Three Promises Read Online Free PDF Page B

said. “I’m sorry, you probably got sick of hearing that about five minutes into med school.”
    He smiled and felt much more at ease than he expected. “It’s okay. But I don’t imagine you came by to talk about child prodigies, on old sitcoms or otherwise.”
    Her smile faded, and now she was the one who looked uncomfortable.
    â€œIs something wrong?” he asked.
    She sighed. “How much time do you have?”
    â€œHow much do you need?” Edward answered a little too eagerly. He was about to kick himself when her genuine smile returned.
    â€œThe other nurses said you were about the nicest doctor I’d ever meet.”
    He blinked. “Really?” He had no idea others talked about him.
    Caitlin nodded. “It’s why I came by. I know you’re a psychiatrist, not a therapist—­”
    â€œActually, I do both,” Edward said, again a little too quickly. “I do diagnose and treat neurological problems, but I also do psychoanalysis.”
    Caitlin arched an eyebrow.
    â€œNo Freud,” Edward said through a laugh. “I promise.” Now that he was wearing his professional hat, his confidence started to rise. “Do you think you need a therapist?”
    She shrugged. “I don’t really have anyone I can talk to about things. Do you see employees of the hospital?”
    He nodded. “I have before, and I happen to have an opening, as luck would have it.” Which was a complete lie; he was overbooked by about twenty patients, but sleep was overrated. “Why don’t you have a seat, tell me why you came by, and we’ll go from there. Okay?”
    Caitlin nodded, then looked at the couch. “Am I supposed to lie down or sit?”
    â€œWhatever you’re comfortable with,” he said, collecting a notepad and a pen. “Though most ­people sit.”
    â€œThank God,” she said and perched on the edge of the leather sofa.
    â€œYou can use the whole cushion,” he said.
    Caitlin laughed and moved back, sitting more comfortably. Eddy moved to the leather chair and sat down.
    â€œSo how does this work?” Caitlin asked. “Do I just start talking?”
    â€œPretty much,” Edward said. “We can talk about whatever you like. You can tell me as much or as little as you’re comfortable with, but the more you tell me, the easier it is for me to help.”
    Caitlin closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath, and let it out slowly. “Okay, you asked for it.”
    In the end, he’d concluded that she didn’t need a therapist, just someone to listen, and he’d told her as much. Though he promised himself—­and her after they’d become friends—­that if he ever thought she did need professional help, he’d refer her immediately to someone else.
    Edward smiled as he thought back to that first visit. It had lasted more than two hours and had ended only then because she’d had to get to a parenting class. It still made his heart full to think of how much she’d opened up to him right away. She’d told him in that first visit about losing her parents as a child. She’d even told him about James and finding out she was pregnant while still grieving the loss of the grandparents who’d raised her. Even then he’d admired her strength and courage. She’d seen so much loss in her life, but she still was able to give comfort to patients for twelve hours and make it look easy.
    Then he started to think about when Fiona had been taken—­five years later—­and how his and Caitlin’s relationship had evolved, rather quickly, after that. He loved her and had for years. While he didn’t doubt she loved him, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe her feelings had been helped along by the traumatic events of the last year: the kidnapping and rescue, and everything that happened around that. Who was to say that any day she