“I took a long hot bath when I got home,” she said, which was the absolute truth. What she didn’t add was that she’d also tried to drown her sorrows in half a bottle of merlot and Sex and the City reruns. “And, um, I took medicine…Excedrin. And then I went to bed. That seemed to kick it.”

He leaned against the doorframe. “You may want to schedule a visit to your doctor. Migraines can be quite debilitating.”

He sounded so clinical, like he was speaking to a parent of one of his patients.

“Yes, absolutely,” she said. “Thank you.”

He nodded before walking away. She waited for him to come back, to bring her their word of the day, but it never came. The next time she saw him was when their first patient, Poppy Mullaney, arrived with strep throat.

The poor girl was curled in her mother’s arms and reminded Renee of little Tansy. She’d been plagued with frequent bouts of strep throat before finally having her tonsils removed at age seven. Renee would never forget the sight of her small daughter swimming in the child-sized hospital gown. “Hi Poppy. I know you don’t feel very good right now, but guess what one of the cures to a sore throat is?”

Poppy shook her head wordlessly.

“Ice cream!” she said, as Dan rounded the corner. Was she imagining things, or did he just shoot her a disapproving glare? Was he annoyed she’d suggested the sugary treat? Maybe she should have recommended frozen yogurt or something. “Um, you two can go on back with Dr. Hanlon now.”

Renee stared down at her keyboard.

So that settled it then.

Whether he was still mourning the death of his wife or was now hooking up with Essie Park, he was no longer interested. She felt as if she’d failed a test. Dan had liked her enough to invite her on his boat. He’d cared for her enough to make her a lobster dinner, to introduce her to his beloved dog. And he had been attracted to her enough to spend the night, to sleep with her. And yet, he wasn’t biting now. He’d gotten a taste of what Renee Rhodes was like, and he hadn’t gone back for more. He’d spit her into his napkin, uninterested. She had been a flop, a letdown, a disappointment.

You knew this would happen.

This was why it was better to stay in her own head, in her daydreams. It was a painful reminder why she hadn’t dated these past twelve years and instead devoted herself to motherhood. Platonic romances were a lot easier than the real things. And they were certainly gentler on her heart.

I can’t take this again. I can’t let my heart get broken.

As the day went on, Dan became increasingly distant.