Your Inescapable Love (The Bennett Family 4)

Emilia

On Tuesday I’m well enough to present myself at the clinic, but I’m on a diet of toast the entire day. I don’t trust my stomach at all. The weekend was a blur of stomachache and multiple close-ups of my toilet bowl. All I distinctly remember is Max’s warmth and patience as he took care of me. I didn’t think this man could get under my skin any deeper, but he did.

I have a silly grin on my face the entire day, which garners me curious and skeptical glances alike from my patients. Yeah, I probably seem like a madwoman to them, especially because I chuckle to myself from time to time when I remember tidbits of my conversations with Max. There’s no bonding like spending an entire night together on the bathroom floor. That night, the entire weekend, in fact, meant a lot to me. I’m in this so deep, it scares me.

In the afternoon I have a half hour break because one of my patients cancelled at the last minute. I take advantage and walk to a bench outside, hoping to soak in some sunrays before the sun sets. On the way there, I catch my reflection in a mirror. I have dark circles under my eyes and my skin is two shades paler than usual. I lost five pounds over the weekend, and even though I resemble a zombie more than a living person, I have a certain glow I haven’t seen before. I’ve never understood the concept of someone glowing until now. I must be losing my mind. Maybe that’s why they say madly in love.

Lying on the wood bench outside, I close my eyes, smiling at the sun. The wind is downright cutting, but that’s why I have a thick jacket today and I brought a cup of tea with me, which I am nursing in silence. Seconds later, my phone rings. My first instinct is to ignore it, but I change my mind as soon as I peek at the screen and notice the name of the caller. Max.

“If you were anyone else, I would have completely ignored you,” I tell him instead of hello.

“Glad to hear I have special status. I wonder why that is.”

“Mmm, might have something to do with your fantastic kissing abilities.”

“I see. Any other abil

ities you might want to single out?”

“Nah, nothing else stands out,” I tease him.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Why did you want to ignore phone calls anyway? Your workday’s over.”

“Not exactly. I’m on a short break. I rescheduled some of yesterday’s patients for today.”

“You’re overworking yourself.” His voice has changed from playful to hard within an instant. I shift to a sitting position, my back hurting a notch from the hard surface of the bench.

“I need the money. And I’m healthy.” I take a few sips of my tea, waiting for him to bring up the reason for calling. When he doesn’t say anything, I press, “Did you call for any reason?”

“Well, now that you mention it. I’ll ask you something, and you have to say yes.”

I chuckle, but make sure my voice is firm when I reply, “You can’t boss me around, Max.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying.”

“What’s the matter?” My stomach tightens as I wait for his answer.

“My family is getting together at Pippa’s house Thursday for dinner, and I want you to come with me.”

Instantly I leap to my feet, fueled by a burst of energy. Unfortunately I also spill a good amount of the tea on myself. Thank God it was only lukewarm. “I’d love to. I can’t wait to see your family again. I have to talk to Mrs. Wilson, but I think she’ll say yes.”

“You do know they’ll drill you about us, right? I’ll ask them not to, but—”

That makes me chuckle. “If your family is anything like I remember it, it won’t work.”

“They’re exactly the way you remember them.”

“Can’t wait to see them again, anyway.”

“All right. But if you hear the words matchmaking or wedding, don’t get too scared.”

My hands clasp tighter, one around the cup, the other around the phone. “What?”

“My family has been on a mission to matchmake everyone. Long story, I’ll tell it to you when I see you. Just don’t worry if you hear the words. They’re being tossed around very casually in my family.”

Despite myself, I grin. Of course they’d be tossed around casually in the Bennett household. Jenna and Richard Bennett are the picture-perfect example of a happy marriage. For me, the child of a loveless marriage, those two words seem as real as the possibility of finding a unicorn in my back yard. My fiasco engagement reinforced that view for me.

“Can’t wait to see everyone again,” I tell Max honestly.