by J. G. Sumner
“I’d like to pay,” she huffed.
“Sorry, I asked first. Now, I’ll be there at noon to pick you up.”
She looked at the clock and saw it was eleven fifteen. So much for my errands. “How about I meet you?”
“Quit being difficult. I’ll pick you up and if you’re good, I might even let you drive the Porsche.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, but only if you let me come pick you up.”
Laney was ecstatic. The thought of driving a Porsche was exciting. Something she never dreamed would happen. “It’s a deal! By the way, how did I get your phone number programmed into my phone?”
“I did it yesterday while you were sleeping on the beach. You can call me any time.”
“I presume that means you like me.”
“You don’t know the half of it. I’ll see you in a few minutes,” Josh remarked before hanging up.
“I’m not sure if he is controlling or sweet,” Laney muttered to herself. She promptly began dialing Peyton. It rang a couple of times before she answered.
“Hey! Whatcha up to?”
“I have some time to kill before I go on a lunch date.” Laney waited for Peyton to take the bait.
“Oh? Who with?”
Laney smiled as she said the words. “Dr. Stone.”
“Noooo! For real?”
“Yes, and it’s not the first one either.”
Peyton squealed. “Let me guess, the first one was yesterday.”
“How did you know?”
“When he was rounding on Skyler yesterday, he said that he had a big day planned. He seemed pretty excited.”
“You wouldn’t believe it. It was a twelve-hour date!” Laney exclaimed.
“Are you kidding me? What the heck did you do for that many hours?”
Laney filled Peyton in on the previous day’s events.
“I guess you changed your mind about him if you stuck it out for that long.”
Laney mulled over her feelings for Josh. “Yes, but I’m still cautious. He’s so sweet and protective, but he’s also controlling. He always has to pay and things have to be on his terms.”
“I’d love a guy who would pay for dates. I’m usually the one who foots the bill.”
“Oh yeah, how did your date go with the Marine?”
“It wasn’t bad. He did pay.” Peyton laughed. “He seemed pretty reserved but a nice guy. He didn’t talk a lot about himself, but that may be just because of the military thing.”
“What did you guys do?”
“We went out to the Gordon Biersch brewery downtown for dinner and then went to a movie. It wasn’t spectacular like your date, but we had a good time.”
“What did Jack think about him the second time around?”
“Jack gave two paws up.” Peyton laughed.
“If Jack likes him, he can’t be all that bad.”
“Good point! So where are you and Josh going for lunch?”
“I don’t know. He likes to keep everything a surprise.”
“Wow, a man of mystery.”
“You could say that. Hey, not to change the subject, but how did Skyler do yesterday?”
“He was doing okay. We had to put a chest tube in him for a pneumo. Other than that, he’s been pretty stable.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Let me call you later. I need to finish getting ready. Josh should be here shortly.”
“I want to hear all the juicy details. Maybe we could hang out tomorrow. You’re still off, right?”
“Yeah, I have the next three days off. We’ll figure something out.”
Laney hung up and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Just as she had finished up, the doorbell rang. She looked at her watch—11:45. Note to self: Josh is always early. Make sure you’re ready to go.
“Hello, beautiful.” Josh kissed her on the cheek.
“Hello, handsome. Early as usual, I see.”
“You’ve already noticed a pattern? This is only the second date.”
“What can I say? I’m a quick learner.” They both laughed. “So where are we going today? Skydiving? Racecar driving?”
“We’ll have to save that for another day.”
“Any clues?” The curiosity was killing Laney.
“You’re like a kid. Why can’t you just be surprised?”
“The excitement of knowing what you’re going to do is sometimes just as fun.”
“Okay, I thought we would go to this little Mexican restaurant overlooking the beach in Cardiff and then go bike riding along the coast.”
“That sounds like fun. It’ll give my arms a break and allow my legs to catch up. Do I need to bring my bike?”
“No, we can stop by my house. I have a couple.”
“Ohh.” Laney rubbed her hands together. “I get to see where the mysterious Dr. Stone lives. All joking aside, I’m curious to see your house and to learn something about you.”
“I’m certain you’ll be surprised at what you find.”
“Intriguing. You have a dog, right?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“The other day when we were in CT with Skyler, I heard you talking to someone about letting your dog out.”
“Wow, you don’t miss anything, do you?”
“I try not to. Plus, you were being such an ass to whomever you were talking to that it pretty much cemented my impression of you.”
“What impression is that?”
“That you were an ass.” Laney smiled.
“Gee, thanks.”
“Notice that I used the word were. You may be winning me over into thinking you are a nice guy.”
“We can’t be having that.” He laughed. “I didn’t realize you thought I was such an ass.”
“You tend to get pretty intense at work. You can come across as a jerk.”
“I get really focused on what I’m doing.”
“Outside the hospital, you’re fairly awesome. I hope I won’t go back and find that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have reappeared.”
“Point taken. Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, just let me grab a sweatshirt in case it gets chilly out there.”
Sweatshirt in hand, they headed out the door. As promised, Josh allowed Laney to drive the Porsche.
She pulled the sports car into the dirt parking lot next to the Las Olas restaurant. Once inside, they were seated on the patio, once more enjoying a great view of the beach.
“So what’s your dog’s name?”
“Duke. He’s a gray-and-white Great Dane.”
“Those dogs are huge!”
“Yeah, I really like big dogs. I hate the small dogs everyone feels they need to take with them in shopping carts around stores. I think it’s annoying, not to mention unsanitary.”
“Note to self: Don’t tell Josh about your Pomeranian.”
“You have a Pomeranian?”
“Just joking.”
“You’re a regular laugh riot today, aren’t you?”
“You don’t like this side of me?”
“Actually, that’s one of the things that attracted me. I love that you’re a smartass, strong, and opinionated.”
“I’m glad that I hold the magic key to turn you on,” she replied coyly.
“You have no idea.”
“Then maybe you should tell me.”
“If you keep this up, we aren’t going to be having lunch. I’ll take you back to my place and have you for lunch.”
“I like this side of you. I think you may be losing some control.” She lifted her foot and rubbed his leg under the table. “Seriously, what’s good here?”
“Are there any foods you don’t like?”
“I hate anchovies and Brussels sprouts.”
“Okay. Everything is good here, but I’ll order for us.”
“How do you know that I want what you’re ordering?”
“Trust me, you’ll be plenty satisfied.�
�� He winked at her and rubbed her arm with the back of his hand.
The sexual innuendos got her flustered. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for how strong Josh was coming on. “Why is it that you like to order for me?” She rested her chin on her hands.
“It’s my way of taking care of you, I guess.”
“Maybe I’d like to choose what I eat or at least asked if I have a preference.”
“Okay. Next time we go out, you can choose.”
“Somehow it sounds like you’re still in control.” She wasn’t sure if this was a red flag and she should be running away, or if she really liked having someone who wanted to take care of her.
The waitress approached them. She looked at Laney and then took a long look at Josh and smiled. She even did a little bow. God, how pathetic. Clearly, Josh was here with a girl. Did she really think it was appropriate to hit on him? A pang of jealousy shot through Laney as she placed her hands on Josh’s.
“How are we doing today? Can I get you something to drink?”
“Yes, and we are ready to order.” Josh looked at the waitress.
“Sounds great, go ahead.” A fake smile was plastered all over her fake face. Laney didn’t like this sense of jealousy that was consuming her.
“The lady and I would both like a Patron margarita on the rocks with no salt. Then we would like to start with some chips and guacamole, and throw in some ceviche. We’ll both have the two fish taco combo platters.”
“Black beans or pinto beans?”
“Black beans will be fine.” He closed the menu and handed it to her.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks. My name is Leslie if you need anything else.” Leslie smiled again at Josh and avoided eye contact with Laney.
Josh didn’t acknowledge the waitress any further, and she turned and walked away.
“I like salt,” Laney said.
“What are you talking about?”
“I like salt on my margarita. It mixes better with the sweet and sour.”
“You don’t need that extra salt. You’re getting plenty with the chips and the meal,” he said as he took a sip of his water.
“Maybe I don’t need it, but I like it. It’s not like I’m going to throw back five or six. I’m having one drink, which I probably won’t even finish. Maybe if you took the time to know what I like instead of ordering for me…”
“Fair enough. Would you like me to go have her put salt on your margarita?”
“Yes.” Laney smiled.
“Consider it done.” He got up walked to the bar. Laney felt victorious that she was able to get him to see her point. She had won the battle, but not the war. Really, what did she have to gain by being so head strong?
Josh came back to the table and sat down. “Done. There will be salt on your margarita.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Because I know you were just trying to be a gentleman and I was a jerk.” Laney glanced down at her hands.
“Yes, I was. But it’s also polite for me to ask you what your preferences are instead of just assuming. I thought you would be impressed that I ordered you a Patron margarita.”
“Yeah, about that. How did you know I prefer Patron?”
“Because you ordered it that night at the bar.”
“Now I’m impressed. Thank you for fixing my drink and for being a gentleman.” Every moment she spent away from the hospital with Josh made her like him a bit more.
“Thank you for going on another date with me.” He pulled her hands into his.
“Thank you for asking.” Laney gazed into Josh’s eyes. If she didn’t know better he was just as enamored with her as she was with him. Perhaps even more.
Leslie came back with their drinks, chips, and guacamole. Again, she failed to acknowledge Laney even existed.
Josh held up his drink to have a toast. Laney did the same.
“To a beautiful and sassy woman who keeps me smiling and to date number two. May there be many more days together in the future.” They clinked their glasses and both took a sip.
“That was very sweet. Thank you.”
Josh set down his glass. “You’re welcome. And I mean it. I’d enjoy spending more time with you.”
“I would like that too.” Laney took another sip of her margarita.
After they finished eating, Josh glanced at his watch as they got into the car. “I have to make a call before we go get the bikes.”
“No worries.” Laney checked her email on her own phone, trying not to listen to his call.
“ICU, this is Mary,” she heard over the Bluetooth speaker.
“Hi, Mary, this is Dr. Stone. May I please speak to the nurse who’s taking care of Smith in room five forty-seven?”
“Sure, one moment.”
“How’s he doing?” Laney asked.
“So far, not bad. I stopped all of his paralytics and sedatives. I’m trying to wake him up.”
“Do you think he will?”
“My mind tells me no, that it’s not possible since he was down for so long. But something in my gut tells me that this kid is going to make it.”
The nurse got on the phone. “Dr. Stone, this is Jamie. I’m taking care of Mr. Smith today. How can I help you?”
“I was calling to see if he’s waking up at all.”
“He hasn’t opened his eyes or moved yet. And I’m getting concerned because his heart rate and blood pressure are starting to creep up. I was getting ready to give Dr. Milken a call.”
“What are they right now?”
“His heart rate is one twenty-six and his blood pressure is one fifty-two systolic.”
He paused and sighed before giving any orders. “All right. Give him some low-dose propofol. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” He hung up and closed his eyes for a minute before finally looking at Laney.
“I’m going to have to cut our date short. I need to go in and check on Skyler.”
“Sure, I understand.” Laney was disappointed, but she loved the dedication he had for his patients.
“Normally I wouldn’t, because technically I have the day off. Lord knows I’d rather spend it with you. But I’m the one who started the process of waking him up today. I can’t leave this for one of my partners.”
“I get it. I’m glad you’re so committed. Really, I want this kid to pull through.”
“Thank you for being so understanding.”
The car ride back to Laney’s apartment was short and the conversation was minimal. Josh seemed to be lost in another world, probably thinking about Skyler. She enjoyed the view and didn’t try to bring Josh out of his trance. When they arrived to her apartment, he walked her to the front door.
“Thank you for lunch. I had a really good time.”
“It was my pleasure. From now on, I’ll make sure you have salt with your margaritas.” Josh produced a goofy grin.
Laney laughed. “Since it’s my turn to pick out what we eat, how about I make you dinner here tomorrow night?”
“That sounds great. You’re smart, beautiful, and you can cook. You’re every man’s dream. I can’t wait to see what your cooking skills are like.”
Her cheeks flushed. “You will not be disappointed, I assure you. How about you come over about six?”
“Perfect. Can I bring something?”
“I don’t think so. You’ve done enough of the pampering. It’s my turn to spoil you.”
“Fine. I’ll see you at six tomorrow.”
Josh took her in his arms. His touch was magnetic. The familiar warmth and longing formed deep inside her as their lips touched. Just as she began melting into his arms, Josh pulled away.
“We’ll have to do more of this tomorrow.” He put his thumb on her bottom lip. Hunger roared to life in his eyes. It made her feel desired and confirmed that he wanted her something she was beginning to reciprocate.
***
Josh
As Josh made his way to the hospital, he
couldn’t stop thinking about Laney. He loved her hearty laugh and how it seemed to come so easily for her. He loved seeing how the look on her face changed to excitement and happiness when she saw him. He was getting through to her. He had loved her and admired her from afar for so long. Now she was beginning to embrace him as well.
Rebecca was staring up at the monitor as Josh walked into the room. He checked out the ventilator and scanned the monitor to see what Skyler’s vital signs had been for the previous couple of hours.
Jamie, Skyler’s nurse, gave Josh an update on what Skyler had been doing. “The propofol worked. He seemed to calm down a bit; his vitals are returning to normal and they seem to have stabilized.”
“Let’s turn the propofol off—I want to see what he does. Also, I want you to give him ten milligrams of morphine. My guess is he may be having a significant amount of pain from that broken arm, which is causing his vital signs to fluctuate.”
“Sounds good.” Jamie turned off the sedative medication and then left the room to grab some morphine.
Josh then turned to Rebecca. The tears in her eyes suggested she was having a hard time keeping it together. “How are you doing with all of this?”
“Okay. The anticipation of whether he’s going to wake up is killing me. Seeing him struggle like he was earlier isn’t easy. I guess I should be thankful you’re not performing CPR on him. I just have to count my blessings.”
“I’m sure everyone probably tells you this, but you are an amazingly strong person. You’ve been through hell and back with Skyler and you’ve virtually gone through this alone. I don’t know if I’d be as strong as you.”
“It’s been just the two of us for so many years. It just seems normal we’re fighting this battle together as well.” Rebecca gazed at Skyler and squeezed his hand.
Jamie came back in with the morphine and injected the medication into the IV tubing.
Josh explained the plan to Rebecca. “The morphine should take just a few minutes to work. By then, the sedation should be just about worn off. So we’ll see how Skyler’s vital signs do in about twenty minutes. I’m going to take a look at this chart and I’ll be back shortly.”
“Sounds good.”
As Josh walked out of the room, Officer Miller paused at the doorway. He nodded at Josh. Even though Officer Miller was working an attempted homicide investigation, he seemed to be spending a lot of time at the hospital.
