Page 61 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

The back door creaks open, and I nearly drop the pan. My dad steps into the kitchen, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. Emma's face flushes, and I feel my own cheeks burning.

“Dad! I thought you left for the hospital,” I stammer, trying to find my footing.

He grins, clearly enjoying our discomfort. “I only stepped out momentarily. Didn't expect to walk into this, though.”

I scramble to explain. “Uh, she came in this morning…”

“Really?” My dad's smile widens as he looks at Emma. “Dressed in your shirt?”

Emma looks mortified, and I want to sink to the floor. Before I can say anything else, my dad waves a hand. “Relax, son. I heard you two come in last night.”

He turns to Emma, his expression softening. “Emma, it's nice to finally have you in my house. I won’t bother lying and say I’ve heard a lot about you. Liam’s pretty tight-lipped.”

Emma manages a small smile, still clearly flustered. “I can relate to that, Dr. Miller.”

“Call me Joe,” he says, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from her. “And thank you for putting up with my son. He can be a handful.”

Emma laughs, the tension easing slightly. “He's not so bad. Once you get past the tough exterior.”

“Hey!” I protest, “I’m here, you know?”

They both ignore me. My dad takes the plate of omelet away from Emma, looking at me and shaking his head. “Is this how I taught you to take care of a lady?”

“She was hungry, and I had to make something fast. Tell him, Emma?” I turn toward her, but she just blinks at me with her big doe-like eyes. “You’re going to betray me?”

She bats her eyelashes slowly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I grit my teeth as my father turns toward the stove, mumbling, “Let me make you something worthwhile.”

As soon as he turns his back, Emma covers her mouth and winks at me.

“So, Emma,” my dad calls out, chopping vegetables with practiced ease, “tell me about this wedding you're planning. I’m hearing in town it's going to be quite the event.”

Emma's eyes light up as she hurries up to support him. “It's been a whirlwind, but I'm excited. June and Damon have been wonderful to work with.”

“And Liam's been helping out?” Dad's tone is teasing as he spares me a quick glance.

Emma glances at me too, a twinkle in her eye. “He's been…supportive. In his own way.”

I roll my eyes, but there's a smile tugging at my lips. “I'm not that bad, am I?”

They both laugh, and I join in, feeling the last of my embarrassment fade. It's nice, this easy camaraderie, but seeing Dad engage Emma in conversation also fills me with strange mix of emotions.

I join them at the counter, and the three of us finish cooking and set the plates on the table.

“There we go, a proper breakfast.” My dad can’t avoid the dig at me as we settle down.

As we eat, the conversation flows effortlessly. My dad regales us with stories from his days as a young doctor in town, and Emma matches it with anecdotes from her childhood. They laugh together, and I pitch in with a few comments here and there, but mostly, I watch, a warm feeling growing in my chest.

Dad clears his throat, breaking the moment. “So, any plans for today?” I open my mouth to say I need to get back to the hospital, but Dad cuts me off. “Remember, you have forty-eight hours free. The time's not up yet.”

Emma looks at me, a hopeful expression on her face. “There's a cake-tasting event today. Would you like to come with me?”

I hesitate for a moment, then nod. “Yeah, I'd like that.”

“Good.” Dad nods. “You guys go have fun.”

As we finish breakfast, I watch Emma and my dad interact, laughing and chatting like old friends. It stirs something inside me, a longing for more moments like this, more mornings spent together, more laughter and connection. But I quickly push the thought away. Good times like these don't last. Sooner or later, something will happen, and we'll end up hating each other.

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