“Jose,” she said, upset with herself for getting sidetracked, even for a second. She gently drew the boy to his feet. He had deep, dark circles under his eyes. She pulled down his bottom eyelid; the color was faint but not gone. His breathing, however, sounded like a train from one of his cartoons. “Come on, chiquito, we’ve got an exam room ready.”

“You be strong, little buddy.” With graceful, fluid movements, the man bent over to retrieve a baseball that had fallen from Jose’s lap when he stood. He slid the ball into the boy’s sweatshirt pocket. “You don’t want to forget this.”

Jose nodded listlessly. The man patted his shoulder and then arched an eyebrow at Angel. “I’m not sure I should let you take off with this kid. Shouldn’t you wait for his mom?”

Angel’s mouth dropped open in surprise, but before she could retort, Gabriela materialized, flapping her hands anxiously.

“Finally! Thank the Lord!” The stylist kissed the top of Jose’s head, then she batted her fake eyelashes and flipped around her long, shiny black hair, focusing in on Jose’s new protector.

“Gabriela, you left him? With a stranger?” Angel asked through gritted teeth, keeping her eyes averted from those piercing green eyes while maneuvering Jose out from the adult bodies encircling him.

“Oh, honey, relax. Nursey over there was watchin’ him. I had to use the ladies’ room.” Gabriela put her hands on her hips. “Besides, don’t you know who this is?”

The man took a sudden step back, his eyes wide. Angel, her arm wrapped around Jose, was already moving her sick son toward the back hall. She couldn’t care less about some hood rat, no matter how attractive. “There’s an exam room ready. I’m taking him back.” Guiding him past the chairs packed with coughing, groaning patients, Jose’s ragged breathing distracting her, she said over her shoulder, “We’ll be out soon, thanks.”

“I’ll be right here!” Gabriela shouted behind her.

Then she heard the green-eyed man say, “You gonna let a nurse talk to you like that?”

Her friend’s response was smooth as Chanel silk and filled the room. “And how the hell do you know she’s not a doctor?”

Angel smiled without turning around. Gabriela always knew what to say.

Chapter Three

“Doc, you can’t say anything. You gotta swear to that.”

“Obviously. Besides, the muscles are just weak, you’re going to be fine. Take it easy.” Dr. Collins stood up, placed the extra tape and gauze on the counter. “Alright, you can put your sock and shoe back on. The nurse will bring your paperwork.”

“No paperwork.” Duke tasted iron. It was from biting his tongue. This skinny motherfucker is a piece of work. I could knock him over if I blew on him.