He hadn't forgotten that.
He hadn't forgotten Van, either.
It was just that they were much older than him, so they had never really run in the same circles.
"So they got married, huh."
"If Claire was involved in treating Van, what exactly was her role?"
If she had just cut away his shirt or handed a scalpel to the actual surgeon, Ewan wasn't going to be impressed.
"Dr. Tandy was the lead surgeon. She was his right hand."
To assist someone like Tandy was proof enough of her skill.
Tandy supposedly had nothing but praise for the young woman.
His grandfather had also found out that she had stepped in for a legendary specialist to manage General Harrison Darwin's pain.
Rumor had it she played a critical role in saving the general's life.
And the elder Mr. Hawk was supposedly having Claire manage his health, too.
"Who exactly is this girl? Why does everyone treat her like royalty?" Ewan wasn't doubting the facts anymore.
But he was still baffled by the immense hype surrounding her.
Could she really be that amazing?
Maybe she was talented, but there was no way she could replace an established, legendary doctor.
That man was officially recognized as the absolute top medical expert in the country!
It was an exaggeration. A massive exaggeration.
And where did the name 'James' fit into all this?
Was her family some new elite that had risen up over the past three years?
Why hadn't he heard a single whisper about them?
"Word is, she's actually part of the Churchill family. The name Melissa might not ring
a bell for you, but your parents and uncles definitely know it."
Melissa?
He truly had never heard the name before.
But he definitely knew the Churchills.
Just why would a Churchill kid have the last name James?
Wait, weren't all the kids in this generation of the Churchill family boys?
The only girl was from an extended branch... what was her name again?
He had met her before!
She was a very beautiful girl.
Ewan's ears suddenly turned red.
He had crossed paths with Yolande a few times, though he had no idea if she even remembered him.
"She took her father's last name, obviously, so she isn't a Churchill by name."
"But the last name doesn't matter. As long as the Churchills claim her, she's one of them."
"Why are you blushing, boy?"
His grandfather finally noticed Ewan's odd reaction.
Ewan's head snapped up. "Blushing? I'm not blushing!"
"You're seeing things, Grandpa!"
His grandfather wasn't blind. At his
ay excellent health and sharp
eyes were all thanks to his daily workouts.
Plus, he used to be a military scout!
"Whether I'm seeing things or not, you know the truth."
"I'm warning you right now, don't go getting any ideas about Claire. She's gorgeous, but she's taken."
Ewan immediately shot back, "Grandpa, where is your head at? I'm not getting ideas about her!"
"But since you brought it up... who is she taken by?"
He was genuinely curious. If he ended up marrying Yolande, who would his future brother-in-law be?
They were both Churchill girls. Their husbands had to be somewhat on the same level, right?
"Dane. The current head of the Green family."
His grandfather hadn't wanted to tell him, terrified that his grandson, might overestimate himself and try to pledge his heart to Claire after she fixed his legs.
At Tilda and Van's wedding, Dane had kept an incredibly tight leash on his little fiancée.
"Dane?"
Ewan was completely stunned, and then immediately deflated.
How was he supposed to compete with that?
Dane was miles out of his league.
The guy had been running an empire since he was a teenager.
And here he was, unable to even stand on his own two feet.
met
Seeing the visible disappointment wash over his grandson, the old man had no idea what was going through his head.
"What? Realized you don't stack up?"