Cross My Heart (A Contemporary Romance Novel)

deli next door—we could get sandwiches for dinner.”
    “Sounds like a plan.”
    A little while later they were pulling up in front of the clinic. “How often does your dad work here?” Jenna asked. She was impressed that with all his other commitments, he still found time to volunteer. “I would have thought a heart surgeon would already have a pretty full schedule.”
    Claire shook her head as they walked to the front door. “I’m not sure. As much as he can, I think. Except for when I come to visit, he’s always working, either here or at the hospital. He’s hardly ever home.”
    The clinic wasn’t crowded, but as they approached the reception desk Jenna knew immediately that something was wrong. The receptionist looked tense, and she was whispering to the nurse standing next to her with her eyes fixed on a point to Jenna’s left.
    “Get Dr. Stone,” she said quietly.
    Jenna looked over her shoulder. There were a few people scattered around the waiting room, but the one drawing the women’s focus seemed to be a man in his twenties sitting with his head down, his elbows on his knees and one foot beating a rapid tattoo on the floor.
    “I didn’t even see him come in this time,” the nurse whispered. “Where’s George?”
    “Left early.”
    “Damn. But I don’t want to bother the doctor. He’s with a patient. And anyway, what could he do? Did you call the police?”
    “Yes. But Dr. Stone can handle this guy. Didn’t you see him last month, with the husband who started beating on his wife right here in the waiting room?”
    “I heard about it.”
    “Get Dr. Stone. I mean it. The police will be here soon, but I’d feel better if he was out here. Maybe nothing will happen, but...”
    “I’ll get him.”
    Claire had picked up on the tension too. “Jenna, what’s wrong?”
    “I’m not sure. But I think we should get out of here.”
    She took Claire by the hand and turned to do just that. But she hadn’t taken more than a step towards the door when it was pushed open by Michael’s tall, blond friend. The one she’d met last night, and that Michael was here covering for. What was his name? Jim Healy.
    Jim breezed into the waiting room, waving a hello towards the reception desk as he walked within a foot of the jittery man. Jenna opened her mouth to call out a warning, of what she wasn’t sure, when the man jumped to his feet and put his hand around the blond doctor’s throat. He started shouting something, words Jenna couldn’t understand.
    She grabbed Claire’s hand and pulled her back, as far away from the action as she could. She stood in front of her, shielding her from view, as an inner door swung open.
    Michael stood there for a moment, assessing the situation. Jenna felt a shock of surprise when she saw him—in his white lab coat and with that cold expression on his face, he was like a different person.
    Then he was moving, crossing the room in a flash. He drove a knee into the man’s side, and when he doubled over Michael took him the rest of the way down. He stepped on his lower back and jerked one of his arms up until he yelped in pain. Michael snapped something at him, his voice hard and incisive, and when the man struggled to get up Michael jerked on his arm again until he stopped.
    It had taken him less than ten seconds.
    Jenna stared at Michael, unable to look away. Her heart was pounding. She couldn’t seem to draw a deep breath. There hadn’t been time to worry before, but now, after the fact, she thought about what could have gone wrong and her hands clenched into shaky fists.
    He’d acted so fast. She and everyone else in the room had just stood there, frozen. He’d gone into that volatile situation without even blinking, and had handled it with cold-blooded efficiency.
    Jenna heard a siren in the parking lot. A minute later two officers came in, taking charge of the man on the floor and talking with Michael. They pulled the man to his feet, cuffed him, and walked him out of the clinic.
    Michael spoke to Jim, who looked a little shaken but seemed to be all right, before turning to survey the room. His eyes met hers and widened in shock. He strode towards her, his eyes never leaving her face.
    “What are you doing here? Where’s Claire?”
    “Here I am,” Claire said breathlessly, coming out from behind her. “Jenna got in front of me so I couldn’t see much, but Dad! What was wrong with that guy?”
    “Meth addict.” His gaze swept briefly over his