.

least, at that moment.

      Deep down, he knew he couldn’t afford any distractions. With a twinge of guilt, he recalled his on-the-spot decision to cancel the interview.

      Her beautiful face had remained composed, almost serene. Yet the light of excitement had dimmed in her eyes, and he sensed her disappointment.

      Even worse, he’d lied to her, telling her he’d decided to work with a professional firm, instead of a private architect, which wasn’t true at all.

      He stopped running and grasped his knees, gulping in the salty air. He was in great shape and had several marathons under his belt, but for some reason, this morning he felt like he had never run a day in his life.

      Anthony yawned as he took his shirt off and slung it over his shoulders. He was due back at the hospital in less than eight hours. It was time to head to his condominium in town for some much-needed sleep—that is, if he could get Liza off his mind.

      As he turned on his heel, his phone vibrated against his bicep. Reaching up, he removed it from his armband and slid his thumb across the screen.

      “Hello, stranger,” he said, good-naturedly.

      “What did you think of her?” Doc Z barked. “When I didn’t hear from you right away, I got worried.”

      Dr. Ivan Zander, or Doc Z as he was commonly known, was one of his favorite professors in medical school. After graduation, the two men had stayed in touch throughout Anthony’s residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Doc Z had even recommended him for a prestigious fellowship at UCLA Medical Center. Over the years, Doc Z had not only become a mentor but also a good friend, and most recently, an investor in his clinic.

      Anthony chuckled as he started the long trek back home. “Come on, Doc. You don’t fool me. The funny bone doesn’t exist, neither does your penchant for worrying.”

      “That’s because everything always goes my way,” Doc Z said.

      The tone in his voice sounded haughty, but Anthony knew different. Doc had worked hard his entire life but at a mighty price. He was sixty-eight years old, never married, no children. Nothing to keep him warm at night except the soft glow of his computer screen. Instead of investing in relationships, Doc Z invested in stocks, bonds and upstart businesses like Anthony’s.

      “Stop stalling, okay?” Doc Z continued. “What did you think about Liza?”

      “She’s perfect.” In more ways than one.

      Like an itch on his back that he couldn’t scratch, it made Anthony a little uncomfortable realizing how easily those two words had rolled out of his mouth. He blamed it on lack of sleep and lack of intimacy. Besides, no one was perfect, least of all him.

      “Aha! I told you you’d like her,” Doc exclaimed triumphantly, interrupting his thoughts.

      “Don’t gloat, Doc. It’s so unlike you,” Anthony replied, meaning the exact opposite.

      “Why shouldn’t I?” Doc Z fired back. “She’s talented. Smart. And I handed her to you on a silver platter. What more could you want?”

      Anthony sidestepped the waves rolling onto the shore. “A little more time to process what this all means would be helpful.”

      “You think too much. I’ve done all the work. Now, all you have to do is hire her.”

      Anthony stopped in his tracks, not caring if his shoes got wet. “Who said anything about hiring, Doc? When you called me a few weeks ago and told me about Liza, I only agreed to interview her as a favor to you. Plus, per your request, I didn’t mention that you were the one who had recommended her.”

      “Which I appreciate, so what’s the problem?” Doc interjected.

      Anthony huffed out a breath. Liza was the first woman, in a long time, who amounted to more than a ten-second blip on his brain, something that was none of Doc’s business.

      He started walking again. His sneakers were now wet, and he couldn’t wait to get home and out of them.

      “For starters, I still don’t understand why you asked me. If you want me to hire her so badly, I think I have a right to know.”

      “I’ve known Liza’s family for years, since she was a little girl. I made her father a promise that I’d always watch out for her. He passed away about a year ago.”

      “And her mother?”

      Doc sighed heavily. “Gone too. Died a year before her husband as a result of complications from botched cosmetic surgery she had done in Costa Rica.”

      Anthony’s heart squeezed in his chest. He couldn’t imagine the grief Liza had felt losing her mother and father in such a short time period. Both of his parents were still alive, thankfully, and though they lived thousands of miles away in South Carolina, he was still very close to them.

      “That’s terrible. I know it’s a growing trend to go overseas for all types of surgical procedures. Though the costs can be significantly less than the United States, there are definite risks that many patients don’t know about or even consider.”

      “It’s a problem, for sure,” Doc replied. “But right now, all I care about is convincing you that hiring Liza would be a very good thing.”

      Anthony shook his head. “Now that I know a little bit about her family background, I’m even more uncomfortable with this plan. Is Liza okay? She seemed to be, but I don’t know. I need the architect to be on point and fully engaged with this project.”

      “She’s a very strong person,” Doc replied without hesitation. “But she needs something different. That’s why she moved from Denver to Bay Point. She was successful there but a bit unfocused.”

      “Yes, her residential work is fantastic, but her commercial work is lacking.”

      “Minor detail,” Doc gruffed.

      “Minor detail?” Anthony exclaimed, sloshing through the sand. “This clinic has to be designed right. Why didn’t you tell me?”

      “I wanted you to meet her and judge her on her own merits. You saw her portfolio. She’s great at what she does.”

      “True. Her commercial renderings were amazing, but none of them has ever been built.”

      “So? What’s the problem?” Doc said. “That wasn’t her fault. She told you that, didn’t she?”

      Anthony nodded. “Yes, but it’s still a huge problem for me, and as one of the main investors in this project, I’m surprised you don’t feel the same.”

      “I don’t feel the same because I know Liza personally. Trust me, Anthony. She’ll do great work.”

      “If you feel so strongly that she is the right person for the role, why couldn’t I tell her that you’d recommended her? You’ve put me in a really awkward position.”

      Doc was silent for moment. “Liza is a very independent woman. If she knew I was trying to help her, she wouldn’t be pleased. She can never know that I’m the one who brought her to you.”

      “Just in case you didn’t hear me earlier, I interviewed Liza as a favor, Z,” Anthony emphasized again. “I didn’t promise that I would hire her.”

      “You’d be doing me an even greater favor by changing your mind.”

      Anthony was very curious about Liza. How she would use her creativity, not to mention how she would feel in his arms. However, the situation was making him a little uneasy.

      “Let me put it to you this way,” Doc continued. “Even though I do have a ton of money invested, ultimately it’s your gig and your decision. But I honestly believe that having Liza design the clinic is in your best interest...and mine.”

      “Because you always get your way, right, Doc?” Anthony said with a smirk.