Page 137 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

I stare at her. "You don't bake homemade muffins because one of your patients had a rough week."

"I brought muffins for the department."

"Mmm."

"And you definitely don't smile every single time someone's name comes up."

I feel heat creeping into my cheeks. "I'm smiling because he's funny."

"He's also really hunky."

I nearly choke on my soup. "Keisha!"

"What? "I'm making an observation.”

“I am absolutely not discussing whether my patient is handsome."

"You just called him your patient."

"Because he is."

She waits. I sigh. "Mostly."

Her eyebrows lift. "Oh?"

I bury my face in the blanket. "I cannot believe I just said that."

She laughs so hard she has to set her mug down. "I've missed these conversations."

I peek over the edge of the blanket. "You enjoy watching me suffer."

"I enjoy watching you be human." The teasing fades from her expression. "You've spent years taking care of everyone else."

She smiles softly. "It's kind of nice seeing someone sneak past all those walls you've built."

I don't answer, because for the first time I'm beginning to wonder if maybe she isn't talking about Jamie anymore.

Maybe...she's talking about me.

***

Keisha is the first to break the silence. "I’m going to ask you something and I want you to answer honestly."

"I'll try."

She studies me for a long moment. "Do you look forward to seeing him?"

The question seems almost too simple. "Yes." The answer slips out before I can think.

Keisha nods. "I thought so."

She doesn't say anything else. She doesn't have to.

Instead, she asks another question. "If therapy ended tomorrow..."

she says gently, "...would you miss him?"

My smile disappears. A long silence stretches between us.