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“Sadly, yes. That’s the nature of the department. But many of them, I see only at the end, so I don’t have the connection. But some, like Tom, whom I get to know, make it harder.” He shrugged. “Part of the life of being a doctor.” He looked past my shoulder. “It’s a privilege somehow, being the one to be with them when they pass. Especially if, like Tom, they have no one else.”

His words touched my heart. They said so much about him. His character. His soul.

“How was your dad?” I asked, not wanting to dwell on the sadness he had felt.

“Good. Mom made fried chicken, and we ate in the back area. We didn’t talk a lot, he just likes to be close,” Matthew said quietly, looking shy. “And he gives great hugs.”

I smiled at his admission. I liked his honesty.

“He’s going to lend me his boat for Sunday. I thought we’d go out on the water. We can either do another picnic or pull into a different spot and find a restaurant for lunch.”

“I’d like that.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I told my dad about you.”

“What did you say?”

“That you wrote that rude birthday greeting.”

I gaped at him, and he burst out laughing. “Teasing. I told him you worked at the bakery and are going to school to be a nurse. That you were pretty and I liked you.”

“And he said?”

“That Mom would have the church booked and the flowers picked out by the weekend. She assumed you’d want to bake the wedding cake.”

I blinked, and once again, he chuckled. “He said they would love to meet you when we are ready.”

“I see.” I got up and took the cupcakes from the oven and added more trays. When I sat back down, I spoke again. “Do you take a lot of girls home to meet your parents?”

He was quiet before replying. “No. I have only taken two other girls to meet them. One in high school who was really just a good friend and one during my residency.”

I met his gaze, his open, honest, but anxious.

“And where is she now?” I asked lightly.

His voice was clipped. “I don’t know or care. She wasn’t the person I thought she was.”

I reached over and touched his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s in the past.”

“She obviously hurt you.”

“It took a long time before I could trust someone again.”

I laced our fingers together, hearing the pain that was evident in his voice. “She cheated on you?”

He nodded, his voice now tight. “With my best friend.”

“Oh God.”

He dropped his head. “Jesus, I can’t believe I’m telling you all this. I’ve never even told my family what happened.”

“What did happen?” I asked. “I mean, if you want to tell me.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “My best friend John and I were roommates and fellow doctors. Maria was my girlfriend. We had dated for over a year. I was pretty serious about her and thought she felt the same way. Then her apartment was flooded after a pipe burst in the ceiling. She came to stay with me. She got on well with John, so it wasn’t a problem. He always referred to her as his kid sister.” He barked out a laugh. “Turns out that was a damn close-knit family. I came home early from a shift because I had a migraine and it was a bad one. I walked in on them fucking on the kitchen counter.”

“Oh no,” I breathed. He’d been hurt by not only his girlfriend but his best friend as well. “What did you do?”