Needing Him

by Kennedy Fox

  “Thank you again,” I tell him, shaking his hand. “I look forward to working here.”

  “You’ll fit right in, dear. We’re always understaffed and even more so since Dr. Lockhart retired.” He winks again, and I take that as my cue to leave before things get weird.

  I make my way out of his office and downstairs, then head to the ER unit. It’s actually quite large, considering the size of the hospital, which both terrifies and excites me.

  Once I step inside, I ask one of the nurses for the supervisor, and she directs me to a tall man who’s reading through charts. I excuse myself and let him know who I am, and by the wide smile on his face, I can tell he’s been expecting me.

  “Nice to meet you, Dr. Bell.” He shakes my hand and smiles while his eyes lazily roam over my body. I shiver, second-guessing my outfit. I wanted to look professional, but now I’m wondering if I should’ve gone the muumuu route instead.

  “You, too, Dr. Umbridge. I’m excited to be here.” I pull my hand away and slide it down my skirt.

  “I’ll show you to the lockers where you can place your belongings, then you’ll be training with Dr. Bishop till you’re familiar with our procedures.”

  “Oh, I won’t be working with you?” I ask, puzzled.

  “No, I’m leaving for vacation tomorrow, so Dr. Bishop will be in charge till my return.”

  “Oh, got it.” I follow him into a room and choose an empty locker bin for my bags. I rip open one of the lab coat bags and slide it over, relieved that it fits nicely. I brought my dark blue scrubs with me just in case, but I’m not exactly sure what I’ll be doing today, so I don’t change into them just yet.

  “Dr. Bishop is on the fourth floor checking on a patient. You can head up there and let him know you’re here. He should be expecting you.”

  He leads me to the elevators and asks if I have any questions before I step in. I have so many, starting with who Dr. Bishop is and if he’s from the same Bishop family I just met over the weekend. It’d be nice to know someone or at least recognize a familiar face, though I probably wouldn’t remember anyway. Not after the number of drinks I had.

  I thank Dr. Umbridge again before the doors slide closed, and I inhale a deep breath. I can do this. New beginnings, I remind myself.

  The elevator doors slide open to the pediatrics unit. It’s quiet with only a handful of employees standing near the nurses’ station.

  “Excuse me,” I say softly to the woman sitting behind the desk. She looks up at me and smiles. “Could you tell me where Dr. Bishop is by chance? I was told he’s up here.” She narrows her eyes at me suspiciously, obviously not recognizing or knowing who I am. “I’m the new ER doctor, and he’s supposed to be showing me around,” I explain to ease her concern.

  “Oh! Welcome!” Her mood changes instantly. “Dr. Bishop is actually right over there. The tall one with blond hair.” She nods to the right, pointing him out with her finger, and when I follow her eyes, my heart drops.

  No fucking way.

  “The dreamy one,” she mutters under her breath with a sigh, though I’m sure she didn’t mean for me to hear that last part.

  I swallow, blinking, and do my best to hold my composure. Just because my one-night stand also happens to be Dr. Bishop doesn’t mean things have to get weird.

  Oh, who the hell am I kidding?

  The second I glance at him, I immediately recognize him. All the questions that swirled in my mind since Saturday morning were now answered. It wasn’t the other random groomsmen I hooked up with; it was Alex’s oldest brother, Evan Bishop.

  Fucking hell.

  I smile, pushing back all my emotions as I walk toward him. He’s standing with a few nurses in light blue scrubs, and the moment his eyes meet mine, he crosses his arms over his broad chest. Fuck. He recognizes me too. And he’s pissed.

  Regret sets in on the way I handled things the morning after, but maybe with any hope, we can get past it and move on.

  “Emily? That’s real cute.”

  Guess not.

  His deep voice makes his words sound like a scolding, and that’s when I remember I gave him a fake name. He has every right to hate me, especially for stealing his clothes, but I’m not going to let him treat me like shit for walking out on him after a hookup. I don’t owe him anything except his tux, which I already gave to Kiera to take back to the shop.

  I suck in a deep breath and release it slowly. “And you’re Dr. Bishop, aren’t you?” I’ve mastered the fake smile over the years of dealing with people, but I won’t let him get under my skin, and I most definitely won’t let him know he has the opportunity to with his attitude.

  We battle in a stare down, neither of us speaking and the tension in the air getting thicker.

  “Hi,” one of the women standing next to him blurts out, holding out her hand for me to shake it. “I’m River Bishop. Evan’s sister-in-law.”

  I take her hand and smile. “Yes, I remember. I was at your wedding actually.” Our hands fall apart, and I wonder why the heck she’d be at work already, but I don’t get the chance to ask before she speaks up again.

  “Wow, that makes a lot more sense.” She chuckles. “I was just giving Evan shit for his mystery girl.”

  My brows shoot up. “His what now?”

  “Don’t you have a job to do?” Evan’s deep voice booms, and his reaction tells me exactly what she’s talking about. Me.

  “Come on, Amelia.” River smirks at the other woman standing by them, and together they walk off.

  “Evan, I’m so—”

  “You will address me by Dr. Bishop, Dr. Bell.” His scowl is permanently etched on his face, and his cold tone sends shivers down my spine.

  “Right. Dr. Bishop, I’m so sorry for—”

  He grabs my elbow before I can finish and leads me back to the elevator.

  “Hey!” I jerk my arm out of his grip. “You can’t just manhandle me.”

  “You want the entire floor to be in our business?” He perks a brow, and his mouth is in a firm line.

  “Well, no.”

  We step into the elevator, and Evan waits till the door closes before speaking again.

  “Then watch what you say because everyone here is in everyone’s business. Small town, big mouths.”

  “Oh, right.” I shake my head and close my eyes, needing to get my bearings back. “I’m sorry,” I blurt out. “I can explain if you give me a chance.” Maybe he’ll find it humorous once he realizes it was an innocent mistake? Doubtful.

  Seconds pass, which feels like an eternity, and when the doors slide open, we’re back to the ER floor.

  “No explanation needed, Dr. Bell.” He pinches his lips together before stepping out. “Let’s go.”

  “Dr. Bishop…” A nurse approaches him with a medical computer cart. The name tag on her top pocket says Veronica, which I make a mental note of so I don’t forget. The sooner I learn everyone’s name, the sooner they won’t treat me like the newbie. “Four-year-old male came in with complaints of a stomachache, and his mother said she thinks he swallowed something, so we did X-rays.”

  Evan stops walking to look at the films on the screen. “How long has he had a stomachache?” he asks, examining them.

  “Three days,” Veronica answers.

  “Looks like he’s swallowed multiple things. They should’ve worked their way through his digestive tract by now.”

  I tilt my head and zoom in on the marble-shaped objects in his abdomen near his rib cage. There has to be at least ten of them.

  “Does he have any allergies?” I ask without thinking. Evan stiffens next to me, obviously not happy with my interruption.

  “Not that his mother knew,” Veronica responds even though she looks skeptical because of Evan’s body language.

  “He needs an esophagoscopy. After two days, foreign objects can start to cause internal damage or an infection may set in if the body can’t pass them through the digestive tract or worse the longer they stay inside.”r />
  “Thank you, Dr. Bell,” Evan clips, handing the screens back to the nurse. “But this is my patient. Prep him for a balloon catheter,” he directs to Veronica who nods at his demand.

  “That’s too risky on a child,” I interrupt.

  “Boundaries,” he growls. “Perhaps that needs to be your first lesson.”

  I roll my eyes before he walks away. Struggling to keep up with him in heels, I yank his arm and am hardly able to pull him back. “Look, I know this is an awkward situation, but I’m not an idiot. I was at the top of my class and have worked with hundreds of kids during my residency. A four-year-old won’t be able to lie still during that procedure, especially if he’s already in pain and scared. If he moves, you could puncture his esophagus or something else.”

  “You don’t know me well enough to underestimate my skills, and you’ll need to learn to respect my decisions, Dr. Bell. I won’t suggest putting a child under anesthesia if I don’t have to since that can lead to more complications. So if you’ll allow me to do my job, you can stand and watch how we do things here, or you can walk yourself out the front doors. Either way, I’m doing things my way, which will be the safest option for him.”

  I swallow, his tone firm and harsh. His eyes narrow as he talks down to me. “We’re colleagues,” I argue, stupidly. “Aren’t we supposed to discuss the best options for patients without letting our caveman tendencies get in the way?” I challenge, propping my hands on my hips.

  He brings a hand to his chin and rubs his palm over his five o’clock shadow, studying me with a crooked grin. “Let’s get this out of the way now, sweetheart. I’m your boss until Dr. Umbridge returns, and even then, we aren’t on equal playing fields. I’ve busted my ass for years to get here, and I won’t let you undermine my decisions. Are we clear?”

  I swallow, my eyes narrowing at his condescending attitude. If this is how he wants to play this, then fine. I’ll suit up.

  “Crystal clear, boss.”

  Chapter Seven

  EVAN

  After the procedure goes off without a single complication, Emily stands somewhat smug in the corner of the room. There was a moment when she tried to interject her suggestions once again, but after a single look, she shut the hell up. Considering I’ve dealt with children swallowing toys more than a handful of times, I understand what works and what doesn’t. It takes experience to know these things—experience I’m not sure she actually has. I would never do anything to put my patients at risk for a complication, especially a child, and for her to make insinuations pisses me off. We’re not off to a good start.

  Once I fully explain aftercare to the child’s mother and answer a few questions, Emily and I walk into the hall, then I turn to look at her. “It’s as if you wanted me to be wrong.”

  She opens her mouth, then closes it as she tries to stay in step with my fast pace. “I would never. I was just concerned.”

  “I don’t need your concern. I know you’re new, but I’m one of the best doctors in this hospital—which I’ve earned.”

  “I’m not new. I was an intern with one of the strictest attending doctors in one of the largest cities in the US. I’ve done my dues. I’ve worked my ass off to be here. The last thing I need is you treating me like I’m lesser than.”

  I laugh. “And I don’t need you acting like you know everything.”

  The silence is so sharp it cuts through the moment like a knife.

  “Are you ever going to allow me to explain this weekend, or are you going to keep treating me like the biggest inconvenience of your life?”

  I finally make eye contact with her. “That’s a great way to put it.”

  She shakes her head and walks past me. “You’re impossible.”

  “So are you. Take your lunch. I’ll see you back here in thirty minutes, Dr. Bell.” I don’t wait for her to reply before I turn and make my way toward the cafeteria.

  Memories from Friday night come in flashes. Her body pressed against mine, and how her lips felt as they slid across my skin. As I stand in line for a grilled chicken salad, I try to shake the thoughts away, but they keep coming, which is goddamn frustrating. Thankfully, the day is going by much faster than I anticipated but still not quick enough. Sitting at a table close to the windows, I pull out my phone and read the missed texts from Jackson as I eat.

  Jackson: Fair warning, your ass just got signed up to be in the bachelor auction fundraiser.

  * * *

  Jackson: Actually, we all did. Even Alex.

  * * *

  Jackson: Great. I’m going to have to go on another horrible fucking date that doesn’t come with a happy ending.

  * * *

  Jackson: FUCK! Just avoid Mama. She’s signing us up for EVERYTHING.

  * * *

  Evan: Thanks for the warning.

  Dammit. I thought I’d get out of participating this year because she hadn’t said a thing about it. I’m sure Mama already made sure I had off too, considering she basically knows everyone in a one-hundred-mile radius. I’ve tried to use the excuse that I had to work more than once, and to this day, it’s never worked. Just as I close out of my texts and open my email, a body plops in the chair in front of me. I’m actually relieved when I look up and see River.

  “How’s it going so far?” River smirks as she pours ranch on her salad.

  With a single look, she knows the answer.

  “It’s already been a hell of a day, and I’m ready for it to be over,” I tell her truthfully.

  River smiles. “It can’t be that bad. And only a few more hours left.”

  I actually let out a laugh. “You mean five more hours. That’s a lot more than a few.”

  “You sure know how to ruin a good time.” She leans forward. “And I’m sure there’s a handful of people here that’d agree with me.”

  “You better be glad you’re family. That’s all I have to say.” There are times when I’m known for being too serious, and River likes to rub it in any chance she gets. None of the other Bishops have seen both aspects of my life except for River. She understands the medical field and might be the only one who gets me on that level, which is nice. Unfortunately, though, it doesn’t excuse me from getting extra shit from her on a daily basis—at work and on the ranch.

  Sometimes when River starts talking, it’s almost impossible to get a word in edgewise, but I’m relieved for the much-needed distraction. She goes on about traveling for the honeymoon, the baby, and work drama. Once we’ve finished eating, I head back to the ER. My pager goes off, and a nurse walks up, speaking in a rushed tone to fill me in on the situation. At least there’s never a dull moment.

  “We have a patient who went into cardiac arrest as soon as he was admitted for chest pains. Dr. Bell is in there now.”

  “What the hell?” I pick up my pace and enter the room, which is in complete chaos. A nurse is holding a barrier mask on the patient’s face while a defibrillator is used to try to resuscitate the patient.

  “Charge it to three hundred,” Emily orders, rubbing the gel and paddles together before pressing them to the patient’s chest. The heart rate stays flat, and she asks for another charge, then another. Eventually, the heart begins beating slowly before moving to a normal rhythm. Oxygen is placed on the patient’s face, and nurses scatter around the room.

  “Blood pressure is rising,” Veronica says. I look over at Emily who is as calm as can be. She gives orders, and the nurses in the room follow her instructions. Moments later, the patient is stabilized, and the cardiologist enters the room. I stand back and watch as Emily speaks with him, giving a full detail of what happened. After the patient is conscious and is told he’ll be moving to cardiology, I exit the room with Emily on my heels.

  “Dr. Bell.” I turn around, but before I can get another word out, she unleashes her wrath.

  “I’m not a fucking intern so quit treating me and watching me like I’m one. And if I ever have to choose between saving someone’s life and pissing you off,
well… you’re gonna have to be pissed.”

  Not sure I really deserved that response, but I chalk it up to being in the heat of the moment. Since that man flatlined and could’ve died on her watch, I get it.

  “You’ve been here for exactly one day, and you have a lot to prove. Sorry, sweetheart, but you’re not in Houston anymore, and as far as I’m concerned, you might as well be a damn intern. You’re fresh out of residency.”

  “What does Houston have to do with this?” she asks, glaring at me.

  “Considering who your father is, I think it has a lot to do with things. Bottom line is if you want respect, you’re going to have to earn it, Dr. Bell. Simple as that. No one here gives two shits who your daddy is, and you’re not going to get any favors because of it. And I refuse to kiss your ass like all the other guppies who knew your father. I’m well aware how all this works.”

  If looks could kill, I’d be dead, but luckily, I’m already standing in the ER, so hopefully, someone would quickly resuscitate me. I’m sure, by the way she’s glaring at me, she’d let me flatline. Her jaw tightens, and she balls her hands into tight fists before storming off. It’s obvious I struck a nerve.

  Good.

  In medical school, I had to work hard, and it didn’t get any easier during my internship. There were no favors handed to me because my father was a reputable doctor. Every opportunity I was given was earned. I refuse to allow someone with a silver spoon in her mouth to come in and act as if she’s running something. With every chance I get, I’ll knock her down a few pegs. It’s the least I can do for her sweltering ego.