Rescue Me

by Anne, Melody

  “Really? He doesn’t seem depressed,” the man told her.

  “He’s normally well-behaved and calm like he is now. I don’t know what happened,” she said.

  As if he knew they were talking about him, Eeyore looked up, his tongue hanging from his mouth as he gazed at the man as if expecting to be petted and told he’d done a good job.

  Much to Patsy’s surprise the guy leaned down and patted Eeyore’s head. “Nice catch, buddy,” he said, and Eeyore ate up the attention.

  “Don’t praise him. He’s in trouble,” Patsy said.

  “We’re all good. It’s not a big deal, and to be fair, that was one hell of a leap into the air. Let me help you up,” the man told her.

  He rose to his feet, making those beautiful leg muscles flex and Patsy’s mouth water at the same time. There was no way she was reaching for that hand. Her body was already betraying her as it was.

  “I’m good,” Patsy told him. It took a moment, but she rose to her feet, knowing she would have a giant bruise on her ass, making it difficult to sit for a while. There was no way she was going to show she was in any amount of pain, though. “Let’s just pretend none of this happened.”

  The man’s smile widened and Patsy had a feeling he was trying not to laugh at her. His already gorgeous face was even more devastating when crinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.

  “Kind of hard to forget being used as a launch pad,” he said with good humor.

  “I’m sorry,” Patsy mumbled again. She refused to keep looking at him. She needed to get this conversation over with, turn around, and flee as fast as she possibly could.

  “No worries,” he said.

  “I’m late,” Patsy told him. She had to get away before she did something foolish like lean in and see if he smelled as good as she thought he might. She tugged on Eeyore’s leash and turned around, wanting to run, but forcing herself to walk with dignity.

  “Hey!” he called out. “Aren’t you going to tell me your name?”

  Patsy didn’t turn as she raised a hand. “I think we’ll leave that a mystery,” she hollered as she picked up her pace.

  The man didn’t chase her down, and she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. But her heart didn’t slow as she made her escape. Luckily her apartment wasn’t far from the park, though now she might have to find a new place to walk her misbehaving animal rather than risk running into the mysterious man again.

  Or maybe she’d walk the dog ten times a day just to see if she could catch another glimpse of him. She wasn’t sure. She decided the best solution would be to call Nicole. She always knew what to do. Tomorrow Patsy started her new job. For now, she could go home and fantasize about a sexy stranger in a park . . . and thunder storms. Today she was still a medical student. Tomorrow she was a resident.

  Her life was truly about to begin. She needed to remind herself of that when she had lustful thoughts of strange men. She didn’t have time for them. And more importantly she didn’t want them.

  Sure, her hormones taunted her. Sure, she didn’t want a sweaty, sexy man looking at her as if she were his next meal. What woman would desire that? It was a good thing they hadn’t exchanged names. Because out of sight could be out of mind.

  Settled.

  That was most definitely settled.

  She was now ready for a new day. She smiled as she told herself she’d never think about the man or the incident again. She was stubborn and determined, and smart. She could do anything she put her mind to. And tomorrow truly would be a brand new day in a brand new life that she couldn’t wait to begin.

  Chapter Two

  Patsy was eager to start the day as she slipped into the bustling hospital that would be her new home for at least the next four years. This was it. This was what she’d worked so hard for. She was lucky to have a supportive family, a sister who always made her feel as if she was proud of her, and would support her even if she wanted to be a coffee barista. A lot of the people she’d gone to school with after her sister had married Ryan had asked why she’d want to put herself through the torture of medical school when she didn’t have to, and Patsy had been disgusted.

  For one thing her brother-in-law’s wealth had nothing to do with her, though the man had set up a trust fund for her that could support a small country. No amount of arguing had stopped him. She had to admit walking out of medical school without heaps of debt had been nice, but she couldn’t help but feel guilty over it.

  She hadn’t been born to be a socialite just because of who her sister had married. She’d been saved through surgery; it was the beginning of her love of medicine. She’d known from the moment she’d survived she’d do the same for others. She’d become intensely interested in plastics because she loved taking something broken and making it whole again. She’d been given a new heart and though the world couldn’t see it, she knew it was there keeping her alive. She wanted to give that same chance to others.

  So many people thought plastic surgery was nothing more than a way for vain people to try to hold on to a youth that was long gone. Patsy sometimes thought that way about certain procedures, but she knew there was more to it than that. It wasn’t about what was on the outside, even for those type of surgeries, it was about matching how you looked to how you felt, and it wasn’t anyone’s damn business why someone chose to do something that made them feel better about themselves.

  Besides that, she’d witnessed babies having cleft palates fixed and accident victims getting a new lease on life. Plastics was the most satisfying way for her to express herself. Someday she’d be the one in charge, and she wanted to be the best. No, she might not be doing brain surgery or heart transplants, but her work would be seen by the world, and that’s why it mattered so much.

  Of course today she wouldn’t be fixing anyone. That was a good thing. She’d been up most of the night, excited for her career to begin, and not so excitedly consumed by thoughts of the stranger in the park. When she’d finally managed to fall asleep, he’d flashed those dark brown eyes at her, waking her up in a sweat.

  Yep, she’d decided she had to find a new park. She couldn’t effectively do her job if she didn’t get enough sleep, and seeing that man again would surely cause her many more restless nights.

  Moving into a large conference room, Patsy didn’t bother looking around. It was orientation day and there were a lot of people waiting, eager to begin their new lives.

  Taking an open seat, she picked up a packet that was on the table, looking at the impressive line-up of staff with years of experience and prestige behind their names. They could choose to be anywhere, but here they were, preparing the next generation to continue their work.

  One of the men began talking, and though Patsy tried listening, his words bored her. It was the typical welcome speech. She should be eating it up, but some people were meant to engage a room, and some weren’t. Dr. Watson wasn’t known to keep your eyes open.

  Trying to stay alert, Patsy scanned the crowd. A couple of people met her eyes and gave her a smile. One doctor winked, infuriating her. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t dealt with surgeons’ egos before. But it still annoyed her that she was often treated like nothing more than a grunt to do their bidding and smile pretty, taking their flirting as a compliment. Her hands might be small, but one day they’d do great things—and she’d earn the respect she deserved, even if she had to beat it out of her colleagues.

  Turning away from the guy she wanted to give a crude gesture to, Patsy’s eyes instantly stopped scanning as her mouth went dry and her gaze was captured. No! She might not have a perfect life, but she was normally blessed with good luck.

  As Patsy’s gaze scanned the hospital ID clipped to the doctor’s coat, and then back to his smiling brown eyes—eyes she was sure to never forget—she wanted to knock herself in the head. How had she missed it the day before? How had she not recognized h
is face?

  Probably because she’d been in shock, she hadn’t expected to see the man without his scrubs. Sitting across the table from her was none other than the man who’d kept her awake for too many hours the night before. And he just so happened to be one of the most sought after plastic surgeons in the US, and her superior—Dr. Kyle Armistead.

  Thankfully, Patsy was sitting, or she more than likely would’ve fallen on her ass in front of him just as she had the day before. Her stomach twisted, and she wondered why fate had suddenly decided to turn on her. She considered herself a good person, one who didn’t normally whine about her life. What did she have to cry about, after all?

  Instantly Patsy clung to her bottom lip as she gnawed on it, and since Dr. Armistead’s gaze locked with hers, she saw the spark in his eyes as they practically caressed her features and then . . . he winked—just as the other infuriating, and patronizing, doctor had done.

  It was a mocking gesture, and they both knew it. She’d refused to give him her name the day before, and now she was in the same room with him; not only did he have her name, but he had power over her career. She’d sworn she wouldn’t be one of those stupid students who was attracted to one of her peers, or even worse, to one of her superiors, but did it count when she hadn’t known?

  She sent him a withering look before turning away, trying to ignore her dry mouth and rapidly beating heart. She needed to get this situation under control. Nothing too terrible had happened the day before. She’d been embarrassed . . . and attracted. There was nothing wrong with either of those emotions. They were professionals and they could move on from this. It was just that easy, she decided, and then her gaze returned to him once more.

  It appeared as if his attention hadn’t left her. That wasn’t helping her frayed nerves—not at all. Realizing other people might be witnessing her internal battle as her face wasn’t exactly known to hide emotion, Patsy jerked her gaze away and found a new fascination with the polished table beneath her folder.

  She took a moment to analyze the look he’d been giving her, which had appeared to be a cross between amusement and victory. She’d run away, but she hadn’t gotten very far. He had nothing to be victorious about. He might have her name now, but that didn’t mean he could do anything with it.

  With resolve to focus on what Dr. Watson was saying, Patsy chose to ignore Dr. Armistead. She’d been ignoring men for years, so this would be no trouble at all. After two hours in a room that seemed to be shrinking in on her, Patsy wondered if she could develop nerves of steel in this job.

  She knew she was making it up in her mind, but it had felt like Dr. Armistead’s gaze had been on her the entire time Dr. Watson had spoken and answered questions. It was ridiculous to think that way, but the few times she’d allowed herself to glance his way, he’d met her gaze, his expression unreadable.

  This was either going to be a short-lived infatuation with the prestigious doctor, or it was going to be the longest residency ever. Only time would tell which way this would go.

  Dr. Watson dismissed the class, and Patsy was one of the first out of the room. Dr. Kyle Armistead was new to the hospital, highly sought after and snagged up as their new head of the plastic surgery department, so he’d be incredibly busy. She could avoid him while still doing her job, while still learning. She made it a goal to avoid him until she could be in the same room with the man without stripping him in her mind.

  With that decision made, she felt a lot better. She moved into the changing room and took a deep breath, smiling at the other residents who were eager to begin. She went on autopilot as she introduced herself and chatted with her colleagues.

  By the end of her first day, she felt great. She hadn’t seen Kyle Armistead since the meeting. It was going to work out. Her luck was back where it was supposed to be—with her winning.

  Chapter Three

  Kyle was a lucky man. He knew it on so many levels that when he didn’t appreciate his life, he felt not only foolish but like an ungrateful, spoiled brat. He’d grown up with money, and there had been times in his life he’d rebelled, thinking he was going to make his mark on the world without his family’s backing.

  What he’d failed to remember was that he was able to choose who he wanted to be because he’d been raised by two loving parents and shared his life with three brothers. He was the oldest, and his mother had thrown her hands in the air the day his younger brother Jason had been born.

  She’d wanted a girl.

  But she appreciated all her boys, making sure they each knew her life wouldn’t have been the same without any of them. She’d meant the words.

  So Kyle didn’t know why it was so difficult to come back home. There were no ill feelings involved, and he didn’t have any childhood trauma to confuse the matter. He knew his family had open arms for him. Maybe it was because he felt so lost right now. Maybe it was because he was ungrateful.

  He’d only come for two visits in the past ten years, but that hadn’t stopped his family from going to him. They made sure to do their visits in the winter when Seattle weather was driving them slightly crazy.

  Kyle had to smile as he thought about the last visit with his brother Mitch. He’d decided he was going to learn to surf. That had earned his brother a broken wrist, which hadn’t upset him too badly since the lifeguard had then spent the night with him.

  Women had always come easy for the Armistead men. Sure their wealth was appealing. Kyle wasn’t so stupid to believe it wasn’t. But there was more to it than a pocket full of cash. There was confidence money brought that could only be achieved by not worrying about where your next meal would come from or if you’d have a roof over your head.

  Kyle needed to be more appreciative of his life.

  He smiled as he walked up to a local pub he’d been sneaking into since before he’d turned twenty-one. His long time friend’s father owned the place, and it had been a haven for Kyle and his brothers, a safe place they’d come to whenever they came home.

  It was a dive in a less than reputable part of town. That only added to the charm of the place. Kyle walked in through the doors, a crowd already filling the tables and bar to near capacity. The seats were scratched and worn, the tables filled with carvings, and the floor scuffed beyond repair . . . and it was heaven.

  He looked to the back corner and smiled when he saw Jason sitting at their favorite spot, a cold mug in his hand. His brother glanced up and grinned. Kyle felt ten years of stress fly off his shoulders as he made his way across the crowded room.

  “Look who’s here,” Jason said with a sly grin. “The big bad doctor in a dive bar. Who would’ve thunk it?” The twinkle in Jason’s eyes was exactly the same as when he’d been three, wreaking havoc in the Armistead household.

  The four brothers couldn’t have been more different from one another. Whether that was by design or an attempt for each of them to show their individuality, Kyle wasn’t sure.

  Jason was the jokester, always the first to smile in any situation, always quick with his words, and a crowd pleaser. Jason couldn’t walk into a room without everyone following him around within an hour’s time. He was that guy you just wanted to be with.

  “Some of us have jobs we can’t run out on,” Kyle said as he sat down and looked for a waitress. “You could’ve had a beer ready for me.”

  “I did,” Jason said. “But you took too long, and I’m drinking it.” He didn’t look remorseful.

  “Mitch and Matthew aren’t here, so I can’t be that late,” Kyle pointed out.

  “You know Matthew is up in Alaska,” Jason said. “And Mitch did text. He’ll be here soon.”

  Matthew was the smartest brother, hands down. His mind never stopped and his expertise was utilized all over the world. He called Seattle his home base, but in reality he probably only spent a couple months there each year. That made Kyle feel a little better about moving away for te
n years.

  Mitch was the heart of the family. Well, their mother was the heart, but if there ever was a soul aligned with hers, it was their brother Mitch. He wasn’t soft by any means, but he had a heart as big as Texas. He was the one they could count on hands down every time.

  Kyle wondered how his brothers would describe him. He was obviously smart as he’d not only made it through medical school but had done so at the top of his class. He knew how to crack a joke, but he wouldn’t consider himself a clown. He cared about people, obviously as his chosen career had been medicine. But he couldn’t think of any one thing that truly defined him. He wasn’t going to ask his brothers what their opinion might be on that particular subject.

  “I can’t believe you beat me here,” Mitch said as the chair next to Kyle pulled out and his six-foot brother plopped down. “That’s got to be a first.”

  “How’s it going, Shorty?” Kyle asked with a Cheshire cat grin. Mitch tapped him on the arm with a punch that would’ve sent most men flying off their chair. It only made Kyle laugh.

  Mitch had received the Shorty nickname since he was the smallest of the brothers. That wasn’t saying much since he stood six foot and weighed two hundred twenty pounds. Their father was a giant, and each of the boys had inherited his genes.

  Mitch flexed just in time for a waitress to appear. She was new, and she was clearly impressed with the man showing off his impressive biceps.

  “Well, hello, Sugar. How are you tonight?” Jason asked, and she turned her attention to that brother, looking equally enamored by him. Kyle had to stifle a laugh.

  “Um . . . I’m . . . um . . . good,” she managed to stutter as her cheeks heated.

  “Quit picking on the beautiful lady,” Mitch said, and Kyle could practically hear the woman sigh at the compliment. “Can we get another round of beers?”