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Their eagerness to accommodate him wasn’t all that surprising. He had a life-threatening condition, and they didn’t want to be liable for not following up appropriately.

So they’d both gotten up at six this morning and showered and dressed quickly. Nancy made them smoothies to drink on the drive over.

Now they were here. Seated in straight-backed leather chairs.

She didn’t know why she was so nervous. After all, she knew the news wasn’t going to be good. The most she could hope for was a few extra months with Jude.

Those hypothetical months felt like everything to Eve right now.

Three more months. She’d give anything to have that much more time with Jude.

She slanted a look over at him. His face was completely composed, but his posture was stiff. She might have been imagining it, but she could have sworn she saw the pulse at the base of his throat throbbing through his skin.

She reached over to take his hand.

His was cool and dry. He returned her squeeze and didn’t pull his hand away.

“You don’t have to do any treatments,” she murmured, feeling like she should whisper for some reason even though they were all alone in the room. “No matter what he says, you don’t have to agree to any treatments just for me.”

“I know. That’s not why I’m so uptight.”

She tilted her head so she could peer at him more closely.

“I want more time with you,” he admitted in a hoarse rush. His face contorted for a few seconds before he settled it again. “I’m trying not to hope for it, but I want more time with you.”

She choked on a sob and leaned over to hug him across their chairs. “I want that too.”

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, so tightly that her awkward position shifted, her butt sliding toward the edge of the seat and then tilting the chair up onto two legs.

It almost toppled, and she gave a little squeal as it felt like she was falling.

Jude grabbed for her, holding her up as the chair banged back down on its back legs.

They both laughed breathlessly.

She was in the process of regaining her footing so she could move back into her chair when the door to the room opened and the doctor walked in.

His eyes widened in visible surprise at seeing them in what must look like an intimate position.

“Sorry,” Eve said quickly, balancing herself as Jude released her so she could sit down in her chair again. “Sorry—I almost fell out of my chair. We weren’t doing anything weird.”

The doctor looked to be in his sixties with graying hair, glasses, and a short mustache. He had a kind face, however, and he chuckled at her hurried explanation. “Not a problem. Thanks for coming in so early this morning. You’re Mr. Gregory’s… partner?”

“His wife. Eve Carlyle.” She reached over so she could shake his hand before she settled safely in her seat. “Thank you for getting us in to see you so quickly.”

“Of course. The whole situation is mortifying. But I assure you we’ve made staffing changes so it doesn’t happen again.”

That was not at all an expected beginning of a medical appointment like this. Eve glanced over at Jude, and they exchanged confused looks as the doctor pulled something up on his computer.

Before either one of them could question him, the doctor shifted his monitor to display to them what was obviously brain imaging. “But I’m happy to say that everything looks clear.”

Eve heard the words, but they didn’t process in her mind. She genuinely couldn’t understand what they meant. She looked over at Jude for help, but he was staring at the doctor blankly too.

The doctor continued. “And the bloodwork looks good too.”

Eve’s mouth was dry. She swallowed hard, trying to generate some saliva. “I don’t… I don’t understand.”

Clearly recognizing the incomprehension on their expressions, the doctor frowned. “What’s the matter? This is good news.”

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