Healing Dr. Fortune by JUDY DUARTE

something permanent and long-lasting, that some of them only wanted sex. Shoot, she’d met a couple of them and had been disappointed enough times to take things slow and to be careful.
    She was also fully aware of the fact that Jeremy would go back to Sacramento one of these days.
    But she was a big girl and didn’t need her brother telling her what to do.
    For Pete’s sake, his own radar had certainly beenfaulty or nonexistent when he’d first hooked up with Courtney. But rather than let him draw her into another argument that was sure to escalate without solving any thing, she decided to calmly end the conversation and put him in his place.
    â€œJeremy and I are friends,” she said. “But even if we were more than that, I’d like to remind you that this is my house and that I’m a responsible adult.”
    Max’s face reddened and he pursed his lips. Kirsten had never seen steam come out of anyone’s ears before, unless it had been in a cartoon on television, but she wouldn’t have been surprised to see little cloudlike puffs coming out of her brother’s head.
    What did he have against Jeremy?
    The first time they’d met, Max had scowled all the way home from the medical center. And he’d clearly been a grump when she and Jeremy had left the house to go to Bernardo’s last night.
    Now this. You’d think Max was a jealous boyfriend rather than an overprotective brother. And quite frankly, he was pushing her to her limit. If it weren’t for Anthony, she’d ask him to pack up and move out tonight. As it was, she bit her tongue.
    But living with Max was so not working.
    â€œYou were out of line for entertaining him at the house when Anthony was in the next room,” he added.
    â€œExcuse me?” Her voice rose a couple decibels in spite of her determination to remain cool and in control.
    â€œYou’re overreacting.” She blew out an exasperated sigh.“Anthony is an infant, and he was sleeping for most of the time.”
    Again, she wanted to remind her brother that she was an adult. And that he was…
    Heck, who even knew what he was. For a twenty-six-year-old man, acting mature seemed like a real struggle for him some days.
    â€œDid you kiss him?” Max asked.
    Before responding and putting her brother in his place, she took another calming breath, then slowly let it out. “That’s none of your business.”
    He remained silent for a while, as though her words had finally sunk in. Then he said, “I’m sorry, Kirsten. You’re right.”
    His acquiescence surprised her, and she waited for him to interject a “but” to the conversation.
    Instead, he said, “I guess I was out of line.”
    He guessed?
    â€œIt’s just that I don’t like to be reminded that you’re the responsible one, when I’ve been trying my best to find a job— any job. And to make matters worse, I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
    She sighed. “I know you do. Having another human being who is dependent upon you must be stressful, especially while you’re out of work.”
    â€œIt’s not just that…” He paused, as if trying to find the words to explain what was really bothering him and why he’d been lashing out at her and Jeremy.
    â€œThen what is it?” she asked. Was her brother missing Courtney? Was he feeling badly that Kirsten might beinvolved in a budding romance when his own relationship with the mother of his son had fallen apart?
    Finally, Max said, “I’ve got things to deal with that you wouldn’t understand.”
    â€œShare them with me. Let me help. We’re family.”
    He clammed up, refusing to elaborate any further.
    She could have prodded him, she supposed. He was clearly bothered by something and lashing out at her because of it. But spending so much of her energy sympathizing with Max was getting old, and she was just plain