“Would you ever consider taking him back?” Only a flickering nerve in Otis’s jaw gave him away, his face a study in blankness.
Shae groaned. “I would rather eat a kangaroo’s ball sack.”
Otis laughed. “Vivid.”
She leaned over and kissed him. “You’re wonderful. But I can’t do this …yet.”
Otis kissed her again, firmly. “I understand. Just …promise me, if you are free, if you are ready, you’ll tell me whether you want me or not. Whatever you say, I promise you, it will not affect work or our friendship.”
She felt her throat close up, couldn’t speak, and nodded. He smiled, a slow, warm grin. “I’ll take you home now.”
By the time she had slowly climbed the stairs to her empty, cold apartment, she wanted to cry. She knew she had made the right decision, but god, Otis Ford was under her skin.
She just wanted to make sure that she was ready to be good enough for him.
The cold metal of the gun muzzle was pressed up against her skin. Bay stared into Stu’s eyes, not hearing the words he was saying—just the sound of her own heart beating, then the sound of the gunshot. One. Two. Three. The pain unimaginable, her body on fire. There was a stink of blood and cordite and death. Stu laughing. Not being able to move. Stu aiming again and the gun jamming. A scowl. Happy wedding day …Tom begging her to live ….
Bay woke, screaming “Stop, no, no, no, please ….”
The night nurse ran in and put her arms around the sobbing young woman. “It’s just a nightmare, Bay. Just a nightmare …it’s okay. Honey?”
Bay was shivering and trembling. The nurse ran a hand onto her forehead. “Oh, darn it, you’re burning up.”
She went to get her instruments to check Bay’s vitals. Bay was freezing cold, despite what the nurse had said, and suddenly desperate for some water. She pushed the blanket from her legs and swung them over the side of the bed. Her abdomen shrieked with pain, but she managed, gripping the bed, to shuffle to the end of the bed. If she could just reach out and grab the door to the bathroom …
The head rush came suddenly and mercilessly. Her eyes rolled back and she crumpled to the floor, the cold linoleum hard against her broken body. Bay tried to call out—tried to say anything. She couldn’t move and all that came out was a gargle. She could taste blood in her mouth and smell it on her skin. Suddenly she couldn’t breathe, her chest constricted, and everything went dark.
Shae was sleeping fitfully when the call came. Otis’s voice was full of pain. Bay was back in surgery—critical.
When Shae got to the hospital, Otis met her. “She has internal bleeding and a fever. Something’s wrong.”
They scrubbed in immediately. The operation took hours before they stabilized Bay, and even then, exhausted, Shae didn’t know what Otis did to save her. He asked her to meet him in his office.
He shut the door. “Shae …Dr. Groves …Bay’s rehab sessions—do you remember when I told you not to push her too hard?”
Shae flushed at his tone. “I do, and I have kept to that, Dr. Ford. We try to make progress at each session, but that is at Bay’s behest. She’s frustrated by the slow pace.”
“But you’ve explained to her why she cannot push herself …for the reasons we had to operate tonight? Bay’s internal injuries aren’t healing as well as they should be because of the stress she—and by default, you—are placing on them.”
Shae held her hands up. “Wait, what? You’re blaming me for Bay’s setback?”
Otis drew in a deep breath through his nose. “No. I’m just trying to figure out how this could have happened. What went wrong?”
“By using me as a scapegoat?” Shae was mad now. “Otis, any number of things could be wrong. She was shot three times at point-blank range. It’s a miracle she made it at all with the amount of blood she lost and the risk of infection.”
“I know.” Otis’ reply was short. He wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Look, I’m going to stay with her. Tom’s on his way. You can go.”
Shae rocked back on her heels. “What? No …Bay is my patient too. I want to be here.”
Otis looked at her then, his dark eyes flat. “It’s fine. Go home, Shae.”
Shae shook her head and turned to go before stopping. “So this is ‘no recriminations?’”
“This isn’t about us.”
Shae smirked. “Sure it isn’t.”
She slammed the door on the way out. Asshole. She drove home, barely registering where she was going and garnering more than one angry gesture from other drivers.
At home, she threw her bag down and stomped into her bedroom, grabbing a pillow and roaring into it. Shit. How stupid was she that she put her faith and her heart, into the hands of yet another egotistical man? Just because that man—that gorgeous, sexy man—had taken over her body like none other before him, just because when he talked about surgery she got turned on by his passion for his work …just because when he looked at her, she felt like the sexiest, most beautiful woman in the world.
Fuck you, Otis Ford. I don’t need another asshole guy in my life. She went into the shower and scrubbed her body hard everywhere, trying to rid herself of the stink of the operating theater and the antiseptic smell. Him.
From now on, she vowed, it was professional distance the whole way.
Emily Moore was still waiting for Dash to come out of the shower. As he returned to her living room, she waved a newspaper at him. “Jason Kline is still trying to insert himself into the story. She almost spat the words in disgust. “How do we know it’s not the woman working with Otis who’s feeding this crap to him? Look …”
She held out the paper.
Dash took it and read. “‘Bay Tambe is in all of our thoughts’, said the superstar country singer. ‘I’m just glad that my wife is there to take care of…Jesus, this guy. But Ems, I don’t know. Bay likes and trusts Shae Groves.”
“Hmmph.” Emily shrugged. “Before or after her relapse, though? Otis says Bay may have pushed herself too hard—and Shae was the one with her when she did.”
“Well,” Dash sighed. “I don’t know. What do you want me to do? Hire someone to look into it?”
Emily chewed on her lip. “No. Look, this stuff is annoying, but not damaging. What is a problem is that all the momentum that the band had built is gone. Because they’re not doing press or appearances, after the initial interest in Bay’s attempted murder, the press is moving on. I’ve asked Pete, but he’s reluctant to go it alone, especially when we don’t know what’s happened to Kym.”
“I know. He figures he’ll just get questions about the shooting and he’s right. Maybe we should think about doing some activist work around domestic violence. Maybe set up a new foundation in the band’s name. That way we can actually do something of value as well as keeping the band in the news.”
Emily hissed out a long breath between her teeth. “I do like that …let’s take it to Roman.”
Roman Ford sat back in his chair. “I’m in. When Bay recovers and we either find Kym or get a replacement for her, their first gig can be a benefit. Yeah, it could work. Be careful not to exploit Bay’s injuries, though. She still deserves privacy while she recovers.”
“Any news on Kym?”
Roman shook his head. “None. Really, at this point, she’s either dead or they’ve gone so far underground that she must be staying with him through choice.”
Emily raised her eyebrows. “You’re really pissed at her, huh?”
Roman didn’t answer and Emily and Dash exchanged a look.
“Tom’s gone to Portland,” Roman said eventually. “He’ll be there full-time now, until Bay is released. Dash …I need you to come and cover some of his work, which means, Emily, a lot of this will come down on you to handle.”
Emily shrugged. “I’m good.”
Roman smiled briefly, then sighed. “What a fucking mess.”
Shae wasn’t concentrating when she walked into the main reception area of the hospital, so when th
e pack of journalists descended on her, it was a shock. She was butted and barracked as they shouted questions at her and she panicked, casting around desperately for help. Just as she thought about actually screaming, the crowd parted. Relieved, she failed to notice why they had suddenly fallen silent until she looked up.
Jason. With a wide smile, he came toward her, sliding his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, guys,” he said, placating them. “Give her some room. I know she’s a superstar, but let her be for a second. Darling.” He pressed his lips to hers and the cameras went crazy, flashes going off. Shaw came to her senses and pushed Jason away.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” She hissed at him. Jason’s eyes narrowed just the slightest, but the smile, the perfect smile, was back in an instant. Shae wanted to vomit. Instead, she pushed her way through the crowd. It was only when Jason started to speak to the journalists that she turned, anger rising in her chest.
“I’ve come here to see my friend, Bay Tambe.” Jason said. “I’m hoping that when she’s better, she’ll agree to perform on my new album with me.”
Shae gritted her teeth, wanting to shout that he was a fraud and a liar, but she didn’t want to make a scene in the hospital. She opened her mouth to ask them to leave, but then, from behind her, a voice, dripping with ice.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Otis, his mouth a hard line, was watching the melee. Jason strode forward and held out his hand. Otis looked at it, but didn’t take it and Jason, embarrassed, dropped it.
“Well, hey, Dr. Ford. I just thought I’d come along, visit with my friend Bay, and see my wife.”
“Soon to be ex-wife, I’m informed. As for visiting with Bay Tambe …she tells me she’s never even met you. So, friend, if you’ll take your pack of dogs and leave, that would be just about perfect.”
Otis turned on his heel, shouting over to the reception desk “If they’re not out of here in two minutes, call security.” He stalked off back into the hospital. Shae tried not to grin, but just nodded at Jason and followed Otis. She caught up with him in his office.
“Thank you for that.”
He turned on her. “Don’t thank me, Dr. Groves. What the hell was that? We cannot have that sort of sideshow in my hospital! What the hell was your husband thinking?”
Shae held her hands up. “I don’t know, Otis. I didn’t have any clue he was coming.”
“Perhaps if you kept your private life away from your work …”
Shae lost it then. “Are you freaking kidding me? No, really. Do you not remember the time we fucked? Did I coerce you into that? Because it sure seemed like you were a willing partner, you damned hypocrite.”
“Dr. Groves, I think that before either of us says anything else …”
“Screw you,” Shae whispered, her eyes filling with tears. “I thought you were different than Jason, but you’re both the –same—arrogant assholes who are quick to blame your mistakes on everyone else but yourself.”
“And you, Dr. Groves, think the world revolves around you.”
A knock at the door silenced them both. “What is it?” Otis snapped, his face drawn and thin.
His secretary put her head in the door. “Sorry to interrupt. It’s Sue-Lin Morita. She’s coding.”
Otis peeled off his gloves and washed his hands. No one in the operating theater spoke. Shae was like a statue. Otis slammed his hand against the door to the theater, leaving it to close behind him as he strode out to the relatives’ room.
Pat Morita sat upright in his chair. He looked up hopefully as Otis entered the room, not reading the expression on the doctor’s face at all.
Otis pulled a chair up opposite him. “Pat …I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
Pat drew in a deep breath. “Has the cancer spread?”
Otis couldn’t speak for a moment. Terrible memories crowded his mind; the police gently pulling him and Roman away from their father’s body; their mom screaming when the police told her what had happened. Otis looked into Pat Morita’s old, wise eyes and knew that he was about to hand him the worst day of his life.
“Pat …as you know, Sue-Lin coded and we took her straight to surgery. When I operated, we found that the cancer had spread to her liver, her kidneys, and her stomach. She was very, very sick, Pat, and despite our best efforts …” God, he sounded like a robot. “Sue-Lin didn’t make it through the surgery. I’m so very sorry, Pat.”
Pat Morita blinked. “What?”
Otis felt a fist clenching his heart. “Sue-Lin died, Pat. I’m so sorry.”
Pat shook his head. “No …no, she was …she was talking last night, saying that we should go on vacation rather than wait for the cancer to …Doctor Ford …I thought you said …the tests?”
Otis swallowed hard. “Pat, we were doing every test we could think of. We didn’t want to risk an exploratory operation at Sue-Lin’s age, so we missed it. I cannot express how sorry—“
Pat cut him off with a gesture. “Sorry won’t bring my Sue-Lin back. You promised us, Dr. Ford. You promised us that, however bad the cancer was, we would still be able to say a proper goodbye. We would be prepared. I was not prepared for this, doctor. You robbed us of our goodbye.”
The elderly man got unsteadily to his feet and walked to the door. “I want to see my wife.”
Otis nodded. “Of course.”
He couldn’t bear to see the moment the old man saw his beloved wife. Otis went back to his office, stripping off his scrubs and pulling a t-shirt over his head.
Then he went to see the Chief of Surgery.
Tomas Meir sat on Bay’s bed, her head resting on his shoulder. He tried not to stare at the multitude of tubes that had made their reappearance in her arms since the relapse. Bay stirred and opened her eyes.
“Hey, beautiful.” Tom pressed his lips against her temple. “Welcome back.”
Bay blinked a couple of times, then coughed. “What happened?”
Tom moved so she didn’t have to crane to see him, but kept hold of her hand, careful not to pull the wires. He explained what had happened and Bay sighed, her eyes filling with tears.
“God, I’m so sick of this, Tom. Lying about, feeling sorry for myself, the freaking pain that won’t go away. It’s not like on T.V., is it? All pretty bandages and coughing delicately into lace hankies.” Her face was grumpy, but Tom still laughed.
“That’s better. That’s my girl. Look, yeah, it sucks, but pushing too hard is what caused this.”
“I miss you,” Bay whispered then, a tear dropping down her face. “I hate that I can’t feel your skin next to mine, your big body on top of me and inside me …”
Tom touched the back of his hand to her cheek. “Me too, sweetheart. But look, get better. I mean really take care this time, and then we have all the time in the world. Miss Tambe, the day you get out of here, we’re going straight to city hall—I don’t care if you’re still in your pajamas—and I’m going to marry the heck out of you. Then, when you’re fully recovered, you and I will go to Otis’ private island and I’m going to make love to you like I never have before.”
Bay grinned. “That sounds perfect …like you never have before, huh? That’s difficult to picture.”
Tom laughed. “Oh, I have tricks you’ve never seen, Bay.” He leaned over and kissed her. “I love your sweet face.”
Bay savored his kiss. “I love your huge cock.”
Tom burst out laughing. “That’s my girl.”
“Hey.”
Otis was standing at the door, his face drawn. Tom grinned at him. “Hey, yourself. My girl’s looking better, don’t you think?”
Otis half-smiled. “You do. I’m glad.”
“All down to you, doc, and Shae. I haven’t seen her for a couple of days.”
Otis face went blank. “Dr. Groves isn’t on your case anymore, Bay.”
Bay and Tom exchanged glances. “Why not?” Tom narrowed his eyes at his old friend, trying to figure his mood.
Otis shrug
ged. “She felt she wasn’t being helpful.”
“Oh, god, look,” Bay tried to sit up further in the bed and both men rushed to help her. “It is my fault, what happened. I hope you two aren’t fighting.”
Otis pulled up a chair beside them. “Listen …I’m handing your case over to our neuro team. They’ll take it from here.”
Bay and Tom stared at him in disbelief. “Why?” Bay said at the same time Tom replied, “What the hell, man?”
Otis blew out his cheeks and looked down for a long moment. “I don’t feel us being friends has worked in your best interest as far as your care goes. You should have been out of hospital by now, Bay.”
Bay looked confused and upset and Tom took her hand before turning back to his friend. “Dude, we have complete trust in you. I never had any doubt you’d save my girl.”
Otis looked away. “Anyway, Dr. Roiz will be along to see you shortly …I’m taking a leave of absence for a while, but I’ll call you and check in. I’ll be just a phone call away if you need me.”
He turned to go, but Bay reached out and grabbed his arm. “Otis …what is it? What’s wrong?”
Otis hesitated, then gently pulled away. “Nothing. It’s nothing. I’ll see you soon.”
Shae walked to work the next morning, needing the air before she faced Otis. When she got to work, however, she was surprised to see his office locked and in darkness. She was debating whether to call him when she heard her name.
“Dr. Groves?”
She turned to see Dr. Roiz, the tall, handsome Head of Neurosurgery, smiling at her. “Yes?”
“You’re with me, as from today. We’ll be covering both specialties and I’ll need you to follow up on Dr. Ford’s patients whilst he’s away.”
Shae was stunned. “Away? He’s been called away on another case?”
Dr. Roiz, already reading something else, shrugged. “Personal leave, I think. Anyway, come. We have a lot of patients to deal with.”
Jason Kline, for once without his entourage and in low-key dress, stood as Shae entered the restaurant. She returned his smile with a nod and sat down opposite him.
Rockstar Untamed: A Single Dad Virgin Romance Page 91
