d discovered the truth.

No wonder they’d bonded so intently when she’d come to work at Madison Memorial. Dr Talbot had been grieving for his dying wife and Blair had been grieving for Chris, her mother and so many of her dreams of a happily-ever-after.

“What about Oz?”

Oz wasn’t her Mr Right. No way.

Blair blinked, knowing she didn’t quite pull off as innocent a look as she wished. “What about him?”

“My cancer may have left me a feeble old man, but I’m not daft,” her friend admonished. “Neither is Stephanie. What’s going on between you and Oz?”

Hadn’t she dealt with this question this morning at work? Dealing with Kanesha had been much easier than meeting Dr Talbot’s expectant gaze.

“I’m tolerating Oz’s company until you get well enough to come back to work.”

Dr Talbot gave her a try again look. “You like him, don’t you?”

No, she didn’t.

“I like you and want you to get well so he can go back to whatever cave he crawled out of. He’s a total Neanderthal. I have no clue how the two of you became such good friends.”

“You’re protesting too much, Blair. He gets to you.” Dr Talbot chuckled. “Selma always said Oz was a killer when it came to the ladies. Why, I remember a whole slew of nurses with broken hearts when he finished his residency with me.”

“Good for him,” she huffed. A whole slew of broken hearts. No surprise there. Oz was a heartbreaker and would break her heart if she let him. She had no intention of letting him. “But I’m not interested in hearing about Dr Manning’s love life.”

“You sure?”

“Oz is arrogant and self-centered. I only tolerate him because he’s your friend and because I work with him. Really,” she added at his curious look.

“Oz isn’t so bad,” Dr Talbot said, once again surprising her. In the past she’d gotten the distinct impression he’d steered her away from any interest in Oz, that he’d encouraged her avoidance of his former star student.

“Actually,” he continued, “I’d be hard pressed to name a better man or one I’d trust more. Don’t write Oz off without taking a closer look.”

Hadn’t Oz said something similar? Accused her of making unfair assumptions about him?

Addy’s muffled cries had both of their heads turning toward the French windows leading out onto the patio.

Adrenaline gripped Blair’s heart in a tight fist. She jumped from the sofa. Before she’d crossed the room, Oz burst in, holding Addy close to his chest.

Blood covered her left leg, her hands, Oz’s hands.

Tears ran down Addy’s cheeks. Her lower lip trembling, she reached for Blair. “I want—Mommy.”