Free Unlocking the Surgeon's Heart by Jessica Matthews

Christy’s mere glance this morning had convinced Derek to use his napkin instead of his sleeve and if she could do that, she’d be immune to any cajolery they might try.
    He checked Jose’s chart and slipped into his room to visit for about fifteen minutes. Satisfied by his progress, he strode toward the bank of elevators, ready to leave. As he punched the “Down” button, he wondered if he should kill time elsewhere in the hospital. If he arrived in the cafeteria too soon, Christy would assume he’d hurried to check on her.
    The point was he was in a hurry, but not for that particular reason. If anyone saw him, he could easily get embroiled in a patient case and he had too many other things to do this afternoon— family things—that wouldn’t allow it. His objective also included getting to know Gail’s best friend because there seemed to be more to her than had previously met his eye.
    On the other hand, Christy seemed like a forgiving sort, so perhaps during their time apart she’d decided to cut him some slack.
    He strode into the near-empty cafeteria and saw Emma and Derek peering into the giant aquarium in the far corner of the dining hall.
    “Hi, guys. Are you enjoying the fish?” he asked.
    “I like the spotted ones,” Emma declared as she pointed to one. “Do you know what kind of fish he is?”
    Linc referred to the chart posted above the aquarium. “A Dalmation Molly.”
    Emma giggled. “She looks like a fire-truck dog, doesn’t she?”
    “She does,” he agreed, then asked, “Where’s Christy?”
    “She’s over there with that guy.” Derek inclined his head in her direction.
    Linc glanced at the corner in question and saw her with a fellow he recognized as one of the physical therapists. From their wide smiles and the laughter drifting across the room, both appeared entirely too comfortable with each other for Linc’s taste.
    “He’s got the hots for her,” Derek said with a typical eight-year-old boy’s disgust.
    Linc had arrived at the same conclusion and was instantly envious. His reaction was completely illogical, but when he saw the guy scoot his chair closer and fling his arm over her shoulder to draw her close enough to whisper in her ear, he felt an envy he hadn’t noticed before.
    “See?” Derek said with satisfaction. “Maybe we should warn Christy that he wants to get in her—”
    Derek’s blunt description finally registered and Linc cut off the boy’s sentence. “Whoa there, buddy. Does your mother know you’re a teenager in an eight-year-old body?”
    A blush crept across Derek’s face, which suggested his mother probably didn’t know the extent of her son’s education. “I watch TV,” he defended.
    “Really?” Linc raised an eyebrow. “Before I ask what sort of programs you’re viewing and if your mother knows you are, we aren’t going to say a word to Christy. We don’t want to embarrass her.”
    He, on the other hand, was jealous.
    The boy shrugged. “If you say so, but it’s still true. He held out her chair for her, got her a refill, and keeps putting his arm around the back of her chair and leaning in close. I think he might be her boyfriend.”
    A boyfriend. Linc hadn’t considered the possibility that Christy might have her own reasons for not wanting to share the house with him. Living under someone else’s roof with another guy, no matter how innocent it might be, could certainly strain a relationship.
    On the other hand, although he didn’t socialize with the staff, he’d picked up enough tidbits from conversations around him to know the gossip currently circulating on the grapevine. He’d never heard her name linked to anyone else’s. If he had, he would have remembered.
    On the other hand, her relationship might be new enough that it hadn’t become the latest news yet. Or, as Derek had said, this Masterson fellow might still be trying—
    “He isn’t,” Emma interrupted with childlike certainty.
    Linc’s mind was too focused