The Rebel Doc Who Stole Her Heart

by Susan Carlisle

Mrs. Ross giggled like a young girl. “Michelle, I do believe your friend is a prince charming.”

  Ty winked at Michelle and grinned.

  Michelle groaned, and his grin grew into a smile.

  “Mrs. Ross, I take that as real praise coming from you.” He helped her stand.

  “How would you like to come to dinner some time?” Mrs. Ross asked him.

  He glanced at Michelle. She looked appalled at the idea and as she opened her mouth to speak, Ty said, “I’d love to.”

  “Mother!” Michelle hissed.

  Mrs. Ross ignored her and asked, “Tomorrow night?”

  “That would be wonderful. I look forward to it.” He looked past Mrs. Ross to find a resigned look on Michelle’s face. “I’ll get directions from Michelle.”

  “Mother, the nurse is waiting,” she said in an exasperated voice laced with a tiredness that sounded bone deep.

  Ty watched as Michelle assisted her mother into the office. He gaze rose to the large letters above the reception window. Oncology.

  That was a tough diagnosis. No wonder Michelle could be difficult at times. She had to be worried about her mother.

  * * *

  Ty grinned at the look on Michelle’s face as she opened the door of her mother’s home the next evening. He’d had a warmer welcome from his cadaver in med school. “Good evening, Michelle.”

  “Come in,” she murmured.

  “Thank you for the heartfelt welcome.”

  “You know this wasn’t my idea.” She moved as if to make sure their bodies didn’t touch as he entered.

  “You’ve made that perfectly clear. But I’m glad your mother invited me. I’m going to enjoy having a home-cooked meal. It’s something I don’t often get.”

  She looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I’m not being very gracious. Come in. My mom is in the kitchen. I normally cook for her most evenings but she insisted on doing most of the meal tonight.”

  She closed the door behind them and he followed her to the kitchen. Michelle’s mother’s home was the kind that made him think of laughter and warm fires. It was as foreign to his growing-up years as he could imagine.

  His life before Joey had really become sick had been carefree. He’d been encouraged to read and question but there had been little structure. Nothing permanent in his life other than his parents and Joey. In fact, he’d known nothing of his grandparents until he’d overheard his parents talking about them when he’d been around eight.

  Ty paused to looked at the pictures in the hallway of Michelle at different stages in her life, some of them including her parents. There had been no family photos like these in his life. Heck, it was hard to hang a picture on the side of a tent.

  When they entered the kitchen, Mrs. Ross turned away from the stove. She looked frail but there were red spots high on her cheeks. She wiped her hands and came towards him. “Welcome, Ty, I’m so glad you could join us.”

  “I appreciate being asked.” He glanced at Michelle. She gave him more of a smirk than a smile.

  “These are for you.” He handed flowers and a long thin box to the older woman.

  The red of her cheeks all but glowed with her pleasure as she took them. “Why, Ty, how sweet. You didn’t have to.”

  “I wanted to.”

  “Michelle, honey, why don’t you put these in a vase while I see what’s in this pretty box? I can’t imagine.”

  Michelle took the flowers and went to the sink.

  Mrs. Ross opened the box and pulled out a multicolored scarf. “Oh, my, how beautiful.” She wrapped it around her neck.

  “I thought you might like it. My mother always said a bright scarf lifts a woman’s spirits.”

  He’d not thought of that in a long time. Not quoted his parents in years. His mother had wrapped a red scarf around her head the day they’d marched out to bury Joey.

  Ty’s gaze shifted away from her mother to Michelle. Her eyes glistened and she mouthed, “Thank you,” and gave him a smile. It was the first full-blown one he’d ever seen from her.

  His eyes widened, he blinked and returned her smile with a wink.

  “Michelle, why don’t you take those flowers into the living room, and you and Ty have a little talk while I finish here? I won’t be long.”

  Michelle looked as if she’d like to have the floor swallow her. He couldn’t help but grin. This might be the most entertaining evening he’d spent in a long time.

  She gathered the vase and without a backward glance headed back the way they had come. He followed, admiring the sensual sway of her hips. Did she have any idea what she could do to a man? This power was stronger than any she employed as a heart surgeon. She could rule the world. His, anyway.

  When they got to the living room Michelle placed the flowers on the nearest table and turned to face him. “I’m sorry about this. I couldn’t be more embarrassed.”

  “Hey, don’t be. I’m flattered. I can’t say that I know of another mother who has thrown her daughter at me.”

  He enjoyed the blush that covered her face. Yes, the ice queen had definitely melted.

  Taking a seat on the sofa, he patted the cushion next to him. “Come sit and ‘talk a little’.”

  Michelle sank next to him more out of defeat than anything else. He appreciated seeing her a little off center. The stiff doctor in control had all but been stripped away. She was just a daughter trying to make a sick mother happy.

  “So your mother has cancer.”

  “Yes.”

  “How long?”

  “We’ve been dealing with treatments for the last six months.”

  “That has to have been tough. On both of you.”

  “It has been. I have all this medical knowledge but I can’t help her. What good is it all if you can’t save the people you love?”

  A stab of pain filled him. What would have happened if he’d defied his parents and taken Joey for help? He knew too well what it meant to watch a loved one die. He carried the guilt daily.

  “So what is the prognosis?”

  “Mom seems to be doing well medically but I worry over her depression. Tonight is the first time in months that she’s been this animated and energetic.”

  “So the way to perk her up is to see you interested in a guy?”

  Michelle shifted away. “I’m not interested in you.”

  Ty took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb across the top of it. He turned it over to where he could feel the whip of her pulse under the delicate skin covering her wrist. “Are you sure about that?”

  She pulled her hand away. “I appreciate you making my mother happy but I don’t plan to play the game any further than tonight.”

  Was he playing a game? No, he didn’t think so. Suddenly he wanted to get to know this beautiful, complicated woman better. Careful, that idea sounded too much like getting involved. That, he wouldn’t let happen. They could be friends. Have a few laughs while he was in town but that was it.

  “Ever thought that I might find you interesting? Want to get to know you better?”

  “No. Why would you? I’m not your type. We are too different. We barely tolerate each other.”

  “I think we’re tolerating each other just fine now.”

  And they were. In fact, it had been a long time since he’d just enjoyed talking to a woman without there being any expectation on the part of either side.

  Mrs. Ross stuck her head into the room. “Dinner is served.”

  Michelle shot to her feet as if her mother had seen them doing something she didn’t want her to know about. He stood more slowly.

  * * *

  Michelle’s heart caught and fluttered back into rhythm. Maybe there was more to Ty than she’d given him credit for. At least her mother was happier than she’d seen her in a long time. For that alone Michelle could tolerate him for an evening.

  She followed her mother back into the kitchen. Michelle came to an abrupt stop, causing Ty to bump into her. His hand touched her waist briefly, steadying
her.

  Her mother had set her father’s place for Ty.

  “You okay?” he asked next to her ear. If her mother turned round now she’d think there truly was something between them. They stood so intimately close.

  “Yeah.”

  “Ty, this is your place.” Her mother indicated her father’s chair.

  “Thank you, ma’am,” Ty said as he sat. “This looks wonderful and smells even better.” Michelle sank into her chair. She watched as Ty’s well-manicured hands picked up his napkin and shook it out then placed it in his lap.

  His hand touching hers under the table jerked her attention to his eyes. She smiled and shook off the melancholy. He removed his hand. It was past time to let her father’s place go. Maybe even other things about him. Her mother certainly needed to move on after so many years. Had they both been caught up in a void that they needed to get beyond?

  “Michelle, why don’t you serve Ty some roast?”

  Ty picked up his plate and offered it to her. His eyes still held a concerned look. He saw things about her that others never noticed. Far too often.

  She dished up the meat and her mother passed him the bowl of mashed potatoes. The two of them carried on a conversation as if they were old friends, leaving Michelle time to observe Ty.

  He might be the most handsome man she’d ever seen. At first she’d thought his hair was too much but the better she got to know him the more she thought it suited him. Combed back, the ends curled around the back of his neck. Tonight he was wearing a collared shirt of tiny green plaid that made his eyes seem darker. His pants were well-pressed tan cotton twill. She couldn’t fault his appearance in any way.

  Even in the OR she’d started to look forward to seeing what kind of outrageous scrub cap he might wear next. She’d also noticed his original lime-colored clogs were exchangeable for bright orange ones on occasion.

  “Michelle…” Her mother’s note of irritation implied she must have called her name more than once.

  “Why don’t you clear the dishes and bring that apple pie over here? There’s also ice cream in the freezer.”

  “Okay, how many nights of the week can I eat here?” Ty asked.

  Michelle almost dropped the dishes.

  Thankfully her mother just giggled, instead of telling him Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

  Michelle placed the pie in the middle of the table and returned for the ice cream as Ty said, “You’re a great cook, Mrs. Ross. That was some of the best food I’ve ever eaten.”

  “I love to cook. I even thought about opening a tearoom when Michelle was a small child but there never seemed to be time.”

  That was news to Michelle. A tearoom. Her mother hadn’t cooked for herself in weeks. Michelle had thought she’d forgotten how until tonight.

  “I’m sure you would’ve made a success of it.”

  “I’m too old to do that now but I do still love to go to tea.”

  Michelle had forgotten about that as well. Before she’d become sick her mother had gone out with her friends regularly. These days she didn’t go out except when she had a doctor’s appointment.

  Soon after dessert Ty said he must be going. Michelle wondered if he had someplace else to be or someone else he was meeting. He didn’t strike her as a home body who spent a lot of time by himself. Why she cared she didn’t know, but she did.

  “Michelle, why don’t you see Ty to the door?”

  She made an effort not to roll her eyes.

  Ty graciously thanked her mother and followed Michelle out of the kitchen. She opened the front door and Ty brushed her arm as he moved his large body past hers. A tingle of heat went through her as if she had been branded. She had to stop overreacting to his slightest touch.

  She stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind them. “I’m sorry about tonight. I had no idea that she was going to put you on the spot.”

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. I enjoyed being here. There’s nothing wrong with a parent caring about their child and showing it. Your mother just wants you to be happy.”

  “I know, but tonight’s show said that we’d stepped back thirty years or more in dating time.”

  “Didn’t liked me being pushed at you, did you?” He chuckled.

  “I was mortified.”

  “It was a compliment.”

  He really was understanding about a number of things now that she’d thought about it. “Well, I appreciate you being okay with it. My mom seemed to enjoy having you to dinner and that’s something she hasn’t done in a long time.”

  “And how about you? Did you enjoy having me?”

  He made the question sound so suggestive that she felt as if her temperature had spiked. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  Ty’s eyes studied her for far longer than was comfortable before he said in a low, rusty voice, “I think you probably do but don’t want to admit it.”

  It was exciting to have Ty’s complete attention. He made her feel things long locked away, even those she’d never felt before. Would it really be so bad to have a fling with him? After all, he would be gone in a few weeks.

  His attention was captured by something behind her. “Your mother is looking out the window. Let’s not disappoint her.”

  His arm circled her waist, bringing her against him. Michelle didn’t even try to struggle, her hands going to rest lightly on his shoulders. With her height, Ty was only a few inches taller than she was. He had a slight grin on his mouth as he looked into her eyes and brought his lips down to touch hers. Ty smelled of apples, cinnamon and coffee. Her breath slowed as his full and mobile mouth pressed firmly against hers.

  Heat flowed through her blue-flame hot. When had been the last time she’d been kissed? Had any kisses ever made her feel the way this one did?

  Her fingers dug into his shoulders. Ty’s tightened his arm, bringing her closer. His other hand rose to circle the back of her neck. He guided her head so that he captured her mouth more fully.

  Just as Michelle began to press closer he pulled away. Disappointment swamped her. She wanted more. Stumbling slightly, Ty steadied her.

  “That should make your mother happy.”

  What? Michelle sucked in her breath. She’d experienced the kiss of her life and Ty had only done so to make her mother happy! Could she be more insulted?

  She jerked out of his arms. “If I didn’t care that my mother was watching, I’d slap your face.”

  With that, she re-entered the house, leaving Ty standing on the porch.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  TY’S GAZE LIFTED away from the blood-pressure monitor to Michelle. She was engrossed in watching the resident remove the cannula running to the heart-lung machine as they took their patient, a sixty-three-year-old female, off bypass in the OR.

  He didn’t understand her reaction two nights before when he’d kissed her. He’d made a mistake somewhere. Not usually so out of tune with a woman, Michelle’s response to his kiss had thrown him. He’d thought she’d been enjoying it. He certainly had been. With her mother watching, he hadn’t been able to take it as far as he wished.

  The ice queen had returned, North-Pole cold this morning. She wouldn’t even look at him and if she did it was to ask a question necessary to patient care only. Normally he’d have shrugged her displeasure off and moved on but Michelle had gotten to him on a level he’d never known before. He didn’t like things not being right between them.

  The resident tipped the heart up to get a look at the suture line on the back.

  “BP dropping. Eighty over sixty. That’s enough,” Ty called.

  The resident put the heart back in place.

  “BP coming up. You guys know that makes me nervous when you do that.”

  Michelle and the resident weren’t really listening to him. They had their heads together, looking intently into the chest of the patient.

  “Where is that blood coming from?” she asked no one in particular. “What is the ACT?” she demanded, without looki
ng at him.

  “Normal range,” Ty answered, letting her know that the activated clotting time was fine. Before he’d started the patient on bypass, using the heart-lung machine, he’d given her blood thinner. When the patient had come off bypass he’d had to reverse it by giving protamine.

  “Do more factors need to be given?”

  “No. Platelets and FFP are in range,” Ty responded. He checked again. Nothing indicated fresh frozen plasma was needed.

  “What does the TEG show?”

  The TEG was a research tool that told him what part of the clotting cascade was deficient. “Numbers are good.”

  “Then we are prolene-deficient,” Michelle announced.

  Ty jerked his head up to look at her. More sutures were required. Her voice was higher than normal. She was rattled for some reason.

  “Let’s find this thing,” she snapped. “We need to know if it’s the suture line or a vessel.

  “Pack it with sponges and see what we get.”

  The resident began to place sponges around the heart. Then they waited.

  For the first time her eyes met Ty’s. Her gaze remained long enough for him to see the terror in her eyes.

  “BP?” she asked.

  “Dropping slowly.”

  “Let’s get them out,” she said, referring to the sponges.

  The resident removed one from behind the heart. It was bright red. “Got it.”

  “The arterial suture line,” Michelle said, with less confidence than she usually showed. “I thought I’d put in enough stitches.”

  He couldn’t see her eyes but her breathing had become more rapid. Ty checked the monitors to make sure all was well on his end before he looked up. This was supposed to be a straightforward bypass case, something that Michelle could do in her sleep.

  Done with adding stitches, she stood, her eyes transfixed on the chest of the patient. She didn’t move. Didn’t say anything.

  “Michelle,” Ty said in a firm tone.

  She blinked then turned to the resident. “Can you close?”

  He nodded.

  Ty could see moisture filling her eyes. Why had this case gotten to her so? He didn’t miss the shock on the faces of the other team members.

  Jane, her scrub nurse, asked, “Dr. Ross, are you okay?”