Hard Drive Boxed Set

by Tricia Andersen

  The nurse sighed. “They suspect domestic abuse. Ex-husband dropped off the kid then took a swing or two at the ex-wife. She swears it didn’t happen but the evidence says otherwise.”

  Troy, the college student shadowing Joan for the past semester, popped from around the corner, his brown eyes wide. “It’s Lexi Mills,” he murmured.

  Mark laughed. “Sorry, Troy. I have no idea who Lexi Mills is.”

  “The bestselling sci-fi writer. Haven’t you ever read And Then There Was One? They’re talking about making a movie out of it.”

  “Can’t say that I have. Why don’t you come help me set a cast?”

  Troy screwed his face up at Mark. “You wouldn’t know anyone famous if they came up and hit you on the head.”

  “Ever heard of Max Thomas or Rico Choate?” Mark countered.

  “The MMA fighters? Yeah!”

  “My best friends. And for the record they have hit me in the head. More than once. It explains a lot. Now how about that cast?”

  Troy scuttled away to get the materials. As he disappeared, Mark shouted after him. “Green! Get green! The neon stuff!”

  Joan laughed at Mark as she handed him a folder. “I can’t wait for the semester to be over. He’s driving me nuts.”

  Mark chuckled with her. “So my next patient is Ms. Mills?”

  “Yep. I’ve gotten her vitals already. She requested a female doctor but there are none available. So I’m sending in the resident teddy bear.”

  “Teddy Bear? Really?”

  Troy reappeared, his arms full of supplies to set a cast. Mark waved him down the hall to Sam’s room. He turned to give a thumbs up to Joan as she called after him, “Be quick about it, Mark!”

  It took no time to set Sam’s arm. It would have been quicker had Troy not bumbled around with the casting material. Sam seemed entranced with the idea that his friends could sign his new, green cast. Mark smiled, listening to the little boy list the friends he wanted to autograph it first as he and his mother disappeared down the hall.

  Mark took a quick glance at the file outside the guarded door. He could feel the eyes of the officers scan him warily as he did so. With a polite smile, Mark waved them aside and grasped the door knob, pushing the door open.

  His heart slammed in his chest and his breath caught in his throat. The beautiful blonde who had haunted his dreams and plagued his thoughts was sitting on the gurney, her big blue eyes wide as she stared at him. Instead of soot streaking her face, her perfect porcelain skin was beginning to discolor to a blackish blue tint.

  He shook himself to his senses and smiled at her. “Hello, Ms. Mills. I’m Doctor Jacobsen. What seems to be the problem today?”

  “Nothing,” murmured Lexi. “My neighbor overreacted.” She stared at him with wide eyes. “I asked for a female doctor.”

  “Unfortunately we don’t have any on staff at the moment. Is it all right if I check the bruise you have there?”

  Before Lexi could answer him a small voice behind Mark whined. “Mommy, when can we go home?”

  Mark turned slowly. Sitting in the chair was a small boy who couldn’t be more than five years old. His big green eyes took in Mark’s large towering figure in amazement. Mark kneeled beside him and offered his hand. “What’s your name?”

  “Logan,” the boy said softly as he shook Mark’s hand.

  “Well, Logan. My name is Mark. Is it okay if I check your mom over? Then you’ll be ready to go.”

  Logan nodded enthusiastically. Mark rustled his blond hair as he stood. As he turned back to Lexi he met her awestruck face. “Mark Jacobsen?”

  “Yes. Why do you ask?”

  Lexi looked away for a moment. It broke Mark’s heart and set off his protective nature. “I was in an…accident…last week. I asked to read the report. The local fire chief wrote that my friend and I were rescued by a Mark Jacobsen and Dan Johannson.” Her voice grew weak. “I knew your voice was familiar.”

  Mark forced a smile on his face. “Yep, that was me and my best friend. We were coming home from a wedding. I hope your boyfriend is all right.”

  Lexi shook her head. “He’s not my boyfriend. He just took me out on a date. After what happened I doubt we’ll ever go out again.” She smiled. “Thank you for saving me.”

  “Happy to help. Now, can I check out that bruise?”

  Lexi didn’t object as Mark took a step closer, but he did notice her shrink away as he reached out to touch her. “I won’t hurt you,” he soothed.

  She gave him a half-hearted smile. Mark gently lifted her chin, examining the quickly darkening flesh. He noticed her wince when he ran his finger along her chin bone. “I don’t think it’s broken.” He slid the sleeves of her T-shirt up to find more bruises. “How did this happen?”

  “I fell,” she murmured.

  Mark looked into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

  “Why would I lie?”

  “I don’t know. To cover for someone not worth covering for. These injuries aren’t consistent with a fall.”

  “I fell,” Lexi insisted.

  “Ms. Mills, if you fell, why aren’t your knees bruised?”

  Lexi’s eyes flew open wide as she looked down at her bare knees. Her eyes were hard as she looked back up at him. “I’m done here.”

  “Well, I can’t keep you.” Mark reached into his medical coat pocket and retrieved a business card. “If you need anything, even to talk, please call me. I can help.”

  Lexi laughed sadly as she stood and took the card, shoving it in the back pocket of her shorts. “I doubt it.” Without another word she reached out her hand for Logan. The little boy hopped to his feet and took his mother’s hand. Lexi pulled the door open and stormed from the room with Logan following behind.

  Mark shook his head as he wandered to the nurse’s desk. The woman of his dreams being hurt by another man? The whole idea enraged Mark. But there was nothing he could do about it, not to mention she didn’t seem very happy with him for doing his job. So much for first impressions.

  Troy glared at Mark with his arms crossed over his chest. “So, did you get Lexi Mills’ autograph?”

  Mark threw the file he held on the desk as his temper rose. He felt a hand on his arm.

  “Troy, the patient in room twelve just kicked over his bedpan. Go clean it up. Now,” Joan ordered.

  Troy’s face twisted in disgust as he stomped off. Mark exhaled slowly to calm himself. “Good save, Joan.”

  “That’s why I’m head nurse and run this place.” She gazed at Mark concerned. “What’s up, big guy? Want to talk about it?”

  “Not really.”

  “You talk to me about everything.”

  “Not this.” Mark scooped up the chart for his next patient and rushed down the hall, feeling a pang of guilt for avoiding Joan. Yes, he talked to her about everything. But how was he going to explain that Lexi Mills was the woman he saved from the burning car, the woman that had filled his thoughts and dreams for an entire week? And she hated him for doing his job? With a hopeless sigh he opened the door to the exam room. He needed to get Lexi out of his mind, because his night was far from over.

  »»•««

  Mark walked wearily to his car in the hospital parkade. The bright early morning summer sunlight burned his senses. He took a long sip of coffee and pressed the key fob to unlock his truck. A couple of hours at Hard Drive to train and wear himself out and then off to home where his bed waited for him. He couldn’t wait to crawl beneath the covers and sleep.

  He sipped his coffee as he maneuvered through the early morning traffic. His thoughts kept returning to the night before. Lexi Mills. His mystery woman had a name. And a son. And an abusive ex-husband. Mark growled as he set his coffee in the cup holder. A deep burning in his gut he saved for the octagon came bubbling to the surface. He didn’t know the guy, but Mark wanted his blood for hurting Lexi. Not that he would ever get to see her again.

  Mark pulled himself from his thoughts a split second before a Jeep
slid in front of his truck. He slammed on the brakes and laid on the horn. A moment later as the Jeep sped down the interstate he recognized the vehicle. With an irritated sigh Mark sped up to the interstate speed limit again and signaled for his exit.

  Rico greeted him with a cheesy grin in the Hard Drive parking lot. “Slowpoke.”

  “Death wish. You do realize I’ve been up all night, right? My reflexes aren’t top notch.”

  “So you’re saying I’ll be taking you down all day. Or at least more than usual.”

  Mark smirked at Rico. “Rico, I don’t need lightning reflexes for you. You may drive fast. You grapple slowly. Like a turtle.”

  Rico glared at him as Mark laughed. He reached into his truck to get his bag and followed Rico into the gym.

  Mark wrapped his hands and then sat on the mats to stretch. He let his mind relax as he leaned deeper, feeling his muscles pull just the right way. His eyes opened to watch the others in the gym. Rico, Max, and a few less consistent fighters were doing the same thing he was. Mark slowly exhaled as he straightened and reached over his head.

  The piercing sound of an ambulance siren shattered the morning peace in the gym. The other fighters startled, panicked at the sound. Rico and Max together shot a menacing glare at Mark. Shrugging, Mark hopped to his feet and raced to his bag.

  “Dude, you need a new ring tone,” Rico grumbled.

  Mark waved the comment off as he reached in to grab his phone. He stared confused at the number. It wasn’t one he recognized.

  “Answer the stupid thing before we go deaf!” Max barked.

  Mark hit the button and lifted the phone to his ear. “Doctor Jacobsen.”

  There was silence. Mark was puzzled. “Hello?”

  “Umm…hi. This is Lexi Mills.”

  Mark’s heart slammed in his chest and his throat went suddenly dry. He swallowed hard. “Good morning, Ms. Mills. Can I help you with anything?”

  Lexi’s voice was soft. “I wanted to apologize for the way I acted last night. It was a…well, rather long day. And please, call me Lexi.”

  “As long as you call me Mark, sure. Do you want to talk about it?”

  There was another pause. “Not right now.”

  “All right.”

  “I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me and for saving my life. I don’t know how to repay you.”

  “There’s no need to repay me.”

  Mark could almost hear her blush over the phone. “Thanks.”

  “Lexi, I am probably out of line for asking this but could I take you to dinner?”

  There was a long silence. “That is a sweet offer. But no. I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m sorry.”

  Mark’s heart fell into his stomach. “No worries.”

  “Anyway, thank you again.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Mark listened to the line go dead before he tossed his phone back in his bag. There it was. The woman of his dreams had no interest in him. Such was his life.

  “Mark.”

  He looked above his head into Chloe’s smiling face. She continued, “Come up here. And bring your phone.”

  Mark dug his phone out of his bag again and trudged up the steps. He barely got through the door of the office before Chloe snatched it out of his hand. Leaning against the doorframe, he watched her plug it into the cord coming from her computer. Chloe typed quickly on the computer keyboard and tapped on the face of the smart phone. With a grin she handed it back to him. “Now you’ll stop scaring the crap out of us. It sounded like the ambulance was in the gym.”

  “What did you put on here?” Mark demanded tiredly. Chloe didn’t answer. She just took the phone back to activate the ring tone. Within moments, the sound of his favorite college football team’s fight song filled the office. She winked. “I know what you like.”

  “Fantastic.”

  Chloe frowned at him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Whatever. Tell me, Mark. Maybe I can help.”

  “Chloe, you can’t help.”

  “Try me.”

  Mark heaved a sigh. “That woman I pulled from the burning car?”

  “The one you fell hard for? Yeah, go on.”

  Mark glanced at her, puzzled. “How’d you know?”

  Chloe laughed. “You had that same hopeless lovesick look on your face that Rico did when Avery told him they couldn’t go out again.”

  “Yeah. But Rico won Avery over. This woman, Lexi, just told me she doesn’t want to go out with me.”

  Chloe cocked her head. “Did she call?”

  “Yes.”

  Chloe reached up and patted him on the shoulder. “Then you need to keep trying. You’ll get her.” With a wink she sashayed out of her office and down the stairs. Mark watched her go, dumbfounded, before following her.

  »»•««

  Lexi pressed her cell phone tight to her chest and slowly closed her eyes. Logan played quietly in the living room. She could hear the metallic clink of the cars banging together as he played.

  It had taken all of her courage to call Mark Jacobsen. The doctor was her hero. Not only that, he was hot. He was also the sweetest man she had met in a long time.

  Lexi had only called to apologize for the way she had acted in the emergency room. Mark had only been doing his job when he had asked her where she had gotten her injuries. He wasn’t the first doctor who asked her that question. They’d been asking for the past seven years.

  Then Mark asked her to go to dinner. As much as she wanted to say yes, she had to tell him no. I just can’t risk it. Besides, he isn’t going to want to date a woman with a child. And when he finds out about the rest of my screwed up, crazy life…

  She startled as her cell phone vibrated. Her blood ran cold as her eyes locked on the name on the smart phone screen, and she stood stone still as it rang. She whispered softly to herself when it stopped. “Just once. Just call once. Please.”

  Her heart fell as the phone vibrated again. She took a breath and answered.

  “Where the hell were you?” A deep voice on the other end demanded.

  Lexi could hear her voice go weak. It always did when he called. “Derek, I don’t have to answer the phone when you call. You’re not my husband anymore. And I shouldn’t. I have a restraining order against you.”

  “You are the mother of my son. Do you want me to take him away from you?”

  Lexi’s eyes shot toward the living room. “No.”

  “Where’d you go last night? What’s the name of the guy you were sleeping with?”

  “I was at the hospital. The neighbor heard you when you dropped Logan off here instead of meeting my parents like you were supposed to. She called the cops.”

  “Right. Do you remember what I told you? Do you?”

  “Yes, Derek. I do.”

  Derek’s voice became a growl. “If I ever catch you with another guy, I’ll kill him. Got it? I would have thought your little trip to the lake would have taught you.”

  Lexi swallowed hard. “I know.”

  “Next time I call, you answer. Understand?”

  “Yes, Derek.”

  The line went dead. Lexi slumped to the floor, tossing her phone down as soon as her rear hit the carpet. She buried her head against her knees as tears slid down her cheeks. Yep. As much as she wanted to go on a date with Mark Jacobsen, it just wasn’t meant to be.

  She felt a pair of small hands gently touch her arms. “Are you okay, Mommy?” Logan asked.

  Lexi quickly wiped her damp cheeks with the back of her hand and then looked up at her son. She gave him a hug. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Really.”

  Lexi jumped at the sound of the front door opening. The sound unsettled her, especially after dealing with Derek. She felt her nerves light on fire and her whole body tremble when she heard a footstep inside. “Lexi, are you home?”

  Lexi blew out a deep breath in relief, but it
didn’t relax her. “Yeah, Dad. Right here.”

  An older man with salt and pepper hair stepped inside, his arms full of groceries. A woman with faded blonde hair followed carrying another load of bags. Her father scowled as he glanced at her then at her discarded phone. “He called again, didn’t he?”

  “He who?” Logan questioned. “Who called?”

  Lexi’s mother smiled gently at Logan. She held her free hand out to the little boy. “Come on, Logan. Grandpa and I bought chocolate ice cream. Let’s go have a bowl.”

  Logan’s eyes flew open wide. “Can I have sprinkles?”

  “Of course, sweetheart.”

  “Yay!” Logan pulled free from Lexi’s arms and took his grandma’s hand. She glanced quickly from her husband to Lexi before leading Logan toward the kitchen.

  “Lexi, you have to stop answering the phone when that bastard calls. Its bad enough he rearranges the times he drops off Logan so we’re not home. He needs to go back to prison where he belongs.”

  Lexi shook her head sadly and nodded to the sliver of light piercing the wood of the front door. “The last time I ignored his call, Dad, Derek did that.”

  “And the next time he does it, I’m turning him in. Just like I did last time. Granted, the police just took a statement and did nothing. I’m going to call and call until they do.”

  “If he does it again, he’ll take the door down. It’ll be too late.” Lexi stood up. Defeated, she slowly climbed the staircase to her room. She locked the door and slumped on her bed. She barely hit the mattress before the tears started.

  Chapter Three

  Mark strode down the hall, studying the chart in his hand as he did so. He weaved around gurneys and wheelchairs left randomly in the corridors. He wished he could pay attention to the information recorded on his next patient. Truthfully he couldn’t stop thinking about Lexi. He was still kicking himself for asking her out when she called him just to apologize a week ago. As a doctor it certainly wasn’t professional. No wonder she said no.

  He sighed as he pushed the exam room door open and was greeted by the sound of a barking cough. Huffing, he sanitized his hands so he could examine the elderly man on the table. After promising a chest x-ray to investigate for pneumonia, Mark journeyed his way back to the nurse’s station. He handed the chart to Joan. “Room five needs a chest x-ray. And you might want to give the hospitalist a heads up. I think he’s getting admitted.”