Page 74 of The Cajun Doctor

“He had to go home to work.”

That caused another bout of sobbing.

“Will you let me give you the shot, Molly, if I promise it won’t hurt?”

“Promise?”

“Cross my heart and never lie. Stick a noodle in my eye,” he said, giving a cockeyed version of that old children’s rhyme.

Molly, who had to be about five years old, smiled through her tears, revealing two empty spaces in front. “Okay, Doctor Dan,” she said.

Doctor Laroche motioned toward a nurse who had come up behind Samantha, and she brought in a tray with an alcohol swab, syringe, and a Cinderella Band-Aid.

Sinking down to a cross-legged position on the floor, Daniel tugged the little girl onto his lap, adjusting her tutu to fit. Then, surreptitiously, the nurse handed him the swab and needle. The whole time, Daniel kept talking. “Now you know the drill, princess. Who are you today? Ariel or Belle?”

“Silly! I’m Jasmine,” Molly said.

“Here we go,” Daniel said, swabbing the skin of her thin upper arm. “Do you want to start?”

She nodded. “Eenie meenie miney moe.”

“Catch a princess by the toe,” Daniel said, pretending to grab for her foot, but then slipping the needle into her arm.

“If she hollers—” the little girl giggled and let out an exaggerated howl.

“Let her go.” Daniel put a Band-Aid on the arm and raised both hands to show he was done.

Then they both said in a singsong voice, “Eenie meenie miney mo!”

“You were terrific, princess.”

“Am I done?”

“Yep.”

“Kiss, kiss, Doctor Dan.” She threw herself at him, gave him two wet kisses, one on each cheek, then wrapped her thin arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Daniel hugged her back, his eyes closed with emotion. Just then, he glanced up and noticed Samantha standing in the doorway.

Their gazes held for a long moment.

Love.

The word hit her suddenly, not with a wallop to the heart, but a softening of all that had become hard in her the past few years.

Love.

When was the last time she’d felt this way and for whom?

It had been for Nick, of course, before they’d married.

And this scene, of a caring doctor and his desperately needy patient, it was exactly how she’d imagined Nick, before her eyes had been opened and before her heart had shut down.

Love?

For Daniel?

It was unbelievable. Unacceptable. Unwise. Untimely. Unreal.