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“You’re strong, Fiona. You’ll be okay.” He hated knowing their time together was coming to an end. “Your father will pull through this, and Seamus will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”

“I hope you’re right.” Fiona fell silent as the SUV ate up the miles between her father’s farm and the medical center. He pushed the speed as much as he dared and made good time until reaching the traffic of the city.

They headed inside to ask about Seamus Murphy. He could tell it galled Fiona to call her father by her uncle’s first name, but they were able to get his room number without difficulty.

After walking into the room, Doc hung back while Fiona crossed to her father’s bedside. The man who looked just like Seamus appeared to be peacefully sleeping. Would he ever wake up? Doc wasn’t sure but prayed Liam would recover, for Fiona’s sake.

“Dad? It’s me, Fiona.” She took his hand in hers. “Can you hear me? Can you squeeze my hand?”

Doc didn’t notice any response from Liam, but then there was the slightest movement of his fingers.

“That’s right, Dad. Squeeze my hand!” Fiona sounded excited now. “I’m here, and I love you. You’re going to recover just fine, okay?”

Doc stood with his back against the wall, his hands tucked into the front pockets of his jeans. He knew Fiona would want to stay for as long as it took for her father to wake up. But she didn’t necessarily need him.

Her father’s hand moved again, and this time, Liam squeezed the fingers of Fiona’s hand. Even though he was only a medic, Doc knew that was a good sign.

Liam was going to pull through this. And Fiona would help him through it until they could both go back to their life on the farm.

“Did you see that, Doc?” Happy tears glistened in Fiona’s eyes. “I just know he’s going to wake up very soon.”

“I agree.” Doc forced a smile as he straightened and turned toward the door. “I’ll give you time alone with him.”

“No, wait. Please.” Fiona released her father’s hand to cross over to him. “I don’t want this to be the end for us.”

He frowned, trying to understand what she meant. “I’m sure we’ll see each other again, especially if we have to testify against Seamus and Patrick.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Her brow furrowed as she reached for his hand. Her blue eyes searched his. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”

His heart warmed at her words, but cold logic quickly took over. “Fiona, you’ve latched onto me because I was the only one there to help you. Once you go back to your life on the farm, you’ll forget all about me.”

Now her gaze narrowed. “Don’t minimize my feelings for you, Doc. Regan,” she corrected, using his given name. “I may not have remembered why I was in danger when we first met, but I know an honorable, kind, strong, decent man when I see one. I was so worried Seamus was going to shoot you.”

He wasn’t sure what to say to that. Just hearing her call him Regan was strange. Nobody called him that, not since his parents had died.

Yet he also kind of liked it.

“I love you,” she repeated. She glanced back at her father lying in the hospital bed, then faced him. “I would grieve over losing my father, but losing you will devastate me. Please don’t just walk away. Please tell me you’re at least willing to see me again.”

He stared at her, stunned at her words. He wanted to protest, mostly because she came from wealth, while he didn’t own anything more than a rustic cabin in the woods. But if he were entirely honest with himself, and with her, he’d admit he loved her too.

“I care about you, Fiona.” He chose his words carefully. “But you and I come from very different backgrounds. I’m not sure⁠—”

“That’s not true,” Fiona quickly interrupted him. “Yes, my father’s horse won the Derby, but we both know Fiona’s Folly’s recent win will not stand now that we know the truth behind how Savior’s Journey was drugged. Besides, I earn enough through my riding classes to pay for the monthly rent on my cottage. Granted, my father gifted me Goldie and Syracuse years ago when I was competing in jumping events, but those are the only horses I own outright. I also work in the stables every day to take care of all the horses, alongside Teddy and Kyle, another groom.”

“I didn’t mean to insinuate you’re sponging off your father,” he protested. “But I still don’t have anything to offer you.”

“All I want is you.” She stepped closer, releasing his hand to slip her arms around his waist. He couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his arms around her too. “I want you, Regan. When I discovered Tristan was cheating on me, do you know what he said? He claimed that since I wouldn’t sleep with him, he deserved to find sex elsewhere. That’s why I slapped him. I couldn’t believe he blamed me for his infidelity.”

Doc was glad Tristian wasn’t there now, or he’d be tempted to take a swing at him too. And his fist would pack more of punch than her slap. “He’s a jerk. You’re better off without him.”

“I know, because I deserve someone like you.” She went up on her tippy toes to kiss him.

Doc tried not to deepen their kiss, but it was a lost cause. Especially when she leaned into the embrace, pulling him closer. He enjoyed every minute of kissing her, until the door to the hospital room opened.

Instantly, he lifted his head, half expecting to see the police had arrived. But it was a nurse who’d entered the room.

“Don’t mind me,” she said in a breezy tone. “I’m just here to check on Seamus.”