Page 5 of Healing Daddy

JJ went back to chewing his bottom lip. “How long would it take me to get started?”

“If you want to proceed with the surgery, we can get you on the schedule before you leave. Normally, I’d ask you to do a few visits with a therapist first, but you already do that and you’rereading today looked fantastic. I believe the last time I checked, I had a cancellation for this Thursday. Since you’re going the self-pay route, and we don’t have to fight insurance, if no one else has snagged it, we can speed right into this.”

“Are you serious?” JJ sounded excited, like he couldn’t wait to have his hand back. Leary didn’t blame him.

“Very much so.” He stood and grabbed the laptop. “Come on. Let’s poke our heads into the scheduling nurse’s office and see.”

JJ practically jumped to his feet. His smile was everything. Leary adored how excited he was.

They moved down the hall together until they reached an open door.

Leary still knocked as he stepped inside. “Hey, Linda. Can we get JJ here on the books? I believe I saw an opening for later this week.”

The older lady immediately turned her attention to her computer and started typing. She smiled. “Yep. This Thursday. First surgery of the day.”

“Perfect.” Even Leary heard the smile in his voice. He was about to change JJ’s life.

Linda waved JJ into her office. “Come have a seat. I’ll need to get some information from you.”

JJ dipped his chin and stepped inside.

Before he could sit, Leary turned his way. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Jacobs. I’ll see you again this Thursday.” He held out his hand to shake.

For a second, JJ seemed caught off guard. Then he obviously realized they would have to be strangers here. He shook Leary’s hand. “You, as well. See you then.”

Leary left him to get his surgery scheduled. He spent a little too much time hanging out in the hall. He just wanted to set eyes on JJ one more time before he left. If he had needed any confirmation that JJ was incredibly beautiful—he hadn’t—but Highman’s attempt to bully his way into taking him as a patient had given him that. Highman’s ego was big for more reasons than being a good surgeon. He was also a slut. Leary didn’t like using that term with anyone, but he really never cared for the guy, so…

By the time JJ stepped out, Dr. Highman stood between them and spotted him first.

“Hey, did you change your mind yet?”

The expression that took over JJ’s face was terrifying. He was a killer in that moment, showing the side of himself as the Bosi employee he was. If he noticed Leary, JJ didn’t show it. His gaze never wavered from Highman before he turned and left. Leary’s heart sank and soared. On one hand, JJ obviously wasn’t interested in Highman. On the other, he wasn’t so sureJJ was into men at all. Leary had never seen JJ at The PlayPen before Cairo had dragged him there. He never interacted with anyone else. Honestly, Leary should probably take a step back and assess. He fully recognized he was already falling for JJ. His fantasies were getting a little out of control. He had vowed this wouldn’t hurt. If he kept letting his mind stay on this course, he would definitely get his heart smashed. His phone buzzed. Leary pulled it from the front of his doctor’s coat. It was JJ. The smile that lit him from the inside told the real story. There was no going back.

JJ:I hate that I didn’t get to tell you goodbye. Have dinner with me tonight to celebrate.

Leary bobbled the phone, trying to answer as fast as possible.

Leary:Okay.

JJ:I can pick you up around seven. Is that good?

Leary:Yes. 269 Gateway Lane.

JJ:Got it. See you then.

Leary:See you.

The happy clap dance went on in his mind. He couldn’t stop smiling.

“Who’s that smile for? Have you finally found someone desperate enough to date you?” Highman snort-laughed at his own joke.

Wow. Highman always knew exactly where to strike. Leary put his phone away to give himself a moment. He met Highman’s gaze. “Yes. Your dad.”

A loud laugh burst from Highman and followed him down the hall as he walked away. That was the one thing about the guy. He dished it out all day, but he could always take the same treatment when his insults got thrown back at him. At least, because of him, Leary knew he wasn’t weak.

Chapter Three

ForsomereasonJJcouldn’t understand, he was nervous as he pulled into Leary’s driveway. When Leary had left the club with him, JJ had driven him back to his car afterward. While Leary drove a normal sedan, his house was a surgeon’s house. Even though JJ spent his life surrounded by wealth these days, he had grown up in a boy’s home before running away. After a few years on the streets, pick-pocketing, he ended up with Beau. It wasn’t until Beau that JJ saw the opposite side of life. Leary was more of a normal, well-off kind of guy. His home was in the neighborhood JJ had always daydreamed about living in. Now he was leagues above this area, and still his throat swelled at the memory of all that jealous longing.