Doctors in the Wedding

Again, she waved off the distinction. “Maybe you could bring her to meet us while you’re here? I’d love to get to know her.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Too early?”

“Too complicated.”

She nodded her understanding. “Just know that I’m here for you if you need to talk.”

He smiled. He was fond of all his aunts, both by blood and marriage, but he’d always had a soft spot for his mother’s youngest sister. “Thanks, Aunt Lin.”

“Or I could always talk to her,” she added. “I could tell her how foolish she would be not to grab hold of you and hold on while she has the chance. Perhaps she doesn’t know yet what a great catch my nephew is.”

Even though he knew she was teasing, he shook his head. “I think I’d better be the one to try to convince her of that.”

She reached across the little table to pat his hand. “That shouldn’t be so hard. Now, tell me all the gossip from home. Have Andrew and Aaron gotten into any scrapes lately?”

Chuckling at the dry question about his trouble-prone twenty-nine-year-old twin cousins, Jason launched into an anecdote about their latest misadventure, making his aunt laugh in delight. He was somewhat relieved that she had changed the subject, but thoughts of Madison weren’t far from his mind as they chatted through the remainder of the lunch.

He had a long way to go before convincing Madison that he was a “great catch.” First, he had to persuade her that they had a chance at having more than an occasional long weekend together.

Chapter Ten

Madison was in the habit of calling her mother every day after getting off duty, usually during her walk down the stairs and then to the parking lot. Those quick calls were just daily check-ins, with longer, chattier calls and visits on the weekends or the occasional evening, but Madison almost always remembered the long-standing tradition. When her phone rang as she headed toward the hospital stairwell Wednesday evening, she thought it might be her mom. Or—and her silly heart beat faster with the possibility—perhaps Jason, confirming their plans for the evening.

Her steps faltered a bit when she saw BiBi’s name on her telephone ID screen. She’d talked to BiBi only the week before. Was it only coincidence that her friend was calling again the day after Jason had arrived in Little Rock…or was this call going to be extremely awkward?

Deciding she didn’t want to try carrying on this conversation while walking down stairs, she veered toward the coffee shop.

“Hi, Beebs, what’s up?” she said lightly. “Wait, hold on a sec—small latte,” she requested from the barista, lowering the phone to her shoulder and pushing a bill across the counter with her free hand.

While waiting for her beverage, she spoke into the phone again. “Okay, I’m here.”

“Bad time to call?”

“No, just getting off work.” She nodded a thank-you to the barista and carried her latte to an empty table. “I can talk for a few minutes while I recharge with some caffeine. Is everything okay there?”

“Oh, yes, fine. Carl and I have a crazy day scheduled for tomorrow. Lunch with my family and dinner with his. We’re going to be ridiculously full, but both families wanted us for Thanksgiving, so that was our compromise.”

“Must be difficult juggling two families at the holidays.” Neither of her siblings’ spouses had families to juggle, so it hadn’t been an issue during the Baker gatherings.

It was hard to imagine not being with her mother and brother and sister on Christmas or Thanksgiving or Easter, since she’d never missed a holiday with them thus far, but s

he supposed if she should ever marry someone with a close family of his own—say, in another state—compromises would have to be made. Not that she had any thoughts of marrying anyone for a while yet, she assured herself quickly. She still couldn’t even make up her mind about where she wanted to do her fellowship!

“It’s a nice problem to have, I suppose,” BiBi answered contentedly. “We did this same crazy plan last Thanksgiving and it worked out fine, even though I swore I’d never want to eat again after that second huge meal.”

Madison chuckled. She’d felt the same way after many a huge holiday meal at her mom’s house.

“I heard Jason D’Alessandro is spending Thanksgiving with his family in Little Rock.”

Madison’s smile faded abruptly. So the timing of this call hadn’t been a coincidence.

“Have you heard from him?” BiBi asked without waiting for a response.

“Yes, I have.” Madison would not lie outright to her friend, whatever the repercussions. “I didn’t know he was coming, but he called when he got to town.”

She saw no need to add that he’d spent the night with her. There was honesty—and then there was sharing too much.