Chapter Two
Night Shift
I hated working the night shift, but I did enjoy working on the fourth floor. It was much calmer than the ER or even the children’s wing. This ward was reserved for adult patients who’d been admitted for various reasons. In the five years I’d worked at this hospital, not once had the ward been full. Tonight wasn’t any different. After working in the ER for the past week, I welcomed the silence. Maybe I’d finally get to finish my book.
I sat behind the nurses’ station, checking the patient schedule to see who needed vitals checked or medication when John, one of the orderlies, came down the hallway, wheeling a patient in front of him. I stood, knowing I’d have to check in that patient and get him settled. As he got closer, I couldn’t help but notice how attractive the patient was despite being badly bruised.
“Good evening, John.” I nodded.
“Rebecca. This is Lucas Hudson. He’s been admitted for the night for observation.” John held out the file for me to take.
I took it and tucked it under my arm. I’d look it over once the patient was settled. It would be rude to do so now when he was clearly uncomfortable in that chair. “Room four o six is empty.” I told John.
John wheeled Lucas into the room, and I followed. After getting Lucas settled into the bed, John left. Suddenly, I was very self-conscious around this man. He was very sexy with dark brown hair and eyes to match. Beneath all the cuts and bruises, he had strong cheekbones and a masculine jaw.
“Hi, Mr. Hudson. I’m Rebecca, and I’ll be looking after you tonight.”
“Well, maybe being stuck here won’t be so bad after all.” He said with a smile. I wished I’d been sitting down, because the effect was devastating. Deep, southern drawl combined with a crooked smile that showed off perfectly, straight, white teeth was a deadly combination.
I nervously cleared my throat, unsure how to respond to that. It was a compliment, wasn’t it? No one had ever said anything like that to me before. “Um…”
He laughed at my obvious discomfort. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” he said with a broad smile.
“No,” I shook my head, “really, it’s okay, Mr. Hudson.”
He groaned. “Please call me Lucas.”
“Right.” I nodded. “Okay, Lucas, is there anything I can get for you? Some water or a magazine maybe?”
He shifted in the bed. “Some water would be good. That damn bull did a number on my windpipe.”
I stared at him. “Bull?” I asked confusingly.
“Yes, I was trampled by a bull,” he said, as if it were an everyday occurrence and no big deal.
Again, I had no idea what to say to him, so I grabbed the empty pitcher from the bedside table and left to go fill it with ice and water. How on earth had that poor man been trampled by a bull? I was curious to know, but thought it might be rude to ask. He must work on some sort of farm. That was the only plausible explanation. It’s not like bulls ran wild around here.
When I returned, he was fully upright in bed with the television on and turned to a local news station. I moved the bed table over to him and poured a cup of water.
“Here you go.” I offered.
He graced me with another gorgeous smile. “Thank you, ma’am.”
“Oh, please call me Becca.” As soon as the words left my mouth I wished I could take them back. Only my sister called me Becca. It had been a childhood nickname that I’d hated, and was pleased when I became a nurse and was able to insist people call me Rebecca. Why on earth I’d just told him to call me Becca was beyond me.
“All right, Becca.” He grinned.
I stood there for a moment longer than necessary, knowing I should just leave, but unable to make my legs cooperate. “How did you get trampled by a bull?” I blurted out.
He stared at me for a moment, in shock or anger I wasn’t sure, but I held my breath hoping he wouldn’t be upset or report me for bad behavior. In his silence, I was able to get another long look at him. He was possibly the sexiest man I’d ever seen in this town, and I knew he wasn’t from around here.
“I’m a bull rider.” He finished his water and set the cup on the table, focusing his gaze on me. “How else would I have been trampled by a bull?”
Amusement danced in his dark eyes, and I felt foolish for asking such a dumb question in the first place. Of course he was a bull rider. That explained not only his injuries, but all the muscles in his arms and shoulders and legs, and even in his back. Yeah, I hadn’t missed those. It was impossible not to notice them.
“I…uh, I don’t know.” I laughed. “I’m sorry. It’s not every day we get someone in here who’s been in this type of accident. It kind of threw me for a loop.”
“That’s okay.” He winked, and that small gesture sent butterflies through my stomach.
“Okay, well, if you need anything, just push this button,” I held up the device with the paging button, “and I’ll come back in.” I smiled.
“All right then, thanks for your help.” He told me with another great smile.
God, that voice, that southern drawl – it sent shivers down my spine. Growing up in this small Georgia town, I was accustomed to hearing men and women speak this way, but there was something oddly unique about the way Lucas spoke. It was like a combination of southern gentleman and city boy.
“Okay,” I said again, still smiling. He must think I’m an idiot for how much I’m smiling at him. I thought to myself
“Doctor Nichols usually makes his final rounds around ten o’clock or so, but if you need him for something sooner, please let me know.”
“I have a feeling I will be just fine under your care.” He quickly responded with another wink.
My heart raced. I may not have a lot of experience when it comes to men, but I could tell when one was flirting with me, and Lucas was definitely flirting with me. I felt the blush on my cheeks, and I turned my face away before he could see it. With a firm nod, I left his room even though I didn’t really want to. But I had other patients to tend to. Not many, but I couldn’t necessarily neglect them simply because the sexy bull rider in room four o six had piqued my interest.
It took me almost an hour to make my rounds, and when I’d finished with everyone else, I returned to Lucas’s room. “Hello again. How’re you feeling?” I asked him.
“Sore.” He responded.
I didn’t miss the way he straightened in bed or the way his face lit up when I’d entered the room.
I went to his chart and checked his medication dosage. “Hmm, looks like you’re not due for any more pain meds until midnight.” I looked up at him and frowned. “Can I get you an ice pack or heating pad to help ease the pain a bit?”
“No, thank you. But I could go for some conversation if you have the time.” He said, while nodding to the chair in the corner.
I’d never had a patient ask me to sit and talk with them before. I’d had patients babble as I checked their vitals or administered their medication, but this was different. Lucas wanted me to stay in his room longer. I had just finished my rounds, and the ward was quieter than usual tonight. What harm could come from sitting and having a conversation with him?
I pulled the chair from the corner and positioned it near this bed. Then I sat. “So, you’re a bull rider huh?”
“Yes.” He smiled. “I’d always thrived on danger when I was a child. Then when I became a teen, I became an adrenaline junkie.” He laughed. “Bull riding seemed like a natural progression.”
“Is this your first injury?” I asked inquisitively.
“No. It’s my worst, but not my first.” He shifted in bed, and I saw how he winced in pain.
I began to stand, and he held up his hand to stop me. I abruptly sat back in the chair. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do for you?” I’m a nurse. It’s my job to help ease people’s pain. I feel useless sitting here doing nothing.
“Could you help me prop these p
illows behind my back?”
I stood and retrieved an extra pillow from the supply closet down the hall. Taking Lucas’s hand, I eased him forward, noticing how large and warm his hand was. And it was rough, no doubt a result of his chosen profession. My Nana had always told me a man with rough hands was a man with a soft heart. I couldn’t help but wonder if that was true of Lucas. I gently tucked the pillows behind him, and then continued to hold his hand until he was settled.
He rubbed his thumb along the back of my hand, sending a delicious electric shiver through my body. “You have such soft skin,” he said.
I could feel my cheeks blaze to life. I quickly averted my gaze. “Thank you.” I sheepishly responded.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds. I’ve just never met anyone with such an amazing bedside manner. And I’ve met my fair share of doctors and nurses.”
I smiled and sat back down. “Well, you’ve definitely chosen a unique and dangerous profession, Lucas.”
He smiled at me, and I thanked God I was already sitting. I didn’t think my legs could handle another knee-weakening smile like he was giving me.
“I’m still fairly new at it. I’ve only been riding professionally for about a year now. It’s exciting and allows me to travel.”
That was something I’d always dreamed of doing. I realized the more he talked, the more engrossed I became in his life, his stories, in him. I’d never been faced with this type of situation before, but wondered if it was unethical to become romantically involved with a patient.
Oh, now I was just being silly. Just because we had an obvious connection didn’t mean we were going to become romantically involved. For all I knew, he had a wife. I glanced at his left hand. No wedding band. Okay, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a girlfriend or fiancée somewhere in the world.
“Tonight’s show was my homecoming of sorts. Guess I really blew that, huh?” He laughed, as I snapped back to reality.
I tilted my head to the side, my ears buzzing. “Homecoming? You’re from around here?”
“Yeah, the next town over. Covanta. Do you know of it?”
I nodded. It was the closest city to our small town, and it was where the hospital received its supplies from. The news he lived so close by excited me much more than it should.
“I’ve been on the road this past year with the rodeo, and we just finally returned to Covanta. There was a big hoopla about my return. You know the story. Local boy returns with rodeo as a star.” He laughed again.
I couldn’t ignore how jovial he was despite his accident and subsequent injuries. It was a breath of fresh air to experience his positivity when so many patients had all doom and gloom attitudes.
“If nothing else, you’ll be remembered as the local boy who returned and got trampled by a bull.” I smiled, unable to believe I’d actually just said that. It was kind of rude and uncaring.
Thankfully, Lucas smiled and said. “Touché.”
“And how long is this homecoming celebration of yours?” I asked.
“Originally, two weeks, but now with my injuries, it will more than likely be postponed a bit. A lot of the guys wanted more time off anyway. They have family in Covanta. This will give them time to spend some time with them.” Lucas paused. “I guess my mistake really does make me a hero.”
I forced a laugh. The news he’d only be around for a couple of weeks hit hard. I was thoroughly enjoying talking to him, getting to know him, and was sad to know he’d be leaving again so soon. I hid my disappointment as best I could, not wanting him to know how much of a hopeless romantic I was. I’d always believed in love at first sight, but it was a belief that had gotten me in trouble more than once.
The buzzer at the nurses’ station beeped loudly. I stood. “Duty calls,” I said.
“Hey,” he reached out and took my hand, his touch doing funny things to my insides again, “will you come back when you’re done?”
I broke into a full-fledged smile. “I’d love to.” And with that, I left his room to tend to my other patients.
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