and stepped inside. She shut the door firm

ouchable persona she had worn out in the hallway slipped off her shoulders like a he

cover of a business magazine sitting in her inbox. Deron Blanchard's face sm

r throat. This was the reason. The cata

it into the trash can under her desk,

. She pulled it

of endoscopy. Mild GI bleeding, con

ceived" and dropped into h

eyelids. Pale, sweating, and now, a massive, unforeseen complication. Her life's guiding principle w

The absurdity of it all crashed over her. She was married. To a stranger. A st

e hospital, the digi

a powder keg. The intern

ed?! T

who came

Walter doesn'

onsent form as hi

furiously, adding dramatic flourishes to th

on was lifting, leaving behind a dull, burning ache in his stomach. He

in hand. He tried to look professional, but his

. "Welcome back. You're at Columbia University Medical Center

ether the fragmented memories of th

checking the IV drip. "Did y

urrowed. "Zara.

st. "She was. But the person who signed

e sharpened.

hisper. "It was your attending physician. Dr.

ck and heavy. Then, a slow, faint smile touched Jeffry's pale lips.

, the name rolling off his t

This was not the reaction he had expec

probe further, th

ned scrubs for a clean set, but the exhaustion

t of the bed. Her gaze

early since the day they got married. The air in the r

back on her professional armor, her voice

on her scrubs. The smile lingered on his lips. "Much better, thank you. D

system, a tiny spark that made her fingers twitch. She i

best to stick to titles, Mr. Al

velvety quality that felt entirely out of place in a sterile hospital room. "That's fu

suddenly found the floor very interesting. She looked ba

thing softer, more vulnerable. He leaned his head back agai

ital food is going to kill me faster than this ulcer. I r