The Surgeon’s Heart by Kate Hardy & Jessica Matthews & Carol Marinelli

Author:Kate Hardy & Jessica Matthews & Carol Marinelli [Hardy, Kate & Matthews, Jessica & Marinelli, Carol]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2023-05-16T22:01:11+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

YOU know, don’t you? Christy’s question echoed in Linc’s head and he paused to debate the merits of pretending ignorance. However easy it might seem in the moment, honesty had been and always would be the best policy.

Her eyes held resignation, as if she hated that her secret had been revealed, and he softened his own gaze. “I wasn’t being curious. I didn’t intend to read the label, it just happened.”

From the way Christy visibly hunched her shoulders in an effort to draw inside herself, Linc knew he’d thrown her off balance. He had plenty of questions, but there were times to speak and times to listen. At the moment, listening seemed to be the most appropriate course of action.

Had anyone else told him news of this sort, he would have reacted in a most clinical, detached manner. With Christy, however, his detachment had flown out the window.

Sensing her mental turmoil, he scooted closer to lend his comfort and encouragement. She stiffened in his one-armed hug as if she didn’t want to accept his support, but gradually the tension in her body eased.

Silence hung in the air as she continued to cradle her teacup, but Linc waited.

“You’re probably wondering why I never told you,” she began.

“Not really.” At her startled glance, he explained. “I’m not your physician or …” He wanted to say your lover but caught himself. “Or more than a casual acquaintance, so I understand why you haven’t shared your personal issues with me. I assume Gail knows?”

“We hadn’t shared too many yoga classes before I told her. One doesn’t keep many secrets from the ladies at the gym,” she said wryly. “For the record, though, my having breast cancer doesn’t diminish my ability to look after Derek and Emma.”

“Of course not,” he answered quickly, to soothe her obvious fears that somehow he’d find her lacking. It also made sense as to why she’d been so worried about the children’s appearance for tonight’s internet call and had driven herself frantic to make everything perfect. She wanted to prove she could handle the job.

“Good, because for the time being I’m perfectly healthy.”

His mental cogs clicked together. “Then Emma wasn’t far off the mark, was she? The pet she’d heard you mention was a PET scan, not a four-legged animal.”

She nodded, a small smile curving her vulnerable mouth. “Yes. My five-year check-up is due a few days after Gail and Ty return, so you don’t have to worry about—”

He snagged onto the time frame she’d divulged. “Five years?”

“I was twenty-four when I was diagnosed, which gives me the dubious honor of being one of those rare young people who develop breast cancer. Mine was a particularly aggressive type, so I opted for a double mastectomy.”

Knowing what he did about the drug she was taking, her tumor had also been estrogen-receptor positive, which meant estrogen fueled the cancer. Tamoxifen would stop production of the hormone so the abnormal cells couldn’t multiply.

“Speaking from a medical standpoint, you made a wise decision.”

She shrugged.

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