Page 49 of Worth the Risk

“Too important. And you know what I realized? I hadn’t even thought about the promotion the entire week we were on the island, other than regretting the choices I made in pursuit of it. I realized as I sat there that I didn’t want to deal with mountains of paperwork and mentoring residents and hardly ever actually treating patients. I wanted the job because the idea of it made me feel important when I first heard about it, but the reality of it doesn’t suit me at all.” His eyes flared with raw emotion. “Besides, it would never be worth what it cost me. I couldn’t be happy knowing that I fucked up the best thing in my life for that job.”

That was a lot to take in, and my mind was reeling from the news that he turned down the job. I never would have expected this, not in a million years.

“Are you sure about this?” I asked.

“One hundred percent.”

He seemed sure. Not only that, there was something… peaceful about him right now.

“But what will you do?” I asked.

He gave a nonchalant shrug. “I have job options. I’ll find something.”

“Ford… did you do this for me?”

I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, but I needed to know.

“Not entirely. I’m being honest when I tell you that the job isn’t right for me. I was chasing a title when what really matters is being a doctor. I went into this profession because I wanted to treat patients, to help people directly. I had the mentality that that wasn’t enough, that I wasn’t good enough unless I achieved more. But I’ve realized I was wrong about that.”

“Of course, you were wrong about that! You don’t need to prove yourself by getting a promotion. You’re a hell of a doctor, and you should be proud of that.”

He flashed that wide smile again. “You know, I think that right there might be what helped me realize this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Screwing things up between us was the worst thing I’ve ever done, but it also made me realize that I was always good enough because you saw me as enough. I didn’t need to prove it to anyone else, even myself. I just didn’t see it before. One of the reasons that I love you is because of how you don’t care about things like job titles or money. You care about who a person is. That’s what makes them worthy.”

I stared at him a moment. “You love me?”

He laughed and stepped closer, pulling me into a hug. “Come on, Zo. That can’t be a surprise.”

No, it wasn’t. But I didn’t expect him to say it so casually like that. And now, he was hugging me in the middle of his office with the door open, where anyone could walk by and see.

“You said ‘not entirely,’” I said, my voice mumbled because my face was pressed against his chest. He moved back, but didn’t go far. “When I asked if you did this for me, you said ‘not entirely.’”

“You were a factor, yes. I know how much you care about this job, and I don’t trust that Serrano won’t try to interfere with your job if we’re together, even if I am director of residency. But I figure if I’m not employed by this hospital any longer, he has no reason to care about us dating.”

“But we’re not dating,” I said weakly. Because he just said he loved me and he quit his job and his cedar and amber scent was so damn intoxicating…

“No, we’re not, but I’m determined to get you to trust me again. When I do and I can call you mine, I’m never letting you go again. And when that time comes, I want the whole damn world to know.”

He was so earnest, and my heart split wide open for him. For the first time in two weeks, my hope was stronger than my fear.

Maybe trusting him again was a gamble. There were no guarantees that we wouldn’t hurt each other again somewhere down the road. But looking into his eyes, I knew something with absolute certainty. Ford was worth the risk.

I launched myself forward and threw my arms around him.

“I love you too,” I whispered. Then, he was kissing me, his mouth moving against mine while he let out a throaty sound that might have been relief.

I pulled away before it got too heated—this was still the place I worked, after all—and Ford looked at me with so much affection that I felt it all the way down to my bones.

“I missed you so much,” he said.

“I missed you too.”

He was still close, still holding onto me. It felt right in a way that nothing else ever could.

“I’m done being an idiot, I swear. I’m going to show you every day how important you are to me. And the next time I propose, you’ll say yes.”