Redeeming the Rebel Doc

by Susan Carlisle

  This time there was a slight coughing sound and the woman’s chest started to move.

  Tiffani released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

  The sound of an ambulance’s siren filled the air.

  The first-aid person slipped an oxygen mask over the patient’s nose and mouth.

  “Don’t move,” Rex instructed the patient. To the first-aid person he said, “I’m Dr. Rex Maxwell, by the way. May I use your stethoscope? I’m going to give her a quick check and then I’ll get out of the paramedics’ way.”

  The first-aid person handed it over.

  Rex efficiently and expertly listened to the patient’s heart and lungs. He then checked the pulse in her neck.

  Tiffani pulled out her phone and took some pictures. Now that the worst was over, she couldn’t miss a chance to capture Rex in action. By the time he was finished the ambulance had arrived. She stood and waited out of the way while Rex spoke to the EMTs.

  As the ambulance left, one of the women who had been with the patient said to Rex, “Thank you.”

  He answered with a warm smile, “Not a problem. I’m just glad I was nearby.”

  “That’s you on the billboard, isn’t it?” the woman asked.

  “I’m afraid so.”

  Tiffani smiled at his not-so-gracious admission.

  “The hospital picked the right guy. You were a hero today,” the woman said.

  Looking humbled, Rex nodded and headed toward where Tiffani was standing.

  She said as he joined her, “You know, you really are a good guy.”

  “You doubted it?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah. But it just goes to show you can’t believe everything you read.” Or believe everything her father had told her about doctors, or what she’d come to believe as true from what had happened with her family. Not all of them were bad. Especially not Rex.

  “I could have told you that,” he retorted.

  Rex had been amazing with the hurt woman. Kind and gentle. He hadn’t hesitated to run to help. Giving was part of his nature. All her life, her father had, and still did, demanded her help, always putting his needs first. Rex was just the opposite, thinking of other people before himself. He was so different from what she’d had in her mind he would be.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s finish this walk. I’m hungry.”

  When he took her hand, she let him. The feeling of being wanted, of feeling secure, even if only for five minutes, sped up the healing of her heart.

  * * *

  Half an hour later they were in her car, pulling out into traffic. He gave directions to the restaurant. A short time later they parked in a lot two blocks away and she was shutting her door before Rex could get his legs out.

  “I beat you.”

  “You have me folded up in this clown car and now you’re making fun of my manners.” He grinned at her.

  As they walked to the restaurant Tiffani asked, “Where did those manners come from?”

  “My mom said good manners can get you anywhere.” He winced as if it had hurt him to confess that but immediately went on, “She reinforced them at home from as far back as I can remember. Cotillions and dance lessons embedded them in me.”

  “I like them. I’m glad your mother cared enough to teach them to you. Manners make a person think of others before themselves.” Something the men in her life had never done as they’d always thought it was about them. She liked having someone think of her first. Even if only to open a door.

  As she pondered her new appreciation of simple good manners, he said, “I never thought about it like that.” It sounded as if he’d come to an important realization himself. Then he asked, “You ever been to Mac’s before?”

  “No.”

  “Best-kept secret in the city.” His fondness for the establishment was audible and visible as he stopped in front of a red brick building with a large wooden door. Above it was a sign that read Mac’s in bold red letters. Rex held the door open.

  She smiled her genuine pleasure as she passed him. “Thank you.” Once inside, she turned in time to see his grin and nod of appreciation.

  “You’re welcome.”

  They both laughed. She enjoyed laughing with Rex. Hadn’t done much of it recently.

  They went down a few steps and made a left turn into a dimly lit dining room. Tables were covered in white cloths with small flower vases in the center of each.

  “This was a speakeasy during the twenties,” Rex informed her on the way to the hostess stand.

  “I can imagine.” Tiffani loved the place immediately with its warm old-world charm.

  A short, heavy-set, balding man came around the stand to greet them, a smile lighting up his face. “Rex. This is a pleasure.”

  “Hi, Joe,” he said, taking the man into a hug and patting him on the back.

  They broke apart and Joe said, “Long time no see.”

  “Too long. I’ve been busy.”

  “I saw that. Glad everything worked out,” Joe remarked.

  Rex stepped back and put his arm around Tiffani’s shoulders in a friendly manner, pulling her close. “Joe, I’d like you to meet my friend Tiffani.”

  Joe’s smile deepened. “Hello, Ms. Tiffani.”

  “Hi.” She felt unusually shy all of a sudden.

  Rex removed his arm. “Are we too early for the ribs to be ready?”

  Joe picked up a couple of menus from the slot on the stand. “Not for you.”

  “Are they any good?” Rex teased.

  “All my ribs are good.” Joe grinned as he showed them to a table.

  “I’ll be the judge of that,” Rex declared, pulling a chair out for her.

  Tiffani settled into the wooden seat and Rex took the one beside her. Why did he choose to sit so close instead of across from her? Trying to dismiss her uncharacteristic shyness, Tiffani opened her menu. “I’m guessing we don’t have to earn his vote of confidence.”

  “Nope. Joe and I go way back.”

  “It makes you uncomfortable to talk about the lawsuit, doesn’t it?”

  A grimace flowed over Rex’s face. “I just hate that people feel they need to tiptoe around what happened. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was trying to save the man’s life.” In the same breath he added, “You’re welcome to get anything you want but I recommend the dry-rub rib dinner. You can’t go wrong.”

  Obviously, he was done with that subject. Now that she’d seen him with all sorts of patients she knew there was no way he had ever been guilty of what he’d been accused of. He was passionate about his work, caring. He would have saved that man’s life had it been in his power to do so. She shot a covert glance at Rex. Was he the same in other areas of his life?

  A young waitress dressed in a white shirt and black skirt came to take their drink orders.

  “You eat here often?” Tiffani asked as the waitress walked off.

  “No. I wish I did. I stay pretty busy at the hospital.”

  “I know you’re a dedicated doctor and all, but don’t you ever do something for fun?”

  He shut his menu and put it on top of hers. “Sure I do. Every day.”

  What was he talking about? “Like what?”

  “You won’t like my answer. I ride my bike.”

  Tiffani smirked. “And I’m ruining all your fun.”

  Rex grinned. “Yeah, you are. I think you should make that up to me.”

  “And just how should I do that?” She watched as a hint of a wolfish grin curved his lips.

  “I have a few ideas.” His voice held a provocative note.

  Tiffani shifted in her chair. She was grateful when the waitress returned and they ordered the ribs Rex had suggested. When they were alone again she pulled out her phone and announced, “I got some great pictures today. In fact,
as soon as we finish here I need to post them.”

  He ignored the picture on the phone she held out for him to see, keeping his eyes on her face. “You talk about me having fun. What about you? Let’s talk about something besides our jobs.”

  She put her phone away. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”

  “How about what’s your favorite movie?”

  He kept the easy conversation flowing as the food arrived and they ate. To Tiffani’s delight, they had more in common than either of them expected. They even laughed over Rex’s story about his first attempt to ride a motorcycle.

  “Hey, look this way,” Rex said as they finished their meal.

  She did as he requested.

  He leaned in close and wiped her cheek with a napkin. “You have rub on your face.”

  Their gazes met, held. Was she imagining the heat swirling around them?

  “Well, if it isn’t Tiffani Romano,” came a sarcastic tone she recognized.

  A cold wind blew over her, removing the warmth that had been there only seconds before. The urge to groan grew. Lou. What was he doing here? Why was this happening to her? She didn’t even want to look. Would it have been so bad for her to have stayed in the heavenly moment Rex had created?

  Against her better judgment, she looked up.

  “Isn’t this a surprise?” Lou said in far too cheerful a voice, his mouth wide with a smile.

  “I guess you could call it that.” Why couldn’t he have just walked on by? More than that, why did she let him get to her? She didn’t mean anything to him. All he was trying to do was belittle her to make himself feel more important. He wanted to humiliate her. Again. He made a point of stopping by the office almost daily. She didn’t deserve it on her day off as well.

  “Funny meeting you here,” Lou said.

  Tiffani didn’t think it was humorous at all. She glanced at the woman with him, who was apparently his newest conquest.

  As if she’d given him a reminder to gloat, Lou put his arm around the woman’s shoulders and pulled her in so tightly she came off one foot. “This is Monique. She’s an up-and-coming model. You may have seen her in a couple of magazines.”

  Tiffani had. Almost all of her.

  She looked at Rex, who must have noticed the anguish in her eyes because he put his arm across the back of her chair and leaned in close. “Honey, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

  She couldn’t deny the pleasure she felt when Lou’s smile drooped. “Uh, this is Lou Habersham. A coworker.” She put emphasis on the last word. “Lou, Dr. Rex Maxwell.”

  “Tiffani, we were more than coworkers,” Lou said in a meaningful tone.

  “And we aren’t anymore.” Tiffani felt sorry for Monique, having to listen to this.

  Rex smiled and offered his hand. “Your loss is my gain.”

  Lou looked as if he were taking Rex’s hand more out of duty than desire.

  “I wish we could ask you to join us but we’ve just finished our meal and are on our way out. We have something special planned for this afternoon.” Rex made the word special sound so suggestive that Tiffani blushed. That would give Lou his comeuppance. Thanks to Rex, it now looked like she had a hot doctor and didn’t need him anymore.

  Taking her elbow, Rex guided her to her feet. “Enjoy your meal,” he said to Lou, who now looked baffled.

  Tiffani gave Monique a reassuring smile. Lou said nothing. She silently cheered Rex for leaving the pompous man speechless. As they walked toward the door she whispered, “Thanks for that.”

  Rex moved his hand from her elbow to her waist. “You’re welcome.”

  She appreciated his support. How had he known she’d needed it?

  They paused at the hostess stand, where Rex handed Joe a few bills. “Ribs were great, Joe. I’ll be back soon.”

  “I’m going to count on that. Bring your lady with you.”

  “I’ll do that.”

  She wasn’t Rex’s lady, but after seeing Lou she needed to feel like she belonged to him, even if it was just for a few minutes.

  They climbed the stairs and exited. A dark cloud filled the western sky. There was a roll of thunder before a shower of rain began.

  “Do you want to chance it or wait while I go get the car?” Rex asked.

  “I’ll walk. I don’t want to wait here.”

  “Okay.”

  Tiffani headed down the sidewalk. He kept pace with her but didn’t try to take her hand or touch her. As they went, lightning streaked across the sky and the wind picked up. The rain grew heavier. He grabbed her hand and they ran the last of the distance to the car.

  Inside it Rex finally asked, “You want to tell me what that was all about back there?”

  “It doesn’t matter. It was just Lou, being the jerk he is.”

  “It looked and sounded like more than that.” He watched her.

  She finally met his gaze. “Rex, I’m sorry. We were having a nice meal. I ruined it and now you’re all wet. I’ll get you home.”

  The thunderstorm roared around them.

  “I hate wet jeans,” Tiffani complained as she started the car. “They stick to you...”

  Rex’s mouth quirked. “But the view is nice.”

  Warmth filled her that had nothing to do with the heat coming from the dashboard. Rex had a way of making her feel good about herself, she admitted with reluctance. “I’ll have you at your place in a sec. I’ve already taken up too much of your day.”

  They rode in silence. They were almost at his apartment when lightning lit the sky just before a heavy roll of thunder followed. The rain made it hard to see in front of them.

  “You’re not driving home in this. It’s too dangerous. Come up to my place until it passes.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Where do you live?” Rex asked.

  “Out toward Germantown.”

  “That’s a good thirty to forty minutes away. More in this weather, and it’s headed that direction.” He squinted out the windshield.

  Fear that if she went into his home she might not want to leave prompted her to protest, “I’m sure you had other plans for your day besides seeing after me.”

  “Doctor’s orders. You’re coming in with me.”

  She couldn’t sit around in his house in wet clothes. “I’m a mess. I don’t have any spare clothes with me.”

  “I’ll find something you can wear. Stop arguing.” When she reached his address he said, “Drive around the block and up the alley. I have a garage there. You can’t park on the street in this area.”

  Tiffani did as he said.

  Halfway down the row he instructed, “Let me out here. I’ll raise the door.”

  She watched as he climbed out into the downpour and pulled up the large square metal door. He must feel as miserable as she did in his wet clothes. His back muscles flexed under the soaked, clinging fabric of his T-shirt. He wasn’t the only one who could appreciate a view.

  Seconds later he was waving her into the garage. His bike was parked there and she pulled in next to it and got out. She stepped into the rain beside him as he pulled the door down in one quick motion. Together they hurried to a single wooden door across the way. Rex pulled keys from his pocket and opened it. Swinging it wide, he let her enter ahead of him.

  “Head upstairs. The door at the top is open.”

  A light came on as she took the first step. The space smelled of oil and lemon, as if the wood had been cared for with polish. She pushed open the door at the top into a spacious kitchen area with brick walls, stainless-steel appliances and an ultra-modern dinning set. The floors were dark hardwood that gleamed even in the dim light. One wall was floor-to-ceiling windows, and beyond that was a roof patio with plants everywhere, even a raised garden. More astonishing was a view of the river.

  She turned t
o Rex. “This is an amazing place.”

  “I’ll let you look around to your heart’s desire after you get out of those wet clothes. Come this way and I’ll show you where you can get a shower.” He headed down a wide hallway into a huge space that faced the street, visible through four tall windows that lined the front. True to his word, he didn’t give her time to explore, leading her to a small hall with two doors leading off it. He went into the one on the right. She followed. He had stopped in the middle of a room that looked as if it doubled as an office and guest room.

  He pointed to another door. “There’s the bath. Make yourself at home. I’ll put some clothes on the doorknob. There’s lots of hot water so take your time.” He circled her and left, shutting the door behind him.

  * * *

  Rex wondered what possessed him to insist that Tiffani come in. Maybe it was the sad look in her eyes when she’d seen that guy at the restaurant, or the drowned-rat look after they’d jumped into the car, or just that he didn’t want her to leave him yet. Whatever it was, he had to live with the decision now.

  Tiffani was undressing in his bathroom. He shouldn’t have been concerned about having a hot bath because what he really needed was a cold one. Opening a drawer, he selected a T-shirt for her to wear and pulled sweat pants off a hanger in his closet. Going back into his spare room, he hung the clothes on the doorknob of the closed bathroom door.

  A sound came from inside. He grinned. Tiffani was singing a pop song. If he didn’t get moving, the temptation to ask if he could join her would overcome common sense.

  Forcing himself to go to his own bath, he peeled off his wet clothes and stepped under the shower. Minutes later he, dried off and pulled on a fresh T-shirt and a pair of shorts. Gathering his wet clothes, he checked to see if Tiffani was done. Sounds came from the kitchen so he headed that way.

  Tiffani stood in her bare feet, looking into a cabinet. She looked so cute, wearing his clothes, even though they were large on her. Her hair was down. The gorgeous tresses fell just below her shoulders.

  “I didn’t know what I should do with my wet clothes,” she said over her shoulder, “so I found the washer and put them in there. Why don’t you put yours in with mine and get them going?”