Page 26 of Paging Dr. Summers

“It’s so weird. I feel like I know her. Anyway.” She shook her head and strung her arm through mine. “Let’s go make some bracelets.”

I stiffened at the way she casually touched me. Not because I didn’t like it. It was the opposite. I enjoyed it too much.

“You need to relax.” Brooke shook my arm, having no idea how she affected me.

“Yeah, Uncle Logan,” Sophie agreed. “You used to be a lot more fun.”

Those words were a punch in the gut coming from my niece.

Brooke squeezed my arm in response, like she knew that would sting.

I ruffled Sophie’s hair. “I’m trying, kiddo. Should we make some bracelets?” I tried to sound enthusiastic.

“Yes.” Sophie hugged my side.

I wrapped my free arm around her. Being between Brooke and Sophie made me ache for the family I’d wanted to have with Erica. For the family I’d thought I would bring to the festival one day. My parents used to take Eden and me every year before we turned into teenagers who thought we were too cool for it.

“So, what do you think the rudest animal would be if they could talk?” Brooke said before the ache swallowed me whole.

Without thinking, I barked out a laugh. I never knew what was going to come out of her mouth. “Giraffe,” I responded. “They look down on everyone.”

“Ooh, that’s good.” Brooke leaned into me.

Her praise made me feel prouder than I should have been for answering such a ridiculous question.

“You know,” Brooke whispered. “I’m really glad I get to spend the day with you and Sophie.”

I braved patting her hand, knowing I was playing with the fire she’d stirred inside of me. “Me too, Brooke.”Me too.

I SAT NERVOUSLY AT A table in the ER break room, trying to pretend I wasn’t at a hospital while I rearranged all the food I’d brought Logan for lunch. I knew it was presumptive of me to show up at his work unannounced, but I wanted to say thank you for saving me from what was probably going to be an awkward date the day before. And I baked some cookies that I wanted him to test before I started taking them to my neighbors, despite knowing he didn’t eat dessert, because I knew he would be honest with me if they were disgusting.

Okay, and I really just wanted to see him. Nothing short of that would have induced me to come to the hospital.

I played with the strawberry charm bracelet I’d made the previous day, thinking of the one I’d tied around Logan’s wrist. Not surprisingly, his was simple, made with a red beaded braid strand with one strawberry charm. Sophie and I went a little crazier, adding several charms each, so they jangled when we shook our hands.

But it wasn’t the bracelets themselves that had me feeling a little fluttery. It was the touch of Logan’s hand as I’d purposely taken my time tying his around his wrist. Something about his masculine hand was comforting and inviting. Like if he ever offered it to me, I would feel at home.

It was a ridiculous thought because at every turn the day before, he’d taken to mentioning his wife.“Erica loved strawberries and grew them on our patio. Ericaadored Sophie, and Sophie adored her. Ericawas the smartest woman I ever knew. There wasn’t a problem she couldn’t tackle. Erica could have done a better job organizing the layout of the festival to help with the flow of the guests.”

It was sweet and incredibly sad that he loved and missed her so much. It was also a good reminder that I shouldn’t have silly thoughts about being at home with him. I definitely shouldn’t have come to the hospital today, but it was too late to leave now, and honestly, I didn’t want to.

Something drew me to him, even though I knew we could only ever be friends. Maybe it was that new friendship glow. One thing I knew: I would never be a follow-up act to Erica. She sounded incredible. I wished I could have known her.

While I worried about how Logan was going to feel about me just showing up there, the break room door opened. I looked up, expecting to see Logan or one of the nurses on staff. I think all the female nurses had come in to check me out, like I was their competition.

Except for the cute nurse, Lucy, who had shown me back. She was obviously in a relationship, as she was sporting a huge rock on her ring finger and had a definite baby bump. She’d tittered and said, “Dr. Summers never gets visitors.” No doubt Logan was a hot commodity around the hospital and the fantasy of many. But it wasn’t Logan or the nurses who walked in.

An Adonis in scrubs with deep-set amber eyes, a jawline for the ages, and the perfectpompadour haircut strolled in with a credit card in hand. Whoa, hello, Dr. McDreamy. With him and Logan running around the place, it felt like I’d entered an episode ofGrey’s Anatomy.

“Hello,” he said debonairly as he stood in front of one of the vending machines.

“Uh, hi. I’m Brooke,” I giggled. Dang nerves were back. Attractive doctors in hospitals were my weakness.

“Hi, Brooke.” He swiped his card and selected an energy drink.

“I just came here to bring Dr. Summers, I mean Logan, lunch. We’re friends. We met here, actually, when I fell off my bike.” I held up my arms like an idiot to show him my healed scrapes. “And surprise, I moved next door to him for the summer.”

Dr. McDreamy strode my way with his lips upturned, hinting at a smile. Yet, he still said nothing, not even his name.

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