But he wasn’t as smart as I was. He looked at Georgie, who made a kicking motion, but I ran at him. A direct punch between his eyes and he was flat on his back, almost out cold. I knew what that meant. I was the victor. The referee held my arm up in the air and the crowd cheered my name. I ran down from the cage and searched the crowd for Berkley, finding her standing right next to Leo, who was clapping with a huge smile on his face. He was always proud of me, and I was lucky for that.
“You won!” She screamed. “Oh my God Dillon, you won!”
I took out my mouth guard and spit out a little extra blood before wrapping my hands around her face and kissing her with all the force I had just had in the cage.
I won the fight.
In the cage, and for her heart.
Doctor’s Orders
A Second Chance Doctor Romance
By Nicole Elliot and Ellie Wild
Prologue
“What did you get for number three?” I asked, peering over his shoulder.
“Mono, the kissing disease.”
“Me too.” I flashed him a smile.
“Weird name for an illness,” he responded, his eyes meeting mine. God, he was gorgeous. Why did he have to look so good? I was supposed to be focusing on the material.
“Ha, yeah I guess.” I moved my hair out of my face.
He moved closer to me, “I mean the only way to get it is through saliva.”
He licked his lips.
This should be gross, I told myself, we’re discussing diseases. But instead all I could think about were his lips on mine.
“So tomorrow is the final. I think we should go celebrate afterwards.” He winked at me.
“Oh? Where do you want to go?”
“Out, anywhere. As long as it’s with you,” he paused. “And you wear those jeans you had on last week for chem.”
“What?” I asked, shocked. I knew exactly what jeans he was talking about. So maybe I had worn them to get his attention. Maybe.
“Because tomorrow, after we pass this class, I am getting my hands into those jeans Hailey Clarke,” he said just above a whisper. My pussy ached in response.
The anticipation of having Wyatt’s hands on my body was going to kill me.
I was sure of it.
Chapter One: Wyatt
I fucking hated November third.
The harsh thought bounced off the walls of my head and seemed to echo across the empty cemetery. The angry thought remained private though.
My mom and I were visiting his grave.
We stood in front of his headstone, staring down at the slab of rock that was supposed to represent his life. Instead, it only represented his absence.
A small American flag whipped back and forth in the wind, creating a steady rhythm to which we could mark our grief.
November third arrived too soon every year.
It would always be the worst day of the year.
Five years had passed since my father died and it still felt like yesterday. This year, my mom didn’t cry. We visited the grave and said our obligatory prayers. I took a short walk so my mom could speak to him alone. I did this with her every year, but I never understood why. Part of me knew it was just a way to make her feel better, that it helped her feel close to him. A bigger part of me thought it was a giant waste of time. What was the point of talking to a rock?
He wasn’t there.
Still, it was a nice change to visit the cemetery and not have to support my sobbing mom back to the car. She didn’t shed a single tear. She was just quiet through the whole thing.
Something had clicked inside of her a few months ago. I could tell the difference immediately. She still felt his loss in her soul, but it no longer crippled her daily life. She finally found a sense of peace.
I was happy for her, I really was. I just would have been happier if we could stop our yearly visits all together. For me, it never got easier to look at his name on that headstone.
Anderson Wyatt Murphy
It was bold and large. Because he was one of the newer residents in the Bradberry cemetery, his headstone stood out among the rest. While others were beginning to fade, his name could be read from fifty yards away.
Every time I laid eyes on it, I was forced to remember him in ways I didn’t want to. I could still see the coffin they unloaded off that plane. There was an American flag laid across it. My mom still had that flag, folded tightly in a memory box in her bedroom.
He died in combat, thousands of miles away from home. Mom and I didn’t get to say goodbye. He was just gone. It almost killed us both, but while my mom retreated into herself for years after, I did the opposite.
At the time of my father’s death, I was pre-med. I had almost finished my Bachelor’s degree and I was getting ready to take the MCAT. Medical school was right around the corner, but all of that changed when my dad died. My entire life plan was thrown out the window and I knew there was only one thing I could do.
Enlist.
I joined the Army as a medic and spent four years serving my country. It was the best and worst four years of my life.
I flew around the world.
I helped people.
I saved lives.
But I was also reminded every day that no one was around to save my dad. If I had been a medic back then, would I have been able to keep him alive? If I had been there, if I had gotten to him fast enough, would he still be here?
Four years in the Army didn’t do anything to squash those thoughts.
When my time was up, I moved back home and tried to reemerge myself in the Bradberry way of life, but it was no use. I was no longer the same person who left Bradberry four years earlier. I was now the guy who came home twice a year to see my mom through the difficult days: the anniversary of my father’s death and Christmas. Other than that, I managed to stay far away from the small town I used to call home.
By the time November third rolled around again, I had been home for six months. I took my mom to the cemetery to honor my father’s five years in the ground and then we went home.
She barely spoke two words to me on the way home. When we walked through the front door, she went straight to the kitchen and sat down at the table.
I followed her, sure that she wanted me to. I sat beside her and looked at her gently. Despite my lack of patience with our annual visits, I knew my mom was fragile and that it was my job to take care of her. With my dad gone, I was the only person she had left.
“This came in the mail for you,” my mom said with a faint smile. She pushed a thin envelope across the table toward me. “I didn’t know you applied again.”
I looked down at the envelope and saw the UConn School of Medicine symbol on the top left-hand corner. My heart skipped a beat as I looked back at my mom. She was right, I hadn’t told her I applied to medical school for the second time. I wasn’t sure how she would take the news of me leaving again, but when I saw her face, she was smiling at me.
“I was going to tell you,” I said. “I just…”
I trailed off and a small silence reigned until she broke it.
“It’s okay,” she said. “Just open it.”
“Okay.” I nodded and took a deep breath. Sliding my finger under the lip of the envelope, I felt like my entire life was either about to begin or end. I didn’t know which, and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to find out.
When I tore open the envelope I automatically reached inside and grabbed the piece of paper. It was just one piece, small and folded in three. I unfolded it and laid it flat on the table, my eyes scanning the words quickly.
It took a few seconds for me to process what I read.
Dear Mr. Murphy,
Thank you for your application, we are happy to inform you…
Once I did, I looked at my mom with a wide smile and nodded silently.
Mom squealed and jumped to her feet. She ran around the table and threw her arms around me.
“Oh honey!” she cried. “I’m so proud
of you! You’re going to be a doctor!”
“I guess it’s official now,” I said softly. “I’m going to med school.”
My mom squealed with delight and let go of my neck. She smoothed down my hair and looked at me with her eyes full of tears. She hadn’t cried at the cemetery that day, but seeing my acceptance letter to medical school was enough to send her over the edge. The tears spilled down her cheeks and she closed her eyes for a minute. With her hand to her chest, she breathed slowly and I knew exactly what she was thinking.
“He would be so proud of you,” she said as she opened her eyes again. I didn’t want to talk about my father in that moment, I just wanted to be happy.
“Thanks,” I said shortly, looking away from her. I focused my attention on the letter and smiled.
“When do classes start?” My mom asked. “Does it say?”
“No,” I shook my head. “They’re sending a larger package in the next few days with all the details. It’ll have the course catalogue and the dates of when I can sign up for classes online.”
“Oh, this is just so exciting!” she said. “We’re going to have a real doctor in the family!”
I smiled and watched her excitement build. She raced around the kitchen, grabbing her cellphone. I knew she couldn’t resist calling all the neighbors and filling them in on the good news. In a town like Bradberry, everybody knew everyone’s business the minute it happened. I was surprised she waited a whole ten minutes before sending up the flare.
I knew she was just proud of me and that she wanted to brag, but it was still slightly embarrassing. After all, when I enlisted in the Army, she didn’t rush out to tell all her friends. She didn’t really do anything but stare at me blankly while I repeated myself twelve times.
When she finally registered my words, she was overcome with so much emotion that she didn’t speak to me for a week. It wasn’t until my last day at home that she hugged me and told me that she understood. She whispered that she loved me and that was it. I walked out the door and we never discussed my decision again.
Now that I was home and safe, her bragging abilities were back in full swing. I sat at the kitchen table and listened while she made phone call after phone call. She never stayed on the phone too long, always ending it with, “Well, I gotta go! I’ve got more people to call, but I wanted you to know! We’re just so happy over here!”
Then would she hang up and immediately dial the next number.
By the fourth call, I hoped she would run out of numbers soon. I knew that was wishful thinking though. She would be on the phone all afternoon.
With a small wave, I walked out onto the front porch, my acceptance letter in hand. I sat down on the porch swing and reread the letter three more times. I wanted to make the words sink in. This had been my dream for as long as I could remember.
My mind drifted to the past and the memories swirled around my head.
When I started college, going pre-med was the only option. I always knew I wanted to be a doctor and my time in the Army only served to solidify that wish. As a medic, I learned more than four years in a classroom could ever teach me.
I knew I was ready for whatever was thrown at me.
As I imagined what medical school would be like, I thought back to my undergrad years. It felt like a different life, those four years at the local college. Almost everyone from Bradberry went there, if they even went to college at all. I never considered going somewhere else. I graduated high school and enrolled in pre-med classes the very next week.
I loved college. I was fucking great at it. I studied hard and partied harder. I could outdrink most of the football team and they all loved to see me do it. Most of the kids there had known each other since elementary school, so we all got along well.
There were only a few people I didn’t automatically know on sight, and Hailey was one of them.
Hailey Clarke drew my attention the very first time I laid eyes on her. We were in a Biology class and I sat down beside her. It was her major and a requirement for mine, so we both took the class more seriously than most. We quickly became study partners, then friends, then more.
I could still picture the small bird tattoo she had on her shoulder. Whenever I thought about it, I remembered what it felt like to kiss that spot.
As I held onto my acceptance letter, Hailey drifted in and out of my mind. We were together when my father passed and everything changed. I left for the Army and I moved on, but Hailey always found a way to pop back in my head from time to time. When I was overseas on a long night, I would picture her face. The next morning would arrive and I would be ready to face the day. Hailey was my secret good luck charm, the little memory I carried around in my pocket and pulled out whenever I needed it.
I reread the letter for a fourth time and sighed. As I folded it up, I immediately thought about telling Hailey. Even after years of silence, I knew she would be happy for me. Hailey was the one who helped me study for the MCAT. She pulled more all-nighters for me than she did for herself.
I thought about calling her, but I knew I couldn’t. I didn’t even know where she was now.
Or if she wanted to hear from me.
We didn’t part on good terms and it was all my fault.
I decided not to dwell on that fact and how much it fucking hurt to let her go.
I let thoughts of how we met consume me instead.
Chapter Two: Wyatt
It was the first day of Biology.
I needed to get a great seat. This class was my first prerequisite for all my pre-med classes and I couldn’t afford to fuck it up. I knew I was smart - I always had been - but I also knew pre-med classes were no joke. As much as I acted to the contrary, I knew I wouldn’t be able to skate through college the way I did high school.
I walked into the classroom fifteen minutes early and took a seat in the front row. We were in the lab that first day, so I took the lab table closest to the window, which would also put me closest to the professor. Slacking off wouldn’t be an option.
As the minutes ticked by, no one walked through the door. I sat alone in the classroom for a full ten minutes before the door finally opened.
A small girl with short brown hair walked inside. She let the door slam behind her while she scanned the room. Her eyes fell on mine and she looked at the lab table where I was sitting. I could tell she wanted to sit there, too, but she felt awkward with us being the only two people in the room.
I lifted my arm and waved her over with a smile. She was cute, she could definitely sit with me. She hesitated for a second before she shrugged and walked over to join me. She smiled shyly and set her bag down on the table before she climbed onto the empty stool.
“Thanks,” she said softly. “I like to be close to the teachers. Or, professors.”
“I had the same idea,” I said with a nod. “Back in high school, I didn’t care because I could basically get A’s without lifting a finger, but I have a feeling college will be different.”
“Is this your first class?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m pre-med. You?”
“I had an English class this morning,” she said. “But this is my first class for my major.”
“What’s your major?” I asked, hoping she would say pre-med.
“Biology,” she said simply.
“Well,” I laughed. “I guess Bio 101 is a pretty good choice then.”
“Yeah,” she laughed back. “Kind of didn’t have a choice.”
I nodded and tried to think of something witty to say.
She was cute in a shy, nerdy kind of way. Her glasses were thick with black rims and every time she looked down at the table her hair fell into her face. When she looked at me, I saw that her eyes were grey with a hint of blue. She was pretty, but not in an obvious sort of way. She looked smarter than any girl I had ever dated.
Back in high school, I was good at everything. I had girlfriends. I played sports. I got straight A’s. Everyone loved me.
“I’m Wyatt,” I said, realizing I hadn’t yet introduced myself. “Wyatt Murphy.”
“I know,” Hailey chuckled. “We went to high school together.”
“We did?” I asked. My cheeks felt a little warm, but I covered quickly. I laughed and said, “Are you sure? I feel like I would remember you if we had.”
“Probably not,” she shook her head. “I wasn’t popular. I sat in the back of the class and only had a couple friends. My name’s Hailey. Hailey Clarke.”
“Clarke?” I asked with a frown. The name didn’t ring any bells. I could tell Hailey was amused by me, but she was kind enough to not say so.
I was failing. I never failed with girls. This was new and I didn’t like it.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I don’t expect you to remember me. You were on the football team, I was in the stands on a Friday night. We didn’t exactly run with the same crowd.”
“Yeah, but this is Bradberry,” I laughed. “Everyone knows everyone.”
“Apparently not,” Hailey shrugged.
I watched while she got out her notebook and popped the top off a pen. She wrote the date in the top right-hand corner of the paper and titled the page “Bio 101 Notes – Day 1.”
I smiled to myself while I watched her meticulous writing. She was careful to keep her handwriting neat. Her “y” was curled slightly in a girly way and I couldn’t help but think it was adorable.
“You really are a nerd, huh?” I teased. She looked at me with wide eyes and I gestured toward her notebook.
“I guess,” she said. “I just want to do well.”
I felt slightly chagrined at my teasing when her earnest and completely innocent gaze met mine. My attempt at flirting had obviously fallen flat. Hailey had only just sat down and already, she was throwing me off my game. She seemed completely oblivious to my efforts. A rarity for me.
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