Taming the Hot-Shot Doc

by Susan Carlisle

  Mr. Clayton gave Matt a suspicious look before he turned white and his eyes rolled back in his head.

  “Lay him down before he passes out,” Matt said as he placed a hand on the man’s back and lowered him to the table.

  “Rachel, we need a blanket here and to treat for shock.” Shay pulled out the extension on the table, took the man’s feet and laid them across it.

  “Dr. Lunsford, do you mind?” Dr. Chapman nodded toward the man’s hand. “I have experience here.”

  “I want Dr. Lunsford.”

  Shay placed a hand on Mr. Clayton’s shoulder. “Dr. Chapman cares for this type of injury more often than I do. Trust me, he can help you.”

  “Jim, let him do what he knows best.” Mrs. Clayton’s eyes held tears.

  To Dr. Chapman, Shay said, “Go ahead.”

  With gentle movements, Matt started unwrapping the dirty material covering the hand. He said to no one in particular, “I need a pan, saline. This needs to be cleaned so I can see the damage. Set up for an X-ray.”

  He had gone too far. “Dr. Chapman, may I speak to you.”

  “Right now?” His disbelief filled his voice.

  “In the hall, please.” She stepped outside and to her relief he followed.

  The gloves on his hands came off with a pop then the trash can top dropped with a thump after he threw them in. He pulled the door closed behind him with more force than necessary.

  Shay faced him. “We’re to stop the bleeding and transport. The rest will be handled at the hospital.”

  Matt gave her a piercing look. “I know what I’m doing. This is my area of expertise. Let me save this man’s hand. If he has to wait, he might lose the use of it.”

  Shay vacillated between agreeing and standing her ground.

  “Trust me.”

  She huffed. “You better be as good as you think you are.”

  “I won’t disappoint you.” Without another word he returned to the room. Pulling on gloves again, he finished removing the wrapping and examined the hand.

  Rachel had already laid a paper pad on the table beneath Mr. Clayton’s hand.

  Shay intended to take some control back in her own clinic. To Rachel, Shay said, “Hold the pan under his hand while I pour the sterile water over it.”

  Matt stood close, watching as if making sure she did it correctly.

  Her chest tightened at the sight of the skin peeled back showing severed ligaments and broken bones. She compressed her lips to prevent the hiss from coming out.

  Matt spoke to her with complete authority. “You should call the hospital now and tell them to have the ortho and vascular guys standing by. Mr. Clayton will need to go straight to surgery.”

  “They’ll want to make that decision.” It wasn’t his place or hers to call the shots.

  “You need to make them listen. If they don’t, they’ll have lost precious time. Even a chance to save the use of his hand. He needs to be started on IV antibiotics right away.”

  Shay glanced at Mrs. Clayton. A tear rolled down the woman’s cheek. Matt and Shay didn’t need to argue in front of her or their patient. Shay finished emptying the container over the hand. Matt picked up the hand to examine it more closely. He worked with focus and confidence. His were the actions of the practiced surgeon he said he was.

  Shay spoke to Mrs. Clayton. “Is Mr. Clayton allergic to any medicines you know of?”

  “No,” the woman answered.

  “I’ll take care of the call and get the antibiotic.” Shay exited the room. By the time she returned, Matt and Rachel had their heads together as he continued to clean the hand.

  Shay went around to the other side of the table. Matt glanced at her. Her attention went to placing a needle in the man’s arm and attaching a bag of glucose and adding the strong, broad-spectrum antibiotic through the fluid.

  “I need the largest gauze pads available, a cloth and a large bag of ice.”

  “I’ll take over.” Shay took the pan from the nurse.

  “When will the ambulance be here?” Matt asked.

  “Thirty minutes at best.” Her response came out as level as his tone.

  “That’s an hour round trip. That’s not acceptable. One of us will have to meet them.”

  Her head jerked up. “What?”

  His look locked on hers. “The latest studies show surgery done under a three-hour ischemic time have the best success.”

  She didn’t blink. “Then I should go. I know the way.”

  “Agreed.” His attention went to the supplies Rachel had placed on a metal instrument table she’d pulled over beside him. He picked up the gauze.

  “I’ll do that.” Shay took the roll from him. She started wrapping Mr. Clayton’s hand from the fingertips down.

  “It doesn’t need to be too tight.” When she finished, Matt said, “We need to pour the water over it.” She did so. “Then wrap it in the towel.”

  She took care of that.

  “A plastic bag goes over the hand. Then tape it at the wrist. Rachel, we’ll take that bag of ice.” Matt placed the hand into the bag of ice.

  Shay secured the bag.

  “This is the best we can do here.” Matt looked around briefly, appearing disappointed.

  “I’ll get my purse and let the hospital know I’ll be meeting the ambulance. We’ll take him out the back door. Rachel, please ride with me. Mrs. Clayton, you can meet the ambulance at the hospital.”

  The nurse nodded.

  Matt snapped off his gloves. “I’ll see to things here.”

  Shay had no doubt he would. The mild-mannered guy had turned into superdoctor.

  CHAPTER TWO

  MATT HEARD SHAY’S voice in the hall. She’d returned. She’d been gone a little over an hour and a half. He hurried into the hall. “How did it go?”

  “Fine. I met the ambulance as planned.” She walked by him on her way to the office. “It looks like we’ve a few more patients to see.”

  Thankfully it was almost closing time and the waiting room had open seats. He’d been busy while she’d been gone. More questions would have to wait. An hour later he’d seen his last patient and joined Shay in the office to tie up loose ends from the day.

  When he entered, she stood and walked around her side of the table, resting her butt against the edge. “Close the door, please.”

  He did as she said. What was going on?

  She stepped close to him and bit out, “Don’t you ever get high-handed with me again and take over one of my cases.”

  Matt looked behind him, questioning who she spoke to. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “The high-handed way you handled Mr. Clayton’s case. This is my clinic and we have agreements with the hospital and protocols.”

  His jaw hardened. Was she like the surgeon he’d dealt with in LA? He sure hoped not. “I did what needed to be done. Weren’t you interested in the best care for Mr. Clayton?”

  “Of course, I was! I am.”

  “Then I was the one who needed to take the lead on the case. It was as simple as that.”

  She pointed a finger at his chest. “Maybe so but that still doesn’t give you the right to start ordering me around when we have a tough case.”

  He looked down at the slim finger pressed against him then into Shay’s snapping blue eyes. His fingers gently pushed her hand away. The softness of it registered before his fingers slipped away from hers. “I don’t like having people pointing fingers at me physically or figuratively.”

  Shay’s eyes widened. Her jaw jutted out at a determined angle. “And I don’t like people countermanding me in my clinic. No matter what they think they might know. We discuss things here, not order each other around. I have the final word—always.”

  Matt had to admire her directness. He could
n’t remember the last time someone spoke to him that way. Used to running his operating room, he had a tendency to take control. “Agreed. I’m sorry. I’ll do better in the future.”

  Someone knocked on the door.

  Shay stepped back, putting space between them. She pushed at her hair and called, “Come in.”

  Sheree stuck her head though the opening. “Good work today, you guys. I’m out of here. See you in the morning.”

  “See you,” Shay called.

  “Thanks, Sheree.” Matt moved around the table and slumped into a chair.

  She sat back in the one she’d been in when he came in and studied her tablet.

  When he’d seen the clinic, he’d questioned if they would be as up-to-date with technology as he’d been used to, but had soon been given a tablet for keeping up with patient charts. It cut down on the amount of paper pushing he’d be required to do. He wasn’t very good at tedious chores. More than one time he’d heard complaints about his inability to keep his charting in order.

  Shay started typing, seeming to take no notice of him. He went to work as well. Silence surrounded them except for taps on the screen.

  “Matt?”

  “Mmm?” He looked at her with a raised brow.

  “Is there anything about any of the patients you saw today that I need to know?” She watched him.

  “Not that I can think of.” Was she being conscientious about her patients or did she question his thoroughness?

  “Other than Mr. Clayton’s case how did it go for you today?” She crossed her arms and leaned on the table. He liked having her full attention. Jenna, his ex-girlfriend, hadn’t been able to give him that even when they had been on a date. Thinking back, she’d spent more time on her phone than she had talking to him. Why hadn’t he recognized that? They had been two people caught up in their careers who complemented each other.

  “Pretty well. I do have to admit I was busy.”

  “Yeah. It can get intense around here. Today was about average.” She swiped the page on the tablet.

  “Then it’ll be interesting to see what it’s like on a busy day. I did need to ask you what I should do about referring a couple of the patients I saw to a specialist. One needs a general surgeon and another an orthopedist.”

  “Make a note of their names and I’ll check their charts and take care of referrals first thing in the morning.”

  “I don’t think you need to review my work.” He pushed the paper he’d written the names on toward her.

  “Maybe not, but the patients seen in this clinic are ultimately my responsibility.”

  Matt’s mouth tightened. He generally ran his world. He wasn’t used to other doctors or people questioning his decisions. The idea of someone monitoring his work made his skin prickle. He stood. Now he understood how Dr. Walters had felt when he’d questioned his decisions in the operating room, but in that case Matt had been right. Walters had been endangering the patient. In this one, Matt knew he had done the right thing for the patients, not trying to cut corners.

  “I’d like to hear how Mr. Clayton’s doing. Have you heard anything?”

  “No, but I’ll call.” She pulled out her phone. Seconds later she spoke to the hospital. When she ended the conversation she said to Matt, “He’s still in the OR. Otherwise he’s doing well.”

  “That’s good to hear. Will you be calling to check in on him later this evening?”

  “Of course.” She sounded insulted he’d had to ask.

  “Would you mind letting me know his status?”

  She nodded. “I’ll make sure you have an update.”

  Glad she seemed to have gotten over her anger with him, Matt said, “Great. Let me have your phone and I’ll program in my number.” His fingers touched hers as she handed him the small device.

  She jerked back.

  Had it been an overreaction to being touched in general or by him in particular? Matt entered his number and set the phone on the desk. “Why don’t we call it a day? I think we’ve earned it.”

  She sighed. “It has been an adrenaline-driven one. I have a few notes to make, then I’ll be ready to go.”

  He watched as she double-checked the front door had been locked and checked all the exam rooms on their way to the back door. Shay watched over the simple clinic like it was her baby. What would it be like to have someone care that much about him? His mother had, but his stepfather certainly hadn’t. The hospital had sided with the wrong doctor because of Dr. Walters’s status. His girlfriend hadn’t cared enough about him to move with him even when he’d offered marriage. Such devotion eluded him.

  In the parking lot behind the clinic she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Okay.”

  “By the way, in the morning you can park in the back, knock on the door and I’ll let you in.”

  He stopped on his way to his car. “What time do you usually get here?”

  “Around seven. That gives me an hour before opening to take care of supplies, extra charting and referrals. Even a little cleaning sometimes.”

  “Then I’ll see you at seven. I can help out with those.” He normally arrived at the hospital at 6:00 a.m. Arriving at seven would feel like sleeping in to him.

  “It’s not necessary.”

  “Maybe not, but I’ll be here anyway. You can use my help or not. After that lecture this morning you shouldn’t be here by yourself.”

  “I’m used to being here by myself.” Opening the door to the car, she looked at him.

  “That doesn’t sound like a safe plan.”

  She glanced at him. “Well, up until you no one’s even noticed.”

  “They should have. I’ll hang around out in my car, then, if you’d rather I not come in, but I’ll still be here at seven. Good evening, Shay.” He started toward his car again.

  She smiled. “I was glad to have your help today, Matt. The EMTs were impressed with how Mr. Clayton’s hand had been secured.”

  He returned her smile. “You’re welcome.”

  “See you tomorrow.” Shay gave him a slight wave and climbed into her family-size sedan.

  Matt continued along the side of the building to his navy sports car. He waited until Shay turned into the road before following her into the traffic. He hadn’t been sure what to expect at the Delta Clinic. The one thing he was confident about was he hadn’t expected the dynamo that was Shay Lunsford.

  His drive home was uneventful with the exception of one missed turn. He traveled through well-established neighborhoods past shopping areas into the Jackson University area where Dr. Warren owned a 1950s bungalow he usually rented to students. Thankfully, it had been available for Matt. With white clapboard siding, large shrubbery and a small front porch it looked much like the rest of the houses on the tree-lined street with sidewalks on both sides.

  He pulled into the paved drive and climbed out. The older woman who lived next to him stood at the end of her drive talking to another woman about the same age. She waved at him. He gave her a fixed smile and quick wave, then hurried into the house. In the places he’d lived, people rarely paid any attention to the others living around them. For the last ten years he’d lived in transit communities. Neighbors who would be gone in three months to a year wouldn’t have been worth the time to meet, even if he’d had the time to meet them.”

  Gladys—he believed she’d said that was her name—had already been over to introduce herself and had even brought him a pie. Never had he had a neighbor bake for him. She’d totally taken him off guard. She’d done much of the talking and had asked him a number of questions about himself. The type of interest she showed made him a little uncomfortable. He’d hurried her on her way with a thank-you. At first, he’d been unsure about eating anything someone he didn’t know had prepared, but one bite of Gladys’s apple pie and that concern had flown out the window.


  After popping something in the microwave for dinner, he got a drink and settled in front of the TV. Watching television had been a change for him. He’d rarely turned it on prior to coming here. He sank into the recliner, exhausted and grateful that Warren’s house included furnishings. In Chicago, Matt would have to hire someone to handle furnishing his apartment. Matt looked around the room with a sigh of acceptance. It was nice to live in a house instead of an apartment, even for a short time.

  He’d finished his meal and was reading a medical journal when his phone rang. “Hello.”

  “Matt, it’s Shay.”

  She had a nice voice. “Hey.”

  “Is this a bad time?”

  “No, no. What’s up?” He sat up in the chair.

  “I was just calling to tell you that Mr. Clayton is out of the OR and in a room. The doctors believe he’s going to get back the full use of his hand. They praised how you took care of it.”

  “You had a part in it as well.”

  She paused. “Thanks for pushing. If you hadn’t insisted...”

  “It was a good day’s work for both of us.”

  “I’m glad you were there.” She sounded as if she meant it.

  Why did it matter to him so much to have her praise? “I’m glad I could help.”

  “See you in the morning, Matt.” She hung up.

  He wished they had talked longer. He would’ve enjoyed her company even if it was over the phone.

  * * *

  The next morning Shay turned into the parking lot and drove to the back of the building. As Matt had promised he waited in his car. She had to admit it was nice to have someone there when she entered and exited the building. Even though she knew most of the people that lived in the area it still bothered her to go into the clinic alone.

  When her husband had been alive and left for his first deployment she hadn’t been wild about staying by herself, but she’d learned to deal with it at home and thought she would at the clinic as well.

  Shay smiled at Matt as she stepped out of the car. He walked toward her. “Good mornin’.”