Cabin Heat: A New Adult and College Romance (The Billionaire Romance Redemption Series Book 1) by Bella Love-Wins
Authors: Bella Love-Wins
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invited me to support a new project on immune targeting.”
“Wait, let me see if I remember this,” she said enthusiastically. “Immune targeting. Eradicating the malignant cancer stem cells to curb the spread. Right?”
“Exactly. The project was to investigate the targeting of antigens, which is a departure from most of the prior research. I’m not sure how much clinical experience you’ve had, but this work focuses mostly on chronic leukemia, as it’s a stem cell disease. In the past, they tried treatments that used potent cyto-reductive agents, except those didn’t completely eliminate the stem cells, so the disease would persist.” He paused as he heard himself getting so technical. “Are you sure you want to hear more of this?”
“Definitely,” she insisted. “This is the reason I decided to do my Master’s degree. I wanted to learn more about cancer treatments so I can be a part of helping to improve the oncology nursing field. Well, not by myself. But every person helps, right?”
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “I wanted to make sure because I can get pretty boring if you don’t stop me.”
“You’re not boring me at all. In fact, I’m excited. Tell me more.”
“Okay. For years, decades actually, there have been clinical and lab evidence that allogeneic stem cell transplantation could work for leukemia and other blood cancers, as well as hematologic malignancies. Sansbury wanted me to join his team so I could help them research—well, it would all be learning for me as I had just finished my residency—but their work was going to explore immune targeting of the antigens on cancer stem cells. It’s just staggering what their findings can do for future cancer treatment.”
“It would be like creating a giant laser that kills only cancer cells and leaves everything else healthy,” she said in awe.
“Exactly. Sansbury always felt he would eventually pass the oncology medicine torch to me one day.”
Andrew hesitated. He couldn’t believe he had shared so much with Abby, and hoped desperately that she wouldn’t ask him why he stopped practicing medicine. It was not something he wanted to discuss with anyone. Not even Abby.
“I’m sure I would have remembered you,” she said, and paused abruptly. “I mean, maybe I missed that lecture. I definitely would have been at the front of the class for that one. It’s exactly the kind of topic that would interest me.”
He was relieved. For a moment, he was sure he saw a hint of…something in her eyes. Was it desire? Lust? Or just curiosity? He wished he could just come out and ask, but he had never been the suave, sweet-talker.
“Could we have met anywhere else?” she asked. “I did two summers of nursing clinicals at North Nevada Medical Center.”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “Never been there. What about at Barton Health?”
“I’ve only been down there once,” she answered after taking her last bite of pasta. “To visit a patient. Not sure I would have met you there.”
“Then I’m stumped,” he said with a nervous smile.
Andrew heard the mild frustration in his own voice. He was disappointed in himself for not remembering. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him. He looked up from his plate and saw that Abby was almost finished her wine.
“Another glass?”
“Sure.” She leaned back on the chair.
He poured her wine and refilled his glass. He hadn’t toasted anything. Not that there was much to celebrate. Except maybe for meeting her, and that mind-altering kiss they had shared the night before.
“Mind if I raise a toast?” he asked quickly, knowing that if he didn’t do it right away, he’d likely talk himself out of it.
“Not at all,” she smiled. And there it was again. That glint in her eyes.
“To strangers and new memories,” he announced with his glass raised.
“To strangers and new memories,” Abby repeated between chuckles. “Good one.”
He clinked her glass with his and they
“Wait, let me see if I remember this,” she said enthusiastically. “Immune targeting. Eradicating the malignant cancer stem cells to curb the spread. Right?”
“Exactly. The project was to investigate the targeting of antigens, which is a departure from most of the prior research. I’m not sure how much clinical experience you’ve had, but this work focuses mostly on chronic leukemia, as it’s a stem cell disease. In the past, they tried treatments that used potent cyto-reductive agents, except those didn’t completely eliminate the stem cells, so the disease would persist.” He paused as he heard himself getting so technical. “Are you sure you want to hear more of this?”
“Definitely,” she insisted. “This is the reason I decided to do my Master’s degree. I wanted to learn more about cancer treatments so I can be a part of helping to improve the oncology nursing field. Well, not by myself. But every person helps, right?”
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “I wanted to make sure because I can get pretty boring if you don’t stop me.”
“You’re not boring me at all. In fact, I’m excited. Tell me more.”
“Okay. For years, decades actually, there have been clinical and lab evidence that allogeneic stem cell transplantation could work for leukemia and other blood cancers, as well as hematologic malignancies. Sansbury wanted me to join his team so I could help them research—well, it would all be learning for me as I had just finished my residency—but their work was going to explore immune targeting of the antigens on cancer stem cells. It’s just staggering what their findings can do for future cancer treatment.”
“It would be like creating a giant laser that kills only cancer cells and leaves everything else healthy,” she said in awe.
“Exactly. Sansbury always felt he would eventually pass the oncology medicine torch to me one day.”
Andrew hesitated. He couldn’t believe he had shared so much with Abby, and hoped desperately that she wouldn’t ask him why he stopped practicing medicine. It was not something he wanted to discuss with anyone. Not even Abby.
“I’m sure I would have remembered you,” she said, and paused abruptly. “I mean, maybe I missed that lecture. I definitely would have been at the front of the class for that one. It’s exactly the kind of topic that would interest me.”
He was relieved. For a moment, he was sure he saw a hint of…something in her eyes. Was it desire? Lust? Or just curiosity? He wished he could just come out and ask, but he had never been the suave, sweet-talker.
“Could we have met anywhere else?” she asked. “I did two summers of nursing clinicals at North Nevada Medical Center.”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “Never been there. What about at Barton Health?”
“I’ve only been down there once,” she answered after taking her last bite of pasta. “To visit a patient. Not sure I would have met you there.”
“Then I’m stumped,” he said with a nervous smile.
Andrew heard the mild frustration in his own voice. He was disappointed in himself for not remembering. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him. He looked up from his plate and saw that Abby was almost finished her wine.
“Another glass?”
“Sure.” She leaned back on the chair.
He poured her wine and refilled his glass. He hadn’t toasted anything. Not that there was much to celebrate. Except maybe for meeting her, and that mind-altering kiss they had shared the night before.
“Mind if I raise a toast?” he asked quickly, knowing that if he didn’t do it right away, he’d likely talk himself out of it.
“Not at all,” she smiled. And there it was again. That glint in her eyes.
“To strangers and new memories,” he announced with his glass raised.
“To strangers and new memories,” Abby repeated between chuckles. “Good one.”
He clinked her glass with his and they
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