Jace didn’t realize it until he picked up on the subtle shift in her mood.
Then he loosened his grip, expression calm.
“Your heart’s racing a bit,” he said, lifting his eyes to her.
“What’s making you so nervous?”
Nerissa’s ears instantly turned red.
“I’m not…
I mean, it’s nothing.”
Seriously?
This was the downside of having a doctor who practiced traditional medicine — nothing stayed hidden, not even a slightly faster heartbeat.
“Your spleen’s weak, your system’s damp, and your digestion’s off,” Jace went on.
“You keep living on junk food, and it’s no wonder, especially those instant noodles.”
“Huh?” Nerissa stared at him, surprised he could even figure that out — down to what exactly she’d been eating.
“Wait, Nerissa, do you seriously live on cup noodles?” Quentin chimed in from the side, sounding half-joking.
She scratched her head awkwardly.
“When school’s super intense, I just grab whatever’s quick.
Might’ve gone a bit overboard lately…”
“That’s not okay, you know.
Your body’s gotta keep up, you’re still young — this is when you should be taking care of yourself.
No wonder your stomach’s been acting up,” Quentin said, his brows furrowing as he looked at her.
Then he turned to Jace, “Hey, Jace, prescribe her something for her stomach, will you?
This girl works herself half to death and ignores everything else.
Who knows when she’ll be eating cup noodles again next?”
Jace typed a few things into the computer, his tone still cool as ever.
“Your stomach needs long-term care — medicine won’t fix the root problem.”
He paused for a second, then tossed in casually, “But if you keep this up, it could turn into a duodenal ulcer, chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, or even…stomach cancer.”
The words “stomach cancer” hit hard.
Nerissa jerked her head up, eyes locking onto Jace’s gaze.
His expression was cool with a smirk playing on his lips — exactly the same look he gave her last time when he warned her about the risks of egg donation.
Yep, still trying to scare the crap outta her.
Nerissa bit her lip, voice small as she nodded.
“Got it.
I’ll start eating properly.”
I mean, it’s not like she wanted to die.
The word “cancer” coming from a doctor had real weight to it — and yeah, she wasn’t fearless.
“Perfect timing.
It’s lunchtime,” Quentin said cheerfully, checking the clock.
“Nerissa, come eat with me.
There’s a homestyle spot nearby that’s good for your stomach.”
Just as they were about to head out, Quentin turned to Jace out of politeness.
“Wanna come along?”
Jace stood up.
“Sure.”
Quentin froze.
“Huh?”
Wait, had he misheard or something?
Jace was basically married to his job, barely ever left the hospital building, and definitely wasn’t the type to grab lunch just because the clock said noon.
He’d only meant to be polite, hadn’t expected Jace to actually say yes that fast.
Was this still that unattainable Dr.
Whitmore?
“You’re not leaving?”
Jace had already taken off his white coat, revealing a crisp white shirt underneath.
He hadn’t bothered with a tie, and the top two buttons were undone, showing a small bit of his collarbone — normally so restrained, but now carrying a subtle touch of allure.
Nerissa glanced at him for just a moment before quickly looking away.
She had to admit, this man was dangerously attractive.
She couldn’t help sneaking peeks at him, and worse — every time she did, some wildly inappropriate images popped into her head.
Her ears instantly lit up like they’d been set on fire.
“Alright then, ride with me.”
Quentin raised a brow and waved at her.
“Nerissa, come on.
Let’s treat Dr.
Whitmore to a meal — it can count as his consultation fee.”
Nerissa hurried after him, head down the whole time, even picking the front passenger seat so she wouldn’t sit beside Jace, who took the backseat alone instead.
Not because she disliked him.
It was just…
she couldn’t forget how he’d acted.
He’d blocked her, loud and clear about wanting nothing to do with her.
So now she kept her distance on her own, acting like they barely knew each other.
After all, she’d accepted his money, so she had to stick to his rules.
*****
The restaurant wasn’t far, tucked in a commercial area not too far from the hospital.
Quentin ordered generously, picking out a bunch of dishes.
Most were easy on the stomach since he was thinking of Nerissa.
He even turned to Jace now and then to get his opinion.
While they ate, Quentin kept piling food onto Nerissa’s plate.
“Nerissa, eat a bit more.
You’re way too thin.
Our line of work isn’t exactly easy — you’ll need some strength.”
Nerissa blinked, caught off guard by his warmth.
“Thanks, Professor Lowell.
I can help myself, really.”
“Sure, no pressure, eat what you like.” Quentin looked at her like she was someone he’d seen grow up, smile full of kindness.
Nerissa took the hint and quietly focused on her food.
Turns out Jace had a good eye — the food suited her taste.
Plus, the vegetable soup helped a lot.
One bowl in, and her stomach felt way better.
Once they finished eating, Quentin went to pay the bill.
Nerissa took the chance to head to the restroom.
Just as she finished washing her hands and stepped out, she saw Jace.
That familiar tall figure was leaning casually against the doorway, blocking her path entirely.
Her eyes widened when she realized it was Jace.
Her footsteps slowed, nerves creeping up fast.
“You…”
“Are you scared of me?”
Jace tilted his head slightly, those deep, unreadable eyes locked right on hers.