Marrying the Playboy Doctor - By Laura Iding Page 0,56
brought you here to break off our relationship because I loved you too much. I was too afraid of how hurt I’d be if I ever lost you. The way my mother lost not just one husband but two.”
Confused, she stared at him, trying to understand his rather warped logic.
“And yet the irony of the situation is that you’re walking away from me because you don’t love me enough.” His hurt expression sliced deep.
That wasn’t true. She did love him. Too much.
So why couldn’t she trust that he actually loved her in return?
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to combat a sudden dizziness. “I think I need to sit down.”
Instantly his face registered concern. “Are you okay? Maybe we should have eaten first. You look pale. Come on, sit down on this bench.”
With his hand under her elbow, she crossed over to the park bench where they’d planned to eat their dinner. Except she wasn’t the least bit hungry.
“Do you need something? I think there are some soft drinks in this bag.” He reached for the deli dinner that they’d ignored and pulled a can of lemonade out of the sack. “Here, try this.”
His kind consideration after the bitter argument they’d just had hit her hard.
Dear God. What if Seth was telling the truth? What if he really did love her?
She took a hasty gulp of the lemonade, coughing a bit to clear her throat. “Seth? I need you to answer one question.”
His gaze was wary, but he nodded. “All right.”
“I need to know why. Why do you love me?” She was ashamed to admit that maybe it was her own lack of self-confidence that made it difficult to believe. “You could have any woman at Cedar Bluff Hospital—heck, any woman in the entire town—but you think you love me.”
“Ah. I think I understand. You’re afraid I’m going to be like Ben’s father—leaving you when you and Ben needed him the most. Is that it?”
She lifted her shoulder helplessly. “Maybe. I don’t know. I guess I just don’t understand why you love me. I’m nothing special.”
Seth frowned and shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong, Kylie. You’re very special. But I think the biggest part of the reason I love you is that you don’t have a clue how beautiful, smart, hard-working, dedicated and unselfish you really are.”
“Seth, stop exaggerating. I’m serious.”
“So am I.” He let out an exasperated sigh. “Kylie, you’re asking me to put my feelings into words and I’m trying. But it’s not easy.” He sat next to her and took her hand in his. “When I first met you I was attracted to your physical beauty, which is spectacular, but even then I was equally attracted to the person you were on the inside. Not only were you smart enough to pick up on Marilyn’s heart attack diagnosis, but you were also brave enough to stand your ground with a senior paramedic who clearly doubted you. The more I got to know you, the more there was to admire. You always insisted on putting your son first. You resisted any interference in the life you’d planned out for you and your son, which drove me crazy as much as I respected it. Yet you quickly learned to care about the people in this town, including Chuck and Estelle—who are doing fine, by the way, now that they’re taking diabetes education classes.”
She shifted uncomfortably on the bench. “But, Seth, anyone would do those things.”
“No, they wouldn’t,” he corrected her softly. “And even if they did, no one else does them like you. But do you want to know the real reason I fell in love with you?”
She nodded.
“Because you remind me of my mother.” He must have noticed the horrified expression in her eyes, because he quickly interjected, “Not physically, Kylie, for heaven’s sake. Emotionally. Your love for Ben, your willingness to try new things, like a football game in a crowded stadium, your love of life. Your respect for others.” His smile was crooked. “Kylie, I can’t think of any other woman I’d want to be the mother of my children. There isn’t anyone else I want standing by my side through the good times and especially through the difficult times. I love you. I need you. I don’t know what else I can say to convince you.”
She gently placed her finger over his mouth. “You don’t have to say any more. I believe you, Seth, because I love you, too.