“But you shouldn’t let him talk to you like that.”
“I wasn’t going to. But before I could even defend myself, you’d stepped in. And while I appreciate you playing the role of the white knight, it really wasn’t necessary.”
“You aren’t going to give me even an inch, are you? Why do I threaten you so much? I’ve already told you I don’t want your job. Is it a crime to care about you getting treated like shit by some blowhard doctor?”
Val looked sideways at Nate. He was so hard to read. It was incredibly frustrating. “I’m just saying I can take care of myself.”
“Whatever,” Nate muttered. He stopped at her office door. “So I’ll wait to hear from you about when we should go to the board meeting.”
“Sounds good.” Val escaped into the sanctuary of her office and closed the door. Her stomach grumbled and she set a hand on her belly. Reaching into her top desk drawer, she took out the packet of M&M’s she’d purchased the day before from a vending machine and popped a few into her mouth. Hopefully she’d have the time and energy for a better dinner later, but she didn’t want to walk all the way to the cafeteria to get something, only to have to shovel it in if Doug’s secretary summoned her. Besides, she had a ton of work to do. All her other projects were moving at a snail’s pace because of this mess. She considered asking Nate to help her draft a couple of press releases for her, but dismissed the idea. He probably still needed time to work on his own clients’ messes and she didn’t want to rely on him too much anyway.
Sighing, she eyed the inbox sitting on the corner of her desk. She hadn’t even opened her postal mail in what seemed like forever. Picking up the stack, she shoved it into her bag to go through at home and then turned to the pile of grant awards she needed to write up releases for. Hopefully that stack would continue to be as large in the coming months as it was now, but it was highly unlikely if NIH was holding up funding. Biting her lip, she pulled the top one off the heap and grabbed her highlighter. These awards were chock-full of medical terms and the only way to decipher them into a press release for the layman was to grab a few choice words and phrases.
Val jumped when her phone rang. She’d been so immersed in crafting the release she hadn’t noticed nearly forty minutes had gone by. Her hand crept over her heart to will it to slow as she picked up the phone. Doug’s secretary relayed the details of the board meeting and then Val rose to give Nate the update. She found him pacing in his office, gesticulating and shaking his head at whatever the person on the other end of his cell phone was saying.
He spun around and spotted her, pulling the phone away from his ear. “Board?”
“In about a half-hour. But if you’re busy–”
“I’ll be there.” Turning away, he began to speak into the phone again. Val went back to her own office, feeling a little stung by his abruptness. She checked her email while she waited and then ran to the ladies’ room. When she returned to her office Nate was leaning against the wall, waiting for her. “Ready?”
“Yep.” Grabbing her bag, she locked her office door and they left the department. The two of them began the walk to the main hospital in silence, until Val couldn’t stand it anymore. “Look, if you have stuff you need to take care of I can handle this.”
“I’m sure you can, but I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“I said I’m fine.”
“All right. I just know your business must be suffering.”
“It’s fine.”
“Can you say anything besides ‘fine’?”
He stopped and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer. “How about, ‘I’ve had a long, frustrating day, and if you don’t stop being so nice to me I’m going to kiss you again to show you just how fine I really am’?”
Val’s breath caught. Right about now that sounded freakishly good. “We need to go,” she managed to croak out.
Nate released her and began to walk again. Shaking her head in exasperation, Val followed. They reached the main hospital and took the elevator to the tenth floor. The executive conference room was immediately to the left of the elevators, and when Val and Nate arrived much of the board was already assembled. Doug nodded to them and they took seats along the wall, saving the chairs around the table for the board members.
Doug called the meeting to order and gave a quick update. When he was finished he indicated Val should come to the front of the room. “Everyone, you all know Val Chase, our Director of Public Relations. She’s going to fill you in on the steps we’re taking to hopefully alleviate some of the public backlash regarding this incident.”
Val thanked Doug and outlined the strategy she, Doug and Nate were following. Nate stayed silent throughout and, when she was finished, Doug asked if there were any questions. A few of the board members asked for details about one aspect or another of the plan, but overall seemed satisfied with the course of action. Val took what seemed like her first full breath that day, letting it out slowly. She’d been expecting more questioning and vitriol. The board talked about a few other things and then ended the meeting. Val checked her watch. It was nearly eight and she was starving. Standing, she turned to Nate. “I’m going to head right to the parking garage. I’ve got my laptop and I’ll do some work from home after I eat. I’m starving. See you tomorrow?” Nate nodded, one side of his mouth kicking up. “What?”
“That was a very polite kiss-off.”
With an impatient huff, she retorted, “How was I kissing you off? The workday is done. Well, at least, the workday here. So I’m leaving.” She waved to Doug and left the room. Nate followed.
“Don’t get testy.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m about to gnaw my own arm off and I’m tired. I’m not in the mood for banter.”
“So let’s do something else with our mouths. I can think of a whole slew of fun things I can do to you with mine.”
“Nate!” Val glanced around, but thankfully the board members were still in the conference room.
“What? Like I’ve made it a secret I want you?”
“Keep your voice down. We can’t.”
“Yes, you’ve mentioned that, but you still haven’t given me a legitimate reason.”
“Us working together isn’t a legitimate reason? You leaving soon?”
“Not in my book.” The doors opened and they stepped onto the elevator.
“They are in mine.”
“What are you so afraid of?”
Val spun to face him. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
Nate raised an arrogant brow. Yeah, she wasn’t fooling either one of them. “Sure you’re not. You’re scared as hell, but you still want me.” He backed her into the corner of the elevator and plunged his hands into her hair. His insistent hardness was evident even through their clothing and Val barely bit back a moan. Just as his lips began to descend the elevator dinged and she escaped his arms.
“I have to go.” After she reached her car and got in, she banged her head on the headrest. “Dammit! Why does the first guy who’s interested me in way too long have to be him? He’s leaving.” He’s gorgeous. “He’s the cockiest guy I’ve ever seen.” He makes you feel good. She growled at her own traitorous thoughts. Maybe when this was all over I should sign up with one of those Internet dating services. And her inner voice snorted. Nate will make those guys pale in comparison. She liked him. She hated him. But worst of all, she was starting to crave him.
*****
Nate fell onto the bed in his hotel room and pushed speed dial four on his cell phone. His friend Andrew answered. “So you are alive.”
Nate snorted. “Of course I’m alive.”
“Where did you disappear to? Lesli’s being very close-lipped about it.”
“It’s not really a secret, I just don’t want to publicize where I am to the world at large.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
“I came up to Buffalo to help out a friend who’s going through a PR crisis, but if the press gets wind t
hat I’m around it’ll get blown up even bigger than it already is. It would be another headache for my friend, so I’m keeping my head down and staying behind the scenes.”
“Ah, incognito. Got it.”
“Anyway, I have a favor to ask you.”
“Uh-oh, I don’t like the sound of this.”
“Trust me, you’ll be only too happy to do this for me. Lesli reminded me I was supposed to take Marisa McCall to the costume gala at the Met this weekend, and there’s no way I’m going to be home in time to go. Would you call her and tell her I asked you to step in for me? Lesli can give you her number.”
“Marisa McCall? The actress? You, my friend, are wrapped in gold. How do you get these girls to agree to go out with you in the first place?”
“It must be my natural charm. Look—will you do this for me?”
Andrew snorted. “Sure. And you’re right. It’s hardly a difficult thing to escort a gorgeous woman to a party. What were you supposed to go as?”
“That reminds me. Lesli can also let you into my apartment. My costume should’ve been delivered sometime this week. It should fit you.”
“What is it, or do I not want to know?”
Nate laughed. “It’s not that bad. I was going as Anthony to her Cleopatra.”
“Why am I not surprised Marisa would want to be Cleopatra?”
“Because she’s an actress?”
“Probably. So when are you going to grace us with your presence again?”
“I’m not sure.” Nate frowned when he realized he was rubbing his forehead. “It’s kind of a mess up here.”
“So who’s this friend? I didn’t know you had any friends who you’d drop your business for.”
“He’s an old friend from my college days who got me through some real rough patches. I owed him.”
“I guess so. I can’t even imagine how much you’re missing out on in billing.”
“I’ll survive. I have enough money.”
“Whatever you say. Personally, there’s never enough money. Or women.”
“Dude, please don’t be a dog on Saturday night. Marisa will throw a hissy fit if you do.”
“I’ll behave. Well, as much as I can.”
Nate barked out a laugh. “Just be nice.”
After hanging up, Nate laced his hands behind his head and studied the ceiling in his lonely, empty hotel room. Nate lived alone, but he’d never felt so disconnected from the world around him. In New York City there were always a wealth of diversions, but he didn’t know the area around here and was loath to call Val to get some suggestions. He certainly wasn’t going to bother Doug with his boredom.
Nate wasn’t sure how to convince Val their being together, even if it was short-term, wasn’t a mistake. Uncertainty was a foreign feeling to him, and he didn’t like it a bit. He wanted her, sure, but it wasn’t just a physical ache at this point. He needed to know what made her tick, what made her laugh, what made her moan, as much as he needed breath. Shifting in the bed, he began to devise a strategy.
Chapter Seven
Val arrived at work the next morning to a message from a reporter for Oncology Times, the largest cancer-centered magazine out there. She booted up her computer but decided to call the reporter back before she got immersed in other work. Glancing at the number she’d written down on the legal pad in front of her, she dialed. The receptionist answered and rang her through to the reporter’s office.
“Nicole Reagan.”
“Hi Nicole, it’s Val Chase from Cancer Care Center of Buffalo.”
There was a brief pause and then Nicole said, “Yes, Val. Thanks for calling me back.”
“Sure.”
“Listen, I’ve gotten orders from on high to hold CCC’s planned profile until this thing with your doctor is resolved. I’m really sorry, Val. It’s not my decision.”
Val closed her eyes and shook her head, a headache already forming behind her eyes. She’d worked really hard to get that feature. Although she knew she was probably being dramatic, Val couldn’t help the feeling that so much of her work was going down the drain, that the hospital was in real trouble and nothing she could do would change that. Public relations only went so far. They needed to find Dr. Godlowski. “I know. It’s not your fault.”
“I really am sorry. I was excited to see the piece run. It’s some of my best writing.”
“I’m sorry too. Thanks for giving me the warning.”
“No problem. Call us back when you get some sort of resolution and we’ll see what we can do for you then. Unfortunately, things are going to depend on how much space we have at that point.”
“I understand.” After listening to Nicole apologize again, Val hung up. Pillowing her head in her arms, she collapsed onto the desk.
“Bad morning already?”
Her head popped up at the sound of Nate’s voice. “Yeah. Oncology Times is pulling a big spread until further notice.”
“That sucks.”
Val raised an eyebrow. “How eloquent.”
Nate shrugged in response. “Sometimes succinct is best.” He paused for a beat and then said, “So what do you wanna do now?”
“I have a mountain of work. I need to get some projects off my desk. What about you?”
“I’m at your disposal.” For work, Val. Keep your focus.
She took a deep breath. “Do you know how to use Verde?”
“The press release software? Haven’t used it in a while, but I’m sure I can figure it out.”
“Your assistant probably does all that kind of thing for you, I know, but I need to get a couple of releases scheduled for the next few days. The positive press machine has got to chug again.”
“Agreed. Email me the releases.”
“They’re technically not part of the stuff you’re helping with. Are you sure you want to do it?”
“Val, send me the releases. I’m here. Let me help.”
She considered, but decided she couldn’t turn down someone offering to assist her. “Okay. All the settings that are in it now should be fine as far as who receives the release, and the program should be installed on the computer in your office.”
“No problem. I think we should call another press conference to give an update on the investigation.”
Val blinked. “But there’s no update.”
“That doesn’t matter. You need to say something. You can’t appear to have your head in the sand.”
“We don’t, but we still have a hospital to run. This isn’t our only story.”
“Then tell the press that. Make it sound like you’re going after this guy with everything you have, and then refocus their attention on something else. Is there some other doctor or project we can trot out for them that we didn’t use for the spots?”
Val stretched her neck from side to side. An ache was creeping in to join the pounding in her head. Wonderful. “Probably. Let me make a few phone calls. I know some of the people I’d considered weren’t available. Maybe they are now.”
“Send me those releases and I’ll get that off your plate while you’re wrangling someone for the press conference. Shall I ask the department secretary to get a hold of the media outlets?”
“Please. Or find an intern. One of them handled the phone calls last time.” Val turned to her computer and bit her lip when she saw she had over two hundred unread messages in her email. They’d just have to wait. Picking up the phone, she called the head of the breast cancer department. When his secretary put her through, she said, “Dr. Jones. I’m glad I caught you between patients. I know today is your clinic day, but I was wondering if you would be willing to do me a favor.” At his wary assent, she continued. “We’re holding a press conference later today and I was wondering if you’d present the results of that flax seed study.”
“I thought we were holding that for The Cancer Times.”
Val briefly bit her lip. “Yes, well, we think it would be a good idea to get some positive press out there, considering ou
r situation.”
Dr. Jones made a dismissive noise. “You think hearing that flax seed may be able to help prevent breast cancer is going to make the press forget that one of our doctors stole nearly five million dollars from this institute? You’re either naïve or delusional.”
Dr. Jones had always been a tough nut to crack but his research was, from Val’s knowledge, the most promising results to come out of the hospital in a couple of months. “I understand your concern, Dr. Jones, but we’ve got to do something. We can’t continue to allow the press to dwell on the incident. A smokescreen is one way to get them off our backs.”
“If you were the press, what would you focus on? Research results aren’t sexy. Stealing and mysteriously disappearing is. It sells newspapers. It gets ratings.”
“Yes, but we have no idea when or even if we’ll find Dr. Godlowski, and we need to move on and show the world Cancer Care Center is still doing great work.” Val was frustrated Dr. Jones didn’t appear to want to help out the hospital that had employed him for almost twenty years. It wasn’t like she was asking for more than a few hours.
“I’m sorry, Val. I’d like to help you, but I have a reputation to consider. I’m part of the commission making the breast cancer screening guidelines. I can’t associate myself with this scandal any more than I already have just by working here.”
Selfish jerk. “Thank you for your time.” Like his precious reputation wouldn’t survive this. Dr. Jones was one of the leading scientists in the area of breast cancer research worldwide. No matter what he thought, he’d be fine. As she hung up, she blew a loud breath. “Where now?”
“You talking to yourself?”
Val’s head whipped around. Nate stood in the doorway. “No, it would appear I’m talking to you. Did you need something?”
“Just looking for a little assistance posting the first release.” Nate actually looked a little sheepish and Val couldn’t help but relish his discomfort a little. “I guess it’s been longer than I thought since I’ve dealt with this stuff.” Jerking his head toward the phone, he asked, “No luck?”
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