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“You did an a,” Ben Robards, the obstetrician who’d been in on the surgery, praised when he entered the rooicalme be a part of this”

It was Ben who’d initially come to her with his patient, discussed with her the possibility of Delaine’s baby being the first at Memphis Children’s to have her heart deformity repaired while still in utero

“Without the long hours you put in, today wouldn’t have been possible,” she assured him “You did a fabulous job with Delaine The whole team did”

“Agreed,” Matthew said “Noait to see”

“When you thinkhoive you a call to be sure we cover all our bases”

“Sounds perfect”

“Nice man,” Matthew commented after the obstetrician had rehly cleaned his hands and left the room “I met him briefly at Dr Luiz’s retirement party, but hadn’t talked with him much until today”

Natalie still leaned against the wall and stared at him

“Exhausted?”

“In some ways In others, I feel exhilarated”

He grinned “I knohat youinto the operating roo into the roo in there, Dr Sterling Deserving of every praise Dr Luiz ever uttered”

Casting her own nervous glance toward the doorway, Natalie smiled “He’s a smart man, that Dr Luiz”

Matthew studied her “Even though he played a key role inhired?”

Natalie hesitated only a second “Especially because of that”

“Natalie,” he groaned, leaning in to kiss her, but, wide-eyed, she pushed off the wall and shook her head