The Visiting Surgeon

by Lucy Clark

  ‘Don’t choke,’ he said softly as he rose to his feet.

  Soon, everyone was clapping after Jackson’s speech, and their meal was being served. The person seated to her left was a theatre nurse she’d worked with several times, and the two of them talked about a variety of topics.

  Just as coffee was being served, Susie checked her watch and gasped when she realised the time.

  ‘Something wrong?’ Jackson asked, a frown on his face.

  ‘If I don’t run, I’ll be late for clinic.’ She took a quick sip of her coffee.

  ‘I’ll walk back with you,’ he stated.

  ‘That’s not necessary.’ She drained her cup and stood. ‘Besides, it will take you ages to get out of here. Everyone wants to have a word with you.’

  ‘Well, they’ll have to wait. I need to have a word with you.’

  ‘Oh.’ Susie wasn’t quite sure what to say. Had she done something wrong again? She edged towards the doorway as the nurse who’d been sitting beside her asked Jackson a question.

  ‘Will you be at the dinner this evening?’ he asked her, and she nodded. ‘How about we catch up then? Sorry to do this but I’m running late for an important meeting and then I’m lecturing again this afternoon.’

  ‘We’ll talk at dinner, then,’ the nurse replied soothingly, her eyes saying that she wanted to do more than talk to him. Susie felt sick. She was out of the restaurant and heading towards the pedestrian crossing when Jackson caught up with her.

  ‘I thought I said I’d walk back with you.’

  ‘From the look of things, you were otherwise engaged.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘Forget it,’ she said, angry with him for not knowing when women were literally throwing themselves at him. Surely an attractive man of his age knew how to reel in the females. She shook her head. He was no different to Greg. Greg, who’d had affairs with almost every nurse in the hospital! Greg, who’d had such an easy, charming manner with the women and had used it to his best advantage. Well, she wasn’t going to be taken in by another womaniser.

  ‘So what did you want to talk about?’ she asked as the pedestrian light turned green. She headed off across the road with Jackson at her side, each as huffy as the other.

  ‘I wanted to talk about what’s going on between us.’

  ‘What?’ Susie stopped and gazed incredulously at him. As far as she was concerned, they’d put an end to it last night as both of them had agreed to keep their distance. Jackson grabbed her arm and propelled her along.

  ‘Stopping in the middle of the road isn’t a wise idea, Susie.’ He let go of her arm as soon as they reached the other side, both of them continuing towards the hospital. ‘I know you feel the same pull of emotion I do. It happens every time we get within sight of each other.’

  Susie opened the side door leading to a staircase that came out near her office. Jackson followed her, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

  When they came out in the department, she headed up the corridor and went directly into her office. She held the door for him and closed it the instant he was inside.

  ‘Now, what is this all about?’ she asked. Her chest was starting to ache from her increased breathing, and after the confrontations she’d already had this morning she didn’t thank Jackson for providing her with another one.

  Jackson didn’t stop walking and paced restlessly around her floor. ‘I need to tell you something, Susie.’

  ‘What?’ She made no attempt to move, still standing by the door. He came over and took her hands in his, leading her over to a chair.

  ‘Sit down.’

  ‘I don’t want to sit down,’ she retorted, but stood with the backs of her knees pressing against the chair.

  ‘Can you feel that?’ His voice was harsh yet urgent. ‘When I touch your hands? It’s there, Susie. Whatever this thing is between us, it’s there.’

  ‘So? We don’t have to act on it. You’ll be gone at the end of the week and—’

  ‘Susie.’ He dropped her hands and took a few steps away. His actions were stiff and unnatural. Something was really wrong. ‘We need to talk.’

  ‘About what? About this attraction?’

  ‘No. About my wife.’

  CHAPTER FOUR

  SUSIE’S mouth hung open and she stared at him with incredulity as she dropped down onto the chair.

  ‘Your wife? I don’t want to hear about your wife!’

  Jackson exhaled harshly and raked an unsteady hand through his hair as he started to pace the room again.

  She watched his movements, trying not to admire his long legs. Here she was, having a multitude of amorous emotions about the man, yet all he wanted was to talk about his marriage, like she was some sort of counsellor. The anger started building inside and she narrowed her eyes, glaring at him.

  ‘How dare you even talk about an attraction between us? I won’t become involved with a married man and don’t you dare even ask me.’ As her words penetrated her own mind, she laughed humourlessly. ‘What am I saying? You’ll be gone at the end of the week and any unwanted romantic yearnings will be going with you.’ She shook her head. ‘Married.’ She watched him pace and realised that his agitation was increasing.

  She slowly stood, quickly leaning on her desk as she realised her legs weren’t quite up to supporting her yet. She manoeuvred around to her chair and thankfully sat down again.

  ‘Right. Finished? Good,’ he said, not waiting for an answer. ‘I don’t have a wife.’

  Susie frowned. ‘What?’

  ‘I don’t have a wife.’

  ‘But you said—’

  ‘I said I wanted to tell you about my wife.’

  The wheels started turning slowly. ‘So you’re not married?’

  ‘I’m a widower,’ he said softly, and Susie’s anger evaporated into thin air.

  ‘Oh, Jackson.’ It explained a lot. Why he seemed oblivious when women were flirting with him. Why he was always polite and attentive. Why the expression in his eyes changed from one of desire to one of confusion in an instant.

  Susie stared at him. He looked so lost…so desolate. She wanted to go to him and wrap her arms about him—but she didn’t. Even though he’d shared this with her, she still didn’t know him and he was, after all, a colleague. A colleague who would only be here for another five days! How many times did she have to keep reminding herself of that?

  Quite a few, it seemed, as she couldn’t deny she was drawn to him. She didn’t understand it and was finding it increasingly difficult to control.

  ‘When did she die?’

  ‘Almost eighteen months ago.’ He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked down at the ground. ‘Alison was my secretary for about a year before we were married. It was her idea to do the VOP and, in fact, she arranged most of it.’

  Susie nodded slowly. That explained why his dossier said he was married. He’d felt obliged to continue with the VOP to fulfil his wife’s dream.

  ‘Alison died suddenly in a road accident six months before the VOP was due to begin. She was supposed to come with me on the tour.’ Jackson looked at Susie, his face blank. His words were delivered without emotion and Susie realised that he still missed his wife very much.

  ‘You don’t need to explain anything to me,’ she said softly.

  ‘I wanted you to know.’

  ‘I appreciate it.’

  Jackson stood where he was, closer to the door than to her desk. His gaze encompassed her and Susie worked hard to control her heart rate. He might be a widower but he had another woman in his heart.

  Even as she told herself this, she couldn’t stop the way her body reacted to him. Her pulse had increased, her breathing was now more rapid and her stomach was back to churning with repressed desire. With a single glance, Jackson was able to affect her. It wasn’t fair.

  The air in the room seemed to grow thick with suppressed tension and Susie knew she couldn’t look away. Not this time. He had shared a m
ost intimate part of himself with her.

  The beeper attached to the waistband of his trousers sounded. Jackson checked the number and rolled his eyes. ‘May I?’ He gestured to her phone. He punched in the number on his pager and waited impatiently. ‘Yes, Richard?’ he answered. ‘I’ll be right there.’

  The short reprieve had been enough for Susie to collect her thoughts. Part of her felt liberated. Jackson wasn’t married. She didn’t need to feel guilty any more about her attraction to him.

  He smiled at her. A small lopsided grin that had her heart rate picking up. ‘I’ll see you tonight. At dinner.’

  ‘Ah…yes.’ Susie returned his smile before watching him leave. As soon as he’d shut her door, she buried her head in her hands again. Making little sobbing noises, she wondered how she found herself in these sorts of situations. She was attracted to Jackson and although he would only be here for five days, which was enough motivation for her to keep away from him, to compound the situation even more, he was a widower. A widower who was apparently still in love with his wife.

  ‘Are you sleeping again?’ Todd said as he walked up to her desk. ‘If you weren’t the boss, I’d be reporting you.’

  Susie looked up at him, too exhausted to hide her emotions. ‘What’s wrong?’ Todd asked instantly.

  Susie sighed. ‘Oh, nothing. It just hasn’t been the best of days so far.’

  ‘Does it have anything to do with Jackson?’ Todd asked, and Susie looked at him sharply.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Other people don’t know you as well as I do.’

  ‘Meaning?’ Susie said, encouraging him to say more.

  ‘That I know you’re attracted to Jackson and, judging by the way he was acting last night, waiting impatiently for you to arrive, I’d say he’s just as attracted to you.’

  ‘You’re right,’ Susie said dejectedly.

  ‘So why don’t you go for it?’

  ‘Huh. You know my history with men.’

  ‘Jackson isn’t Greg, Susie. Or Walter. You shouldn’t tar all of us with the same brush.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I take offence at that,’ he replied half-jokingly.

  ‘Sorry. It would never work.’

  ‘Why? Because he’s a widower?’

  ‘You know?’

  ‘Sure. Richard told me.’

  ‘Why didn’t you—?’ She stopped. ‘Never mind.’ She stared out into nothingness before shrugging. ‘It just wouldn’t work. Too many complications.’ She took a deep breath and pasted on a smile. ‘So I’m going to put it out of my mind and get to clinic.’ She glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘Oh, my goodness. I didn’t realise the time. I’m late already.’

  ‘That’s what I came in to tell you.’

  ‘Fine assistant you are,’ she chided, but grew serious as she came around her desk. ‘Thanks, Todd.’

  ‘Get going.’

  Susie rushed to clinic, greeting the patients as she walked through the crowded waiting room. During the clinic, she hardly had time to draw breath, let alone dwell on thoughts relating to Jackson Myers. When she was on the second last patient, the phone on her consulting desk shrilled to life.

  ‘Dr Monahan,’ she said absent-mindedly into the receiver as she wrote up notes.

  ‘Hi, Susie. It’s Mallory.’

  ‘Oh, hi. Long time, no hear.’ Susie had worked with Mallory’s husband, Nick Sterling, years ago, and after Nick had introduced her to Mallory, the two had become good friends. ‘How is everyone?’

  ‘Just fine. Edward’s had a bit of a hay fever but, then, it is spring so it’s to be expected. Listen, Todd told me you were in clinic so I won’t keep you long. Nick and I were hoping to get down to Brisbane during the week to catch up with the visiting professor, but it’s just been one emergency after the other. Todd told me that Jackson doesn’t have anything planned for Saturday and we were wondering if he’d like to take a break from hotels and restaurant meals to come up here for a bit of home cooking.’

  ‘You’re cooking?’ Susie jested.

  ‘No.’ She could tell Mallory was smiling. ‘Arlene will be cooking. Oh, you know what I mean. It won’t be restaurant food. You could drive him up and that way, we can catch up with you, too.’

  Susie thought for a moment. The drive to the Sunshine Coast where Nick and Mallory lived was only one hour away, but the thought of being confined in a car with Jackson for the drive there and back made Susie catch her breath.

  ‘I’m not sure, Mallory.’

  ‘Well, I’m sure he’d like the chance to meet Nick, you know, as Nick also did a visiting professorship. Granted, it was in general surgery but, still, the same sort of schedule applies.’

  ‘Oh, I can see why you’d both want to meet Jackson but I don’t know whether I’ll be able to come. Perhaps he’d feel more comfortable hiring a car and driving there by himself. Appleton is very beautiful in the spring.’

  ‘Except when you have a three-year-old with hay fever,’ Mallory joked.

  ‘Is Rebekah still enjoying school?’ Susie asked in a bid to change the subject for a moment.

  ‘She loves it. She’s eight years old and knows absolutely everything. She’s always right, and as her father is of the same opinion and temperament, it makes for interesting…discussions.’ Mallory laughed.

  ‘I can well believe it. Look, I’ll run the idea past Jackson this evening at dinner and let you know.’

  ‘Thanks. That would be great.’

  When Susie had hung up, she shook her head slowly. Her relationship with Jackson must remain strictly professional. If she were to accompany him to Appleton, as well as introducing him to her close friends, it would be more of a personal relationship. It was too tempting. Far too tempting.

  There was a knock at her door and Susie snapped out of her reverie. ‘Susie, have you got a minute to look at some X-rays? I’d like your opinion,’ Kyle said after opening her door.

  ‘Back to business,’ she mumbled, and walked over to where Kyle was hooking the radiographs up onto the viewer. Work was definitely one way to keep her mind off Jackson and she was thankful for a job that required so much of her concentration. They managed to finish the clinic just after five-thirty, which was only half an hour late. Susie wrote up the last of the notes as Kyle stopped and said goodnight to her. ‘Are you coming to the dinner tonight?’ she asked.

  ‘After missing last night’s dinner? I’ll definitely be there.’

  ‘See you then, Kyle.’ She returned her attention to the notes but heard Kyle’s voice in the distance talking to someone. The nurses had left the instant the last patient had departed so Susie wondered who it might be.

  Seconds later, she heard footsteps heading towards her consulting room and looked up expectantly at the open doorway.

  ‘Hi,’ Jackson said a moment later. ‘I hope I’m not disturbing you?’

  Susie’s heart lurched happily at the sight of him and a shiver of excited anticipation worked its way down her spine. Yes, he was disturbing her—far too much for her liking. ‘No. I’m just finishing up.’ She motioned to the notes, all the while trying to calm herself.

  ‘Don’t let me interrupt,’ he said, and looked at some of the posters stuck up on the wall. Susie quickly finished writing the notes and the instant she’d closed the file and put her pen down her phone rang.

  ‘Excuse me,’ she said, but Jackson merely nodded. ‘Dr Monahan.’

  ‘Susie, an emergency has just come in. They’re demanding the head of the unit,’ Triage Sister said.

  Susie groaned resignedly. ‘Details?’

  ‘Right scapula, right Colles’ and dislocation of the neck of humerus. Susie, it’s Blade Fargo.’

  ‘Is that name supposed to mean something to me?’

  ‘Honestly, Susie. Don’t you ever go to the movies?’

  ‘Sure. So?’ She glanced at Jackson, only to find him watching her.

  ‘Problem?’ he said softly.

  ‘Eme
rgency,’ she mouthed, and he nodded.

  ‘Blade Fargo is the hottest thing in movies,’ Triage Sister was saying. ‘Cool Pets? Everybody’s Hero? The remake of Swan Song?’

  ‘Oh, yeah. I’ve seen that one. Right.’ Susie at least had a picture of the actor in her head.

  ‘He’s been filming his latest film in several locations around Brisbane and today they were doing a stunt and he fell.’

  ‘At least he wasn’t playing sport,’ she mumbled.

  ‘Pardon?’

  ‘Nothing. I’m on my way.’ She hung up the receiver and turned her attention to Jackson.

  ‘What’s happening?’

  ‘Blade Fargo is in A and E.’

  ‘Who?’

  Susie laughed again. ‘I’m glad to see I’m not the only one out of touch. He’s a movie star,’ she continued as she packed up her desk and headed for the door. Turning out her light, she looked over her shoulder at him. ‘Want to accompany me to A and E?’

  ‘Sure.’ His enthusiasm was evident.

  ‘I guess most of the operating you’ve done has been scheduled.’

  ‘Exactly. I can’t recall the last time I dealt with an emergency.’

  Susie pressed the button for the lift and while they waited she tilted her head and eyed him thoughtfully. ‘What’s the deal with your operating and practising licence? You must have operated in some of the finest facilities in the world.’

  ‘I have. For visiting professorships, the recipient is granted an international operating licence.’

  ‘So you could quite easily operate with me right now if I asked you.’

  ‘Yes.’ The lift arrived and they rode it down to A and E. ‘Will you?’ he asked with the delighted anticipation of a child at Christmas. ‘Please?’

  Susie couldn’t help but smile at him. ‘I don’t know.’ She pretended to consider him thoughtfully. ‘How’s your upper-limb expertise?’

  ‘Pretty rusty,’ he confessed. ‘But I’d only be assisting,’ he was quick to point out.

  ‘Let’s see how his injuries present. Chances are, he won’t require surgery at all.’ She told him what the triage sister had said and he nodded, all pretence gone as they walked into A and E. If she’d wanted to get people’s attention, she had it—walking in with the visiting orthopaedic professor to treat a movie star.