“I’m sorry about that.” No, I’m not. “I’m not trying to put you in a bad spot. I’m not used to having to keep that kind of thing hidden, and it’s not easy. I want you to know what I’m thinking. And”—he pulled at the edge of the red hat he wore—“I don’t want you to hide it.”

She pulled into an empty spot and put the car in park. She looked over at him, her expression softening. “The second problem is people are starting to notice.”

“What are you talking about?”

“One of the nurses, Gavin? He stopped me after I visited you that day. Asked if something was going on between us.”

The dickhead had a name. Gavin.

“Is that the blond one?” he asked, to be sure. “I saw you two talking.”

“Yeah. He called me unprofessional, told me to be careful, and that I could get reported for inappropriate behavior with a patient.”

Red hot anger shot through Andrew like a lightning bolt. “He’s threatening you?”

“I don’t think it’s that, exactly. I don’t get a dangerous vibe from him, but he’s definitely acting like a jerk. I’m not sure what his deal is.”

“He likes you.” Of that, Andrew had no doubt.

Lauren’s lip curled. “He has asked me out before. Several times. He never seems content with the fact that I’m not interested.”

“I’ll be happy to make it clear.”

She nudged him across the console with her elbow. “That wouldn’t make us seem less involved at all,” she said dryly.

She was right.

“What can I do?”

She looked down at her hands and sighed. “You can ignore me until you’re done with chemo.”

There was no way in hell. “I can’t do that.”

Was that relief he saw reflected on her face?

“Just…don’t treat me any differently than you would anyone else at the cancer center. Like Dr. Patel, or Emma. Don’t look at me differently and don’t talk to me differently. Can you do that?”

He wasn’t sure. “I’ll try my level best.”

She nodded and opened her car door to get out. He opened his as well, and they met at the trunk of the car.

“I don’t think it matters how I look at you, though.”

“Why do you say that?” she asked as they walked to the hospital entrance.

He gazed down at her. “I can guarantee I’m not the first patient to check you out when you’re not paying attention.”

She muttered something he couldn’t quite catch, and her cheeks flushed. They rode together in the elevator in charged silence, along with an oblivious man wearing scrubs and a white coat.