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“It’s all right,” Eve said, standing up as he approached the desk. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

Nancy stood up too, her face breaking into visible emotion. “Oh, honey, we’re so happy.”

His throat closed up, but he managed to nod. Then, when she stepped over to hug him, he hugged her back.

He felt weird and stiff and emotional when he pulled back. He glanced instinctively over at Eve as if she might help him, but she was watching his father come out from behind his desk.

So Jude turned to him. His father tried to say something but couldn’t. He’d always been even more emotionally guarded than Jude. But he went in for a hug, so Jude returned it.

He hadn’t hugged his father since his mother had died.

He was shakier than ever afterward and relieved when his father got down to business, explaining he’d already contacted Lionel Carlyle, their family lawyer and Eve’s father, and they were arranging a meeting with the legal team from the doctor’s clinic and their insurance company.

Jude didn’t care about the settlement, but he was glad to think about anything less personal than his sudden reprieve from death.

Nancy stayed long enough to assure herself that Jude wasn’t on the verge of a breakdown before she left to start working on some chores.

He and Eve stayed to talk to his father for about half an hour. Then they left him to work.

In the hallway, Eve said, “I hope you don’t mind, but my dad already started some research on your situation. Did you know that there’s supposed to be errors in like ten to twenty percent of all medical records?”

This comment startled Jude enough for him to focus. “Really?”

“Yeah. Most of them are small things, of course. Not like yours. But big errors are more common than people think. And there have been other egregious cases like yours. Often they’re hushed up in the settlement process. Dad says you’ve got really good grounds for a lawsuit if you want it.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want that. Maybe if I needed the money, but…”

Her expression was deeply sympathetic as she gazed up at him. “I didn’t think so, but Dad wanted me to let you knowhe’ll help in any way he can. At least for the settlement meeting, right?”

“Yes. I’d like him there for that.”

After a moment, she asked, “So what do you feel like doing now?”

“Nothing,” he admitted. “I still feel like I might collapse.”

“Me too. Let’s just go hang out in the library. If we feel like doing something later, we can.”

He was about to agree when she sucked in a quick breath and added, “Unless you’d rather be alone?”

“No. No, of course not. I’d like to be with you.”

They went to sit down on the couch in the library and looked at each other, but eventually they ended up stretched out on it together. There wasn’t a lot of room, so Eve was pressed up snugly against him. His arms were wrapped around her.

It felt just about perfect to Jude.

She didn’t ask him about what happened next. She didn’t demand an explanation for the nature of their marriage now that nothing was what they’d expected.

She was soft against him. Clingy. Silently emotional.

It felt like she loved him, and that was what he needed right now.

So he took it.

He’d save the rest of the endless questions for later. Maybe his mind would be up to the challenge then.

Three mornings later, it was Sunday, and Jude had woken up early. He’d been planning to take a long run before Mass, but Eve gave him a blow job instead.

It turned into a much better deal as far as he was concerned.