Page 14 of No Mistake

“How did you know where my office was?”

“I have my ways.” He grinned.

“Mmmm. More like you fluttered your eyes at Miranda.”

Ryan paused, fork halfway to his mouth.

“Ha! See I’m right. I bet all the girls just melt at your feet when you look them in the eye and smile.”

“Not all,” he said quietly.

She blushed. God, did she have any idea how sexy she was?

“Tell me about your trip.”

Sophie chatted about what she and Chloe had gotten up to. It was obvious she loved her sister dearly. Made him think of his younger brother, Aaron. Damn, he should go see him soon.

“It sounds like you had a wonderful time. Do doctors run in the family?”

“No. Just me and Chloe.”

“What about your parents.”

“My father was an engineer here on base, my mother a teacher.”

“Was?” he said, probing gently.

“They died when I was eighteen.”

“I’m sorry.” Fuck, how did he not know that all these years he’d been her patient?

“Thanks. It was tougher on Chloe. She was only thirteen. They were killed by a drunk driver.”

“Oh, shit.”

“It was their wedding anniversary, and they went for dinner. I remember getting the call from the hospital. I woke Chloe and we rushed there. Dad died on scene, mom was alive when we got there, but they took her straight to surgery. She didn’t make it. We never got to see either of them.”

“Sophie, that must have been awful. Did you take care of Chloe after that?”

“Sort of. Our aunt took us in, but she was older and not in the best of health. Chloe and I were always close, but I felt responsible for her. I was the grown up.”

“You were only eighteen, that’s a lot of responsibility on your shoulders.”

“Maybe. I didn’t mind. You enlisted at eighteen, that’s a lot of responsibility, too.”

Ryan stopped eating and fixed his gaze on her. “Not the same. I made a choice. One where all I had to do was follow orders, not look after a younger sibling and try and get through med school.”

He went back to eating.

“So why med school?” he asked.

“Being in the emergency room that night. I wanted to try and prevent anyone from having to go through what me and Chloe did. They couldn’t save my parents, but I wanted to be able to try and save people.”

“And you’re very good at it.”

“Thank you. Anyway, what about you? Family?”

“I grew up on a farm in Dallas. My mom and dad are still there. I have a younger brother; he works on the farm, too.”

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