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“Walking you home and going home with you aren’t the same thing.”
“Either way, I walked myself here and I can walk myself back.”
“You offend my gentlemanliness.”
“Too bad, but you aren’t getting anywhere near my apartment.”
“Is being around me that bad?”
Why had his voice sounded off when he’d asked his question?
“Being around you isn’t good.”
“I’d like to prove that you’re wrong about that,” he said as they stepped outside Stluka’s and onto the sidewalk. Although the street wasn’t that crowded, at the end of the block they could see the hustle and bustle of Broad Street. “I think our being around each other could be good for both of us.”
She paused walking. A man behind her excused himself and went around her as she glared at Lucas. “Why would you possibly think that?”
“We had a lot of passion and strong emotions between us that we were too young to deal with and we let our relationship fall apart. Life has thrown us back together for a reason.”
“You’re crazy.”
“Yeah, maybe I am, because right now all I can think about is how much I’ve missed spending time with you. I suppose there are a lot of people who’d say that’s pretty crazy.”
“For the record, I’m one of those people. The only reason I’m spending time with you is because you won the auction. Don’t mistake my being here as anything more.”
“I don’t believe you, Emily. I feel the vibe between us.”
She glanced down the street, considered making a run for her apartment. How dared he call her bluff?
“You’re still as attracted to me as I am to you.”
“I’m not attracted to you at all. Whatever vibes you think you’re picking up on all have to do with the past, Lucas. There’s nothing between us in the present. Nothing at all. Good night.”
Head held high, she walked away, praying her feet didn’t trip up and make her land on her face because she felt his gaze on her retreat.
* * *
Some of Emily’s patients truly broke her heart. Jenny Garcia was one. The four-year-old girl had been rushed to the emergency room after she’d been abused by her mother’s drugged-out boyfriend. The child had sustained multiple injuries including broken ribs, a busted lip, blackened eyes and bruises all over her tiny body. She’d also suffered from a concussion and brain injury that had the emergency physician opting to admit the child onto the unit where Emily worked.
Lucas was the physician assigned to her case and he’d shown up on the floor just minutes after Emily got the unconscious girl checked onto the unit.
“How bad is she?”
“She’s pitiful,” Emily admitted, her eyes watering. No, she was not going to cry. She wasn’t. She would not lapse into crying in front of Lucas. She was beyond that life phase.
“Some people shouldn’t have children.”
Some people didn’t.
Emily flinched. Nope. Not going there. La. La. La. Not allowing those thoughts to enter her head.
“I agree.” She handed him the computer tablet with the girl’s information pulled up.
His wince tugged way deep inside Emily. Lucas sighed, then raked his fingers through his thick hair. “Where’s the mom?”
Emily shrugged. “I’ve not seen her. One of the ER nurses said she was there for a while, but that she didn’t stay.”
“How could anyone leave their child after something like this happening?” Lucas asked, truly looking shocked.
