An image of Eric with his arm wrapped around the pretty girl in the waiting room flashed through Emily’s mind, sparking an unexpected surge of jealousy. She shook the thought away, but the question still lingered.

“Umm... by the way, who are you here with?” Emily asked, trying to sound casual.

Eric’s smile grew as he sensed her curiosity. “Oh, that’s right. I’m here with my little sister, Lily.”

Relief washed over Emily, though she tried to hide it. “Oh, she’s your sister.”

Eric chuckled, clearly catching on to her shift in demeanor. “Yes. Who did you think she was?”

Emily blushed, casting her eyes downward. “I don’t know... maybe your girlfriend.”

A feeling of excitement swirled in Eric’s chest, and he couldn’t help but tease her. “Oh, do I hear some jealousy in your voice?”

“No!” Emily quickly denied, her cheeks burning. She hastily switched the subject, trying to regain her composure. “So... what’s wrong with your sister?”

Eric’s expression sobered, and the weight of reality settled back over him. “She was diagnosed with breast cancer a couple of months ago. They found a lump in her right breast, and we’ve been terrified ever since.”

Emily’s heart sank. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Eric. She’s so young... it’s heartbreaking for her to go through this.”

Eric lowered his head, pain evident in his features. “Yeah, it’s been tough. My family is devastated.”

Without thinking, Emily reached out and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. My mom and dad are the best oncologists in the area. They’ll take great care of her. I’m sure they’ll be able to help Lily.”

Eric’s eyes brightened with hope. “Really? That would be amazing.”

He turned toward her, gratitude and emotion swirling in his gaze. “Emily, thank you. For hearing me out earlier, for giving me a chance, and for being so kind about Lily.”

Before she could respond, Eric pulled her into a hug, surprising her with the intensity of his embrace. Emily’s body melted into his warmth, the comfort and safety in his arms undeniable. Her heart fluttered, and she realized in that moment just how much she liked him.

As he stepped back, the absence of his touch left her feeling cold, and she realized with a pang of awareness that she could get addicted to Eric far more quickly than she’d imagined.

“Let’s go check on your sister,” Emily said, trying to mask the emotion in her voice as she led him out of the storage room and toward Lily’s exam room.

When they arrived, Emily knocked softly and heard her father’s voice from the other side. “Yes, come in.”

Emily peeked her head inside. “Hi, Dad. The patient in here is my friend’s little sister. We came to see how she’s doing and what you think about her condition.”

Her father nodded, gesturing for them to enter. “Come in, and let’s talk.”

Emily opened the door fully, and Eric followed her inside. Lily, sitting on the examination table, looked up with a bright smile. “Hi... I’m Eric’s sister. He’s told me a lot about you. I hope we can be friends.”

Emily blinked, surprised by Lily’s warmth. “Oh, it’s nice to meet you, Lily. I hope we can be friends too.”

Lily’s smile widened, and she studied Emily for a moment, clearly seeing the qualities that had drawn her brother to her. Emily seemed kind, gentle, and genuine, everything Lily hoped Eric would find in someone.

“Sorry to hear you’re not feeling well,” Emily said softly.

Lily’s expression fell. “Yeah, it’s been hard to accept everything since I found out.”

Emily’s father cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him. “No need to worry, Lily. We’ve reviewed your scans, and while the situation is serious, the lump hasn’t progressed too far. With a small surgery to remove it, I’m confident we can get all the cancerous cells out.”

Eric’s heart raced. “Really? Just a small surgery?”

Emily’s father nodded. “Yes. After that, we’ll do a follow-up to make sure nothing returns, but I’m optimistic.”

Relief washed over Eric, and he rushed over to hug Lily, his voice full of emotion. “You’re going to be okay, Lily. You’re going to be fine.”

Lily wrapped her arms around him, tears of joy brimming in her eyes. “I’m not going to die, brother.”

Emily watched the tender moment between Eric and his sister, her heart swelling with affection for him. She saw the depth of his love for his family, his protective nature, and it only made her feelings for him grow stronger.

After their hug, Eric turned to Emily’s father, his gratitude palpable. “Thank you so much, doctor. I don’t know how to thank you enough. My parents and I are incredibly grateful.”

Emily’s father shook his hand firmly. “No need to thank me, son. It’s my job. We’ll get her scheduled for surgery, and she’ll be back to her normal self in no time.”

Lily beamed, a weight clearly lifted from her shoulders. “Thank you, doctor.”

They made their way back to the front desk, where Lily scheduled her surgery for two weeks from now. As they wrapped up, Lily turned to Emily.

“Thank you for everything,” Lily said softly. “I’m going to wait in the car while you two finish talking.”

Emily nodded and waved goodbye as Lily left the office.

Eric lingered for a moment, turning back to Emily with a boyish grin. “Don’t forget—you promised to go out with me. I’ll call you soon.”

Emily smiled, feeling her heart flutter again. “I’ll be waiting.”

Before she could say another word, Eric leaned in and quickly pecked her cheek. The gesture was brief, but it left her stunned, a blush creeping up her face as he hurried out the door.

Emily stood frozen for a moment, her hand instinctively rising to her cheek. A smile slowly spread across her lips, the warmth of his kiss lingering. Maybe, just maybe, things between them were starting to turn toward something real. But the thought of the secret she still carried—of the pregnancy—hovered at the edge of her mind.

How would he react when he found out?