if the walls had inched closer together during our absence. James hovered at my

ed, as though I might shat

ss," I said, attempting humor b

he living room couch where he'd arranged pi

id, helping me sit. "And Mrs. Peterson stock

ows, watching him fuss around me. "Do

ly. "Rescheduled. Ha

Westlake p

you and the baby," he fin

nstead, it pricked at that nameless anxiety that had been g

career on hold for eight mor

before smoothing out into a smile t

respond. James tensed almost imper

Zoe," he said o

normal expression. Zoe had an uncanny ability to read my

ith gift bags, James trailing behind her wi

e announced, dropping the bags to envelop me in a

about that. Pregnancy requires m

face, her eyes narrowing sl

't exactly the Ritz,

"I'll get that soup now.

op these off." She gestured to the bags. "Pregnan

to the kitchen, Zoe lowere

es made my throat tigh

e held my gaze, and I had the uncomfortabl

urse,"

he began unpacking the gift bags of ginger candies for nausea,

journal, "is for all those pregnancy thoughts you w

ver the smooth cove

she advised. "The good, th

nged neatly despite Zoe's refusal. "Changed my mind,"

y wasn't lost on any of us. Zoe rais

her, desperate to steer

on that class action agains

ility drug, right?" James aske

plications. Some life-threatening." She glanced at me

methods," James said, his ha

s from clinic to clinic, treatment to treatment. The willingnes

bout that experimental treatment you tried last year. The one in

"That was a dead end," he said before I coul

th attempt, the one right before our successful round. It had been exp

contradicted gently. "Dr.

James's eyes, a warnin

aid, his voice dangerously soft

tion, but the past four years blurred toge

ll, I should probably head back to the office," she said, standi

mes said, his tone leavi

ying to make sense of James's reaction. Why would he

d brought. Write everything down, she

my purse and

s happening with your father. I don't know if I'm imagining things or if there's something

uickly tucked the journal under

beside me on the couch, "but Zoe alwa

me nice things,"

"Doctor said you need rest. Let's

g jaw, the slight furrow between his brows, the lips that could c

est with me. Are you hiding someth

poised over the remote button. F

t?" he finally said, hi

question. The way you cut

think the hospital stay has you confused, Lily. We both agreed the Chicago

ents. There had been extra blood draws, certainly. Some medica

er it being that

we don't talk about it. It upsets you too much." He kisse

sation was so smooth, so practice

oe's client to try tha

ening again. "Because we spent twenty thousand dollars

eral treatments. It wasn't an unusual fig

ing," he continued before I could respond. "The do

ulation wrapped in concern. Using our

aid, feigning surren

. "Why don't you take a nap? I'l

ions. What had happened in Chicago? What was James hiding? And most imp