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She announced withyou a dollar!”

With effort, he turned his attention to cutting his pork chop “Then you decide what you can afford to pay when you work out your budget Right now, I’ry and don’t want to talk about it Instead, why don’t you sit down and keep ”

He glanced up in time to catch her perplexed look as she slowly sank into the other chair

She didn’t i, so between bites he asked, “So? How is she?”

“Still confused but otherwise okay The staff assuresquite well”

A moment of silence followed, and then Zoe remarked, “You know, you really should take better care of yourself You’re eating like you haven’t had anything all day”

He shrugged “That’s pretty close to the truth”

“Gabe!”

“Yeah?” He reen beans

“You’ve got to do better than that You can’t keep that up”

This was the tables being turned He was the one who normally scolded her Now her anxiety was for him He liked it “Thanks for your concern I do appreciate it But I haveevery day since I started Hopefully it’ll get better soon” He cut into the pork chop again Lifting the piece on the end of his fork, he said, “This sure is good”

“I’ care of yourself you won’t be healthy enough to care for your patients”

He finished off the last of the roasted potatoes, wishing there were ood cook Or maybe the food was h to think of hiet used to, even if she’d done it out of gratitude “Zoe, I know you look after the welfare of others all the tiht”

“What ivebecause you’re concerned enough to help me, but I can’t respond in kind?”

She had hi for him at home ould talk to hi carryout or fast food in front of the TV Yet Zoe hadspace froether” It was time to move the conversation off him “Give me until this weekend to think about the rent and I’ll have a figure Will that do?”

“I can wait that long There’s oneI wanted to talk to you about”

Gabe alroaned out loud He was in no mood for this If he had to have a discussion with her, he’d rather discuss whether or not she preferred being kissed on the neck or behind the ear “And that is?”

“I noticed you haven’t bought any food I’rocery on s for you?”

“Uh I usually eat at the hospital or get takeout” She frowned at that, so he a better care ofhere If you don’t et a few boxes of mac and cheese, some frozen dinners and protein bars? That should hold et to the store myself Take the cost out of your rent e settle on the amount”

She turned up her lip and looked down her nose at him “That’s your list? As a doctor, you should be ashamed of yourself”

He shrugged “You asked”

“I did Well, I’d better get to bed” She rose “Night, Gabe”

He watched her walk away The more distance she put between the with her “Good night,” he whispered when she was out of sight

Gabe finished his dinner, put the dirty plate into the sink, flipped off the light and went to his lonely rooo to sleep quickly and not think about the desirable woman just steps away Was this what his life would be like? Alishing for more?

Two evenings later Gabe came home before it was dark for the first tie door opener for the one he gave Zoe delivered to the hospital, so he was now able to park beside Zoe’s car in the carport There was so the saht Zoe didn’t want that Had made it very clear Still, that didn’tabout her

Entering the house, he inhaled the delicious aroht in Zoe’s eyes As he took another deep sniff, his sto the scent, he fully anticipated finding Zoe standing in the kitchen Disappointment washed over him She wasn’t there He headed toward her side of the house but along the way his attention was diverted out theto the patio There she was, sitting in a cheap fold-up lounger Her head was back, her face lifted to the late-afternoon sun Was she asleep?

Her head turned Had she sensed he was there? Their gazes lass, held Zoe reht surrounded her feht of a lovesick man Which he was not!