“That’s the spirit,” Noah said, and they made their way to the room where the workshop was held.
When they arrived, they were given pencils and a large sheet of drawing paper. After a few opening remarks about drawing techniques, it was time to get started. They were asked to try to draw a superhero version of themselves, with the characteristics they would want to have if, indeed, they were superhuman. It struck Riley as an interesting exercise, and one rooted as much in self-analysis as it was in drawing.
Noah created a character called Puckman, who had hockey sticks for arms and overpowered evil with his wicked wrist shot, giving Riley a glimpse into his psyche.
“Not exactly modest, are you, Puckman?” she teased.
He laughed and shook his head. “Nope. Since when are superheroes modest?”
“You do have a point there.”
“Besides, my wrist shot is pretty wicked. Just ask the opposing team’s goalies,” Noah said. “Or Beck, because he faces it in practice.” He leaned over to look at the character she’d drawn. “Who is that?”
“That’s me, can’t you tell?” Her drawing talents weren’t stellar, but Riley liked what she created. “Or what I would look like if I were SuperDoc.”
“Nice,” Noah said. “What’s the symbol on your chest? I’ve seen that before. It’s some medical symbol, right?”
Riley nodded. “Yes. The rod of Aesclepius,” she said. “He was a Greek deity associated with healing and medicine.”
“That makes sense. What’s your power, SuperDoc?”
“I can heal my patients with a single touch.” Riley put the finishing touches on her drawing. “If only it were that easy.”
“Are you thinking about Luis?” Noah asked.
“Him and all the others,” Riley said. “Luis has a good prognosis, but others aren’t so lucky. We deal with some hard things on our floor.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I thought this would be a fun workshop.”
“It has been fun,” Riley said. “I’ve laughed the whole time, and it’s cool imagining myself as a superhero. I do think we have to color these now,” she suggested. The drawing instructor told them at the beginning that the workshop that followed was on cartoon coloring techniques. “You do want to bring Puckman to life in vivid color, don’t you?”
“Are you kidding? Do you even have to ask?”
Riley chose her favorite colors, green and orange, for SuperDoc’s attire, while Naoh’s Puckman sported the Generals’ colors of maroon and gray. They talked and laughed while they worked, with Noah cracking jokes, and Riley began to understand why adult coloring books were the new rage. It was very relaxing to sit and color. So much so that she contemplated getting one for herself to see if it would help her unwind and destress a little. Of course, she had to consider the possibility that in this case, the company helped quite a bit.
After the workshops, they walked around the convention hall, stopping at the exhibitors’ booths. Noah found a rare vintage comic book he’d been looking for, and then when they found a booth selling figurines of various comic characters, he insisted on buying Catwoman for Riley.
“Only because they don’t have SuperDoc,” he said, handing her the package after the vendor wrapped it. “Yet.”
“Their loss. I’m sure they’d sell a lot if they did.”
“Naturally.” Noah grinned. “SuperDoc would be outsold only by the extraordinary Puckman.”
Riley laughed as she rolled her eyes. “Of course you would say that.”
“Yes, I would. I just did. So what’s next, SuperDoc?”
Riley glanced at her watch and sighed. “I’m afraid it’s time for this Not-so-super doctor to head back to the hospital.” She didn’t want to leave the convention yet, but she couldn’t ask Stacy to cover for her any longer.
“Are you sure you don’t have time to grab a bite to eat first?” Noah asked. “You do have to eat dinner.”
“Yes, and I’m afraid it’s going to have to be the cafeteria again,” she said. “I’m sorry, but I really do have to go.”
“I understand, but I have a suggestion,” Noah said. “You go, get back to the hospital. I don’t want you to be late. I’ll go somewhere and pick up dinner for us and bring it by.”
“Are you serious? You’d do that?”
“Yep. What do you want?”
“It doesn’t matter. You choose,” she said. “I do have to warn you that I may not have much time to sit and eat with you.”
Noah nodded. “I know, I get it, but I don’t have anything else planned tonight, so if I can spend even a few more minutes with you, it’s all worth it.”
Riley didn’t know what to say. It was such a nice gesture, and totally unexpected. “Okay, if you’re sure.”
“Of course I’m sure.” Noah held up his drawing. “Besides, I can give this to Luis.”
Riley smiled. “That’s very nice. I’m sure he’ll like it. Thanks, Noah.”
“You’re welcome, SuperDoc. See you soon.”
Chapter Seven
Riley rushed to the hospital to relieve Stacy, and thanked her for covering her shift for a few hours. “I owe you one,” Riley said as she changed back into her work clothes.
“Maybe, but since it’s going to leave you with a twenty, that’s payment enough,” her colleague said. “How did the date go? Was it worth it?”
Riley didn’t even have to think twice before answering, but she did so without excitement. “Yes, it was worth it. I had a wonderful time.”
“That’s great,” Stacy said. “At least it should be, but you don’t sound very happy about it.” She frowned. “In fact, you don’t sound happy at all.”
“Because I’m not.” Riley set her street clothes and her purse inside her locker and closed it. “It’s a complication I don’t need right now, not when I’m trying to finish my residency. It would’ve been better if the date sucked.” Or if Noah would’ve come into her life two years from now, when she’d completed her residency program and might actually have the time for some semblance of a normal life.
He hadn’t, though. He was here now, instead, and it would be impossible for Riley to pretend she wasn’t at all interested and didn’t find Noah very attractive.
Stacy laughed and shook her head. “You’re weird, Ri. You know that?”
Riley nodded. “Yep. I’ve heard that a few times before.” Anxious to change the subject away from her date with Noah, she asked. “How’s everything on the floor with our young patients? Are the charts caught up?”
“Yes, they are,” Stacy said. “You know me.”
Stacy was meticulous and dedicated, and Riley expected to be able to jump right in and know what was happening with every young patient on the floor. “Great. Should be easy to get caught up, then.”
“I think so,” Stacy said. “We’re pretty status quo, except for Braylon.”
Riley frowned. “Oh, no. Is he worse?” Braylon was a young patient with a brain tumor who’d been readmitted a few days before with severe headaches.
“I’m afraid so,” Stacy said. “That little boy is going to need a lot of prayers. Or maybe a miracle. It makes me so sad.”
Riley swallowed hard. “I know the feeling.” Where were her SuperDoc powers when she needed them? That’s right. This was the real world, and she didn’t have them. There was nothing she could do to help the terminally ill boy, and it totally sucked.
“On the bright side, Luis is feeling better,” Stacy said. “We think the parasite is dead. Dr. Sanford wants to start the steroid treatment soon.”
“That’s something, at least.” Riley would have to try to focus on the positives. “Thanks again. I’ll go review the charts and then pop into see all of them.” And wait for Noah to arrive with dinner.
Riley went by the nurse’s station on her way to her office. “I’m going to be in my office catching up on the charts,” she told Lauren. “Noah’s supposed to be coming by, though, so will you page me whe
n he does?”
Lauren’s face broke into a smile. “You know I will,” she said. “I guess that means you had a good afternoon.”
“I suppose.” Riley was careful to downplay it. Lauren was such a hopeful romantic, she probably wanted to marry them off already. “He’s mainly coming to visit Luis,” she lied. “He’s got a present for him. Which reminds me, you can hang this here at the station if you want.” She handed Lauren her own drawing.
The nurse unrolled it and held it up to look at. “Oh my gosh, is that supposed to be you?”
“No. That’s SuperDoc,” Riley said. “She’s much prettier than me, and she has real powers, too. I’m just your average, everyday human Dr. Marks.”
“Aw, don’t sell yourself short,” Lauren said. “Your patients adore you.”
“And I adore them. That’s not always enough, though.” In Braylon’s case, it sounded like it wouldn’t be, and no amount of caring on Riley’s part was likely to change that.
***
Riley left the dinner choice up to Noah, and he didn’t want to disappoint. He wasn’t going to show up with any boring fast food, especially since he knew she seldom had the time to sit down and enjoy a good meal. She might not have much time to sit down and enjoy this one, either, but he still wanted to make it a good one.
Fortunately, one of his favorite Mexican restaurants offered a takeout service, and almost all of the items on their menu were available. Noah loved their food, and probably went a little crazy when he ordered because he left the restaurant with more food than two people could ever eat. Maybe the nurse that he’d met last week would be working, and he could share some of the food with her.
The food smelled fantastic, earning Noah a few longing looks as he rode the elevator to the fifth floor. When he stepped off, he went right to the nurse’s station.
Sure enough, Lauren was working, and greeted him with a smile. “Hi, Noah. Riley said you’d be stopping by.”
“Yep. I’m here, and I have food, too.” He held up the bags. “Probably enough to feed a small country, so I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m always hungry,” she said. “I’m trying to lose weight, though. Again. Still.”
Noah got the impression it was an ongoing struggle for her, and wasn’t sure what to say. Sure, Lauren might be a little bit on the heavier side, but she had a pretty face and a friendly, outgoing personality. She didn’t need to obsess over her weight.
“I don’t know much about dieting,” Noah said, “but I do know it doesn’t mean starving yourself.”
“That’s what Riley tells me. She says I mess up my metabolism my skipping meals,” Lauren told him. “I’ll page her to let her know you’re here.”
“Thanks.” While Noah waited, he leaned against the counter. That’s when he noticed Riley’s drawing on display, and laughed. “She decided to hang that up, huh?” He asked, pointing to it.
“I did, because she asked me to,” Lauren said. “Did you draw those this afternoon?”
“We did, yeah. It was pretty fun.” He smiled as Riley approached, now wearing her usual hospital scrubs. The top was Hello Kitty this time, not nearly as cool, at least in Noah’s opinion, as the comic characters, but she still wore it well. He was beginning to think she could make anything look sexy.
“Hey, SuperDoc,” he greeted her.
“Hi, yourself, Puckman.”
“I come bearing food,” Noah said. “Plenty of it, so I’m sharing with Lauren, too.”
“That’s fine. I’m not selfish. I am, however, starving.”
Noah hadn’t exaggerated much when he said it was enough food for a small country. It was plenty for him and Riley, as well as Lauren and two other nurses on duty. After they divvied everything up, Riley led him back to a small office.
“I’m finishing up some charting, so you can eat and watch me work. Then we can go see Luis.”
Noah shrugged. It wasn’t ideal, but he could live with it. “I’m good with that. I just want to spend more time with you,” he said. “I hope the food is okay. You know I love tacos, and this is my favorite place.” He bit into a barbacoa taco.
“It’s fine. Anything’s fine,” Riley said, as she unwrapped a chicken taco. “It was nice of you to bring some for Lauren, too, even though she’s always trying to diet.”
“Yeah, what’s her story?” Noah asked. “She seems like a sweet girl.”
“She is,” Riley said. “She lacks confidence, though, and she has this idea that she’ll never find love unless she loses weight.” She took a bite, then washed it down with a swallow of soda. “I don’t suppose you have any single teammates you can set her up with who would appreciate her inner beauty?”
Noah wasn’t sure if Riley was serious, or not, but if she was, he didn’t want to dismiss the suggestion outright. “I don’t know, maybe. I’ll see what I can do,” he said. “Although at the moment I’m more focused on getting you interested in me.”
***
Riley finished reviewing the charts while munching on tacos and refried beans, and Noah sat and watched while she ate, never once complaining.
“Not the most exciting date you’ve had, I’m sure,” she said, closing out of the last patients’ charts on her computer.
“Maybe not, but the afternoon made up for it,” Noah said. “This was a compromise to extend the date a little longer.”
Riley understood, because she wanted to spend more time with him, too, in whatever way she could. “Most guys wouldn’t have done this.”
Noah gave a shrug of his shoulders. “Fair enough, but I’m not most guys.”
“Yeah, I’m figuring that out.” Riley pushed her chair back and stood up. “I’ve got a few patients to check on before Luis, but you’re welcome to go say hi to him and I’ll see you in a little bit.”
“I’ll do that, thanks.”
They threw away the trash as they left Riley’s office, then parted ways in front of Luis’ room. Riley stopped to visit a couple of other patients, finding them in good spirits, then mentally tried to prepare herself for seeing Braylon. The eight-year-old was asleep when Riley looked in on him, but was noticeably weaker since the last time she’d seen him. Stacy was right. It wouldn’t be long, and Riley found herself selfishly relieved that the boy’s family wasn’t around at the moment, because she knew they’d have questions that Riley didn’t want to have to answer.
Coward, much?
She remembered the Braylon she’d first met almost a year ago, a bright, happy, bubbly boy who was admitted after a seizure. Not unlike Luis, actually, except that Braylon’s diagnosis was far more drastic. Maybe that was the reason why Riley took such an interest in Luis’ case when he’d come into her care. She feared another diagnosis like Braylon’s.
Fortunately, Luis was expected to make a full recovery. When Riley pushed open the door to his room, she found him sitting up, a big smile on his face as he talked with Noah.
“Hi, doc,” he said. “Noah’s here, and he brought me a picture he drew. Wanna see it?”
“I already have,” Riley said. “In fact, I was there when he drew it this afternoon.” Now why had she gone ahead and admitted that?”
“Really?” The boy looked from her back to Noah. “Is she your girlfriend or something?”
Out of the mouths of children! Riley stood frozen in the doorway, curious what Noah would say. He looked up, and their eyes met for a second, before he turned back to Luis.
“Maybe not officially yet, but I’m working on it.”
Luis’s eyes grew wide. “Neat. Dr. Marks is pretty cool.”
“Yeah, I think so, too,” Noah said with a laugh.
“Okay, change of subject,” Riley said. “How’re are you feeling, Luis?”
“Good. When do I get to go home?”
“Hopefully, not too much longer,” she said. They would have to make sure he didn’t suffer any ill effects from the next medication first, though.
A few minutes later, Riley left Luis’ roo
m with Noah.
“Sounds like we have his approval,” he said. “It’ll be nice to have an ally.”
Riley couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Oh, brother.”
“Hey, I might need the help,” Noah said. “So far, you don’t seem to be entirely won over by my charms.”
Maybe not entirely, but Riley had to admit—at least to herself—that he was making steady progress. That’s what scared her.
“Anyway, I’ll go now,” Noah said. “I know you’ve got work to do.”
“I do, yes.” Riley walked with him to the elevator. “Thanks again for a great time this afternoon, and for bringing me dinner, too.”
“My pleasure.” He pressed the elevator button. “I’ll call you, okay?”
“I’d like that,” Riley said. They stood for a second, and she wondered if Noah might kiss her, but then the elevator opened and someone stepped off. It was just as well, because Riley wasn’t sure she was ready.
Noah got in the elevator and have her a wave as the doors began to close. “’Night, Riley.”
“Good night,” she said, but the doors were already closed. Riley turned around to find Lauren watching.
“Oh my goodness, I was hoping he would kiss you.”
Yeah, so was I. “You’re such a romantic, Lauren.”
The nurse shrugged. “Maybe, but what’s wrong with that?”
Chapter Eight
After the two game road trip, followed by a couple of days off, Noah was anxious to get back on the ice in front of the home crowd. The All-Star game had been fun, but the team had a playoff push to make now. Fortunately, with a three game homestand coming up, the team would get the chance to rack up some points. Before taking the ice against Tampa Bay, though, Noah was ready to decompress with his game day ritual.
He wore a tie-dye T-shirt and white shorts, and selected a Day-Glo orange ball. Noah was a little superstitious, and he had the best luck with the orange ball on this course, even recording a hole-in-one on the hole with a rotating chain saw windmill. Before he made his way over to the first hole, he decided to call Riley. When they parted on Saturday, Noah told her he would, and she’d encouraged him to.
Breaking the Ice (Men of the Ice, #7) Page 5