The Leo Aquarius Connection
Opposites In Love - Book 5
By Janet Lane-Walters
Digital ISBNs
EPUB 978-0-2286-0240-8
Kindle 978-0-2286-0241-5
Print ISBNs
Amazon 978-0-2286-0242-2
Lightning Source 978-0-2286-0244-6
Copyright 2018 by Janet Lane Walters
Cover Art by Michelle Lee
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Dedication
To Dr. Noah Goldman with thanks for taking care of a small problem for me before it became a big one. Also thanks for giving me the opening of this book. “Enter the handsome doctor.” An entrance I’ll never forget.
Chapter 1
As Caleb Winstone rode the elevator to the fifth floor of Eastlake Community, the familiar aromas shouting hospital engulfed him. Though slightly different from the scents of his last placement, they smelled of coming home. Exhaustion threatened to swamp him, but he had places to visit and things to accomplish before he sought sleep.
The indicator flashed five. The doors parted, and he stepped out to face the nurses’ station. A half dozen women stared and collectively sighed.
“Enter the handsome doctor.”
Gasps and giggles greeted him.
Caleb felt his face heat. Had he really said that? He considered a strategic retreat, but the elevator doors had closed. Though he’d been called handsome often enough, he had no reason for the blatant announcement.
A burst of male laughter interrupted his swirling thoughts. “Hello, Caleb. You certainly know how to make an entrance.” A tall blond man rounded the end of the desk and offered his hand,
“Alex Carter, good to see you again.”
Alex clasped his hand. “Are you in town for good?”
“Looks that way. I’ve joined Joe Grogan’s practice.” Caleb grinned. “Blame my announcement on jet lag. Arrived this morning from London where I spent three months studying respiratory diseases in children.”
“Have you been home?”
Caleb shook his head. “Came straight here. Decided to complete the paperwork and get my parking pass and then go to the office before I go home. I’m meeting Joe at one thirty at the office. Actually, I’m in no hurry to reach the stone mansion.”
Alex nodded. “Are they still upset over your career choice?’
“Naturally. They equate my straying from the financial sphere as a betrayal like they did when I chose swimming over football in high school.”
“Shame. Let me introduce you to today’s crew.” Alex walked to the desk.
The nurses smiled. Were they hiding laughter? He felt sure his appearance and words would make the rounds.
Alex grinned. “Ladies, this is Caleb Winstone, the newest addition to our staff. He’s joining Dr. Joe and vying for the handsome doctor award.”
Caleb shook his head. Years ago, Alex had been a tease. His first wife’s behavior had soured him. The second marriage had brought a welcome change. “I’ll get you.”
Alex mentioned name after name until they reached the tall brunette at the end of the desk. Her lab coat marked her as the unit’s nurse manager.
“Caleb, Jenessa Bradshaw, Acting Nurse Manager. Her husband is Director of Nursing.”
“Glad to meet you,” Caleb said. “Sorry about the grand entrance.”
She laughed. “You said what we were thinking.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Alex said. “Half the girls in high school followed him around.”
“The other half followed you.” Caleb turned to Jenessa. “Why are you just acting nurse manager?”
“Our newly hired one was to start two months ago but a family emergency intervened. She’s starting on Monday.”
“She must be special.”
“She is. She’s a nurse practitioner.”
“I’m impressed.”
Jenessa smiled. “Let me give you a quick tour.”
Caleb walked beside her. “Is the name of this new nurse a secret?”
“I forgot you weren’t here during the selection process. She’s a friend from my class at Grantley.”
Alex nodded. “She’s one of the infamous Grantley Gang. You were seldom home back then to know about their antics.” He turned to Jenessa. “Are we holding a welcoming party to celebrate the event?”
“I would tell you to ask your wife but just the Gang minus Rick,” Jenessa said. “She’ll be tied up at Rehab getting her brother settled.”
Caleb halted. “Just who is this person?”
“Suzanna Rollins,” Jenessa said. “She worked at City.”
Caleb held in a groan. Not her. Not here. He prayed his face didn’t show his feelings. Of all the women in the world to invade his space. Suzanna Rollins had no use for him. Their days of dating hadn’t ended well.
“Do you know her?”
Caleb shrugged. “I may have seen her a time or two.” Or more. They had dated for several months until the night he’d asked her to give up her job and move in with him. All her expenses would be paid. All she had to do was warm his bed.
His cheek still stung with the memory of her reaction. She’d walked away. He’d managed to avoid her and leaped at the chance to spend three months in London on Respiratory Problems in Children seminar.
He covered a yawn with his hand and followed Jenessa on a tour of the patient rooms. Most were semi-private. Two nurseries held four cribs each. There was one isolation room. She pointed out the playroom where children could escape their rooms. She pointed out the patients being cared for by his new partner. Several of them had respiratory problems. He needed to see their charts and decide what new ideas he could suggest. Of the twenty patients on the thirty bed unit, nine belonged to his new practice.
Before he left to have lunch in the cafeteria he reviewed the charts. As he ate, he thought of the irony of working with Suzanna. He was being drawn into a whirlpool with no escape. Could he see her every day knowing she was not his to touch? Not to mention facing the contempt he knew she felt.
He cleared his tray and drove to the office he would share with his new partner. According to the information Joe had sent him, the second floor of the five story building was theirs. Instead of using the elevator, he opted for the stairs.
Before heading home to crash, he wanted to spend several hours organizing his office and learning about the practice. He exited the stairwell and entered the waiting room. Several patients waited with their mothers.
The receptionist looked up. “Dr. Winstone, welcome. Dr. Joe is waiting.”
“Thanks.” Caleb walked down the hall and paused outside the room with his partner’s name on the door. He knocked and stepped inside.
Dr. Joe looked up. “Glad you’re here. Welcome.”
“Glad to be here.” Caleb sank onto the chair before the desk.
“You look like hell. When did you arrive?”
“Six AM. Then through customs and claimed my car. I drove straight here and headed to the hospital. Put in my paperwork and have my parking pass. What do you want me to do?”
The older man rose. “I’ll have Gloria show you around. Then set up your office. There’s a stack of boxes that have been here for months. How was London?”
“Great and I learned a lot.” Caleb paused at the door. “I can see patients and I want to talk to you about the asthma kids.�
�
“No need to see patients. It’s a light afternoon.” He reached for a chart. “The asthma kids are yours.” He paused beside Caleb. “Suppose you’ve heard about the new nurse manager. Bright young woman. Her being a practitioner is a plus.”
“I’m sure she’ll be an asset.” Though working with Suzanna would be a challenge, he must manage each encounter with grace. He pushed to his feet. “Let me organize my office and take the tour.” He yawned. If he sat any longer, he would crash.
“Do that, then go home.” Joe grinned. "You can make hospital rounds tomorrow and skip office hours.” He paused. “There’s a teenage boy arriving at the Rehab Center tomorrow. Multiple fractures and burns. Rick Somers is handling the orthopedic side of his care.”
Caleb found his way to the office that would be his. For several hours, he unpacked boxes, hung his licenses and diplomas. He fitted reference books on the shelves and hooked up the computer sitting on the extension of the mahogany desk. When he finished, he found Gloria. She showed him the treatment rooms and supply closets.
When the tour ended, he walked to the door. Time to go home, somewhere he really didn’t want to be.
* * *
Suzanna Rollins gathered the last of her belongings from the locker at City Hospital. Tomorrow, she would drive to Eastlake to begin a new phase of her career as nurse manager of the Pediatric Unit at Eastlake Community. Though her years of working here had been productive, the move brought benefits. A home instead of a studio apartment, a great Rehab Center for her younger half-brother and a chance to fully use her education.
After the horrific accident caused by her alcoholic step-father and mother, she had called to cancel her arrival in Eastlake. Though she had grieved for the two small half-siblings, she felt nothing for the adults. She had questions about the accident. Questions Jon could answer but he had avoided lengthy talk about what had happened that night.
Carrying the box and her winter jacket, she strode to the nurses’ lounge to bid farewell to her colleagues. She would miss them but not enough to stay. At Eastlake, she would be reunited with her college friends, the Grantley Gang, and catch up on what had happened in their lives since graduation.
She opened the door and stepped inside to be greeted by shouts of “Good luck” and “We’ll miss you.” On the round table she saw a cake with Happy Landing written in script. Later, she would cut the cake and enjoy the camaraderie.
Suzanna thought of a reason she was glad to leave. Caleb Winstone, resident pediatrician, was due back from a three month course in London. Not facing the uncomfortable thought of working with him brought a smile. Every time she’d seen him since that night had made her nauseated.
When leaving for their last date, she’d happily expected a declaration but not the one she’d received.
Give up your job. Live with me. I’ll provide your every need.
For days, those words had haunted her. Her hands clenched, and anger had built. Still did. When Cate had called about the opening at Eastlake Community, Suzanna had emailed her resume. Thoughts of being near friends who had drifted apart over the years had been welcome. Especially after the proposition.
“Dr. Winstone.”
His name snapped the chain of memories.
“He’s not returning,” one of the nurses said. “Dr. Toma isn’t happy about the news.”
“Not to mention us,” another woman said. “The man is eye candy to the hilt. Where is he headed?”
“I didn’t hear.”
For a moment, Suzanna questioned her decision to leave. She could have remained at City. But the job change, and the move brought advantages and a promotion that would take years to gain here.
She took a last bite of cake and wrapped a large piece for her brother. “Gang, I have to go. I’ll miss you. Working with you has been great.”
Bess, the pediatric supervisor, rose. “You’re off to face a challenge. We wish you luck.” She handed Suzanna an envelope. “A gift certificate to a shop where we know you like to shop. Buy something frivolous and fun.”
Suzanna gulped when she saw the amount. “I’ll make a trip down and stop to visit you and show off my choice. Thank you all.” She noticed the accompanying card contained several doctors as well as the nurses.
“Call before you come.”
“I will.” She slipped on her jacket, added the piece of cake to the box and waved. “Bye and many thanks.”
A short time later, she reached her SUV and fought traffic across town to the nursing home/rehab facility where her fifteen year old brother was a patient. She parked, walked to the entrance and rang for admittance. While not modern, the care was excellent though not as intensive as Jon needed.
When the door clicked, she entered and headed down the hall to his room. She paused a moment in the doorway of the semi-private room and looked at him. His slumped shoulders and turned down mouth screamed misery. She hoped the cake would bring a smile. Two months had passed since the accident. His shattered bones had healed and the scars from the surgery had begun to fade. At least his face hadn’t scarred.
Suzanne walked forward. “Hi, bro.” She smiled.
Eyes as green as hers met her gaze. “Hi,” he mumbled.
“What’s wrong?’
“I tried to stand this morning. I can’t. I’ll be chained to this chair forever.”
She noticed a gathering of tears in his eyes. She brushed dark brown hair the same shade as hers from his forehead. Of the three half-siblings, Jon alone had inherited their mother’s coloring. “You will escape the chair. Don’t doubt this for an instant.” She placed the slice of cake she’d brought from the party on the tray. “While you eat this, I’ll tell you about tomorrow.”
His eyes widened. “Am I really getting out of here?” He glanced at the bed next to him where the patient was connected to an IV and a feeding tube.
She nodded. “When I had my interview on line, my old friend told me about the Rehab Center. Remember, I showed you the pictures she sent. You’ll like it there. They’ll make you work hard. Before long, you’ll be out of the chair.” She crossed her fingers and hoped his progress would escalate.
He speared a piece of cake. “Sure hope so.”
“Believe. When you’re ready for outpatient therapy, you’ll come home. We’ll live in a house. One with three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor. Downstairs, there’s a room you’ll use temporarily. Has a bathroom with a shower. There’s even a dining room, a garage and a large basement.”
He finished the cake and flashed a smile. “You make the move seem wonderful.”
“It will be.” She made a silent wish that the move would be everything they expected.
He stared at the window. “What about school? I’ve missed so much. Even before the accident, there were times I had to stay home. At my old school, they just passed me to the next grade.”
She clasped his hand. “I talked to the counselor at the new school. She recommended an online school. They’ll evaluate you and prepare you to enter high school in September as a sophomore.”
She looked away, so he couldn’t see the anger she felt. He’d missed too many school days because his parents binged on alcohol. Too many times they’d forgotten to take the younger two to day care or were behind in paying the fees. Though she’d tried to help, she’d had work and tuition bills to pay. Moving home hadn’t been an option, not since she’d left for college. Once she’d received a full scholarship to Grantley, she’d been on her own.
“You sound so sure I’ll be okay,” Jon said.
“I am, and so should you be.”
His dinner tray arrived. She uncovered the plate. The stew over rice didn’t look appealing but he polished off the food.
“When we reach Eastlake, I’ll bring you chili dogs from the Hot Doggery for your dinner.”
“Sounds better than the food here.” He pushed the tray away. “You don’t have to hang out with me.”
“I’m in no hurry to go h
ome.”
“Don’t you have someone to spend time with? Maybe a boyfriend?”
She shook her head. Been there. Done that. Got burned. “We need to talk about tomorrow. The ambulance will be here at nine. Don’t let them take you before I arrive. The trip will take about an hour. Once you’re settled in your room at the Rehab Center, I’ll go to the house and unpack and come back to spend time with you.”
“You don’t have to. Wouldn’t you rather be with your friends?”
“They’re bringing dinner to the house and helping with the unpacking. All but Megan are married.” She tapped his nose with a finger. “We’re family and I want to spend time with you. I’ll find a laptop for you and we’ll set it up for some games and explore the school program.”
His smile blossomed. “Thanks.”
She kissed his forehead. “See you in the morning. It’s a new life for both of us.”
Suzanna drove to her studio apartment. She stood just inside the door. The place appeared forlorn. All her clothes except the uniform she wore and the things for tomorrow had been packed in boxes. Some she’d taken to her SUV and others were in the U-Haul two co-workers were bringing to Eastlake tomorrow.
She opened the nearly empty fridge and zapped the last frozen dinner. As she ate, she thought about the new beginning with the old friends she hadn’t seen for several years. Excitement gathered.
* * *
Caleb parked his sleek silver car in front of the four car garage. He was home, but he remained seated behind the wheel. Once again, the feeling of being out of sync with his family hammered in his thoughts.
He stared at the gray stone mansion. The giant oaks surrounding the house bore no leaves, adding to the starkness of the scene. Why did the house always make him feel as if he returned to a prison? Those impressions had begun during his teen years and pushed him into episodes of silent rebellion. First, joining the swim team. Then finding an affinity for science rather than math. The last of the episodes had been his choice of medicine rather than finance and business.
The Leo-Aquarius Connection Page 1
