The Doctor's Meant-to-be Marriage

“As in someone other than you because you, my dear sister, are off-limits.”

Jared skimmed over the faxed consultation letter from Dr Goodall. The specialist had seen Connie Black in a follow-up of her PET scan yesterday. Connie’s cancer wasn’t confined to her hip joint. The disease had invaded her liver, pancreas, and colon. She was scheduled for chemotherapy in three weeks. Dr Goodall recommended immediate therapy but according to his letter, Connie had asked for the extra time before starting treatment.

He wished she hadn’t delayed, but thank God she’d agreed to undergo chemotherapy again. The harsh medicines were her only hope of surviving her cancer.

Over the years he’d been practicing medicine, he’d lost numerous patients. All doctors did. But Connie was different. The feisty older woman touched his heart deeply, and he’d foregone all professional detachment where she was concerned.

Perhaps it was because she’d taken everything life had dished out in her stride. At least, she had until Paul had died. Her husband had been her rock and had stood by her side throughout her struggles. Other than his parents, Jared had never known two people to be closer, so connected.

He and Laura had shared friendship, had grown up together, and had always thought they’d spend their lives together. But if he was honest with himself, he’d admit that although he and Laura had shared a connection, it hadn’t been of the same intensity that the Blacks had shared, that his parents shared.

He stood, raked his fingers through his hair. God, it had been a long day. He was ready to work out his frustrations at the gym.

Speaking of connections, the moment he stepped into the hallway he bumped into Chelsea, a pretty breath of fresh air who was also calling an end to her day. No matter how many times he ordered his eyes elsewhere, he drank in the sight of her trim figure.

She wore dark slacks, a soft chenille blouse, and a nervous smile.

Why had he had to bump into her tonight? When he felt vulnerable. When he was thinking about couples like his parents and the Blacks. Couples who embodied something real.

He’d wanted that once upon a time. A connection that would last a lifetime. Beyond a lifetime.

He met Chelsea’s warm brown eyes and saw everything he’d ever wanted but had quit believing in.

Something he didn’t deserve.

Not after what he’d done to Laura.

He couldn’t—shouldn’t—want Chelsea, and he couldn’t believe. Not in her. She was Will’s sister and his coworker. Totally off-limits in the only way he allowed himself to get close to a woman.

Sure, he was attracted to her, always had been, but that didn’t mean he had to have her.

“Jared.” She moistened her lower lip and the sight of her pink tongue punched him in the gut, flooded him with memories. She hesitated, but only for a moment. “Do you have a minute?”

“If this is about the other night…” he began. He’d said everything that warranted saying. Nothing had changed. Chelsea deserved better than anything he could ever give her and he wouldn’t risk his friendship with Will, risk a career he enjoyed, for a quickie with a coworker.

A quickie with Chelsea would never be enough, anyway. From the beginning he’d wanted more than that from her, which was what had led to the domino effect straight to hell.

“It’s not,” she quickly denied. “You made yourself clear. You aren’t interested in me.” She took a deep, heart-tugging breath. “I accepted that a long time before I came to Madison.”

She had?

That was quick. Easy. Too easy. Which irked. Irked even more that he cared it irked. He didn’t care. He didn’t.

She toyed with the zipper on her purse. “This is about my brother.”

“Will?”

“I only have one. Thank God.”

But the way she said the words made him think Chelsea would have welcomed a dozen such brothers. Jared wouldn’t know. His mother had had problems with his delivery and never conceived again. Having a brother like Will would have been fun. Certainly, they’d had a good time in med sch

ool. Will had been his best friend for over ten years, had seen him through the hell with Laura.

“I’m throwing a surprise birthday party for him.”

Surprise? Should he tell her Will knew about the party?

“Maybe not so surprise. I know he knows.” She gave a sheepish look and sighed. “He told me he asked you to bring a date.”