Page 18 of Doctor Do-Over

She focuses her gaze on me. “I guess you could, but Rio was also going to take me car shopping today.”

“You don’t have a car?”

She shakes her head. “The doctor said if I can keep from fainting for six months, I could get my license back. I think my bodyguards should be able to drive for me in my own car.”

“I can take you to look at cars. I’ve got suggestions for you.”

“Okay.” She’s working her bottom lip, and I want to pull it between my teeth and bite it.

“Are you ready?”

“Almost.” She moves off.

I can’t stop myself from following her into a bedroom. I’m drawn to her. Eddie trails along but doesn’t stop me. I glance around the room, noticing it doesn’t have very many personal items. When she walks to the closet, I move off and explore the rest of her apartment. I find a second bedroom filled with several boxes of baby furniture. She hasn’t set up the room for our daughter yet, but she is gathering everything needed.

“I’m waiting until I find our home to set up her stuff,” she says from behind me. I turn around, her words giving me pause.

“What do you mean?” My voice sounds gruff, even to my ears.

“I’m only renting this place”—she waves her hands around—“until I find a house. I haven’t found a place I like yet.”

“Why are you wasting money on rent if you could stay with your parents until you find a better place?” I know it’s none of my business, but I have to know. Something deep in my soul wants me to tell her I have the perfect house for us to raise our kids. Yeah, kids. I want more with her.

“I couldn’t stay there anymore. My brother thinks I’m irresponsible. My father says if I had just gone to medical or nursing school, I wouldn’t be pregnant right now. My mom is excited to welcome her granddaughter, but I’m sure she isdisappointed in me too. None of them consider my career to be a real job. They call it a hobby. Both my father and brother describe me as a starving artist.”

I move to the doorway where she is standing and lift her chin so she meets my gaze. “You are an amazing writer and artist. You’ve done some beautiful things, and you absolutely have a real job. From what I read online, you have a contract for one of your series to go to television. If it’s a hit, that will pay off for many years to come.”

She smiles softly at me. “Yeah, but they don’t care about that. Besides, you wouldn’t know what kind of author I am.”

“Not true. I’ve been reading your books since I found out who you were. My favorite isMy One True Dom.” I lean down and kiss her nose. “You didn’t think I’d figure out who Elary Tanner is? I remember everything about that night too.”

She sighs, and I want to pull her into my arms, but my cell phone chimes in my pocket. I pull it out and see an alert from the ICU.

“Let’s go, kitten.” I take her hand in mine, and together we head down to my car.

I help her get Eddie into the back of my SUV. Once I have her buckled into the passenger seat, I signal to Rio that I’m heading out.

“While we are at the hospital, I hope you don’t mind if I stop in to check on a patient.”

“I don’t mind.” She leans back in the seat and rubs her hand against the leather. “I like this car. Can you take me to the dealership to look at one?”

“I can. They have some good used models that have just as strong safety records as this one does.”

“Okay.” She turns toward the window, and I can tell I’ve said something to upset her.

“What, kitten? What did I say?”

She sighs loudly before turning to look at me. I turn my head to face her when we stop at a light.

“You just did what my family does.”

“And what is that?”

“You don’t think I have the money to afford one of these cars.”

“Kitten, I’m sorry. I just meant you don’t have to buy brand new, but it would be best because you’d get all the warranties and benefits. You buy whatever you want, as long as it’s safe enough for our daughter.”

“Thank you.”

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