The Doctor's Secret Son. Janice Lynn

up on a few mutual acquaintances and their recent activities.

      At Chrissie’s words, the woman gave a horrified look. “Did I interrupt? I’m sorry. I saw Trace and had to immediately say hello and then, as always with this man, I got carried away.” She winked at Chrissie as if they shared a secret. “He has that effect on women, so be careful.”

      Chrissie didn’t need Alexis to point out the effect Trace had on women. She knew. She forced a smile, tight though it was, to her lips.

      “I’ll take note.”

      “Chrissie’s immune to whatever effect I have,” he told Alexis, although Chrissie had no idea why.

      The woman’s perfectly shaped eyebrow arched.

      Chrissie frowned, but didn’t respond to his comment.

      Trace’s gaze darted back and forth between the gorgeous brunette and Chrissie. No doubt he saw the stark contrast. It was hard to miss.

      “Chrissie, this is Dr. Alexis Gianakos,” Trace introduced the woman. “One of the best cardiologists I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.”

      A doctor? Beautiful and smart it would seem.

      “As you may have figured out from our conversation, she and I worked at the same hospital prior to when I joined DAW,” Trace continued. “She’s volunteering this weekend.”

      Will you be working closely with her, too? Chrissie wanted to ask, but somehow managed to keep her tongue in place.

      Ugh. She hated feeling jealous. Hated it.

      But she was. Denial didn’t make reality any less true.

      “Nice to meet you,” she greeted, holding out her hand and forcing the corners of her mouth upward.

      The woman took her hand. Hers was smooth, strong, feminine. Well-manicured.

      Chrissie couldn’t help but look down at her own as she pulled away from the woman’s. A bit rough, nails cropped short and unpainted, and no jewelry.

      None on the horizon, either.

      She’d dated, but found she quickly tired of the men who had come into her life. They either thought because she was a single mom that that meant she was easy for the taking or they didn’t understand that Joss came first and always would. None had lasted beyond a couple of dates.

      Her best friend, Savannah, was always pushing her to date, especially now that Savannah was so over the moon, happily married to cardiologist Dr. Charlie Keele. Just because Savannah had found the right man for her it didn’t mean Chrissie had to do the same. Or that she even wanted to. She was quite happy with just her and Joss. Fabulously so.

      “You’re also an old friend of Trace’s?” Alexis’s accent came out a bit thicker than previously.

      “We aren’t old friends, just acquaintances who met here a few years ago.”

      “Ah,” Alexis said as if gaining insight. This time it was her dark gaze going back and forth between Chrissie and Trace.

      “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get started,” Chrissie said, feeling more and more awkward.

      She walked away before either could say anything. She didn’t want to listen to the beautiful woman chat up Trace and she sure didn’t want to listen to whatever response he made to the woman’s obvious interest.

      Had they been an item when Trace worked with her? The woman was so beautiful that no doubt they’d made an attractive couple.

      He was free to do whatever he wanted. Whomever he wanted. But she didn’t want to know about it. Or see it.

      What she’d really like to do was block it completely from her mind. Forever. She began organizing supplies and forcing a smile to stay on her face.

      Attitude was everything and she was going to have a good attitude this weekend even if it killed her.

      * * *

      Chrissie was jealous.

      She had no reason to be jealous, but the fact that she was made Trace happier than it should have.

      Alexis was still chatting about the hospital and his former coworkers, but Trace’s attention followed Chrissie to where she began opening bins with a vengeance and a smile that didn’t fit. He’d already helped volunteers set up tables and chairs in their tent, so, other than however they opted to organize their supplies, there wasn’t a lot more to do. Many of their items would stay boxed up until needed.

      “Who is she?”

      Alexis’s question didn’t surprise him. Right or wrong, he hadn’t attempted to hide his interest in Chrissie.

      “I met her here four years ago.”

      “You stayed in touch?”

      Still watching Chrissie work, he shook his head. “I’ve not seen or spoken to her since until today.”

      Surprise registered on Alexis’s face. “That must have been some meeting four years ago.”

      “Must have been,” was all he said, then, “I’m going to help her set up. You coming?”

      * * *

      Chrissie was one of those people who liked event-opening ceremonies. She liked knowing the history of whatever was taking place, of who the funds were going to help, of who they had already helped. Tonight’s was no exception.

      Listening to Bud and Agnes talk about their daughter who’d died with cancer at such a young age, of the heartbreaking prevalence of childhood cancers, listening to how they had formed the Children’s Cancer Prevention Organization and how the charity had grown, and their hope it would expand further into more cities, filled her heart with warm emotion.

      She simply could not imagine something happening to Joss or how she would react if it did. Like Bud and Agnes, she’d like to think she’d deal with her grief in a way that would make the world a better place for others.

      She wasn’t sure she’d be able to function at all.

      “What are you thinking?”

      Chrissie jumped at Trace’s question. “I didn’t see you.”

      “Obviously.” His gaze was on her rather than the stage where Agnes spoke. “You were lost in your thoughts.”

      “I was marveling at how Bud and Agnes turned something so personally tragic into something so positive.”

      “They are good people who live to give to others.”

      “Some would say a man who gave up four years of his life to help others was a good person, too.”

      His expression tightened. “On my best day I don’t measure up to the man and woman on that stage.”

      “Yeah, well, I didn’t say I meant you,” Chrissie assured him, grateful when his serious expression lightened at her comment, as she’d intended.

      There was something darker about him than she remembered. No doubt the things he’d seen over the past four years had changed him.

      Was there anyone in Trace’s life that made it better? Someone who helped him deal with the no doubt tragic situations he’d encountered while working overseas?

      “Is Alexis an old girlfriend?” That wasn’t what she’d meant to ask when she’d opened her mouth.

      “We went out a few times.”

      His smile was quick and too cocky for her liking. He knew she was jealous of the woman. Great.

      “Which is more than you can say about me, so I guess that answers my question.” Which probably only made her sound jealous and bitter and judgmental. Ugh. She should keep her mouth shut.

      “What question would that be?”

      “Whether