Amber’s POV

    –

    Everyone in the room froze, including – and maybe especially – me.

    After that kiss yesterday, I hadn’t expected Chase to show his face again iso /isoon. Though these appointments had been made in advance, I thought he might have postponed or canceled out of shame.

    Truly, though, these appointments were more about his health than our personal discourse. He had every right to be here, and I had every obligation to continue treating him, regardless of my present personal

    feelings.

    “You could turn him away,” Julian said. Ca gave him a look.

    “No, I can’t,” I said. “Above all, he is my patient.”

    Rising from my seat, Julian moved out of the way as I came to the door. Soon I was standing with Ca in

    the hallway.

    “Trouble in paradise?” she asked me.

    “No paradise,” I told her. “That kiss was not something I wanted.”

    “Oh.” She seemed thoughtful for a moment, and then slightly apologetic as her shoulders wilted

    somewhat. “Healer Amber…”

    “Don’t worry about it,” I told her. Though I valued her as a friend and coworker, I was far too tired to start delving into apologies and forgiveness. It was much easier for both of us just to wave it all away. “Forget

    it ever happened.”

    She smiled at me again, the first I’d seen from her today. “Okay. He’s in exam room 2.”

    “Thank you, Ca.”

    As Ca and I parted, I moved toward exam room 2 with even footsteps, Internally, I was preparing myself for what was about to ur, while reminding myself to maintain the level of professionalism that I had always strived for as a Healer.

    Regardless of what happened between Chase and me, I was still his Healer, and he was still a patient with a serious heart condition. He needed my aid, at least for a few more days as the treatments took hold, and then a few more days after that, in case there was any side effects from the treatments.

    Too soon, I reach the door. After pausing to deeply breathe in and out, I opened the door and stepped inside.

    Chase was leaning against the examination table at the far end of the room. His arms were crossed, his hands grabbing his elbows. His eyes were on the floor, even as I entered the room and closed the door

    behind me.

    “Good morning, Chase,” I said, and he startled somewhat, like he hadn’t expected me to enter… even though he was here for an appointment to see me. “How have you been feeling?” I said, to both breath the

    ice and set the tone for this appointment.

    I had no intention of being anything other than his Healer in this moment. Not a friend. Not whatever

    else he had in mind.

    Just his Healer.

    “The heart’s good,” he said, which was a dodgy answer for sure, but at its heart, was what I wanted to

    know.

    “Good,” I replied. I moved to the counter, where one of the nurses had already set up the day’s treatment for Chase. It was just a couple of injections to be given in sequence. Truly, the nurse could have handled this encounter entirely, but I didn’t want to ke out on my role to inspect patients, even if I was personally upset with them.

    We were quiet a moment, as I prepared the injections, and then moved closer to Chase.

    Finally, he lifted his head and looked at me. Something in his eyes made me pause in my step. It was a

    kind of remorse, darkening his gaze.

    “I am sorry about… everything,” he said carefully. “All I’ve done since I got here was overstep. Really, I’m very appreciative for everything you are doing for me.”

    “You don’t have to worry,” I told him. “I will still treat you as your doctor.”

    “Yeah, I figured he would,i” /iChase said. “But what I’m hoping is that you would still want to be friends.”

    Chapter b146 /b