The Doctor's Meant-to-be Marriage

Georgia nodded. “He’s come by every day to check on Caden. Such a good man.”

Chelsea bit back a sigh. “Yes, he is.” She hugged the woman and asked her to pass along her good wishes to Lacey. “I’m so happy for your family.”

Smiling, she walked out of the exam room with Georgia, watching her head toward the checkout desk. She turned, and her gaze collided with Jared’s.

“You knew,” she accused, realizing there was no way Georgia hadn’t told Jared about Caden’s progress. But, then, he’d have known from his daily visits even before Georgia had come into the office today.

Jared shrugged as if not telling her was no big deal. “Georgia wanted to be the one to tell you.”

“I’m very happy for Georgia and Lacey. Caden, too.”

His eyes searched hers. “We all are.”

Why did he just keep staring at her and making small talk? Why didn’t he admit he cared? She could see it in his eyes. That he hated the awkwardness between them as much as she did.

“How about you?” she asked. “Are you doing OK, Jared?”

“Fine. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a patient waiting.”

But he didn’t walk away, just stared at her with longing.

Longing like he’d missed her this week and didn’t want to let her out of his sight.

How could he just stand there when her heart practically was bursting with emotion?

She stepped forward, planning to push him into his office and have it out once and for all.

That’s when it hit her.

She’d told Jared how she felt and believed he felt the same, despite him not being willing to take a chance on them.

Knowing wasn’t enough.

She needed Jared to be willing to take those risks.

To love her and be willing to fight for her, to put her above all else.

She’d spent her whole life craving her parents’ love, doing all she could to try to earn their love, and the reality was that nothing she’d ever done had been good enough because they weren’t willing to let

themselves love her.

Did she really want to spend her life with a man who did the same?

She spun on her heel and walked away, taking a trip to the bathroom to collect herself before going into the next exam room.

For the first time in her life she looked in the mirror and saw someone lovable staring back.

Someone who deserved more than a man who wasn’t willing to give her his heart.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHELSEA glanced around the hotel ballroom she and Leslie had transformed with streamers and balloons. Will might know about his party, but he didn’t know all she’d planned. For instance, he had no clue she’d invited several of his med school buddies and quite a few were flying in for the event.

Planning her brother’s party had provided the perfect distraction from Jared’s continued avoidance. Not that she attempted to see him or spend time with him. She avoided him just as determinedly and threw herself into the party preparations.

Not so surprisingly Leslie joined in the arrangements with just as much gusto. Leslie would return to work the following Monday and swore that planning Will’s party was the only thing keeping her sane.

Although Will and Leslie were still working out the details of their relationship, Will had practically moved into Leslie’s apartment.