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“Careful,” he barked at her at the same as Xavier did.
Brick lifted her up so she rested against one hip while Xavier righted the stool she’d nearly knocked over. Xavier stared at them with such longing that it actually hurt Brick.
Damn it. Was he coming to like the guy?
There was no denying he’d been a big help last night. Brick had panicked and Xavier had known just what to do.
Could they take care of her better together?
“Are you sure you’re all right, Xavier?” Juliet asked.
“Just a lot going on.”
“Your mom?” she asked.
He sighed, shaking his head. “She won’t tell me what the biopsy result was. Truth is, I’m starting to wonder if there was a biopsy.”
“What do you mean?” Brick asked as he set Juliet down and then walked over to grab some coffee.
“I’ll get you some coffee,” she offered, standing.
“I’ve got it, Duchess. You stay there.”
He poured a cup and stood on the other side of the counter. Xavier was frowning, looking pensive. “I think she might have lied about the whole lump scare just to get me to visit.”
Juliet gasped, reaching out to touch Xavier before snatching her hand back. Brick was starting to realize just how special Juliet was. And her capacity for love. She had enough for both of them.
It depended on how selfish they wanted to be. On how selfish he wanted to be.
“You really think she’d do that, man?” Brick asked.
Xavier nodded. “Yeah. They hate that I work here. Not prestigious enough for a Marson. My father got out of here as soon as he could, and I think my mother regrets ever coming here in the first place. They’re constantly pushing for me to work with my father at New York-Presbyterian. This time, they really upped the ante.”
“What do you mean?” Juliet asked
“While I was there, they invited a woman who works at the hospital to come to dinner at their place. She was beautiful, single, and obviously someone they found acceptable.”
“Oh,” Juliet said.
Brick hated the look on her face. She appeared lost, sad. Xavier didn’t notice as his head was down.
“Not that I was interested, of course. In her or the job. But the fact my mother is so cagey with the results of her biopsy makes me think the whole thing was a ruse.”
“I’m sorry,” Brick told him sincerely.
He shrugged as though it meant nothing, but it obviously did.
“I’m glad you’re not leaving,” Juliet told him.
Xavier frowned, looking off into the distance. “Maybe it’s time I did. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here. But perhaps it’s not the place for me. I came here when I was in pain, to lick my wounds and start again.”
Juliet had gone pale, wide-eyed. When she saw him studying her, she looked quickly away, but he thought he saw the tears in her eyes.
It gutted him.
“You’re needed here,” he said to Xavier.
The other man gave him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, then he looked at Juliet with such longing that Brick felt his stomach clench.
