by Sandi Lynn
“How romantic of you.” I laughed. “What about your parents? I’m sure they’re very proud of their genius boy.”
The humor on his face turned serious as he cleared his throat and finished off his wine.
“My father is a narcissistic bastard and I don’t want to talk about my mother. Let’s leave it at that.”
“Sure. Okay.” My brows furrowed. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I asked you first, so it was only natural for you to ask me.”
While we were eating our dinner, I heard my phone ding with a text message. Pulling it from my purse, my stomach sank when I saw who it was from.
“I stopped by the hospital today to see you and Jesse told me you quit. Then I went to your apartment and Mrs. Leeds told me you moved out. You asked for two months and I gave it to you. Where the hell are you? I need to see you, Grace.”
I took in a deep breath and placed my phone back in my purse.
“Are you okay?” Jamieson asked.
“Yeah.” I looked at him.
“You seemed bothered when you looked at your phone.”
“No. Not at all.” I lied.
The waitress walked over and set the bill on the table. At the same time, Jamieson and I reached over, my hand placed on his. His brow arched as he looked at me.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Paying for my half.”
“The hell you are. Dinner was my idea, remember?”
“Yes. And to quote you, ‘I was thinking that maybe we could grab some dinner together.’ You didn’t say ‘I want to take you to dinner.’ There’s a difference.”
His brows furrowed as he opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“I specifically said that a proper welcome to Los Angeles was in order. That’s what I’m doing. I’m welcoming you to Los Angeles by treating you to dinner.”
“This isn’t a date,” I spoke.
“No, it’s not a date. It’s me, a new friend and co-worker, welcoming you to Los Angeles.”
I sat across from him and narrowed my eye as I slowly removed my hand from his.
“Thank you.” I nodded.
“You’re welcome.” A smirk formed on his lips.
“And by the way,” I scooted out of the booth, “you forgot to say that you were my one-night stand.”
He let out a chuckle as we walked out of the restaurant and waited for the valet to bring around his car.
“I’m not having sex with you,” I spoke as I looked over at him.
“Why not?” The corners of his mouth curved upwards.
“Because. This is my new life and that doesn’t include sex with people I work with. I have rules, Dr. Finn.”
“So you’re saying you had sex with your co-workers at Manhattan Memorial in your old life?”
“No. I’ve never had sex with anyone at Manhattan Memorial. Like I said, I have rules. What happened between us in New York was a one-time thing during my old life.”
Chapter 8
Jamieson
“You’re really confusing me with this whole ‘old life-new life’ business. What happened to you that you up and left New York to start a new life? Was it because of some guy?” I glanced over at her.
“Remember at dinner when you told me that you didn’t want to talk about your mother? Well, I don’t want to talk about my old life back in New York.”
“Then answer me this. Have you ever lived in California before?”
“I did. Up until I was ten years old. Why?”
I pulled up to her apartment building.
“It’s just a comment Renata made.”
“What did she say?”
“She was warning me to stay away from you and she just mentioned that it was going to be hard on you as it is being here.”
“My parents were killed here in a car accident,” she spoke.
“Gee, I’m sorry, Grace.”
“Like I told you and my Aunt Cora, that was twenty years ago.”
She opened the door, climbed out, and headed for the door.
“Your Aunt Cora?” I asked as I climbed out and walked her up.
“She was the one who took me in and raised me. Why was Renata warning you to stay away from me?” she asked as her brows furrowed.
“You know Renata. Playing Mama Bear and being protective of the resident she raised.”
A light smile crossed her mouth as she placed her hand on my chest.
“I don’t need protection and I’m exhausted. Thank you for dinner, Jamieson.”
“You’re welcome, Grace.” I took in a deep breath. “Have a good night.”
“You too.” The corners of her mouth curved upwards as she opened the door and stepped inside.
I stood there with my hands tucked into my pants pockets and watched her until the door shut. Walking back to my car, I thought about how I couldn’t believe she wouldn’t have sex with me. But it was all good. I’d make sure she broke her rule and she’d be in my bed sooner or later. Sooner being my goal.
Grace
I stepped into my apartment, threw my keys on the counter, and laid across my bed. Holding my phone in my hand, I brought up Sam’s text message, and with much hesitation, I replied.
“I got a new job and I moved away from New York. Please don’t contact me again.”
Instantly, he wrote me back.
“You moved out of the state? WTF, Grace? I gave you what you asked. I didn’t bother you at all. Please, talk to me.”
“I will never talk to you again. Go get some help, Sam. If you have a shred of decency left in you, you’ll do what’s right. Like I said, don’t contact me again. You are my past mistake and that’s where you’re staying.”
I hit the send button and then blocked his number. My heart ached as a tear fell down my cheek. I wasn’t doing this again. I wouldn’t let myself hurt over him anymore. I wiped my eyes, went into the bathroom, and got ready for bed. As I was lying there, I picked up the picture of me and my parents that was sitting on my nightstand. Memories of the time we had as a family here haunted me. I missed them both so much. I set the picture back on my nightstand, and when I closed my eyes, my pager went off. It was the hospital asking me to call them.
“It’s Dr. Harper. You paged me?”
“Dr. Finn needs you to call him right away. Let me know when you’re ready to take down his number.”
I frowned as I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the drawer of my nightstand.
“I’m ready.” I took down his number as she rattled it off. “Thank you.”
“He said it’s very important.”
I dialed his number and after two rings, he answered.
“Dr. Finn.”
“Dr. Finn, it’s Dr. Harper. You had the hospital page me?”
“I did, Dr. Harper. Thank you for calling so promptly.”
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Nothing. I just forgot to ask you for your phone number earlier.”
“You told the hospital to page me so you could get my number?” I let out a light laugh.
“Yes. Like I said, I forgot to get it earlier.”
“You just couldn’t have asked me for it in the morning?”
“I could have, but why wait when I could get it now? Good night, Dr. Harper.”
“Good night, Dr. Finn.” I smiled as I ended the call and stored his number in my phone.
Jamieson
I smiled as I set my phone down and sipped the drink in my hand while I listened to the waves of the ocean crash against the shore. I liked Grace. I liked her enough to have sex with her on a regular basis. No strings, no attachment. We were doctors, and we didn’t have time for anything but sex when we needed it. All I had to do was get her to agree. The only thing standing in the way was her stupid rule about sleeping with co-workers. Come on, who didn’t sleep with their co-workers? I finished off my drink and went inside.
The next morning, after my rounds, I went into my offic
e before surgery and called Dr. Ryan Knowles.
“Dr. Finn, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Dr. Knowles, how are you?”
“I’m good, Jamieson.”
“Listen, I understand you had Grace Harper under your fellowship.”
“I did. Brilliant woman and surgeon. It broke my heart when she left. She’s over there with you guys now, right?”
“Yes. I performed surgery with her yesterday and she’s very good. She told me she studied under you.”
“One of the best damn trauma surgeons in the country. This hospital suffered a great loss.”
“Do you know why she left?”
“Apparently, Renata made her an offer she couldn’t refuse. Damn that woman.” He chuckled. “Why are you asking?”
“Just curious. I didn’t know if something happened over there to make her want to leave.”
“Nothing that I’m aware of. Just Renata taking back her baby.”
I let out a light laugh.
“Thanks, Ryan.”
“Jamieson, Grace is an amazing woman. Don’t give her a hard time over there.”
“I won’t. I have a surgery I need to perform. We’ll talk again soon.”
I ended the call and set down my phone. Bringing my index fingers up to my lips, I leaned back in my chair and started plotting a way to get Dr. Grace Harper into my bed.
Chapter 9
Grace
“Good morning, Jackie.” I smiled.
“Good morning, Dr. Harper.”
I walked into the doctors’ lounge and put my things in my locker.
“So how was your dinner last night with Dr. Finn?” she asked as she followed me inside.
“It was good. We had a nice time.”
“Nice? That was it?” Her eye narrowed at me.
“Yes. That was it. We had dinner, and then he drove me home.”
“Strange. Nothing happened, and he was okay with that?” She placed her hand on her hip.
“Of course.” I let out a light laugh. “Why wouldn’t he be?”
“Because he’s Dr. Finn. Women don’t just go out to dinner with him. Ever!”
I shrugged. “I have rules and I told him that.”
“Rules, eh?”
“I don’t sleep with co-workers. It’s been a rule since I started my residency.”
“Damn, girl. Half this hospital is sleeping together. It’s like one big soap opera around here. Like I said,” she pointed at me, “I can tell we’re going to be very good friends.”
“I could use some other friends here, because the only one I seem to have is Dr. Finn.” I smirked. “Anything going on right now?”
“No. It’s quiet at the moment,” she replied.
“Good. I’m going to grab a coffee.”
I stepped into the elevator and pushed the button to the rooftop. Before reaching it, it stopped on the sixth floor, and when the doors opened, Jamieson was standing there.
“Well, hello. Good morning.” He grinned as he stepped inside.
“Good morning.”
He went to push the button to the rooftop and saw it was already lit up.
“Coffee run?” he asked.
“Yeah.” I smiled as I glanced over at him.
“Good, then we can have our morning coffee together. But I only have a few minutes. I have surgery.”
The elevator doors opened and as soon as we stepped onto the rooftop, my pager went off.
“Looks like you’ll be having coffee alone. I’m needed in the ER.”
“Probably better anyway. I would hate for you to think it was a date.” He winked.
“I don’t do dates, remember?” I smirked.
“That’s right. You only do one-night stands.” His brow arched.
I narrowed my eye at him as the elevator doors closed.
“What do we have?” I asked Jackie when I stepped into trauma room three.
“Mr. Stone. Thirty-seven-year-old male. Fell from a three-story window. Vitals are stable. Looks like he has multiple fractures and possible head trauma.”
I put on a pair of gloves and walked over to him.
“Let’s get a trauma panel, type and cross, and CT scan. Page Orthopedics and Dr. Finn.”
“Mr. Stone, I’m Dr. Harper and I’m going to take good care of you,” I spoke as I checked his abdominal area and then his eyes.
“Feeling sad we couldn’t have coffee together?” Jamieson smirked as he stepped into the room.
“Yes. It broke my heart.” I rolled my eyes. “Mr. Stone fell from a three-story window.”
“I didn’t fall. I jumped,” he spoke.
“And why would you do that?” Jamieson asked as he examined him.
“Because my wife cheated on me.”
“Well, if you really wanted to kill yourself, you’d have to jump from a higher point,” Jamieson spoke.
I shot him a look and he shrugged.
“The internet said three stories was enough if I fell right.”
“Do you always believe what you read on the internet?” Jamieson asked him. “Dr. Harper.” He gestured to the hallway.
“I have surgery. Get the CT scan and let me know what it shows. It looks like it could be a basilar skull fracture from the look of his eyes. Also, call psych.”
“Sorry, I was tied up with a patient,” a handsome man wearing a white doctor’s coat spoke as he stood in front of me and Jamieson.
“Dr. Harper. This is Dr. Logan Gray. Logan, meet Dr. Grace Harper, the hospital’s new trauma surgeon.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” He smiled. “What do we have?” he asked as I followed him into the room.
“This is Mr. Stone and he fell from a three-story window. It looks like he has multiple leg fractures.”
“I told you I jumped,” he spoke.
“Your legs don’t look good, Mr. Stone,” Dr. Gray spoke. “It looks like you’re going to need surgery so I can reset the bones.”
“Dr. Harper, his blood pressure is 80/60,” Jackie spoke.
“Increase his saline to 500cc’s.”
I grabbed the ultrasound transducer and scanned his abdominal area.
“He has some internal bleeding. Let’s get him up to the OR.”
Chapter 10
Jamieson
After I was finished with one surgery, I was paged to another, Dr. Grace Harper’s patient.
“I’m here. Did you get that CT scan?” I asked Grace.
“Up on the monitor, Dr. Finn,” she spoke.
“Just as I thought. Okay, let’s open up his skull.”
His pressure started to bottom out and the beeps from the machines were erratic.
“I’ve got a bleeder and his brain is starting to swell. Get the paddles now,” I said.
“Damn it,” Grace spoke as she took the paddles and placed them on his chest.
“Charge to 200. Clear!”
I looked at the monitor and nothing.
“Charge to 200 again. Clear! Come on, Mr. Stone. I know how you feel, but it’s not worth dying over,” Grace spoke.
I stared at her as she shocked him again and his heart started beating. Grace let out a deep breath.
“Welcome back, Mr. Stone,” I spoke as I continued to work on his brain. “Nice work, Dr. Harper.”
“Can you try to keep my patient alive?” she asked.
“Doing my best. How about a drink after work?”
“I’d love to, Jamieson,” Dr. Gray spoke as he worked on the patient’s legs.
“I wasn’t asking you, Logan. I was asking Dr. Harper.”
“I’m your best friend. We always get drinks together. Wait a minute. Is something going on between the two of you?” he asked.
“Nothing is going on between us, Dr. Gray. As for a drink, Dr. Finn, the answer is no.”
“Why?”
“Because you and drinks will get me into trouble. Dr. Reed, can you close for me?” she asked.
“Of course, Dr. Harper.”
“Yes, Dr. Finn.”
I took off my gown and stepped into the scrub room.
“What did you mean by that comment?” I asked.
“Remember what happened the last time we had just drinks together?” She smirked.
“Of course. How could I forget?”
“I already told you that I’m not sleeping with you again.”
After we washed out, I followed her to the elevator.
“Come on, Grace. You have to admit it was damn good.”
The doors opened and we both stepped inside.
“Yes, Jamieson, it was good. But that doesn’t change the fact that we work together, and no matter how good it was, I’m not breaking my rule.”
“We had dinner together last night and nothing happened.”
“Exactly, and you’ll do anything you can to get in my pants again. Am I right?” Her brow raised at me.
I pulled the stop button on the elevator.
“Yeah. I will. I’m not a liar and I won’t ever lie to you. I liked the night we had together back in New York. What’s wrong with wanting to have another night like that again? You aren’t interested in a relationship, I’m not interested in one, so why can’t the two of us just have casual sex to unwind from the stress of our work and call it a day? I can have sex with any woman in this hospital with the snap of my fingers and without having to beg. But here I stand, wanting it with you. You should be flattered, by the way.”
She stood there, staring at me with her head cocked and a perplexed look on her face.
“What?” I held out my arms to the side.
She took in a sharp breath, pushed in the stop button, and the elevator began to move. As soon as the doors opened, she shook her head at me and stepped out.
“What did you say to her?” Renata asked as she stepped in and stood next to me.
“I said nothing.”
“Then why did she have a disgusted look on her face and shake her head at you?” Her brow arched.
“Because I turned her down.” I smirked. “I’m staying away from her like you asked.”
“You’re so full of shit, Jamieson.” She shook her head as the doors opened and she stepped out.