Free Unlocking the Surgeon's Heart by Jessica Matthews Page A

on Derek’s report of Masterson’s activities to follow Emma’s train of thought. “He isn’t what?”
    “Her boyfriend. I heard Mama telling her that she needs to get one, but Christy only laughed and said she’d think about it after her next pet. Do you think she’s going to get another dog? I hope she finds a little one next time. One you can carry in your purse.”
    Linc was totally confused. A boyfriend was contingent on Christy’s new pet? Emma had obviously missed a few important details.
    “How long ago did you hear your Mom and Christy talking?” he asked. If their conversation had taken place months ago, Christy could easily have found someone since then to play that role, new pet or not.
    “A few days before Mama and Daddy left. Oh, look.” Once again, she pointed to the tank. “Those two fish are kissing .” She giggled.
    He glanced at the tank and saw two fish with their mouths pressed together. The fish clearly didn’t spend their days swimming aimlessly around their environment. Once again, he referred to the posted list of names and photos.
    “They’re called Kissing Gourami,” he reported.
    “Do you think they like each other, Unca Linc?” Emma asked.
    “Don’t be silly.” Derek rolled his eyes. “Fish don’t like each other like people do.”
    “How do you know?” Emma’s eyes flashed. “You don’t know everything just ’cause you’re older than me. If it’s a boy fish and a girl fish, they could, too , like each other—”
    “Enough,” Linc said firmly. “We aren’t going to argue here. We’ll research the subject on the internet when we get home.”
    To his surprise and delight, Christy joined them at the tank. “Actually, those two aren’t getting along right now,” she said.
    “They aren’t? But they’re acting like they do,” Emma protested.
    “They’re a peaceful species, but the males fight over their territory like other animals. When they do, they press their mouths together.”
    The little girl frowned as if trying to puzzle over how such a move could be a sign of aggression. “They don’t have much room to fight over,” she remarked, her attention riveted to the pair in question.
    “I don’t know how large they consider their territories,” Christy replied. “Maybe one raced the other to the food and he was a sore loser. Or maybe one cut in front of the other while they were swimming.”
    “I get it,” Linc said, humored by her story. “They’re having the aquatic equivalent of road rage. And I thought I had an active imagination.”
    Emma tugged on his shorts pocket. “What’s road rage?”
    “It’s when one driver gets angry with another driver and they get into an argument.”
    “Oh.”
    “The point is, Em,” Christy interrupted, “it doesn’t take much for guys of any species to find a reason to flex their muscles.”
    He had a feeling she’d directed her last comment to him.
    “Yeah, but they fight by kissing?” Derek shuddered. “Yuck.”
    Christy grinned. “You don’t like the idea of locking lips with the guy you want to punch?”
    “No way.”
    While Derek and Christy discussed the more acceptable forms of dealing with conflict, Linc realized that her former companion had disappeared. “Is Masterson’s coffee break over?”
    “Dan had only stopped in for his usual afternoon soda and ran into us. He’s on the Dancing with the Docs committee and was trying to convince me to volunteer.”
    “Did he? Convince you, that is?”
    She shook her head. “I told him my days were full enough as it is with being a participant, but I’d save him a dance.”
    Linc felt an unreasonable desire to remind her that she would be busy dancing with him , but he didn’t. He did, however, make a mental note to carve out time for lessons the week after next. By then, his partners would have returned from their respective vacations and he could implement a less hectic schedule in the weeks ahead.
    “As enjoyable as it is to stay and