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Damn. First the good luck charm thing, now this. Obviously her track record with men wasn’t the greatest. His gut twisted slightly and he wasn’t sure if it was because he hated the thought that she’d been previously hurt or that there was the potential with him that she could get hurt again.
“Do you have any kids?” Trent’s interrogation continued.
“Not that I know of,” he said, then realizing Trent wasn’t the right audience for the bad joke, he said quickly, “I definitely don’t.”
“You’re a doctor?” Trent asked.
“Yes.”
“What kind?”
“Pediatrics.”
Trent nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly. Mitch’s working with kids had garnered him some bonus points, obviously. “You live in the city?”
“Actually, I’m kinda homeless at the moment,” he said.
Trent’s thick dark eyebrows met in the middle.
“I mean, I travel the world with Doctors Without Borders, so I don’t keep a place in the city anymore.” He had for the first year, but then it had seemed pointless for the few weeks a year he actually used it. Closing his practice and selling his condo had been the most liberating experience. No ties. No real material possessions. No obligations or commitments. Life this way suited his nomadic spirit.
“Doctors Without Borders?” Trent continued to study him as though not fully trusting that it wasn’t just some line he used to attract women.
He nodded. “Yes. I just came back from Cambodia a few days ago.”
“So, you’re leaving again?” Trent asked as he placed their drinks on the bar in front of him.
Mitch nodded as he opened his wallet, retrieved enough cash for the round, and placed it on the bar. He picked up the drinks, but Trent stopped him before he could walk away. “Well in that case, just do me one favor.”
His palms sweat slightly and he felt his grip slip on the glasses. “What’s that?”
“Don’t go breaking any hearts this Christmas,” he said.
“You got it,” he said over the lump forming in the back of his throat.
Mitch’s gaze met Jessica’s as he approached a little slower. She literally seemed to glow under the neon holiday lights. Her dark hair reflected the red and green, and her bright, beautiful smile shined brighter than all the lights in the room ever could. She was gorgeous and smart and funny and sexy as hell. He’d desperately wanted to kiss her moments ago in the car. He’d desperately wanted to kiss her every minute that they’d spent together so far, but he’d held back out of fear of crossing that line.
He suspected once he did, there’d be no turning back.
Don’t go breaking any hearts this Christmas…
He wasn’t sure he could fulfill that promise to Trent and the heart he was concerned about was not only Jess’s.
He handed her a drink as he sat next to her on the plastic bench seating.
Jessica sighed. “Let me guess. You got the big brother speech from Trent.”
He cleared his throat. “Nah. He just asked me about a dozen questions, that’s all.” He was actually surprised the guy hadn’t asked to see his driver’s license and a copy of his credit report.
“Sorry, Trent’s a little overprotective.”
“Totally understandable,” he said with a smile. He was starting to feel protective over Jess, too. He didn’t want to see her get hurt, either, and that certainly wasn’t his intent.
She introduced him to the rest of the team. Several couples around his age and an older man that Mitch recognized from the hardware store in town. They all welcomed him warmly, but there was definitely curiosity among the group. No doubt they were surprised to see him there with Jess.
“Nice to meet all of you,” he said. He took a swig of his beer and his gaze landed on the pins at the end of the alley as they scattered. “Are those Christmas trees?”
Jessica laughed and nodded. She reached for a bowling ball and showed him the white, spiral-y pattern that made it look like a snowball. “Holiday-themed bowling. Every December, the alley changes out the regular pins and balls for Christmas trees and snowballs. The league donates a dollar to the local food bank for every strike made during the month.”
