swift kick of jealousy and wondered if Haley might have a small crush on his brother.
“It’s why he became a doctor, but he doesn’t really talk about it much. He’s a pretty private guy. And
you’re right, he is a good doctor. It was always in his nature to care for others, even as a kid.”
Jeremy could still remember the times Brad had tended to one of his scrapes or cuts when their parents
were both at work. Still, the more he thought of Brad and Haley together, imagining Brad touching and
tending to a bruise Haley’s ex-husband had given her, the more he wondered why the pair had never
dated.
“You know, it occurs to me you and Brad are both unattached, so why’d you two never hook up?”
She wrinkled her nose and stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Eww. I could never date my doctor.
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That’s just… eww.”
He laughed, more pleased than he should have been by her answer. “It’s not like he’s a gynecologist.”
“No, but still, I never considered Dr. French that way. He’s a great doctor. Wonderful and sweet, very
gentle, but that’s all.”
Good answer. A surge of possessiveness filled him. Now he could get back to thinking of Haley naked
and him pleasuring her pert body.
While they ate their meal, Haley talked about her job as a software developer and the stress of having a
job that required hours and hours of staring at a computer screen. He told her about his job as a
detective, sharing some of the more bizarre cases he’d worked on. It was clear they both needed the
time away from work, if for no other reason than to reevaluate their lives. Jeremy was putting their dishes
in the sink and already making coffee when he decided to approach the subject of her ex.
“So, Haley, we’ve talked a lot about our jobs, but you haven’t told me what happened with your
marriage.” Her expression turned grim as she played with her napkin. He plowed on anyway, not letting
her close him out. “I’ve only known you for a few hours, but you don’t strike me as the type to give up
on something as important as marriage. Not unless you were fighting a losing battle.” He gentled his voice
as he asked, “What happened?”
“It’s not a pretty picture.” She shrugged. “I suppose divorce rarely is.”
Her voice went soft, and he sensed her vulnerability.
“Eric was so sweet in the beginning. When we first met, I guess I felt sort of…swept away by his charm.
We didn’t date long before we married. The marriage ceremony was right out of a fairy tale. Big,