Page 14 (1/2)

“Natalie, this is Dr Ki, Dr Steven Powers and Dr Herb Fallows They all practice pediatrics at Loma Linda in California”

She set her plate on the table and shook the outstretched hands as Matthew continued the introductions

“And this talented lady is Dr Natalie Sterling”

She’d swear she saw him wink at her from the corner of her eye, but she kept her focus on the others

“Natalie is a pediatric cardiac surgeon at Memphis Children’s Hospital with Dr Ramone Luiz,” he continued

“Hi” S that had been nagging at her ain when heto ask you—why did you fly in from Memphis?”

For the briefest moment his face took on the dark expression he’d had on the plane, but it quickly disappeared behind a s family”

Re herself not to sound too personal in front of the others, she asked, “You have family in Memphis?”

Asking personal questions probably wasn’t a good idea when a wo a three-day affair, but she hadn’t been able to curb her curiosity

He hesitated a e on the Arkansas side”

Natalie’s pulse pounded at her temple She lived on Mud Island His mother lived just across the Mississippi River from her That meant he probably came to Memphis from time to time to visit

Natalie put a hold on her racing thoughts of possibly seeing hiain in the future

Three days That hat they’d agreed to and what she’d stick to They were only on Friday of their weekend together They still had the rest of the day, all of Saturday and part of Sunday before she flew hoh

Even if by so to -distance relationship would be near iot her proer ones, because she’d essentially continue to do her job but be taking over the parts of Dr Luiz’s job he was relinquishing with his partial retirement

If Mattheanted to see her during his trips to Me to the three days would be better than trying to stretch out what couldn’t last and turning a fantasy into so to fall ap