ri

er gaze was distant, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. She'd barely said a wo

d suddenly, her voice pu

it street. "I was trying to ask if you'd p

lizing how offensive

anything by it-jus

d, then I

ed, so I figured I'd gi

her expressi

d. Thanks fo

hed for the door handle, but

, slipping out and

it and gestured for her to sit on the couch. The gash on her wris

d, dabbing at the wound with antisep

murmured after

ere already forming in my head, carefully rehearsed to sound casual but convincing

ed, her tone now sharp but with a hint of amusem

, caught

ha

ng the silence between us. She looked away, the

ss that? A surge of emb

I said, standing abr

rching for some sign of a menu

you like f

tly, I hope she didn't

e to do that.

. "Humor me. I should've thought a

ms and leaned bac

s whole doctor-slash-knight-in-s

lp but grin a

Help me out here. What's your crav

ween brushing me off and giving i

pris

canning through options. As I placed the order, I caught myself glanci

hen I was pulled back to my question ea

's your p

owed, and she

w yet. Survi

setting the

al for you. Let'

me, her expr

kind o

rry

thought she might laugh. Instead, she

use

althcare, the parent company of LifePoint Hospital. My father has been breathing down my neck about

, she must've though

me to be you

ified. "You need stability. I need a wife to se

, her gaze se

re the

c. Second, no divorce until we've b

ng up a hand. "You don't

ssuring smile. "It'll be easier fo

essing into a thin line. Then

l. Let's sign

eement, and then I stood to leave. But as I turne

in time to see her slump f

t the floor, my heart racing. Her f

her pulse. "Stay with me," I said firmly,

..

restless energy. I couldn't shake off the image of her unconscious in

ut of my thoughts, a clipboard in hand. H

you f

ly, standing. "What

is tone sudd

. Congratulations-your w

w dro

repeated, my voice ba

nodded, sti

he's pr