Page 51 of Under His Guard

“It just sort of happened. With the whole break-in thing.”

“Wait, is he, like, a cop or something?”

I laugh. “Ha, no. Far from it. Luke just helped out. He was in the right place at the right time, and it just sort of happened.”

“So, that’s where you’ve been staying while they comb your apartment. Makes sense now.” She takes a sip of her Gatorade before pulling out a yogurt. “That’s so sweet.”

Hiding a sigh with the accompanying eye roll, I mumble to myself, “It’s something.”

I go back to my sandwich, eager to finish up before I have to head out to the floor again.

“So, he brings you forgotten lunch bags, helps when your apartment is broken into by some thug, and is apparently ‘really freaking hot,’ according to Melody. This Luke person sounds like a damn catch.”

With a chuckle, I pause, actually struck by the comment.

Luke the catch, huh? I guess…yeah. But he still started out as my patient, and I’m supposed to be working for him. It’s weird.

I also know for a fact the man is a giant flirt and is actively about to, in fact, pay me for my “services” so I can put a chunk of change away for Beth’s surgery.

It’s far too complicated for my liking.

I catch Jess staring at me as I come out of my thoughts, and I just smile at her. I don’t want to be talking about this anymore.

“So, how’s Kevin?”

Jess snorts, finishing up a bite of her yogurt. “He’s a damn troublemaker. The school has called me twice this week.”

“Oh, no. Really?” I know Jess has been having some issues with her son because he’s being picked on, but this sounds different.

“It’s not his fault. He said the teachers weren’t doing anything to stop Billy Colton from teasing him, so he shoved him away.”

Putting a hand on her shoulder, I rub gently. “That sucks. I was picked on, too, and it’s like this a lot. It’s the kid at the butt end of it all that gets in trouble when they snap.”

“It’s going to be fine. I know it.” Jess sighs. “Kev has a note from the kid bullying him, and we’re going to bring it to the principal. I didn’t want to do it because I knew it was going to escalate things. But the time’s come.”

“Hey, I’m here for you. If someone was picking on my kid, I wouldn’t mess around.”

“You planning on having kids with this Luke fellow?”

I nearly choke on my drink.

“Um, no. Absolutely not. I have enough on my plate, thank you very much.” My chest pinches as I think about the other thing standing in my way. “Plus, I…I can’t get pregnant.”

Jess immediately sobers, and now I’m the one getting the shoulder rub.

“Oh, no, babe. I’m sorry. It’s different when the choice is taken away.”

Fighting back the sudden need to cry, I’m a bit shocked by how thoroughly Jess hits the nail on the head. “It really is.”

We both sit there in silence for a moment, and then I sigh, doing my best to change the subject.

“It’s fine, though. I’ve never been particularly nurturing, and besides, the patients I’ve dealt with are big enough babies to squash any curiosity. I like my life exactly how it is.”

Jess tilts the corner of her mouth up in a sarcastic grin, and I narrow my eyes at her as I take a sip of my drink.

“What?”

She shakes her head. “Oh, nothing. Just thinking that if I had that kind of hottie paying attention to me, I’d be pretty happy with my life, too.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com