Chapter 240


    Chapter 240


    Leanne had never dated another guy before, so she didn’t have much topare to, but she knew


    Curtis had a way with words that made her feel special.


    When she remained silent, Joy thought she was upset and turned to her, saying, “I’m not trying to


    break you two up. You might believe Curtis really loves you, but I don’t trust him. He hurt you once, and


    that’s enough for him to be on my cklist. It’s not that I don’t believe he could love you. You’re a


    catch, you know, anyone would hit the jackpot to have a shot at loving you. I don’t trust him. I don’t


    even know what I’m trying to say, but you get me, right?”


    Her words were a bit all over the ce, but Leanne got the gist.


    Joy was just trying to look out for her.


    “I understand,” Leanne hugged her, “Joy, thanks for always being there for me.”


    “Don’t do this, you’ll make me cry,” Joy said earnestly, “Honey, maybe it’s time to find someone new.


    Anyone but Curtis.”


    Leanne smiled, her expression hidden by the white face mask she was wearing.


    She didn’t respond.


    Because she didn’t know how to start loving someone else.


    That barely-there kiss had nted a hook in Curtis’ mind.


    He had kissed her many times before, deeper, sweeter, more intimate kisses, but it was the push away


    this time that he couldn’t stop thinking about.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    As the holiday ended and employees returned to work, Curtis’ schedule was packed again. He took a


    trip to Embend, his itinerary repeatedly trimmed,sting no more than five days.


    When his private jetnded, Jake picked him up from the airport, asking whether he wanted to go home


    or to the office.


    After a dozen hours in flight, half of which were spent dealing with a backlog of work, Curtis should


    have been exhausted, but he was surprisingly energetic.


    “Let’s make a stop at the hospital,” he decided.


    There was progress in Jada’s case, and he knew Leanne would want to hear about it first-hand.


    Jake didn’t ask further. With over a hundred hospitals in Stonebridge, he knew exactly


    where to head.


    Arriving at the hospital, Curtis didn’t go straight up, not wanting to disturb Dr. Castillo


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    10:11


    during her rounds. He called her from downstairs.


    Just before hanging up, Leanne finally answered. Her voice was cool and distant, “What is it?”


    “I’ve got good news,” Curtis said, “Come down and I’ll tell you.”


    Leanne had juste out of the operating room, hands washed but still in her scrubs. Her reflection in


    the wall-mounted mirror showed her delicate beauty, even the green surgical gown seemed to enhance


    her charm.


    “Just say it over the phone.”


    Her indifference came through clearly over the line, and Curtis thought her resistance to him should


    have softened a bit.


    He remembered theirst encounter in the stairwell, and she had seemed a bit more open. “Why so


    cold again? Did someone upset you?”


    “No one,” Leanne said, “If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, I’m hanging up.”


    The exhaustion from his travels seemed to finally catch up with him, his usual yful smile fading as he


    massaged his tired eyes.


    “Leanne, if something’s bothering you, can you tell me? I wanna be there for you, but I gotta know


    what’s up first.”


    “I’m not upset, and you don’t need to cheer me up.” Leanne’s other hand was gripping the door of a


    metal locker, the cool metal somehow grounding.


    She said calmly, “Let’s just finalize whatever paperwork is needed, and then let’s not see each other


    anymore.”


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