The Doctor Takes a Detour

by Bren Christopher

  “Welcome, Dr. Parker.” She placed the AED on the table and then returned his handshake. “I take it this belongs to you?”

  “Yes, thanks.”

  “Are you new to the area?”

  “I recently moved down from New York.”

  “Where,” Ian felt compelled to add, “he was an ER doc in the city for several years.”

  Josh shot him a look that would have skewered anyone not used to getting such looks on a fairly regular basis. Ian not only ignored it but went on to say, “He’s a concierge doctor now.”

  “You switched to general practice?” Her lilting accent became more pronounced with surprise.

  “I’m enjoying it,” Josh said stiffly.

  “I’m sure it makes for a nice change of pace,” she said, but her eyes gleamed with interest. “Perhaps I can give you a tour of our Emergency area? As a courtesy of course. It’s quite state of the art.”

  There was no mistaking the spike of excitement in Josh’s eyes, followed almost immediately by something else. Ian stared at him. Was that . . . fear? At least apprehension. Ah, Josh. The emotions chased each other across Josh’s face so fast, Ian wasn’t sure that Aguto noticed, but his own heart ached at the sight.

  “Some other time.” Josh’s voice was steady. “I need to get going. A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Aguto.”

  He turned to leave and Ian called after him, “Wait up, Josh.” Then he took Aguto’s thin fingers and gave them a gentle squeeze. “We’ll catch up later, okay?”

  She nodded and Ian hurried after Josh, catching him in the lobby.

  “I asked you to wait up,” he complained.

  “I’m still here,” Josh pointed out. “I haven’t even called a cab yet.”

  “Yes, that’s it. A ride, I mean. Want one back to your car?”

  “I don’t think you’re supposed to be using your rescue vehicle as a taxi.”

  “No. Not that. My friend Gabriel is working today.” Ian glanced at the clock on the lobby wall. “I have time to borrow his car and give you a ride.”

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

  “Won’t be the first time.” Ian grinned and took a step closer, close enough to force Josh to tilt his head and look up at him, his eyes wide. Ian leaned forward and breathed into his ear, “I expect you’re worth the trouble.”

  “Oh.” A pretty blush made its way up Josh’s cheeks.

  A slow roll of arousal hit Ian in the gut, and he forced himself to step back before he did something embarrassing. “I’ll let Tommy know. Anyway, he still has to eat after he takes care of the paperwork, so I really do have time. Stay right here.”

  Josh blinked at him.

  “Okay, bab—” Christ, where did that come from? “Okay, Josh? I’ll be right back.”

  Nodding, Josh mumbled, “Okay.”

  After a quick trip up a floor to the Behavioral Unit to see Gabriel and borrow his car keys, Ian returned to the lobby to find Josh in exactly the same spot.

  Ian brushed a hand down Josh’s back as he went by. “I like a man who can follow orders,” he snickered.

  “You’re hilarious.” Josh seemed to have recovered his equilibrium.

  Too bad. Ian kind of liked throwing the doc off-balance. “Come on, the car is out here in the staff lot.”

  They walked out into an afternoon beginning to turn dark with an impending thunderstorm. Hurrying the last few feet to Gabriel’s battered car, Ian shoved the key into the lock of the ancient red Toyota and jumped in ahead of the rain.

  But for some reason, he was alone in the car. He leaned across the seat and opened the passenger door. “Problem?”

  Josh peered in at him. “You sure it’s safe?”

  “What, the car? So it’s got a few rust spots. That’s just body work.”

  “Huh.” Josh didn’t sound convinced, but he got in.

  Ian pulled out of the lot and headed west for the beach as the first spatter of rain hit the windshield. The rain picked up until it seemed like buckets of water were being dumped across his furiously jolting wipers.

  After a silent couple of minutes, Ian stole a look at Josh. He was staring straight ahead, his mouth set in a tense line. “Everything okay?”

  “I don’t want to distract you.”

  Ian bit his lip to keep from chuckling. “I’ve had training, you know. I’m a pretty good driver, and this won’t last long. Just a summer thunderstorm.”

  “Are you laughing at me?” Josh glared at him. “I’ve driven more in the last few weeks than I have in my entire life.”

  “Sorry.” Ian reached over to pat Josh on the knee, but Josh jerked away.

  “Both hands on the wheel, buddy.”

  Smiling, Ian returned his hands to the wheel in time to turn onto the driveway leading to the Shaw residence. “We’re here already, and in one piece.”

  He parked behind Josh’s car. They sat while the rain changed to a steady patter.

  After a few moments, Josh turned in his seat to give Ian a contemplative look. “I appreciate the ride. You didn’t have to do this.”

  “I wanted to.” How best to explain this without sounding like too much of an idiot? Well, it is what it is. “For one thing, I, um . . . Hell. That crap I said when we first met about the concierge-doctor gig. I didn’t know you and I had no right to judge.”

  He leaned closer, watching Josh’s face for any reaction. Their seats were close enough in the small car that he could see Josh’s pupils growing wide and dark.

  Josh closed the distance between them, his breath a puff of air against Ian’s cheek. “And for another thing?”

  Raising his hand slowly to give Josh time to move away, Ian wrapped it around the back of Josh’s neck. Warm damp skin sent a frisson of electricity along his skin and straight to his groin. “For another thing . . . this.”

  The kiss was meant to be an exploratory caress of mouth against mouth, but it turned urgent the second Josh parted his lips, allowing Ian to deepen the kiss. Twisting his fingers in blond curls, he dragged Josh closer, until he could wrap his other arm around him, slipping his hand up under Josh’s shirt to stroke the warm, smooth skin of his back.

  The taste of coffee and Josh filled Ian’s senses. He raked his nails lightly down Josh’s bare back, swallowing the moan that vibrated into his mouth as Josh twisted and pressed closer.

  “God.” Ian broke the kiss, gasping. “I just want to throw you into the back seat and eat you up.”

  “Uh-huh.” Josh appeared more than a little dazed, his eyes dark and a flush running along his cheekbones. It was a good look on him. One that Ian would like to see again, in more private circumstances.

  Ian leaned their foreheads together, sucking in deep breaths as he tried to regain control. “Gabriel’s car,” he muttered. “Gabriel’s car, can’t do anything, gotta go back to work.”

  “Okay,” Josh said, lifting his head and sitting back. “Okay, time for me to go.” He grabbed the door handle and then paused. “I don’t—” He cleared his throat. “That was nice, but I—”

  “Nice? It was a helluva lot better than ‘nice.’”

  “Yeah.” He seemed a little sheepish. “Okay. It was a great kiss. I’m not sure if a repeat is a good idea.”

  Ian sat back in his seat and stared out the front window, drumming his fingers on the wheel. The heat generated by that kiss had been off the charts. No way Josh hadn’t felt that too. Perhaps he’d been burned in the past, same as Ian.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to see you again,” Josh said hesitantly. “But you seem to spend all your time with the clinic.”

  So maybe not a heartbreak problem. “The clinic is important to me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have time for a life.”

  “Doesn’t it?”

  Hell, maybe it did. Seemed like some others had tried to point that out lately. “I’ll call you, how’s that? Just to talk.”

  “Yeah, sure.” Josh climbed out of the car as the rain finally died
all together, leaving the air as hot and humid as if the storm had never happened.

  Ian’s gaze lingered on the well-shaped ass walking away from him. A little more enthusiasm from Josh would have been nice, but that wasn’t an outright no, and Ian hadn’t gotten where he was because he lacked persistence. He considered it one of his few positive traits.

  Although admittedly, what he called persistence, others often called pushiness. He grimaced. Or even obnoxiousness. That wouldn’t work with Josh, and for the first time, Ian would have to actually give some thought on how to . . . What? Get to know someone before jumping into bed? God, this was going to be a lot more work than heading to South Beach for a night.

  The first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds and illuminated the doctor’s blond hair as he drove off with a small wave and a tentative smile. Ian returned the wave as his heart jumped in response to that smile. Ridiculous, but there it was. Josh would be worth the work.

  Ian was still thinking about that conversation as he sat in his NA meeting that Sunday evening, when he should have been paying attention to what the new members were sharing. Instead, the medallions dragged like leaden weights on the chain around his neck, pulling him down as only guilt could; as if he should be the one up there sharing.

  But Ian didn’t need to share his story with this crowd. He needed to share it with Josh.

  He should have said something at lunch. If Josh knew Ian’s story—if he could see that not all drug addicts were irredeemable—maybe he’d reconsider both his work in the ER and volunteering at the clinic.

  Or maybe he’d curse out Ian and never want to see him again.

  That thought had held Ian back during their lunch, though he’d never hesitated to discuss his past addiction with anyone if he thought it would help. He didn’t go around announcing it, but if sharing his personal experience could help others . . . Sure, he’d told his story to a few folks besides family.

  The real question was not how Josh would react, but why did Ian care so much? Despite that kiss, they barely knew each other. And yet, the thought of seeing the contempt on Josh’s face when he found out the truth was tying Ian’s belly up in knots. Maybe he should just avoid the man. Forget the whole thing. Although they were bound to run into each other again. The city wasn’t that big, and with only one major hospital, the odds were that sooner or later, they’d see each other. After three years as a paramedic, Ian knew most of the doctors in town, at least well enough to say hello.

  But Ian didn’t want to wait for another chance encounter. He wanted those strong fingers wrapped around his arm again. He wanted to gaze into pale-gray eyes—warm with humor or hot with indignation, it didn’t matter. But not that cold, bleak look like granite on a frozen mountain peak. He could do without that one.

  No point to getting more involved anyway. Josh’s expression when he’d wanted to follow his patient into the ER had screamed impatience at being stopped and a longing to be in the thick of the action. To be in control. Ian’s mouth quirked. Josh had figured he knew best what to do for his patient and had been pissed he wasn’t allowed to follow him in and get it done.

  Six months since Josh had been attacked. It wouldn’t be six more before he was back in the ER, even if the good doctor didn’t know it yet. And when Josh went back to work, Ian very much doubted it would be in Naples.

  When the meeting ended, Ian hung around for coffee, speaking to the new members in an effort to make up for his earlier lack of attention. No rush to get to the clinic tonight. He’d had to cut back on hours once again, so now they were open two evenings a week along with a few daytime and weekend hours. Lucia and Gabriel should have already closed up and walked out together before darkness fell. Today was Lucia’s last day for a while, and Ian was in no mood to be gracious about it, so he’d best stay away.

  “What’s got you actin’ like a death-row inmate on his last meal, boy?”

  Ian had been staring at the coffee pot for far too long. He forced a smile. “Marianne.” He looped an arm around her in a quick hug.

  When he let her go, she raised an eyebrow at the pot.

  Obediently, he fixed her coffee the way she liked it, with far too much cream and sugar, then handed it to her. After pouring himself a black one, they wandered over to one of the scattered plastic tables in the church hall, while others around them chatted or said their goodbyes.

  He held the chair for her, just as his papa had taught him, and she gave him a smile as she took it. Sitting beside her, he followed her gaze as she looked around the room.

  “All these people.” She seemed to contemplate the thinning crowd. “Some starting their journey, others well along the path.”

  So she was feeling philosophical tonight. “And where does that path end?” He meant to sound teasing, trying to lighten the mood, but it didn’t come out the way he wanted. He heard the tension in his own voice.

  She didn’t take it as facetious either. “Nobody knows, that’s for damn sure. But we all have to make it. And those who been journeyin’ awhile, they got to guide the new ones.”

  Was this a rebuke for his lack of focus during the meeting? He was a sponsor now, although the last person he’d helped had moved to Orlando for a job and found a new group. His mouth tightened. “I’m trying.”

  “I know, honey. And you do more than most. But you’re somewhere else tonight.”

  He gazed at her hand covering his, her dark skin ashen with age. He turned his palm over and squeezed lightly. Funny how such fragile fingers could give him so much strength.

  She returned the squeeze. “You want to tell me where you were?”

  “Thinking about the clinic.”

  “No surprise there. You worried?”

  He nodded. “Today was Lucia’s last day, at least until she figures out where she can fit in a few hours.” He couldn’t help the resentment in his voice.

  “You’re mad at her.”

  It was a statement, not a question, but he denied it. “No, of course I’m not mad at her. How could I be? She’s already done so much more than I could ever have expected.”

  “But . . .”

  “Yeah. But.” He almost choked on the words. “I’m thinking I might have to close.”

  “That’d be a shame. I’ve talked to people you’ve helped.”

  He looked at her in surprise. “You have?”

  “Sure. I know lots of folks.”

  He had no doubt of that.

  She went on. “They feel comfortable going to your clinic. No judgment, that’s what they say. And they don’t call it the Glades Free Clinic.”

  “No?” His brows knit.

  “They call it Ian’s clinic. Or, sometimes, they just call it that clinic run by that white boy with the funny name.”

  “Oh. Well, that’s great,” he said bitterly. “Just as people are really starting to depend on it, we’ll probably have to close it down.”

  “I’m sorry, hon. I know what that clinic means to you.”

  Atonement. That’s what she meant, and she was the only one who knew the depth of his need to atone.

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t keep the doors open with no money and no doctors.”

  She sighed. “Try thinking about what you’ve done instead of what you haven’t done.”

  He stared at her.

  “How many people have you helped? At the clinic, at these meetings, at your job. When will it be enough?”

  “Never,” he answered immediately. “It will never be enough.”

  “It will never be enough,” she agreed. “Not until you realize that you’re as human as everyone else.”

  “You think I don’t know that?”

  “You don’t seem to.” She stood and then leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Forgive yourself, baby. You’re the only one who can.”

  Ian had just waved goodbye to the back of Marianne’s car when his phone rang.

  He checked the caller ID. “Hey, Lucia. You home?”

&nbs
p; “No, I’m not home.” Her voice had an edge. “I’m at the clinic with Gabriel and the Fuentes family.” When he struggled to place the name, she snapped, “The girl with the seizure.”

  He hurried toward his bike. “How is she?”

  “Okay now, but she had another seizure this afternoon, around 4 p.m. Vitals are good and glucose level is normal.”

  In the background, there were raised voices arguing in Spanish, and then Gabriel’s calm tone responding. Trying to make the peace, without much success, it seemed. “Will they take her to the ER?”

  “They refuse. The grandmother made them come back here, and the parents didn’t even want to do that. They’re planning a healing ceremony.”

  “I don’t give a crap if they want to do that, but she needs to be seen by a doctor too.”

  “That’s what Gabriel has been telling them.”

  He flung a leg over his bike. “I don’t understand what they expect us to do.”

  “Me either, but the grandmother won’t leave, and the parents are trying to take the kid, and she’s crying. Christ.”

  “We might have to call the cops, then.”

  “They’ll take her away from the parents.”

  “Maybe that’s what needs to be done.”

  “Ian, no. They’re not neglectful. The girl is in good shape, well-cared for. I’d hate to see that happen.”

  “Can you get an address?” He’d looked online without finding one. If the Fuentes family walked out without promising proper care for their daughter, Ian could ask a social worker to follow up—but to do that, he really needed an address.

  “If Gabriel can calm them down, he’ll ask.” She sighed. “Gabriel says as far as he can figure out, they had a baby last year at Bayside. The baby died of a heart defect.”

  “And they blame the hospital.”

  “Yeah. So no townie medical services for them, thank you very much.”

  “Keep them there.”

  “Are you serious? I can’t—”

  “Keep them there. I’ll bring a doctor.” I hope. He clicked off the phone and then searched his contacts for Dr. Joshua Parker, hitting Send before he could tell himself that this was a bad idea.