She appreciated that he’d refrained from spouting lies about his ability to trust. At the same time, uneasiness curved around her lungs, because she truly did see his issues as landmines.

“The timing of our relationship is terrible,” she stated.

“How so?”

“At the moment, I’m focused on shepherding Dylan through his senior year.”

“Your focus on that shouldn’t and doesn’t have to change.”

“Then next school year, when Dylan goes to college, I’ll finally have the opportunity to begin my PhD coursework online. It won’t be easy. I’ll still be working full time at the high school. Classes, studying, projects, and papers will take almost all the free time I have. It doesn’t make sense to sabotage my focus by adding a man to my life who has a very demanding career of his own.”

“Leah.”

“Yes?”

“If you told me you wanted Saturn on a string, I would do my best to get it for you. I’m a determined person, and I’m determined that you’ll get your PhD. If you’ll let me, I’ll fight beside you to protect your dream.”

His words knocked the wind out of her. “I—I don’t expect you to protect my dream.”

“It’s important to you, so it’s important to me.”

Nothing he could have said would have endeared him to her more.

“What other concerns do you have?” he asked.

“We don’t live in the same town. That’s a concern.”

“I don’t like living an hour and forty minutes away from you, but I’m willing to come here for the weekend whenever I’m not on call. I won’t pressure you to come to Atlanta.”

“You pressured me to go to Atlanta just a few days ago!”

“Okay, fine. I’ll do my best not to pressure you in the future. At least—” he looked sheepish—“not often. If there comes a time when someone needs to move, I will.”

“You don’t mean that.”

He looked her right in the eye. “Try me.”

“There are no pediatric heart clinics in Misty River.”

“If sacrifices or compromises need to be made for our relationship, Leah, I’ll be the one to make them.”

She’d been to his hospital twice. She’d seen a few of his patients. Extensively, she’d studied his specialty. She’d never condone his leaving Beckett Memorial unless he left to accept a more senior position at an even more influential hospital. So, see? Her vehement reaction to the mere idea of his moving proved her concern valid. Despite his incredibly noble words, if one of them had to make a compromise for their relationship, it would not be the pediatric heart surgeon.

She’d watched her mom subjugate her dream of living overseas for her marriage, and look how well that had turned out. Ultimately, Mom’s resentment toward her husband had boiled over.