That made me frown. “What did he do?”
“He’s the reason I left your hospital AMA,cara mio. I couldn't abide his superiority complex and refused to listen to his instructions after he spoke down to me.”
“I had no idea.” Sitting beside him, I took his hand unthinkingly. “I was glad he wasn't your physician when you were admitted the last time because I think he skates by on old practices. But he’s very much part of the foundation of our hospital, and nothing I’ve ever reported has gone high enough to make a difference.”
“Do you not confer with Dr. Hogan?”
As often as they invoked his name, it was clear this family was close to Grandview’s CMO. “No. As I told Noah, I answer to the Chief of Staff, Dr. Johnson.”
“So which one of them sent you my way?”
Pinpricks danced over my nape. If I didn't tread carefully, I might trip up on my answers. “Dr. Johnson.”
“I was under the impression it was Dr. Hogan who assigned you to me.”
I shrugged. “Perhaps he ordered it, and Johnson was just the messenger.”
Benito smiled at me, but for the first time, it didn’t reach his eyes.
I shivered.
“Well, fate was good to me in the end, wasn't it? You healed me, and we became friends.”
“Yes,” I responded, relief rushing over me. “Absolutely.”
“Now, wouldn't you like to be Noah’s friend, too?”
Oh, for crying out loud. “Why do you push me toward him so frequently?”
“I want you both to be happy. He’s spent too many years doing my bidding to find a good woman to make a family with, and you’re all alone.”
Swallowing, I tried to find tactful words. “I’m not sure how old he is, but men have more time than women to worry about that sort of thing.”
“He’s thirty-six. By his age, I had two beautiful children and more than a decade of marriage under my belt.”
Nodding, I squeezed his hand. “I’ve been too focused on my career to worry about dating.”
It was true, but it wasn't the entire truth.
I had nothing but work to focus on because I was too broken to make connections. Most nights, I awoke screaming from nightmares. Every few years, I had an impromptu visit from the feds. As a result, I was scared to let anyone into the fucked up parts of my life. It had never been my own, not since that fatal night when the course of my future had been irrevocably changed for the worse.
“You’re a well-established doctor now, though. Surely, making friends isn’t too big an ask for yourself.”
When Benito cared, when he gave me those big, dark, sympathetic eyes, was when I caved the hardest. He was way too kind to someone like me.
“Sometimes, I wish I’d had the choice to trade with my parents. I would have done it without hesitation. Then maybe my entire existence wouldn't be so pathetic.”
“Oh, Sailor.” Benito held his arms open, and I leaned over to let him pat me on the back. “Parents should never outlive their children. They would have chosen to die for you, of that I’m absolutely certain.”
I felt tears leaking onto his expensive suit jacket, and I pulled back. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“Don’t apologize for opening up. I appreciate the trust you’ve placed in me.”
The wordtrustgutted me. He shouldn't trust me, and I shouldn't trust him. Under any other circumstances, we would be mortal enemies. I saved lives, while he took them. We were entirely incompatible.
“You and Noah should go out somewhere. It doesn't have to be a date,cara mio, just a friendly outing. Try fun on for size, see how you like it.”
Wiping my eyes again, I laughed. “You just want to set us up and hope we’re meant for each other.”
