So why in the world was she sobbing like a baby from little more than a scratch? She again blamed her lack of sleep on the unusual emotions.

“Now, I know I don’t have the gentlest hand in the hospital, but I’m not really all that bad, am I?” Dr. Stine asked. He had stopped working and put a finger below her chin to tilt her head up. She was forced to look into his eyes.

“I don’t know what’s the matter with me. It doesn’t even hurt. I think I just need to get more sleep,” she said through sobbing hiccups.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked with a sense of knowing in his voice.

“No,” she sobbed.

He didn’t go back to work, just sat there, waiting. Lindsey was beginning to see why all the nurses were swooning after him. If only she were attracted to the good doctor and could agree to go out on a date with him. Maybe she would begin to feel better if she did.

“Whoever the guy is that let you go is a fool, you know,” Dr. Stine said as he finally broke the connection of their gaze and began stitching her arm up again.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, the pain medicine he’d given her beginning to kick in and making her feel slightly loopy.

“I’ve watched you a lot in the past month, Lindsey. You were almost glowing a couple weeks ago. and then something happened. It’s been like watching a lightbulb slowly start to fade.”

She was totally confused by that analogy, but he continued.

“I’m not saying you aren’t just as beautiful. And if you said yes, I would jump at the chance to take you out and show you how a man should treat a woman, but it’s more than obvious that your heart belongs to someone else,” he said.

There was a smile on his lips, but also a spark of understanding so deep in his eyes that she couldn’t help more tears from falling.

“I wasn’t in a relationship, not really. I just had a hard time after the hospital attack and my best friend’s brother-in-law decided to show me life was worth living again. I knew from the beginning we weren’t going to stay together. I guess I’ve just had a harder time than I thought letting him go,” she said.

The damn pain medicine was making her share far more than she should have been sharing, especially with the doctor who’d made no qualms about liking her.

He finished up her stitches, bandaged her, and then leaned way too close into her personal bubble. He brushed his fingers against her cheek, making the tears stop instantly.

“The best medicine for a broken heart is to open it back up again to a real man,” he said before giving her his mega-wattage smile. “And I am the doctor. You should listen to me.”

Then before she had time to react, he leaned in and kissed her. It was a sweet kiss, just a brushing of his lips against hers. Then he stood up and helped her into a seated position. She was so stunned, she had no words.

“I’m being paged, but I want you to sit here for fifteen more minutes. Then I’m going to call your emergency contact to come pick you up. You can’t work with the pain meds, and you certainly can’t drive.”

“Don’t call my mom!” she shouted as he turned to leave. “My entire family will show up if they get a call from the hospital,” she finished more quietly.

“Okay, who do you want me to call?”

Maverick was her first thought, but she pushed that away. Then she pulled her phone from her pocket and gave him Stormy’s number.

“I’m not giving up on you until I see a ring on your finger,” he said with an intensity in his eyes that left her speechless.

He walked from the room without waiting for a reply from her.

Lindsey didn’t move, not even when Stormy came rushing into the room, worry clearly written all over her brow.

When she found out what had happened, though, her worry turned to merriment, which had Lindsey glaring at her best friend.

“Gotta love newbies,” Stormy told her.

“Get me out of here,” Lindsey said as her friend helped her off the table.

“You must be the best friend.”

Lindsey groaned when she found Dr. Stine leaning in the doorway. This was going to lead to far too many questions from Stormy. She was sort of wishing the intern had gouged her a lot worse, requiring her to stay the night away from prying best friends.

“Yes, I am. And who are you?” Stormy asked as her gaze whipped back and forth between Lindsey and the doctor.

“I’m the doc trying to woo your friend. Who’s the guy who broke her heart?” he asked with boldness.

Lindsey gasped. They both ignored her.

“My brother-in-law. And as cute as you are, I wouldn’t get your hopes up. I don’t see their story ending anytime soon,” Stormy sassily told him.

“Until I see a ring, I have a shot,” he said with a wink.

Unbelievably, Stormy laughed. “Oh, I really like you, doc,” she said with that smile that Lindsey had loved from the moment she’d met Stormy.

“It’s always good to get the best friend on your side,” Dr. Stine said with a wink.

“That it is. You must have sisters,” she said.

“I think it’s time to go now,” Lindsey interrupted.

“I’m not in a hurry,” Stormy said before returning her attention back to the doctor.

“I do have three little sisters, actually,” he told her.

“I’ll be sure to let you know if things don’t work out between Lindsey and Maverick,” Stormy told him.