Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 318

Didn’t that mean she’d seen him in full drill sergeant mode?

Almost as if she could read his mind, Camila Davis grinned, struggling to keep a straight face. “Back when you were helping Lillian with her autism therapy, I thought you had the patience of a saint—a real life Mr. Rogers in a lab coat.”

Dennis Williams’ eyes glinted with amusement. “And now?”

“Now…” Camila arched an eyebrow, lips quirking. “Now, I’m not so sure what to call you. But if you ask those recruits, I bet they’d say you’re the Big Bad Wolf who’s come to blow their houses down.”

Dennis’s smile was half-mocking, half-genuine.

“The Big Bad Wolf, huh? Sounds like someone else thinks that too.”

“No, no!” Camila shook her head, denying it outright.

But the way her eyes crinkled at the corners gave her away.

“Liar,” Dennis chuckled, and lightly flicked her forehead with his finger—a gentle, almost playful rebuke.

Camila hadn’t seen that coming. She clapped a hand to her head, looking at him, half-shocked, half-pouting. “Ouch…”

Her voice was a blend of surprise and wounded pride.

“I barely touched you,” Dennis said, unable to hide his amusement. He added, “I’m tough on them for a reason. Here, they can slack off a little. But out there, in the field, there’s no room for luck or mistakes. The only way to survive is to be prepared for anything. That’s how you keep everyone alive. No senseless casualties.”

She rushed on, “It’s just—the other week in Atlanta, I was working with the medical board director, hashing out a new partnership. The meds they need are for exactly the kind of injuries squads get on missions. But their data’s kinda sparse, so I thought, why not ask around? If you know what’s out there, maybe you can help me fill in the blanks. Would you mind sharing some stories? It’d help a ton with my research.”

Dennis blinked, caught off guard by her sudden switch to ‘work mode.’ He let out a short laugh—she really didn’t miss a beat when it came to her job. But those bright, eager eyes made it impossible to say no.

“Sure,” he replied, voice low and warm. “Ask me anything. I’ll tell you what I know.”

“Really?” Camila’s whole face lit up. “That’s amazing! After this, can you give me a quick rundown? I’ll take notes on my phone and organize them later!”

Dennis just shook his head, smiling at her enthusiasm. “You got it, Doc.”