- -
- 100%
- +
Her accent was odd. It had a lilt. A twang. Part Japanese, part American. Her English was completely and utterly fluent.
‘And as for this...’ She lifted her hand and picked his fedora off his head. He’d completely forgotten about it. ‘Who do you think you are, Indiana Jones?’
He let out a laugh. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you too. And who said this was your ER?’ He glanced over his shoulder. ‘I was planning on making it mine.’
A spark flashed across her eyes. It was almost as if he’d issued a challenge.
There was a potent silence for a few seconds. Things had been chaotic before. Mahito had been the priority. Now the only noise around them was that of the swinging doors.
She was looking at him. Sizing him up. Did he meet the grade? His curiosity was sparked. What was the grade for the firecracker?
He couldn’t help but start to smile. The air around them had a distinct sense of sizzle.
Despite the chaos of earlier her poker-straight hair had fallen back into place, framing her face perfectly. Those brown eyes could get him into a whole load of trouble. They hadn’t even had a proper introduction yet, but Katsuko was one of the most gorgeous women he’d ever set eyes on. She might be small but she had curves in all the right places. One thing was for sure—if she was only six inches taller she would be on the catwalk.
It was odd. Avery had always gone for blondes—usually leggy. But all of a sudden leggy blondes had flown straight out of his mind.
She crossed her arms over her chest and met his inquisitive gaze. From the determined tilt of her chin it was clear she knew he’d been checking her out.
She plonked his hat back on his head, then turned and walked away, giving him a clear view of her tight, perfectly formed ass. The pale green scrubs looked good on her.
He couldn’t help but laugh.
Shaking his head, he walked after her, stopping at the nearest sink to wash his hands. He didn’t even have time to catch his breath. The siren sounded again and another trolley crashed through the doors from an ambulance outside. This time the patient was an adult. His colour was poor and he was rasping.
The ambulance crew spoke rapidly in Japanese. Katsuko didn’t even blink, she just translated. ‘Thirty-five-year-old also injured in the factory explosion. Bruising across his torso already visible. No penetration wounds. They suspect broken ribs. Poor oxygen saturation. He’s complained of chest pain and he’s tachycardic. Probably tension pneumothorax.’ She bit her lip. ‘First the kid, now the adult.’
She was mirroring his exact thoughts. Two cases of pneuomothorax, each requiring different management.
In their absence, someone had cleared the resus room. Both bays were empty again. Avery grabbed the pink stethoscope that was hanging around Katsuko’s neck. ‘Hey!’ she shouted.
‘Needs must. Haven’t been able to find mine yet.’
As the trolley eased to a halt he listened carefully to both sides of the man’s chest. He waved his hand. ‘Sit him forward so I can check his back.’ Two nursing assistants responded instantly, helping to sit the man forward. The back was clear. No sign of any wounds. The patient was eased back. The shift in the trachea was evident. There was no need for anything else. A pneumothorax was air in the chest cavity. This had probably resulted from a fractured rib puncturing his lung and releasing air into the pleural space. A pneumothorax wasn’t usually life-threatening unless it progressed to a tension pneumothorax, causing compression of the vena cava, reducing cardiac blood flow to the heart and decreasing cardiac output—and that was exactly what had happened here.
A tension pneumothorax could be life-threatening and needed prompt action. The military had collected vast amounts of data regarding tension pneumothorax and subsequent treatment. In a combat setting, tension pneumothorax was the second leading cause of death, and was often preventable. Today Avery was going to make sure it was preventable.
‘Tension pneumothorax.’
Two words were all it took. Packs opened around him. Surgical gloves appeared. He pulled them on and swabbed the skin. Katsuko was speaking into the man’s ear in a low voice. She waved Avery on with a nod of her head.
‘Let’s get some oxygen on the patient.’
The staff responded instantly.
‘Do we have a name?’
His body was already starved of oxygen. They had to supplement as much as possible.
One of the physician’s assistants put his hand in the man’s pocket and pulled out a wallet. ‘Akio Yamada.’ He frowned as he calculated in his head. ‘I make him forty-four.’
Avery leaned over the man. His eyes were tightly closed and he was wincing, obviously in pain. He put his hand gently on his shoulder. ‘Akio, I’m a doctor. I’m going to do something that will help your breathing. It might be a little uncomfortable.’
This wasn’t a pleasant procedure but the effect would be almost instant relief. Air was trapped and had caused the man’s lung to collapse. As soon as the pressure was relieved and the lung reinflated he’d be able to breathe more easily again. Katsuko gave a nod that she’d finished translating.
There were specially manufactured needles designed just for a tension pneumothorax. Avery held out his hand. ‘Fourteen-gauge needle and catheter.’ He’d done this on numerous occasions in the past. It only took a few seconds to feel with his fingers for the second intercostal space, at the midclavicular line. It was vital that the needle be inserted at a ninety-degree angle to the chest wall so it would be positioned directly into the pleural space. Any mistake could result in a chance of hitting other structures—even the heart. But Avery was experienced.
The room was silent during the procedure. In a few seconds there was an audible release as the trapped air rushed out and the tension was released from his chest. Avery removed the needle and disposed of it, leaving the catheter in place. He secured it with some tape as he watched the man’s chest. Sometimes the lung inflated again immediately, sometimes it took a little time. The patient would need to be monitored.
He pulled off his gloves. ‘Can we keep an eye on his sats for the next few hours and get a portable chest X-ray?’ The man’s eyes flickered open.
Avery put a hand on his shoulder. It didn’t matter that the patient couldn’t understand him. ‘You should feel easier now. Just relax. We’ll keep a close eye on you.’
Katsuko’s gaze met his and she translated again. At least, he hoped she was translating. The truth was she could be saying anything at all and he’d never know. In a way it frustrated him. When he’d thought he was being shipped out to Portugal and Italy he’d learned a few words and phrases that he could use in clinical situations to reassure patients. He’d need to try and learn some basic Japanese.
‘Doctor?’
A clerk was standing at the door. ‘Yes?’
She waved an electronic tablet at him. ‘I’ll need you to write some notes on the two patients you’ve seen and fill some orders.’ She hesitated for a second. ‘Because you’re not officially on duty yet I’ll need to get another doctor to sign off on your cases.’
He met her worried gaze with a smile. ‘No problem.’ He could almost hear her inaudible sigh. Was she really worried he’d be offended? Of course he wasn’t.
He turned back to the patient. The male African-American nurse he’d met earlier had appeared back in the room. This time he held out his large hand towards Avery. ‘Frank Kelly, pleased to meet you.’ Avery had thought he was big at six feet two, but this guy was a giant. With his regular runs and gym workouts he normally felt pretty fit, but Frank would make a professional wrestler shrink away.
‘I’ll take over, Katsuko,’ Frank said confidently. ‘The other two majors are fractures, one a femur, the other a humerus and shoulder displacement. Do you want to check them over? Katia is triaging the walking wounded.’
Katsuko paused. He could see her hesitation to hand another patient over. Didn’t she let anyone else take charge?
He tried to hide his smile and he turned back to the patient. The colour in his cheeks was gradually improving.
He scribbled some instructions on a chart for Frank. ‘I’ll write him up for some pain relief and order a chest X-ray. Can you monitor his obs every ten minutes for the next hour?’
Frank nodded. The smile seemed to remain permanently on his face. Avery’s gaze followed Katsuko as she washed her hands and left the room. He turned back to Frank, whose knowing smile had got even wider.
‘Watch out, new boy, she bites.’
The professional thing to do was to pretend he had no idea what Frank was talking about but somehow he knew that wouldn’t wash. Besides, he was curious.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Frank shrugged and pushed the button on the machine to inflate the blood-pressure cuff. He was laughing away to himself.
‘Frank?’
Frank shook his head. ‘Just remember who her father is.’
Now he was really curious. ‘Why? Who is her father?’
Frank raised his eyebrows. ‘That would be Donald Williams.’ He paused for a second. ‘Major General Donald Williams. Our commander.’
Avery couldn’t help his head flicking sideways. It didn’t matter that Katsuko’s retreating back was nowhere in sight.
Of course. That was why the Major General had been looking at her. A giant of a man, notoriously strict, he’d commanded this base for over ten years. He also had pale skin.
There was no family resemblance at all.
‘Donald Williams is Katsuko’s father?’
Frank nodded. ‘Sure is.’ His eyes gleamed. ‘And watch out because he bites too, especially anyone who looks at his daughter the way you do.’
CHAPTER TWO
A TEN-HOUR SHIFT had turned into a fourteen-hour shift. There was no way she was going back home when the ER waiting room was so full that patients couldn’t find seats.
After a few hours some of the local police arrived to collect statements and details of injuries. ‘Any idea what happened?’
The first one nodded. ‘Delivery mistake. Chemicals for the printing factory had been mislabelled. They got mixed together as they normally do and...boom.’
Katsuko sucked in a breath. It all seemed so matter-of-fact. She’d seen exactly the damage those mislabelled chemicals had caused. The man who had been brought in by helicopter had died. Mahito was currently in their paediatric ICU. It would be a few days before they’d even attempt to wake him up from his induced coma.
Her paperwork was finally finished. The next shift had come on duty and all patients were currently being seen.
There was a nudge at her shoulder. ‘How about you show the new guy where he can get some food?’
Avery. That was his name. These US doctors rolled in, dated their way around every department and rolled back out without a second glance. Did he really think he was the first new doctor to show a spark of interest in her?
He leaned against the wall next to her, folding his arms, his Indiana Jones style hat back on his head.
‘I can’t believe you actually walk about like that.’
He tipped his hat at her. ‘What can I say? It’s a precious family heirloom. I don’t leave home without it.’
At some point he’d changed into a set of obligatory pale green scrubs. They suited him, matched his pale green eyes. There was a borrowed stethoscope around his neck and his military boots were still in place. His feet must be aching.
His blond hair was longer than normal for the military—most of the men had buzz cuts around here. She resisted the temptation to smile. Her father would have a fit. As soon as that tiny bit of forward-flopping hair touched his eyebrow there would be memos flying about the base.
He was still smiling at her. A lazy, sexy grin. This guy was movie-star material and he knew it. That rankled.
Now that he was dressed in thin scrubs she could see practically every outlined and defined muscle on his chest and arms. The scrubs were cutting into the muscle around the top of his arm. It was clear he worked out.
Another one. Cheeky. Sassy. Following her about the place. Most scattered when they found out who her father was. Well, not really her father, but as good as. The odd newcomer had thought it a challenge to try and date the Major General’s daughter. But she’d learned quickly.
It had only taken overhearing one conversation. A few sentences from one airman to another—that dating the General’s daughter would be a fast track to promotion—to make her stomach turn over and her blood boil.
She was immune. Immune to the too-long hair, twinkling eyes and defined muscles. She was immune to the cheeky innuendo and admiring glances.
No matter how cute the overall package.
‘I’m sure you can find someone else to show you where to eat.’
‘But what if I want you to show me?’
She shot him a beaming smile. ‘I’m busy.’
He lifted her stethoscope off her neck. ‘No. You’re not. Your duty shift finished four hours ago.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘And yours doesn’t even start until tomorrow.’
He placed his hand across his heart. ‘Just shows you what kind of guy I am. Dedicated. Hard-working. Selfless.’
She grabbed her stethoscope back and started to walk down the corridor towards the changing rooms. ‘Big-headed.’
‘Ouch.’ He gave a little stagger against a wall. He was still smiling at her. ‘First Lieutenant Williams, is that how you treat a fellow airman?’ He’d raised his voice a little and she could see heads turning in their direction. He opened his arms. ‘I’ve travelled halfway around the world. Billeted here at short notice. Walked in and worked a fourteen-hour shift.’ He shrugged his shoulders at two other amused staff members walking towards them. ‘I didn’t have time to check in with the housing officer and find out where I’m staying, let alone have something to eat.’ He gave them a conspiratorial smile. ‘Is this the kind of welcome Okatu gives new staff members?’
Katsuko felt the rush of heat into her cheeks. This guy was actually getting to her a little.
Caleb, one of the nurses, shook his head as he moved past and tutted. ‘Shocking.’ It was obvious he was trying not to laugh.
‘Not so much as a cup of coffee,’ added Seiko, one of the aerospace medical technicians.
It was odd. Avery’s grin was almost infectious. She could feel the edges of her mouth turning upwards even though she was willing them not to. She might not have paid enough attention before, but he did look tired. Who knew how many hours he’d travelled before he’d done an unexpected shift? And she couldn’t remember him taking a break at any point. The guy must be starving.
Avery shrugged. ‘Or maybe you have someone waiting for you at home?’
The flush in her cheeks warmed even more. Nothing like asking if she was single. What was worse was that she could see the exchange of glances between her colleagues.
Katsuko threw up her hands. ‘Fine. Fine.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘I’ll phone Barney, the housing officer, and we can pick up your keys before I show you where to eat.’
‘Food!’ exclaimed Avery. ‘It’s been so long I don’t even remember what it tastes like.’
He was walking right alongside her, so close their arms were almost brushing together. She bumped him with her hip and laughed as he lost his balance. ‘Cut it out, drama king. I’ll give you ten minutes to shower and get back into your dress uniform. If you’re not outside in ten I’m leaving you behind.’
He gave her a wink as he backed into the changing room. ‘Not a chance. I’m all yours.’
She gulped. The new guy was too smart for his own good. Too sassy. And a whole lot too sexy.
One of her colleagues gave her a nudge. ‘Hmm... Dr Flynn? Is he single? Because if he is, I’ll fight you for him.’
* * *
Ten minutes later she emerged from the changing room and walked straight into the chest of Avery Flynn.
‘Oof!’
He grinned. ‘I got you back. And at least I didn’t leave you sprawling on the floor.’
She straightened her blue jacket. She’d spent longer than she usually did getting changed. For some strange reason she’d felt the urge to check her make-up and spray on some perfume.
‘Maybe next time you won’t get in the way.’
If he’d looked good in the scrubs he looked even better in the dress uniform. The pale blue shirt and dark jacket fitted his frame perfectly. His eyes swept up and down her quickly, taking in the regulation skirt, her legs no longer hidden in scrubs. She resisted the temptation to clear her throat.
He waved his arm in front of him. ‘Lead on, then, First Lieutenant. I’d hate to get in the way.’
She rolled her eyes and started walking. ‘Are you always going to be this annoying?’
His backpack was slung over his shoulder and his darned fedora was in his other hand. At least he wasn’t trying to wear it while he was in uniform. He fell into step alongside her. ‘Believe me, I’ve got annoying down to a fine art.’
He pushed open the door and held it for her. She swept through in front of him. ‘I bet you have.’
She pointed in one direction. ‘Let’s go this way. We’ll pick up your keys from the housing officer. I gave him a call and he told me where he’d leave things for you.’
Avery frowned and looked at his watch. ‘Is that the time? I’d no idea it was so late.’ He nudged her with his elbow. ‘Just as well I’m with you. The housing office would be closed at ten o’clock at night.’
She started crossing the road. ‘It might surprise you but we have lots of night-time deployment flights. The housing officer has a page. He wouldn’t have minded if you’d called him out.’
He gave her a curious glance. ‘Lived here long?’
‘Almost all my life.’
His footsteps faltered a little but she didn’t halt. She knew exactly what would happen next. He lengthened his stride and walked a little in front of her, turning around to catch sight of her face. ‘I didn’t think that was possible.’
‘It’s not.’
He wasn’t going to be put off with her short answers. By this point, he was almost walking backwards, keeping his gaze on her the whole time.
‘So how have you managed it?’
He was so busy watching her face that he wasn’t paying attention to the road. She reached out and grabbed him just as his foot hit a small rut.
His reaction was automatic. As his balance tipped he grabbed her hand that was clutching the front of his jacket. The warm skin of the palm of his hand wrapped firmly around her wrist. It was like slow motion. A flood of electricity shot up her arm towards her chest. If she could have snatched her hand back she would have.
But he hadn’t let go. His pale green eyes fixed on hers. Nothing was said. Neither of them moved again. Her breath caught some way in her throat and all of a sudden she felt the desperate urge to find something to drink. Preferably alcohol.
‘Can’t have you falling for me twice in one day.’
It was meant to come out as a quip—a joke. But the intensity of his gaze made her normally firm voice turn into a whisper.
He responded instantly. ‘Oh, I think we can.’ There was an edge to his voice, a raspiness she hadn’t noticed before, that sent a shiver straight down her spine.
Her fingers slowly let go of his jacket. Avery stared at his hand for a few seconds before finally letting go of her wrist.
There was a tiny shake of his head, as if he was trying to process what had just happened.
‘Over here.’ She spoke quickly, pointing to an office block. ‘That’s where we’ll get your keys.’ She strode ahead. It was crazy. But this guy was unsettling her. Touching her. Giving her glimpses of a whole other world out there.
She buzzed them into the block and picked up his keys and a map of the base from the reception desk. She glanced at the key fob and circled a place on the map with a pen.
‘Look, we’re here. And we’ll probably go and eat in this street here. Your house is over here. It’s about ten minutes from where we’ll eat.’
She was conscious of him leaning over the map beside her. Even though they’d been close up earlier in the ER she hadn’t noticed the woody smell of his aftershave. Maybe he’d just put some on? Just like she had...
And that darned bit of hair at the front fell over his forehead. Her fingers itched to push it back.
He picked up the map and turned towards her, their noses almost touching. As it was night-time the reception area wasn’t brightly lit. There was no one else around. It was almost...intimate.
She stepped back and sucked in a breath. His head tilted to the side a little, as if he was surprised by her sudden movement. What was he used to? Women falling at his feet?
‘There’s a courtyard five minutes away.’ She moved over towards the door again. ‘What is that you want to eat?’
As if on cue his stomach gave a loud growl and he put his hand over his belly and laughed. ‘Something that no doctor would approve of.’
She pushed open the door. ‘Like what? You’ve just arrived in Japan. Don’t you want to try some local cuisine?’
He shook his head. ‘Not tonight. Tonight I’m ravenous. If I’m sampling genuine Japanese food I want to savour every mouthful. Think of me as a horse.’
She turned to face him. ‘Are you crazy?’
‘Yes, I am. It’s called low blood sugar. I just want to stick my head in a bucket and eat and eat until I’m ready to collapse in a corner. I want calorie-laden carbs. Can you find me some?’
She wagged her finger at him. ‘Sure I can. But I’m warning you, this is blackmail material.’
His eyes twinkled. ‘Well, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have blackmail me.’
* * *
Five minutes later they reached a pizza place and slid into a booth. The smell was enough to make him keel over. Food. He needed food.
He clocked a buffet in the corner. ‘Let’s not wait. How about we just go to the buffet?’
He could see the ready-cooked pizzas under the heat lamps. They were practically calling out his name. His hand was poised on the table, ready to get back up again.
Katsuko laughed and shook her head. ‘What do you want to drink?’
He looked around. ‘A beer. I’ll have a beer. I’ll probably sleep for a week.’
She gestured to one of the waitresses. ‘Just make sure you’re ready for your shift tomorrow. If you don’t appear on time, remember—’ she pointed to the key that was still in his hand ‘—I know where you live.’
He couldn’t help the instant grin that appeared. He paused for a second and stared at the key dangling from his hand. ‘Yeah, you do, don’t you?’
He hadn’t quite meant to say it like that. But it had just naturally come out that way. He locked gazes with those dark brown eyes. He wanted to get closer. He wanted to see if they were flecked with gold, or if the dark brown was as intense as it looked from here.
She licked her lips and his feet instantly shifted. The waitress appeared next to them, talking rapidly in Japanese. Avery pulled down his jacket and moved over to the buffet. He couldn’t help but shake his head. He hadn’t slept and had barely eaten in nearly two days. He was flirting with a colleague. No, he was getting fresh with the base commander’s daughter. He was clearly losing his mind.
He picked up a heated plate and put two slices on it.
Katsuko appeared at his side. ‘Did you even look?’ She was smiling and had a glass of wine in her hand.
She picked up a plate and put two slices of pizza and some salad on it. ‘Remember your five a day,’ she whispered, then added a spoonful of salad to his plate.
Avery stared down at his plate. ‘Sorry,’ he murmured. ‘At last count it was around forty-eight hours since I had some proper food.’
She gave a knowing nod. ‘Is it the joys of being an ER doctor, or the joys of being in the air force?’
They returned to the booth and he spent the next few minutes eating. It appeared he’d picked two slices of pepperoni and mushroom pizza and they hit all the right spots. After a few minutes he rested back in the booth and picked up his bottle of beer.