“Technically, I shouldn’t be treating you here.” If he hadn’t already been looking at her hand, Annika had the distinct feeling he would have avoided her gaze.

“Why are you treating me, then?” She tried to keep still.

“You need stitches.”

“You could have forced me to go to the ER.”

“Yes. I could have. But you looked terrified of the ER, so I came up with plan B.” He glanced up at her and flushed, almost embarrassed, then quickly bent back to his work. “You seem to really like teaching.”

Annika smiled. “I love it. Chase Creek Elementary all the way!”

Daniel froze for a split second as she pumped her good hand.

“Oh. I’m sorry, no sudden movements. I do get a bit overexcited about my job.” She slowly put her hand down and concentrated on being still. This must be how her students felt all the time. “I really love being with the children and watching them discover how the world works.” She switched gears. “My parents wanted me to go to medical school—but I couldn’t do it. I took a year or so off after college—after I had decided against med school—to save up some money for grad school. Teaching is part of me. It’s like I need to do it.” She hadn’t talked about this in forever, but it felt easy to share with him.

“Well, that’s something we have in common.”

“You teach?” She grinned.

He chuckled, a low rumble that Annika could have listened to forever. “No. Med school. I applied after nursing school. Pressure from everyone—” he lifted his gaze to her and rolled his eyes “—about not living up to my full potential, and I got in. But it wasn’t for me. I decided to do my graduate work toward my DNP instead.”

“So why do you do this?” She indicated the base with her good hand.

“Um...well.” He hesitated, suddenly unable to meet her eyes. “This is just a side gig—like you working Phil’s. I like to keep busy.”

“I work at Phil’s because I need the money.” She shrugged, then grinned at him as an idea struck her. “You should come to my class and talk about this. The kids will find it exciting. The helicopter, the whole thing.”

For the second time in a few minutes, his entire body seemed to stiffen, almost imperceptibly. She couldn’t stop watching him as he clenched his jaw and then almost forcibly relaxed it.