Free The Heart Doctor and the Baby by Lynne Marshall Page B

her scheduled surgery that morning. It was almost 1:30 p.m. before she made it in to the MidCoast Medical clinic for her afternoon appointments, and she was grateful for the busy and distracting morning. The last thing she could handle was seeing Jon.
    She parked in the back and entered through the porch, a continuation from the wraparound porch at the front of the clinic. Several terra-cotta flowerpots burst with color and lined the picket railing. She inhaled the winter scent of pine tree and reached for the chilly glass doorknob.
    The redone hardwood floors throughout the hallway sparkled with care. Jason had spared no cost when it came time to refurbishing this grand old house, and she never grew tired of admiring it.
    â€œAh, you’re just in time for lunch,” Jon said, looking chagrined, as she pushed through the door in the kitchen.
    How had this happened? Normally he was already seeing his afternoon panel of patients by this time. So much for avoiding him.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?”
    â€œMorning clinic ran late when I had to admit one ofmy patients into the hospital for an EPS study.” He spoke in between popping potato chips into his mouth. “Young kid. Basketball player. Passed out at a game. Got zapped with an AED.”
    â€œWow. That’s not good.”
    â€œGood news is he survived, and after we figure out what sets off his arrhythmia, we’ll know how to treat it and keep him alive.”
    She nodded. Even now, desperately trying to stay out of his way, she was glad to see him. He looked sharp in a mint-green button-up shirt and tie with some sort of hieroglyphics on it, no doubt spelling out the meaning of life or something equally as important. His trousers fit him impeccably, and she couldn’t help but have a quickie flashback to the day she’d seen him stripped down and jogging. And the way he kissed.
    This line of thinking had to stop.
    René plopped into a chair and put her feet up on another. She’d stayed awake half the night thinking about the irony of asking a man to help her get pregnant, then, after the fact, realizing she was attracted to him. She’d live with her decision, though. Had to.
    â€œWhat held you up?” he said.
    â€œI was in surgery all morning. My tubal ligation clinic. Two of the women were younger than me and they’ve already met their personal baby quotas, and wanted to make sure they didn’t have any more.” She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one else was around. “And here I am just starting out. Ironic, huh?”
    She fiddled with the single braid she always wore on surgery days and happened to pass glances with Jon. He nodded. She’d made the mistake of pondering her circumstances in front of him. He was bound to comment.
    â€œYou smell like chocolate,” he said, ignoring the irony and throwing her a curve. “What’s got you stressed?”
    Like he didn’t know. And from the looks of the dark circles under his eyes, he didn’t get such a great night’s sleep, either.
    â€œWhat do chocolate and stress have to do with each other?” She’d play dumb.
    â€œI’ve seen you go for that chocolate stash in your purse when you’re under pressure.”
    She blurted a laugh. “Guilty as charged, but this time it was more out of necessity. My blood sugar took a dive after being in the O.R. all morning, and I forgot to bring any lunch.”
    â€œHere,” he said. “Have half of my sandwich.” He pushed a portion of a sub sandwich loaded with deli meats and vegetables under her nose. “You need to eat, now that you’re…”
    â€œJon, you don’t have to look out for me.” Though the sandwich did smell delicious and her taste buds had already gone on standby.
    â€œSomeone’s got to do it.” He flashed a smart-ass smile, the kind that made his eyes crinkle at the corners. “Take it. It’s