Free Healing Dr. Fortune by JUDY DUARTE Page B

career, that he was finally ready to kick back, have some fun and enjoy himself for a change.
    Before his mom had died, she’d taken him aside and said, “I’m glad to see you working so hard, honey. But I worry about you. There’s so much more to life than work. You really need to take time to play.”
    Jeremy hadn’t taken her seriously at the time, but he wished he had. Her words were just now beginning to sink in.
    He watched Kirsten for a moment or two longer, then asked, “Can you get a babysitter on Friday night?” He wouldn’t just assume that Max would be around every evening.
    â€œThat won’t be a problem. Why?”
    â€œI’d like to take you out.”
    â€œAll right.” She smiled, letting him know that the suggestion appealed to her.
    â€œDress warmly,” he said.
    Her eyes lit up. “Okay. Where are we going?”
    He was just about to tell her, then decided to keep it to himself. “It’s a surprise.”
    A grin splashed across her face. “I love surprises.”
    Apparently, so did he. Because picking up Kirsten and whisking her off on a fun-filled adventure suddenly sounded like one of the best ideas he’d ever had.
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    As Max bent over and peered into the refrigerator, looking for a soda, he scrunched his face at all the take-out containers. “What the heck is all this crap doing in here?”
    â€œIt’s not crap,” Kirsten said, as she stood near the sink and poured out the remaining coffee from the carafe. “It’s leftover dessert.”
    He pulled a cola from the fridge and popped the top. “Left over from what?”
    â€œJeremy had to cut our date short last night, and since we weren’t able to stay long enough to eat dessert, he brought all of that by this afternoon.”
    â€œYou’ve gotta be kidding.” Max slowly shook his head, still standing in front of the open refrigerator. “Don’t you think that’s a little over-the-top?”
    Actually, she thought it was sweet. But it was clear that Max wouldn’t agree. So choosing not to argue, she ignored the fact that Jeremy’s visit and thoughtfulness had struck a raw nerve in her brother and asked, “Do you want some cheesecake? It’s really good.”
    â€œI don’t want any of that stuff.” Max slammed the refrigerator door a little too hard. “I still haven’t figured out what that guy’s up to.”
    â€œHe just came by to see me, that’s all.”
    Max chuffed and slowly shook his head.
    â€œObviously, you don’t like him.” Kirsten crossed her arms and braced herself for whatever unfounded objections Max might have. “Why is that? He’s an orthopedic surgeon. And a darn good one, from what I’ve learnedby doing a Google search. On top of that, his family is not only well-known, but well respected in Red Rock. Have you ever heard of the Fortune Foundation?”
    â€œWho hasn’t?” Max leaned against the refrigerator. “Those people think they own the town.”
    If Kirsten had a violent streak and lacked self-control, she might have punched her brother’s lights out. As it was, she disposed of the old coffee grounds and rinsed out the carafe.
    â€œOpen your eyes,” Max said. “That guy’s just trying to snowball you, sis. And, apparently, it’s working.”
    Kirsten shut off the water, set the clean carafe on the counter and turned to face him. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œHe’s just trying to score, that’s all. I heard that he’s only visiting in town. He’s going to be moving away soon, and then where will that leave you?”
    Kirsten might be dating Jeremy, but that didn’t mean she would shut down her radar and jump into a relationship that wasn’t in her best interest—at least, not knowingly. She also knew that a lot of men weren’t looking for