Page 13 of Broken Dream

Julia!

Chapter Five

Angie

My lips are stinging.

A good sting.

I’ve been kissed before.

Not as much as Sage, but I’ve had my share.

But this…

Jason’s not a college guy.

He’s a man.

A full-fledged doctor.

And he’s my anatomy professor.

Tabitha waves to me. “Angie, come here. Eli, Ralph, and I are going to get lunch. You should join us.”

I swallow. Lunch. Right. After thinking about cutting up dead bodies.

I’m supposed to eat now?

I nod, trying to find a smile for Tabitha. She’s oblivious, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, as if nothing has changed.

But everything has changed.

“Sure,” I manage to croak out. “Lunch sounds great.”

Great? My stomach churns at the thought of food.

Is this what it feels like to be in love? Or is this just horror at the realization that I’ve kissed a man who spends his days elbow-deep in cadavers? Who’s also the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on?

We make our way to the cafeteria. The smell of stale coffee and fried food hits me like a punch to the gut. Yeah. Not helping my nausea.

God, I need time alone.

Eli suggests we get a table first while Tabitha and Ralph get in line for food. We settle for one in the corner of the room, away from the buzzing crowd and the harsh cafeteria lights. I sink into the cold metal chair.

Eli is saying something about some new surgical technique he read about, but his voice fades into the background as my mind wanders back to Jason. His cool demeanor in the lab, his respect for the dead who gave their bodies to science, the way his eyes softened when he looked at me.

Tabitha returns, thrusting a tray of food onto the table. “Go ahead and get your lunch, Angie.”

“I’m not hungry,” I say as I look at the sandwich on her tray. It’s a little wilted.

“You have to eat, Angie.” She narrows her gaze to me but then turns to Ralph. “Oh! I haven’t introduced you two yet. Ralph. Angie.”

I look up at Ralph, getting my first real look at him. He’s nice-looking enough, with dark hair, a strong jawline, and brown eyes. He’s a little older than the rest of us—the slight silver at his temples and laugh lines around his eyes give him away. I’d peg him for mid-thirties. He might even be older than Jason.

But he wouldn’t be the first person to start medical school in his thirties. Lots of people decide to shift careers around that point in their lives.

“Nice to meet you,” I eke out, offering Ralph my hand.