Page 66 of Doctor Hot Mess

“Who’s Eddie?” I ask, curiosity flickering to life.

He glances at me, his expression briefly unreadable. “My older brother."

"Oh, you have a brother, too? Aren't you full of surprises?”

"Yes, unfortunately, they aren't the good ones, though. He's our recluse. He left for Colorado about twenty years ago to, I don’t know, escape the Bellinger curse. Never came back. We’re not close.” He shrugs, as if that’s all there is to say, but there’s a tension in his jaw that tells me otherwise.

I lean forward slightly, my voice soft. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But for what it’s worth, I’m glad they’re trying. Maybe all of this will end up being a healing thing for all of you.”

He nods, his gaze fixed on his coffee. “Yeah. If this helps her turn things around, then it’s worth it.”

I let the conversation settle for a moment, resisting the urge to offer advice. He will ask if he needs it. I hope. Instead, I reach for my latte and take a sip as I try to read his mood.

He glances up at me, a small, almost hesitant smile tugging at his lips. “Thanks for asking about her. It means a lot.”

“Of course,” I say, meeting his gaze. “I know how much she means to you. And, if you remember, she and I formed our own little alliance while she was in the hospital. This whole situation feels like a soap opera. Next thing you know, Eddie’s going to turn out to be married to my long-lost cousin or something.”

Jonah smirks, shaking his head. “Eddie isn’t married. No woman would subject herself to that kind of misery.”

“Little brother love at its finest,” I tease, kicking him under the table.

We fall into an easier rhythm after that, the conversation drifting to lighter topics—work, random stories from the ER, and even a few jokes about my terrible taste in what he calls dirt, otherwise known as matcha.

By the time we finish, the tension between us feels less like a wall and more like a bridge.

As we stand to leave, I hesitate, glancing at him. “I'm not looking forward to walking back into whatever holy hell my parents and sister have gotten into. They are staying at a hotel, but I have a feeling they are at my condo. Wish me luck."

"Hey, I’m planning to head home and crash for a bit. If you want a refuge and need a nap, I'd love for you to join me.”

It's a bold move on my part, but I have nothing to lose, and he looks like he could use a nap, too. If nothing else, at least he can buy some time before going back to his place.

He raises an eyebrow, his expression caught between amusement and consideration. “Are you sure you want to hear me snoring?”

I laugh. “I'll just throw something at you to shut you up.”

“I can work with that,” he says, a genuine smile breaking through. “Lead the way.”

Harper’s PoolHouse

9:29 AM

Jonah steps in behind me,his usual confidence muted, replaced by an exhaustion I’ve only seen glimpses of before. It’s the kind of weariness that goes deeper than a lack of sleep.

I kick off my shoes and toss my bag on the entryway table. “Alright,” I say, turning to face him. “The couch is yours, the fridge is fair game, and if you feel like being fancy, the pool is out back.”

Jonah raises an eyebrow. “Fancy, huh? You’re really selling this.”

I shrug, grinning. “I aim to please. Oh, and there’s one more option.”

“What’s that?” he asks, leaning against the doorway.

I gesture toward the bedroom. “You can always snuggle—or not snuggle—with me while I nap. It’s a limited-time offer, though, so act fast.”

His lips twitch into a smile, but there’s a softness in his eyes that makes my chest ache a little. He pushes off the doorframe and steps closer, his gaze steady on mine. “That’s tempting,” he murmurs, his voice low, “but I’m not sure I’m the snuggling type.”

“Oh, please,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Everyone’s the snuggling type. Some people just haven’t figured it out yet.”

He chuckles softly, and before I can say anything else, he’s close enough that I can feel the warmth of him, the faint scent of his cologne mingling with the air. His hand comes up, brushing a stray piece of hair from my face, and my breath catches.

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