Hotshot Doc(50)

They continue volleying back and forth, completely unaware that I’m still standing on the doormat. I’m enthralled by their conversation and the warmth of their house. There are Christmas decorations everywhere, tinsel and a string of paper snowflakes spanning from one side of the living room to the other. I can barely see a small pine tree, it’s so covered with ornaments and candy canes.

I step to the side to get a better view and Josie’s attention snaps back to me.

“Wait! You’re not the guy who picked Bailey up last night.”

I smile. “No. That was Cooper, my brother.”

“But…” She shakes her head. “No, that can’t be right, because I recognize you…” She tilts her head to the side, studying me intently before she gasps and her eyes widen with recognition. “You’re Dr. Russell! The hot doctor!”

Bailey leaps forward and grabs the edge of the front door. “Ooookay then. Well, Dr. Russell has to go now. Josie, move your foot. I’m trying to close to door. No, no, he has to leave, stop bl”—she shoves her sister out of the way—“ocking it!”

With an oomph, Bailey regains control and pushes the door closed all but one last inch. One of her bright brown eyes stares up at me from inside. I can only see a sliver of her mouth—the mouth that was just pressed against mine minutes ago.

“Well, thanks again,” she says, all fake smiles and pretend geniality. “I’ll, um—”

“BAILEY YOU WERE MAKING OUT WITH THE HOT DOCTOR!” Josie shouts behind her.

Bailey’s eye goes wide and her cheek burns bright red. “Hookay then, ignore her. See you at work! Goodbye now!”

Then the door slams and Bailey yells at her sister to stop shouting and I’m left outside in the cold with a big-ass smile on my face.

My last thought before I force myself to turn back to the street is that I wish I could spend the rest of the day with them. It would be the most entertaining Sunday I’ve had in a while.





Chapter 18





BAILEY



To say this weekend was a rollercoaster of emotion is like saying the sun is kind of hot. On Friday, I spilled instruments, delayed surgery, and cried at work. Matt drove me home and told me to grow up. I was 99% sure I was going to quit. On Saturday, I unknowingly attended a wedding with his brother but ended up going home with him and sleeping in his bed. On Sunday, I made out with him hardcore. I was slobbering all over him, making a real fool of myself. My hands were in his hair. My vocal cords were producing the most ridiculous, slutty moans. He probably thought I’d never been kissed before. Now it’s Monday and I’m expected to just walk into the OR like Hey everyone! Everything is hunky dory!

EXCEPT EVERYTHING IS NOT HUNKY DORY.

Can’t a girl have a minute to process these developments? My body has run through fight or flight so many times it’s not quite sure what we’re doing. Staying? Crying? Declaring our love? Fending off his advances? ARE WE IN LOVE OR WAR?

When I press my finger to my pulse, my brain comes back with an error message: too fast to compute.

Even though Matt isn’t technically my boss (the board of NEMC is), he is my superior and a surgeon and slightly intimidating. Getting involved with him sounds like a recipe for disaster. I’ve watched enough Grey’s Anatomy to know I have to handle this situation delicately. I won’t let this turn me into a nervous wreck. There can be no whispers in the halls or steamy sex eyes over the operating table. I will not be gossiped about. If this gets out (and it will) then it’s going to be on my terms.

Which is why I’m sitting outside the HR office on Monday morning. It’s ungodly early. The office is dark, but that’s okay; I’ll be the first person Linda sees when she arrives. She’s the sole human resources officer for the entire hospital. I rarely see her around the building, and when I do, she’s usually flustered, walking at a brisk pace and murmuring angrily under her breath. There’s often a stain on her shirt. I’ve only ever seen her hair look wild and unkempt. With the number of employees this place has, I think she has her hands full. They really ought to hire someone to assist her. I’ll be sure to tell her that when I see her, just so I’m on her good side.

There’s movement to my right and I glance up to see her making her way down the hall. Her head is down, focused on her phone as she approaches.

I jump to my feet and paste on a big, cheesy smile.

“Linda! Hi, good morning.”

She jumps out of her skin then glares up at me. “What? What is it?”

Not exactly a warm welcome, but I don’t let that deter me. “Oh, well, I know it’s early, but I was hoping to get a few minutes of your time to talk about something?”

I’ve never seen someone’s heart break before my eyes.

“You’re serious? It’s Monday. The sun’s not even up.”

Then she shakes her head and brushes past me to unlock her office door. She flips the light on and—wow. I thought Matt’s office was messy, but hers takes the cake. There are files and papers everywhere. Her desk is barely visible.

She plops her purse and her coffee down onto a side table then continues over to a tall filing cabinet in the corner.

“Who does the offense pertain to?”

“Offense? No. Well, the situation is between Dr. Russell and myself.”