Ten minutes passed before a black Porsche convertible turned into the parking lot. She slowly emerged from her car, having a hard time reconciling the person stepping out of the Porsche with Katie’s doctor. Gone were the pressed slacks and jacket, and in their place were brushed cotton khaki shorts and a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up on the forearms. He really was handsome.

“Hi.” He smiled, and the two Draytons merged in her mind. The clothes may have been different, but the smile and green eyes belonged to the Dr. Drayton she knew. “I hope you don’t mind the casual look. I didn’t have time to go home and change.”

“I prefer it.” Suits reminded her of Phil.

“In that case…” He reached into his car and lifted a pizza box from the passenger seat. “I assume you won’t mind if I eat.”

She smiled. “Not at all.”

He hesitated, looking to the right of the building. “There’s an outside patio and garden area in the back. If you’re okay not going up to my office, we could sit back there.”

“This is nice,” Lina said a few minutes later as she sat down in the chair he held out for her.

“My first time here,” he admitted before sitting down across from her. He’d finished one slice of mushroom and pepperoni pizza on their walk over and was pulling out another. “I can see it from my office window.” They were on a stone patio flanked on one side by small trees and on the other by a small koi pond.

“Thanks for meeting me.” She looked down at her clasped hands. “I know I’m not your patient and had no right to leave a message with your service, but the truth is I find you easy to talk to, and I needed to talk.”

He set down his slice of pizza and wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’m not going to pretend this is normal, because it isn’t, but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be. Why don’t—” He was interrupted by the ring of her cell phone. “Do you need to get that?”

“My husband,” Lina said, looking at the display. “I left without telling him. He’s worried.”

“Do you want him to worry?”

She shrugged. “Not really, but I don’t want to talk to him.”

“You could text him,” he pointed out.

She nodded, composing a short text that simply said, I’m fine. Give me a little space.

“Tell me why you called,” he said as soon as she slipped her phone back into her purse. “You sounded upset.”

“Remember how I told you I suspected he had an affair?”

“Of course.”

“He got her pregnant.”

“Jesus!” He sat back, his eyes opening wider.

“Not my best day,” Lina said.

“No.” He stared at her for seconds. “He told you?”

“Yes.” As she relayed the events of the past twenty-four hours, she saw an array of emotions travel over his normally controlled features. The warmth and concern she recognized, but the look of disgust that flittered over his face occasionally was new.