The awareness that existed between them rushed to life.

Distantly she thought, I haven’t finished reading everything on the corkboard. Which means I’ll have to come back one day. That’s the only tenable solution. Also, am I imagining the electricity between us? I can’t be so out of touch with reality that I’m the only one feeling this, can I?

“Hello,” she said.

“Hi.”

“Thanks for making time in your schedule for us.”

“Of course. I’m sorry that I kept you waiting. One of my colleagues asked for a consult on a case.”

“No problem. We’re not in a hurry.”

His attention slanted toward Dylan.

“Do you remember my brother, Dylan?” she asked.

“I do.”

She shot her sibling a don’t-forget-my-warning smile. She’d deemed it necessary to threaten him with a fate worse than death (the removal of his phone) if he didn’t exhibit politeness on this tour.

Dylan rose, his stoop-shouldered posture appalling, and shook Sebastian’s hand.

“Your sister tells me that she’s been introducing you to several different career fields.”

“Um, yeah.”

“Anything catch your interest so far?”

Dylan scratched his temple. “Just art.”

Behind Sebastian’s back Leah tilted her head in a way that said, Ask Sebastian questions.

“So.” Dylan pushed his hands into the pockets of his artfully ripped jeans. “You went to Misty River High School, too?”

“I did.”

“And what job do you have now?”

“I’m a pediatric cardiac surgeon.”

“And what . . . uh . . . what did you have to do after you graduated high school to get this job?”

Sebastian explained his schooling and training.

A wince pinched Dylan’s face more and more as Sebastian spoke. “So. Uh. I guess you’re not grossed out by the sight of blood?”

After all that Sebastian had said, that was the best question Dylan could muster?

Amusement creased Sebastian’s face. “Nope, I’m not grossed out by it. Are you?”

“Yeah. For sure.”

“In that case, we’ll avoid the sight of blood on this tour.”

“’Kay.”

They exited his office. Leah fell in step beside Sebastian, Dylan behind them.

“How’ve you been?” he asked.

“I’ve been well, thank you. Busy, adjusting to my new classes.”

“Have your students been treating you with the awe and respect you deserve?”

“Awe and respect are in short supply with teenagers.”

“They’re in short supply with non-verbal infants as well.”

“Kids these days.”

He was spending more time looking across at her than he was looking forward. His almost-black hair was in mild disarray. Tiredness edged his features, causing her to wonder what might have cost him sleep last night. An emergency here? A date with a new girlfriend?

He asked her questions about her students. She asked him questions about his surgeries.

They sailed through a set of automatic doors.