Her Kind Of Doctor
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Paige pulled two clean cups from a wire dish drainer sitting next to the sink. “You mean, like me?”
“Didn’t say that at all,” Gideon replied. “You ought to know whether you’re making good use of your time.”
“Right now I’m going to use mine to sit on the front porch and drink a cup of coffee,” Paige told him. “Want to join me?”
“No thanks, honey. Now that my tractor tire is fixed I’m going out to the east pasture and lay down some fertilizer. If we’re lucky we’ll get a second cutting on the alfalfa mix.”
Compared to some of the neighboring farms and ranches, Gideon’s hay production was small. But growing the crops was more than enough to keep him busy and make a profit to boot. One thing was for certain—her grandfather would never be idle. A few of her fellow nurses often advised her to discourage Gideon from farming. They all insisted the job was too strenuous for a man of his age. And how would Paige feel, they often asked, if he had a heart attack and died while out on his tractor?
Paige always answered the question honestly. If dying on his tractor was the way it was meant for her grandfather to leave the world, she’d be happy. At least he’d go while doing what he loved. And she wouldn’t have to see him lying in a care facility, withering away a little each day, until he was just a shell of himself.
Just like Gideon doesn’t want to see you withering away without a husband or children.
The tiny voice popped into her head before she had a chance to push it away, causing Paige to frown as she filled a mug with coffee. It had been years since she’d put David Raines and their ill-fated marriage in her rearview mirror. So why was she suddenly thinking about a man to love and babies to bear? It was bad enough to have Dr. Luke Sherman constantly eating on her mind.
Leaning over, she pecked a kiss on Gideon’s cheek. “Be safe out there.”
Grinning, he dismissed her words with a wave of his hand and headed out the door. “I’m always safe.”
* * *
Early Monday morning, shortly after Luke finished his shift and handed the reins over to Dr. Bradley, he rode the elevator up to the sixth floor. Since it was only a few minutes past seven, he didn’t expect Chet Anderson, Tahoe General’s nursing director, to be in his office yet, but Luke was prepared to wait for as long as necessary.
However, when he reached Chet’s office, he found the door ajar and the other man already busy at his desk. Just as Luke started to knock on the door facing, Chet glanced up.
“Hey, Luke. Come in,” he invited. “Have a seat.”
Luke stepped into the room. “Sorry to interrupt, Chet. Do you have time to speak with me for a minute?”
The dark-haired man, near Luke’s age, gestured to the plush chair sitting in front of his desk.
“I always have time for you.” He pulled off a pair of black framed glasses and tossed them onto a nearby mouse pad. “You must have just finished your shift. Would you like coffee?”
Luke shook his head as he made himself comfortable in the black leather chair. “No thanks. I’ll have some later with breakfast.”
“So is this a hospital call?” Chet asked. “Or did you drop by my office just to say hello?”
Luke had never been an outgoing, social person. It wasn’t that he disliked people. It was simply easier not to develop close friendships. Especially when he knew how abruptly those could end. But Chet Anderson was one of the few people at Tahoe General that he considered more than a colleague. In spite of the fact that they often sparred over hospital policies, Chet remained his friend.
Luke crossed his ankles and tried to relax. “Sorry. I should’ve been by before now to see how you’ve been doing. But things get hectic. You know how it is.”
Smiling vaguely, Chet picked up a pen and absently turned it end over end. “I know exactly. I got a call from my parents last night. They’re wondering if they still have a son.”
A cold fist suddenly grabbed onto something in the middle of Luke’s chest and squeezed tight. “You should make time for them, Chet. You might not have a chance later.”
The nursing director leveled a rueful look at him. “Sorry, Luke. I shouldn’t have mentioned my parents. Not when—”
“Mine are gone?” he said, finishing the other man’s sentence. “Don’t be silly, Chet. It’s not your fault that my parents died together in a car crash.”
“No. But you don’t need a friend to remind you of the fact.”
Shrugging a shoulder, Luke glanced toward an arched window. Beyond the glass he could see the morning sun shedding a golden light across part of the city and the mountains to the far west. Strange how he’d been born and raised in the east, but as soon as he’d settled here in Nevada he’d felt as though this was where he was supposed to be. Perhaps that was because there was nothing back in West Virginia for him. No parents. No wife. Even his sister had moved on to a different town.
“It’s been nearly five years now. I’ve accepted the fact that they’re gone,” Luke said.
“I doubt that I could ever be as strong as you, Luke. Not after the losses you’ve been through.” Chet left his desk and walked over to where a small table held a coffeepot, cups, condiments and a plate of pastries. As he poured coffee into one of the cups, he said, “I don’t know if I ever told you this before, Luke, but when you first came to work here I thought you were a real bastard. I had nurses lined up at my door complaining about you. And I wondered what in hell the administration was thinking when they hired you.”
“Apparently there’s a shortage of doctors out here in the west,” Luke said with sardonic humor. “That’s why they keep me on.”
“Hell! Everyone in this hospital, especially me, has learned that you are one of the best doctors we’ve ever had here at Tahoe General.”
Luke inwardly winced. “There’s one person who doesn’t agree with you.”
Stirring a spoonful of sugar into his cup, Chet turned to look at him. “Oh? Who’s that?”
His jaw tightened. “Nurse Winters. Paige Winters, to be exact.”
“Ahh. Nurse Winters,” he said with slow deliberation. “Are you here because you want me to fire her?”
Luke’s mouth fell open. “Fire her? Hell, no! What gave you that idea?”
Chet took a short sip from his cup before he answered. “Isn’t it fairly obvious? You two got into it and she admitted she said a few choice words to you. I thought you might be expecting me to fire her for insubordination.”
Luke muttered a curse word under his breath. “Paige—I mean, Nurse Winters—has never disobeyed one of my orders. She simply lost her temper. I don’t want her to be reprimanded over the incident. I want her back in the ER!”
Chet’s dark brows slowly inched upward. “Why? If you two can’t get along there isn’t—”
“Damn it, except for this one time, we’ve always gotten along! She’s the best nurse I’ve ever worked with. I need her in the ER! You worked the unit before you became nursing director. You know how hectic it gets. I need someone at my side that I can trust. Someone that knows what to do and how to do it without being told.”
Chet took another long sip from his cup, then walked over to the window and gazed out at the view. “I understand, Luke. But nurses aren’t robots, they’re human. And it’s my job to consider their feelings and make certain each one is working where he or she is most effective and happy. In my opinion, Paige needs a break from the pressure of the ER.”
Pressure? Paige thrived on it, Luke thought. “What about the other nurses on my shift who’ve worked the ER unit for as long as Paige? I don’t see you trying to ease their pressure.”
“Hmm. Well, none of them have come to me requesting a transfer.” He glanced over his shoulder at Luke. “If you’re asking me to order Paige to return to the ER, then you’re out of luck. Considering a nurse’s welfare is the first priority of my job.”
Luke wearily rubbed a hand against the back of his neck. “I don’t expect you to order her. But you could ask, couldn’t you?”
He watched Chet walk back over to his desk, all the while thinking the nursing director was the only person he’d be having this type of conversation with. Luke wouldn’t want anyone else knowing just how fiercely he missed Paige.
Chet sank into the big leather chair behind his desk. “Sure, I could ask. But the situation would be a whole lot better for you, and her, if you did the asking.”
His hands gripping the arms of the chair, Luke leaned forward and stared at the other man in disbelief. “Me? I hardly think she’d listen to me!”
Smiling faintly, Chet shook his head. “Luke, when a man tears down a fence it’s up to him to build it back. If Paige is your prize nurse, then you need to do some apologizing. Why don’t you try to get a few sweet words out of your mouth? If you make the effort I’m confident you can woo Paige back to the ER.”
Like hell, Luke thought. He wasn’t about to beg any woman for anything. Before he’d divorced Andrea, he’d pleaded with his wife to understand his feelings about his work, his duties and obligations as a doctor. But in the end, none of his pleas had meant anything to her. No, Luke’s begging days were over.
Pushing himself from the chair, he said, “Thanks for listening, Chet. I’ve taken up enough of your time this morning. Stop by the ER sometime and say hello. Maybe we can actually figure out a day we can make a trip to the golf course.”
“I hope that day comes soon,” Chet agreed. “I think we could both use a break.”
Luke started out of the room only to have Chet call out to him.
“Luke, you haven’t said what you intend to do about Paige.”
Luke continued walking. “I’m not going to do anything. Those fences you were talking about will just have to stay broken.”
And he was going to make himself forget he’d ever worked with Nurse Winters.
Chapter Three
Monday night Paige had been back at work only a few minutes when she heard a familiar voice calling to her. Pausing in the busy corridor, she turned to see Helen hurrying to catch up to her.
The sight of the ER matron took Paige by complete surprise. She couldn’t remember a time she’d seen Helen in another part of the hospital, unless it was the cafeteria.
“Helen! Oh, it’s wonderful to see you!” She gave the staunch woman a brief hug, then stepped back and smiled. “What in the world are you doing up here? Don’t tell me you’ve transferred out of ER, too?”
The woman’s ruby lips pursed with disapproval. “Me out of ER? Never,” she said, then promptly took Paige by the arm and marched her to one side of the hallway and out of the path of passing nurses and orderlies. “I only have a couple of minutes and I’m sure you’re rushed for time, too.”
Paige nodded. “I need to dispense a few meds. But I can take a minute for you, Helen.”
“Okay, I’ll make this short and sweet. Dr. Sherman is miserable without you. I want you to come back to the ER. For his sake and everyone else on the night shift.”
For some idiotic reason Paige felt very near to bursting into tears. “Oh, Helen. This is—did Dr. Sherman send you up here?”
Helen scowled. “Are you kidding? He’d be irate if he knew where I was.”
Paige wanted to kick herself for even asking Helen such a question. Luke Sherman would never put anyone up to luring her back to the ER. If the truth was known, he’d probably been whistling a silent tune of relief to have her gone.
“Naturally he’d be irate,” Paige retorted. “He doesn’t want me around.”
Helen let out a short, sarcastic laugh that had a passing nurse glancing their way.
“You’re wrong. I’ve never seen Luke like this. He’s lost and trying terribly hard not to show it.”
Luke. Paige rarely heard anyone call Dr. Sherman by his first name. He wasn’t a person that invited that sort of closeness. To hear Helen call him Luke made him seem far more human. And that notion touched something very close to Paige’s heart.
“Helen, I’m just now starting to get the hang of things up here. I—”
Helen grimaced. “The hang of baths, breakfast and handing out pills? Don’t try to fool me, Paige. You miss the disorder and constant change that goes on in the ER.”
Moving closer, Paige lowered her voice so that only Helen could hear her. “All right! I do miss the ER. But I can’t go back. Dr. Sherman is...well, I just can’t be his floor mat anymore.”
Helen shot her a meaningful look. “I’m quite certain you’re going to find a different Luke Sherman,” she said emphatically. “Trust me. He’s learned his lesson.”
Frowning, Paige said, “Helen, I’m not working up here on the internal medicine floor just to teach Dr. Sherman a lesson. I’m moved up here to keep my own sanity!”
Helen reached out and gave Paige’s arm a placating pat. “Luke needs you.”
Massaging her forehead with her fingertips, Paige said, “I find that very difficult to believe. But I am tempted to come back and give things another try. I—”
“Good! That settles it. You don’t have to do a thing. I’ve already approved it with Chet. He’ll have a replacement here in IM for tomorrow night’s shift. All you have to do is show up in ER.”
“Show up? Don’t you mean have a showdown? I’m pretty sure sparks are going to fly when Dr. Sherman sees me again.”
“Don’t worry, Paige. If any sparks fly it will be the good kind. Now I’ve got to go. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Paige didn’t have a chance to argue the point. Helen quickly hurried away. For one second, she considered going after the woman and telling her there was no way she was going back to the ER. But for some strange reason her feet suddenly felt like two lead weights.
Darn it! What was she going to do now?
Paige, you’ve never been a spiteful person. You’re going to go back to the ER and treat Dr. Luke Sherman with the same respect that you’d like to be treated with. And no matter how nasty he gets, you’re going to hold your temper and your tongue.
Sure, Paige thought, as she hurried to the drug dispensary. Holding herself together around the demanding doctor would be an easy task. About as easy as running a marathon across Death Valley in the middle of summer.
Chapter Four
The next night, as the evening shift took over, Luke had just pulled on his lab coat and stepped into the treatment area when the sound of a soft footfall behind him had him glancing over his shoulder.
The sight of Paige Winters practically sent him into shock and for a long, awkward moment, all he could do was stare at her dark, wine-colored hair, silver gray eyes and soft, slender curves. He’d never expected to see her on this floor again. The fact that she was standing in front of him and seemingly ready to work caused a flood of joy to rush through him. And without even realizing what was happening, the corners of his mouth tilted into a smile.
“Nurse Winters,” he finally said. “How are you this evening?”
Her hands were stuffed into the pockets on a navy blue scrub top. Which was probably a good thing, Luke thought. Otherwise, he might’ve been tempted to show his gratitude by grabbing one of her hands and kissing the back of it.
“I’m fine. I, uh, just wanted to say hello and to, uh, let you know I’m back in the ER.” She paused and nervously licked her lips. “If you think it will be too difficult to work with me, I—”
“It won’t—be difficult,” he interrupted.
She drew in a deep breath and as Luke took in the dainty flare of her nostrils he couldn’t help but notice her creamy skin and full rosy lips. Had she always looked this way? He didn’t remember her being so incredibly feminine. And why was his heart suddenly making all kinds of crazy flip-flops? Had he suddenly become the biggest fool in Carson City?
Paige was an excellent nurse and this past week had been hell working without her. But that didn’t mean the sight of her should have him reacting like a giddy schoolboy. He was a medical doctor, a man who rarely allowed himself to feel much of anything. But this momentary joy he was unexpectedly experiencing was too special to resist.
“Thank you,” she said stiffly.
She glanced away and swallowed and Luke realized she wasn’t exactly feeling comfortable with him. And he could hardly blame her. Since their heated tête-à-tête, he’d thought long and hard about their working relationship and he’d admitted to himself that he’d treated her badly. Not just once, but many times. The fact that she’d forgiven him enough to return to the ER humbled him greatly.
He cleared his throat and straightened his tie, while wondering why he couldn’t find one sensible thing to say to her. But that problem was instantly put aside as a pair of medics pushed through the swinging doors with the first patient of the evening shift.
Because of the regrettable interruption, he said, “Looks like we’re needed.”
Luke took off in long strides to catch up to the gurney and Paige joined him. As the two of them hurried toward the nearest treatment room, he could only think that having her at his side again felt uncannily close to a homecoming.
* * *
“Something is wrong with Dr. Sherman.”
Chavella glanced over at Paige as the two women entered a small break room situated behind the ER treatment room.
“What do you mean?” the young nurse asked. “I thought he behaved very nicely these past two hours.”
Paige filled a small paper cup with water and sat down at a utility table. “That’s what I’m talking about. He’s not himself. He’s behaving like someone I’ve never met before.”
Chavella took a seat directly across from Paige and opened a can of diet soda. After she’d taken a long drink, she said, “Don’t question a good thing, Paige. Just be thankful for it.”
Paige absently studied the water swirling in the bottom of her cup. For the past two hours, Luke Sherman had treated her in a polite and respectful manner. There had been no caustic demands or shouting. He’d not given her any cutting looks or disgusted snorts. The only way he could have been nicer was if he’d given her another one of those smiles. The kind he’d given her just before they started the shift.
She was still thinking about the way that smile had transformed the doctor’s face. All at once he’d been more than handsome. He’d been human. And that in itself was far more appealing than the sexy dent in his chin, or the way his naturally streaked hair fell over one eye, or even that stealthy lion-like walk of his.
Trying to shake away the disturbing image, she said, “You’re right. I should be relieved. Instead, I have the uneasy feeling this is just a momentary lapse and Dr. Sherman will explode before the shift is over. And when he does...”
“What?” Chavella prompted. “You’re going back to IM?”
During the days she’d worked on the IM floor, she’d felt like a coward, running and hiding from the big, bad bogeyman. She’d not been proud of herself.
Drawing her shoulders back, she said, “No. This time I’m going to stand up to him and his nastiness.”
“Maybe you won’t have to,” Chavella suggested. “I actually think he’s remorseful.”
Paige rolled her eyes. “That’s because you’re young and sweet and you want to see the best in people. Now me, I’ve already learned that most men are selfish and self-centered. It’s impossible for them to be remorseful over anything.”
The corners of Chavella’s mouth drooped with disappointment. “Paige, one of these days you’re going to meet a man who will prove you wrong. There are good ones out there. I ought to know. I had one.”
With a rueful groan, Paige reached across the table and covered the top of Chavella’s hand with her own. “I’m sorry, Chavella. You did have a good man. And it’s so unfair that you lost him in such a tragic way. But you will meet another special man. As for me—I don’t really want one. Or need one, either.”
Chavella gave her a wan smile. “One of these days that will change, too.”
Paige didn’t argue with her. Instead, she glanced at her watch and quickly rose to her feet. “You go ahead and finish your soda. The patient with the lacerations left quite a mess behind. I’m going to check on April and see if she needs help cleaning up everything.”
* * *
Early the next morning, just as Paige’s shift was ending, she was walking to the nurses’ locker room to pick up her things when Dr. Sherman called to her from behind. She should’ve known the past few hours had been too good to be true, she thought, as she paused and waited for him to catch up to her. Since she’d never seen him in this area of the building before, he must be determined to rake her over the coals before she left the hospital.
“Nurse Winters, are you on your way home?” he asked.
She tried not to sound wary, even though every muscle in her body had suddenly tightened into knots. “Yes. As soon as I collect my things from the locker room.”
He cleared his throat as though he was nervous. Which was a ridiculous thought on her part. Luke was a man of steel. Nothing made him uneasy.
Drawing to a stop in front of her, he said, “Before you leave I was wondering if you might have a cup of coffee with me—in the doctor’s lounge. You do like coffee, don’t you?”
If the slightest puff of wind had passed through the hallway, Paige would have fallen face-first on the polished tile floor.
“Uh, yes—I like coffee.”
A faint smile curved his lips and Paige suddenly wanted to grab the front of his lab coat and give him a hard shake. She wanted to ask him what the hell he thought he was doing. Was he trying to play some sort of mind game with her? If so, he was succeeding. For reasons she couldn’t imagine, she was seeing things about the man she’d never seen before. Like the tempting curve of his lower lip and how his eyes were as cool as a green glade in early spring.
“Good,” he said. “Since the shift is changing, I’m sure we’ll find a fresh pot. Shall we go?”
He gestured for her to precede him and though Paige wanted to turn and race out of the building, she forced herself to nod.
“We had an extra busy shift tonight,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as strained to him as it did to her. “Coffee would be nice.”
The two of them started walking back in the general direction of the ER until they reached an intersection of connecting hallways. Beyond it on the left wall, Luke pushed open a door marked Doctors’ Lounge. Which basically meant, barring an emergency, no nurses or orderlies were allowed. In the seven years she’d worked at Tahoe General, Paige had only been in this lounge once and that had been long before Luke Sherman had been hired to attend the night shift.
Compared to what she’d seen of the doctors’ lounges located on the upper floors of the hospital, the space allotted for the ER physicians was tiny. Yet this one made up for space with a comfortable couch and matching stuffed armchairs, along with a TV and a small cabinet area stocked with beverages and snacks.
Currently the room was empty. Which was hardly a surprise since Dr. Bradley was already at work on the floor and one doctor handled the whole shift on his own—unless some sort of catastrophic situation occurred and the hospital had to summon more doctors to handle the crisis.
At the moment, Paige would have given half her paycheck for another doctor to suddenly walk through the door of the quiet lounge. Being alone with Luke Sherman was not a situation she was accustomed to.
He gestured toward the seating area. “Sit down, Nurse Winters. I’ll get the coffee. How do you like yours? With a bit of cream?”
He must be a good guesser, she thought. She doubted he even knew her first name, much less how she liked her coffee. “Yes, cream would be nice.”
By the time she’d made herself comfortable on one end of the couch, he was standing in front of her, holding two red mugs.
Murmuring her thanks, she took the one he offered her, then waited until he was seated before she took a cautious sip. As he had predicted, the brew was fresh. She breathed in the rich aroma and tried to relax. But that was so very hard to do when his presence was taking up practically every inch of the small lounge.