If Eli was surprised to see her, he didn’t show it. “Do you know how old he is, Javier?” Amara asked.
The paramedic shook his head. “Sorry, Amara, no.”
“Tell me what we know so far,” Eli stated as he guided them into an exam room.
Javier was already passing the child’s paperwork to the admissions assistant. “He was in the back seat. Car crushed the driver’s side door. He was behind his mother.”
“The mother?” Amara asked quietly as she grabbed a pair of gloves. Her insides curled as the paramedic looked over her shoulder at the small boy.
Javier lowered his voice. “Meredith and Landon were bringing her in. She’ll go straight to the operating room.”
The paramedic’s eyes hovered over the child again, and Amara saw him shudder.
“I don’t know if he can give you any information, but you might...” Javier’s eyes were downcast as he headed for the door. “I’ve got to get going, two more people were trapped in another car.”
The boy’s mother might not make it. That was the truth Javier couldn’t bring himself to voice. The child couldn’t be more than five. Amara’s heart tore. She’d been an adult when her mother passed, and her life had altered completely.
What would happen if...?
“Amara?” Eli asked, his dark eyes moved between their patient and her.
“Nice to see you again, Dr. Collins.” She could see the piles of questions buried in his stare. Or maybe she just hoped there were questions to match the dozens clamoring in her brain. This wasn’t the time or the place for a reunion, though.
She offered him and their patient a smile as she sat on the bed and started wiping dried blood from a cut above the child’s eye. There was no reason to think of her mom now. It was ridiculous. If it wasn’t for Eli’s shocking presence, she was sure her nerves wouldn’t feel so raw.
“I’m just going to look at your eyes.” Eli raised his penlight.
“Momma!” The little boy screamed as he pulled at the collar stabilizing his neck.
The yell echoed in the small room, and Amara saw Eli’s head pop back. He seemed as surprised by the previously silent child’s outburst as she was. Amara slowly ran her gloved fingers along the boy’s chin. The motion seemed to calm small kids. She wasn’t sure why, but when you found something that worked in the ER, you used it.
“Dr. Collins and I are going to help you while some of the other doctors look after your mom.” Amara nodded to the child. “Can you tell me your name?” She patted his hand as she carefully turned it over. There were a few scrapes on his palm, but they were no longer bleeding.
“Momma!” he cried again as his eyes moved between Amara and Eli.
Eli bent over. “Hi, buddy.” He waved and stuck his tongue out too.
The action was ridiculous, and Amara had to force her mouth closed.
What was Eli doing?
The little one blinked and then stuck out his own tongue. The child let out a laugh as Eli made another ridiculous face.
Amara barely caught the surprised giggle from escaping her lips. Eli was apparently a pro at calming kids.
He’s a father, her brain reminded her.
“Your tongue looks very healthy,” Eli cooed. “Now, can you tell me your name?”
The little boy sniffed before pursing his lips and trying to shake his head no. When the child couldn’t move his head much, he let out another wail.
“His eyes look normal, and besides the cuts on his forehead and chin, there doesn’t appear to be any head injuries,” Eli stated quietly. “Can you tell me your name?” he repeated. “We really need to know it, little man.”
The child’s bottom lip stuck out, but he didn’t utter a single word. His small free hand pulled at the neck brace again. Then his eyes darted to the door.
Amara knew he was terrified, and she offered him a bright smile as she got his attention. “You can’t move your head until E...” Amara caught herself, but she could feel the heat in her cheeks. They were at work; she couldn’t call him Eli.
“Dr. Collins and I need to make sure you are okay. Then we can take this big brace off.”
When the boy still didn’t say anything, Amara shifted tactics. “Let’s play a little game. I want you to squeeze my hand once if the answer is yes, two times if it’s no. Understand?”
One light squeeze pressed against Amara’s palm. Eli—Dr. Collins nodded to Amara as she briefly glanced at him before refocusing on the little boy.
“I bet your mom tells you not to talk to strangers, right?” Another soft squeeze pushed against Amara’s palm. “That’s really smart of your mom,” she stated.
Amara wiped more blood away from the cut above the child’s eye. It was going to need several stitches. “Did she ever tell you that it was okay to talk to police officers or firefighters if you got lost?”
Another light squeeze and the little boy’s eyes started to water. Amara wished there was a way she could put him at ease. If he would just give them his name...
Pushing a bit of his hair off his forehead, Amara patted his cheek to get him to look at her. “Well, we are helpers just like firefighters and police officers. I’m Amara, and I’m a nurse. This is Dr. Collins.”
“Eli,” he interjected.
His soothing tone washed over the room. Amara’s heart beat a little faster. She’d always reacted to Eli. That hadn’t changed, but she didn’t appreciate it right now. “Can you tell me your name now that you know both of ours?”
“Ricky.” The whispered response was barely audible, but it was enough.
“How old are you, Ricky?” Amara leaned closer.
“Five and a half.” His lip trembled.
Eli grinned at Amara. The dimple in his left cheek sent a small wave of happiness through her. They’d been a great team years ago. At least that hadn’t changed. “Ricky, I need you to tell us if anything hurts.”
His blue eyes floated with tears. “My belly.”
Standing, Amara squeezed Ricky’s hand. “I’m going to lift your shirt, so Dr. Eli can see your stomach.”
Deep bruises were already appearing along his chest, where the five-pointed safety belt had held him in place. It looked painful but had likely saved the boy’s life. As Eli slowly felt along Ricky’s stomach, the child laughed, and Amara let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding.
“Ricky, I think your belly is okay, but I am going to order some pictures to look and make sure. Now I need to check the rest of you.” Eli’s gaze shot to Amara.
Was he happy she was here? Annoyed? Confused? There were dozens of reasons for her not to care. Dozens...
If only her brain could manage to produce a few on command.
Amara distracted Ricky while Eli finished his examination. She talked about her cat knocking her cup of milk off the counter and was rewarded with a tiny smile. These were the moments she lived for as a nurse. Making a patient’s horrid day just a little bit better.
As Eli ran a pen up Ricky’s foot, Ricky’s toes curled, and the boy giggled. The little guy was probably going to be all right. At least physically. If his mom... Amara forced those thoughts away. Boston General was a good trauma center. Ricky’s mom was in excellent hands.
“I have a dog named Ketchup.” Ricky leaned toward Amara. “What’s your cat’s name?”
“Pepper,” Amara answered without hesitation. Her cat had passed away a few months ago, but Amara still regaled people with his stories. After all, Pepper had been distracting patients for years. His antics had always made Amara laugh, and his snuggles had gotten her through some of her darkest days. Amara still sometimes looked for him when she entered her apartment.
“I think we can take the neck brace off,” Eli said.
Amara kept rattling on about Pepper as she removed the brace, enjoying each of Ricky’s
giggles.
Susan rushed into the room. “The ambulance just radioed in. They managed to free the people in the car behind this little guy and his mom. What’s the situation here?”
“Stitches needed, and I want an X-ray and an ultrasound of his belly, but Nurse Patel and I can see to that after.”
Nurse Patel...
Eli hadn’t almost called her Amara. Clearly, he didn’t have any problem thinking of her as a colleague. But then, why would he? She’d ended it, but not because she didn’t love him.
But he’d let her walk away.
“Ricky is only five.” Amara voiced her concern. “I should stay with him.”
“No!”
Eli’s forceful command stunned her. Squaring her shoulders, Amara held his gaze. “Eli, we can’t leave him alone. His mother...” She puckered her lips. Amara was not going to discuss the fact that Ricky’s mother might not make it in front of him.
“This is Boston Gen.” Eli crossed his arms. “We don’t have medical personnel to spare. If you’re going to work here, you need to get used to that.”
If? How dare he? She wasn’t trying to shirk any duties. They couldn’t leave an injured child in the ER alone. What would happen if he left his room, or got bored and started exploring the room he was in?
Ricky could get hurt. Eli was a father. Surely, he understood her concern.
The head nurse stared at Eli for a moment before turning her focus back to Amara. “We need all of the medical staff focused on the incoming injured, Amara. I’ve called one of our volunteers, Stephen. He has four children and six grandchildren. He often sits with our little ones until social services or their parents get here.”
An older gentleman bearing a remarkable similarity to Santa Claus stepped into the room with a backpack full of toys and a stuffed elephant. “Hi, little man.”
“Ricky,” Amara stated.
“Well, I’m going to hang out with you for a little while, Ricky.” Stephen dumped a few toys on the bed, and Ricky’s eyes widened.
Eli didn’t wait for Amara to follow him. That shouldn’t hurt. This was just a job, and, if they were on opposite shifts, they could probably go weeks without seeing each other. Except this was Boston Gen., she reminded herself. If she stayed, Amara was going to be seeing a lot of Eli.
She could do this—she had to.
Amara took a deep breath and then marched from the room. If he didn’t like her presence here, then Eli could seek new employment. Amara was not going to run.
CHAPTER TWO
SHE WAS HERE. Eli’s brain tried to focus as his soul screamed with joy. He wanted to believe his heart was racing from the adrenaline of the emergency, but he knew that wasn’t the reason.
Amara was here.
He needed to find a way to keep his emotions in check.
Why had he shouted at her?
Eli wanted to kick himself, but there wasn’t time. He hadn’t been lying; they didn’t have the medical staff to spare with two more critical patients arriving. But he’d demanded Amara come with him because Eli was terrified that if he blinked, she might disappear.
He had no idea why Amara had chosen Boston Gen., but for however long she stayed, she’d be an asset. And he’d see her almost every day. Eli clamped down on the excitement that brought. Amara was kind, intelligent and gorgeous. She was probably happily married with a couple of kids. Which meant working with her was going to be a dream.
And a nightmare.
He’d been impressed with how she’d calmed Ricky, quiet, authoritative and comforting. Eli’s interactions with children still felt a bit stilted to him. Like he was an actor pretending. Even with Lizzy, Eli worried that he wasn’t showing her enough affection. He never wanted Lizzy to think that she had to earn his love.
Like he’d had to with his own father.
Dr. Griffin Stanfred was already paired with Renee, another nurse, as the first patient rolled through the door. The elderly woman was covered in blood but conscious as Griffin took her into a trauma room.
Javier, the paramedic who delivered Ricky earlier, raced through the glass doors with the other patient. “Crushed legs, head trauma. He’s coded once already.”
Amara grabbed the other side of the gurney as they headed for trauma room 2. Her face tightened as she listened to Javier describe the injuries. Her dark eyes met his, and Eli knew what she was thinking. Their odds of saving this patient were slim.
Some nights he hated his job.
Susan and two other nurses were waiting for them in trauma room 2. Before they could get him transferred to the hospital gurney, the patient started coding again. Eli initiated CPR.
Amara fit seamlessly into the hectic room. It took over an hour, but they managed to stabilize the patient enough to get him up to surgery. Eli leaned against the door of the trauma room as he watched the surgery nurses rush him off. The man had a collapsed lung and internal bleeding, wounds that on a healthy man might be fatal, but given his age...
Eli sighed. Some nights the ER was filled with infected scratches, burns and coughs. Things that, if people had the resources, they could get treated at their family physician before it needed emergency care. Those nights were horribly dull. He’d take a million of them over the chaos of treating patients he knew were unlikely to survive.
“You okay?” Amara’s soft question hung in the quiet trauma room as she put away the last of the supplies.
For just a moment, Eli wanted to tell her the truth. Wanted to shout, No!
His life had been crazy—was still crazy. In the last year, he’d gone from being a single professional who spent so much time at the hospital that he’d killed half a dozen easy-to-raise house plants, to a single father.
The transition was terrifying, and as Eli stared into Amara’s large brown eyes, his soul begged him to unload a bit of its burden. Explain all the new fears that had materialized when fatherhood was thrust upon him.
Amara had been his safe space once. The keeper of his secrets. The person who listened to all his dreams and never questioned why he wanted a different path from that of his father. Who saw him as Eli, not the son of Dr. Marshall Collins. It would be so easy to pretend that she was asking more than a simple question after a difficult patient. But she was his colleague now, nothing more.
His heart shuddered, but Eli forced himself to nod. “I’m fine.” He wanted to say how much he’d missed her; how he wished he’d kept her close all those years ago. His chest seized as he stared at her. She was really here, less than three feet from him.
Amara raised an eyebrow and shook her head. “Not sure I believe you.” Her eyes searched his face, but she didn’t push him further.
Before she could walk away, Eli added, “Thanks for checking. But I am fine. Just stunned to find myself coming down from an adrenaline rush next to you. Sorry I yelled earlier. That was unprofessional and uncalled for.”
Amara nodded. “Thank you.”
Eli crossed his arms and tried to think of something other than kissing her. “I still can’t believe you’re actually at Boston Gen.” Amara’s dark eyes met his, and for just a moment, Eli felt like he was home again. But Amara wasn’t home anymore. He’d given that up when he let her go.
“I’m the one that should be surprised!” Amara let out a soft chuckle. “What is Dr. Eli Collins doing at Boston Gen.? And in the ER!” She winked as she leaned against the other side of the door.
Was she intentionally putting distance between them?
“I told my father I wasn’t going to be a surgeon the day after you left...” Eli felt his cheeks heat as Amara’s lips slipped open.
Did she wish Eli had called her after that?
He’d thought about it, so many times... “He...uh...didn’t take it well.” An uncomfortable laugh escaped Eli’s lips. Marshall’s response still made him wince after all these years.
Amara’s hand reached for him, but she pulled it back. “I’m sorry, Eli.”
“Don’t be. This is where I belong,” he said. It had hurt, still hurt, to realize that his father might never see his successes as worthy. But the ER was Eli’s second home.
“Yes, it is.” Her smile was radiant in the small space between them.
For the millionth time, he wished he could have figured where he belonged before Amara had walked away. But that hadn’t been the only issue to come between them. All the women he’d dated since Amara had complained that he was married to his job. And he was—or had been before Lizzy came to live with him.
Now he was trying to figure out his plans to advance the reputation of Boston General’s ER and be a present dad for Lizzy. Balance was his new mantra; he could manage that even if Marshall had failed. What would Amara think if she knew he was committed to being home as much as possible?
He pushed away the hope pressing against his heart. “Why are you here, Amara? Why Boston Gen.?”
“I needed a change.” Her eyes rotated from his to the floor, and she wrapped her arms tightly across her chest.
What had happened?
He managed to keep the question buried. She didn’t look like she’d appreciate it. “Well, Boston Gen. will definitely be that. The pace here is often chaotic. We’re understaffed and serve a higher proportion of the uninsured than any of the other hospitals. Some nights it’s downright crazy. But with a few changes, we could be the top place in the city, Amara.”
As her name slipped from his lips, his heart begged him to tell her how much he’d enjoyed this little interlude, ask her if she’d like to grab a cup of coffee. Or if she still preferred tea. But Eli locked those words away.
“Thanks for the warning.” Sliding away from the wall, she said, “I can handle it, Eli.”
“I have no doubt about that.”
Amara nodded before she walked away.
Her shoulder almost brushed his as she headed to the nurses’ station. Eli wished she’d touched him, even a brief accidental touch.
Falling Again for the Single Dad Page 3
