“Are you still typing papers?”
“Not as much as I did in the past. I’m lucky if I have three, and once I begin my classes, I’ll stop completely.”
“Don’t you need the extra money?” Frank asked her.
“Even though I could use it, I don’t need it as much now, because I’m making more money working at Bellevue than I did at St. Luke’s.”
Frank stared out the window when he came to a stop at a red light. “You know you could’ve always asked me for money if you needed it.”
Justine shook her head. “No, Frank. That’s something I would never do, because I’d rather go without than beholding to some man.”
He clenched his teeth to keep from spewing curses he knew would sever their friendship—forever. “Since when did I become justsomeman to you, Justine? I don’t know who you dealt with in the past, or even now that we haven’t seen each other since Kenny went to high school, so please don’t lump me in with the other men who wanted to use you.”
Shifting on her seat, Justine met his eyes for a brief second. “There were no others, Francis. You and my son have been the only men I’ve had to deal with, and that makes for a very uncomplicated existence. I’ve finally been able to cross off a number of things on my wish list and so far, so good.”
“Is companionship one of those things on your list?”
“It’s not written down, but I’ve been considering it.”
“Like having a male friend?”
“I already have that, Francis. I have you.”
Frank chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest. “Damn, doll. I had to wait five long years for me to take you out on a date, because you wanted to wait for Kenny to graduate high school.”
“Something like that,” Justine said, smiling.
Frank’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he knew he had to tell Justine something he’d asked Kenny never to disclose to his mother. “If we’re going to continue to see each other, there’s something you should know about me.”
CHAPTER21
Justine felt as if she’d been doused by a bucket of cold water, despite the heat of the sun coming through the windshield. There was an ominous tone in Frank’s voice that frightened her. “If what you want to tell me is upsetting, then I don’t want to know what it is.”
“I lost a kidney two years ago,” Frank said, ignoring her objection. “I was experiencing pains in my back,” he continued, “and when they became unbearable, I finally went to a doctor, where he discovered one of my kidneys wasn’t functioning properly. It was removed, and when it was biopsied, the pathologist found cancer. I underwent chemo and radiation. I lost all of my hair, and there were days when I wasn’t able to keep food down. I lost over thirty pounds, and once my oncologist said I was cancer-free, I was able to eat solid food again.”
Justine closed her eyes. She’d believed his weight loss was from dieting. She opened her eyes and glared at him. “Why did you wait until now to tell me this? You could’ve told me when you were first diagnosed.”
“I told Kenny and made him promise not to say anything to you.”
“Why, Francis?”
“Because I knew it would upset you, and I didn’t want you worrying and hovering over me like you do with Kenny.”
“I thought we were friends,” she spat out.
“Wearefriends, Justine. But there are times and situations when friends have to sit it out. My cancer ordeal was something I had to go through alone.”
“But you didn’t have to be alone,” Justine said, as she continued to debate the issue.
“It’s over, so can you please let it go?”
A beat passed. “How are you now?”
“I’m still here, doing okay with one kidney. But I did have one lingering side effect from all that chemo. It left me sterile.”
Her jaw dropped, and Justine couldn’t imagine what that would do a man’s psyche and his virility. “I’m so sorry, Francis.”
Frank smiled, attractive lines appearing around his luminous eyes. “It’s okay. I’ve had plenty of years to sow my wild oats. I’d also planned not to father children.” He paused. “And it’s been a while since I’ve been able to achieve an erection.”
