“Do you share call?” Mikaela asked.
“We do. One night a week and one weekend in three. We tend to do our own deliveries, but it works out if we’re away. Will you share call with us? Or just look after the high risk deliveries?”
“I’d like to share call and I can make a separate arrangement for any high risk deliveries.” Mikaela took a bite of her salad.
“Great. That would work for us. We could each take one night and then the weekend call could include Friday. One weekend in four is better than one in three.”
They spent the next hour discussing the details of their clinics and asking Mikaela’s advice about their difficult patients.
Ken finished the last of his sandwich. “I’ve got to run. I’ve got a clinic booked this afternoon …” He trailed off when something caught the attention of Patty and Sylvie over his shoulder.
“That must be the new ophthalmologist,” Patty whispered. “I heard he was gorgeous,” she said with a sigh. “And they weren’t exaggerating.”
“Oh, wouldn’t he be a tasty treat? Not many men make hospital greens look good,” Sylvie agreed, flipping her hair and straightening her shoulders.
“I heard he was engaged. I wonder if that’s her?”
“Tall, blonde and beautiful. Probably. They do make a striking couple,” Sylvie acknowledged, watching as the couple, both dressed in hospital greens, walked over to the cash.
Ken rolled his eyes as he stood, and Mikaela glanced over her shoulder to look.
Sam paid at the cash and then stood to one side, waiting for his companion. They did make a striking couple, Mikaela thought a bit peevishly, surprised at the stab of jealousy.
She gave a little wave and caught Sam’s attention. Her heart skipped at the delight that lit his face. He spoke a few words to the woman. She continued on her way and Sam strode over to their table.
Mikaela stood up as he approached.
Sam threw Ken a curious look and then swung an arm around Mikaela’s waist and leaned in. “Not sure if kissing in the cafeteria would be appropriate,” he whispered in her ear.
“Likely not,” she murmured. She turned and faced the group to make introductions. “Patty Kelt, Sylvie Grant, and Ken Marshall. My fiancée, Sam O’Brien,” she introduced, slightly mollified to see the faint flush that spread to Sylvie’s cheeks. Patty’s eyes widened as she looked from Mikaela to Sam.
Ken smiled broadly and shook hands. “I’ve got to run,” Ken said. “Nice meeting you, Sam.”
“Same.” Sam nodded.
“Would you like to join us, Sam?” Mikaela asked.
“Thanks, but I have to head back to the OR. I just came down to grab a bite to eat. How was your morning?”
“Good. Mostly orientation, housekeeping stuff. Patty, Sylvie, and Ken are the family doctors in town who do obstetrics so we were ironing out details.”
“No easy task.” Sam smiled. “I should head back. I’ll see you at home tonight. Would you like to go out for dinner?”
“No, not really. I’d rather stay in. I shouldn’t be too late.”
He nodded. “Perfect, see you then.” He gave her a quick kiss and winked, then headed out of the cafeteria.
Mikaela looked back at the admiration and speculation on Sylvie and Patty’s faces.
“I have to apologize,” Sylvie began.
“Me, too,” Patty added. “We didn’t realize …”
“No worries,” Mikaela said, waving their apologies away. “I’ll take it as a compliment. And I have to agree with you,” she said with a grin. “He is a tasty dish.”
Patty and Sylvie grinned and the ice was broken.
“Well, if you ever decide you want to share …” Sylvie hinted.
“Not gonna happen,” Mikaela said without missing a beat.
Patty shook her head and drew Sylvie away. “Well, it was nice meeting you. We should get going too.”
Mikaela nodded and watched them go.
Was that a taste of things to come? she wondered. Would she be spending her time chasing away hungry females and worrying about Sam’s past?
Add it to the list of new responsibilities. Wasn’t change fun?
Chapter 14
happenstance horoscope
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Proceed cautiously as you test the waters. Now is not the time to rush in headfirst. Take control, but avoid confrontation.
Mikaela pulled into the driveway at six that evening. Dusk had turned to darkness, but welcoming lights lit the walkway and front entrance. The afternoon had gone smoothly. She met Bob Crispin, the chief of surgery. He was a man of few words, but was respectful and diligent as he reviewed her paperwork and discussed department protocol. He confirmed she had two days a week to operate. That seemed to irk him, but that was the allotment to obstetrics and gynecology, and as the sole staff, she got it all. It was, in her mind, a double-edged sword. More operating time meant more patients. So she’d be busy.
And that, Mikaela decided, as she sat in the driveway, might be a good thing. More time at work meant less time at home, sharing a space with Sam. Last night when she arrived late and spent time putting things away in her room, she wasn’t hiding in her bedroom, exactly. She just wanted to get settled before today. Perhaps it wasn’t necessary to fold all of her underwear into triangles, make a symmetric pattern with her socks, or hang her clothing in alphabetical order. But it was justified, somehow. The option was to go out to the living room and relax with Sam as he watched the game on television.
Mikaela squared her shoulders. Today was a new day, and she would face him head on. Take control as happenstance suggested. She could handle this. Act perfectly natural. Set aside the fact that they had mind-blowing sex, and he hadn’t called. Or texted. Or emailed. Set aside the fact that they had mind-blowing sex, and now he was sleeping down the hall from her. Set aside that he probably had mind-blowing sex with half the nurses at the hospital. Every time she met a female acquaintance of his, she wondered if they’d slept together. That irked her. Wasting energy being jealous irritated her even more.
And then she heard her mother’s voice in her head. If you don’t like how you feel, change the way you think and act.
Good advice, Mikaela sighed. But did that mean she should stop the jealous thoughts? Or should she seize the moment and ac-sex the fake fiancée rights, as Margo suggested? That probably wasn’t what her mother had in mind.
Mikaela gathered up her briefcase and headed inside.
She was surprised to see Sam standing by the stovetop stirring a pot.
“Hi.” He smiled. “You’re home.”
“Hi.” Mikaela hesitated. “I’m later than I thought, but I stayed to organize my office.”
“Did you get everything all settled?”
“Pretty much,” she said. She set her briefcase aside and wandered over to the counter.
“I’m heating up spaghetti sauce, and the pasta will be ready in about five minutes if you want to change.”
“You made dinner for me?”
Sam laughed. “Well, Mrs. Davy has the fridge well stocked, so I can’t really claim to have made it. But I did heat it up,” he said with a grin. “It can simmer longer if you don’t want to eat right away. But if you’ve only had cafeteria food all day, I figured you might be hungry.”
“I am. I’ll go change.” She started to walk to her bedroom and turned before she left the kitchen. “Sam? Thanks.”
Sam gave a slow smile. “You’re welcome.”
Mikaela went to her room and replaced her suit with more comfortable yoga pants and a loose warm sweater. She pulled the band out of her hair and let it fall to her shoulders.
When she went back to the kitchen, Sam was draining the spaghetti in a cloud of steam. “I opened a bottle of wine if you’d like a glass,” he said as he scooped the spaghetti onto two plates and added the sauce. He grated cheese on top and brought the steaming plates over to the table.
“That smells delicious,” M
ikaela said, her mouth watering.
“Mrs. Davy makes a mean bolognaise sauce,” Sam agreed. He grabbed cutlery and napkins and, setting them on the table, gestured for her to sit down. “Bon appetite.” He picked up his wine glass and clinked it with hers.
She sipped her wine and looked at him over the rim of her glass. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be home yet. I thought you might still be at the hospital.”
“I picked up OR time and finished at four. I did a bit of paperwork, but with no residents and no teaching,” he grinned, “I was home by five. It’s great. I had a swim, made dinner. And after dinner, I’m going to watch the game. I don’t have to prepare rounds, work on research, or go to a meeting.”
Mikaela looked at him. “You really love it here.”
“I really do. I could use more OR time, but I love coming home to this,” he said, waving his fork around the room. “How about you? How did it go for you today? Was it what you expected?”
Mikaela looked across at his beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous smile. She certainly hadn’t expected to come home, share a meal, and sit and enjoy his company. “For the most part. I’m glad I met the docs doing obstetrics and sorted out call. I don’t know if it’s a small town thing, but the atmosphere was much more relaxed. And they all know each other, three generations back. I’m glad they’ll be wearing name tags.”
“Call everyone Junior. You’d probably be right.”
“I know.” She laughed. “They’re all related. There seems to be a certain pride in what they do for patients. I like that. I expected to feel like an outsider or, I don’t know, like I would have to prove myself somehow. But it’s not like that at all. Generally, it seems, people are genuinely happy to have me here.”
Sam nodded. “They are. I had a few people mention it to me, too. You’ll be as busy as you want to be.”
Mikaela nodded. “I’m taking call on Tuesday nights for the group so I was thinking of taking Wednesdays off, at least occasionally.”
“Good idea. It’s easier to add a clinic if you want more work, and it’s hard to cut back once your schedule is set. I keep Monday afternoons open, and I’ve managed to snag some extra OR time. It’s a bonus.”
“So I can expect dinners made for me every Monday?” Mikaela laughed.
“As long as Mrs. Davy stocks the fridge, I’m your man.”
Mikaela’s heart swirled. “Well, we better keep Mrs. Davy happy then,” she said lightly. “This is really good.”
“Save room for chocolate chip cookies.”
Mikaela groaned. “I can’t resist, but I’m going to need to swim off the calories.”
Sam looked at her. “Did you bring a swimsuit?”
Mikaela looked away and tried not to squirm at the memory of the last swim they shared. “Yes, I did,” she said. “Is it okay if I use the study?” she asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer ground.
“Sure.” Sam shrugged. “Just push any papers aside.”
“Thanks. I’d like to look over some plans for the new wing tonight. They want to move ahead with the next phase.” Mikaela picked up her plate and took it over to the sink to rinse it. “Maybe I’ll take the rest of my wine in there,” she said, suddenly anxious to leave. “Thanks again for dinner.” She grabbed her briefcase and headed to the study.
Mikaela heard Sam rinse his plate and set it in the dishwasher, and then turn the television on to watch the game. Mikaela sat looking at the plans, not really seeing them. This was going to be harder than she thought. There were too many memories of the weekend here together and too much hurt along with it. She was going to have to harden her heart and pick up her self-esteem, or it was going to be a very long year.
Chapter 15
Written in the Stars by Esmeralda Garnet
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Take time to recharge. Put energy into something that makes you stronger mentally and physically. Don’t jump to conclusions or take action in haste.
Mikaela yawned and rolled over, snuggling into the soft blankets and pulling the warm duvet up over her head. She had been at Emerson for a month and this was her first Wednesday off. She sighed contentedly. She had the whole day to indulge herself.
Mikaela had been busy with call the night before, and had fallen into bed at three in the morning. The last delivery, with twins, had been the most hectic. In the end they had popped out without a hitch and the neonatal teams, one for each twin, had been wonderful. It was the first delivery in one of the newly designed obstetrical suites. Doctor and nurse teams, and all the equipment for each of the babies, fit comfortably. It was efficient and managed to mimic a home delivery hidden in a very high tech, state-of-the-art world. She’d made a note to make a couple of minor adjustments, but overall, it was good. Really good. Over the next six weeks, three more rooms would be converted, and then things would settle down. But so far, the staff had been extremely patient with the upheaval, and the patients loved the changes. It was definitely worth the time and trouble.
But today, Mikaela wasn’t going to think about work. She had signed her call over and left all the paperwork at the office. It could wait a day. She curled into the blankets and smiled at the thought of having the house to herself. Sam was at work. She wished she wasn’t so attuned to his movements, so aware of him. But unfortunately, that wasn’t getting any easier.
If they happened to see each other at the hospital, he would lightly hold her or kiss her quickly. He would speak quietly in her ear. To the outside world, he definitely acted like the besotted fiancé. Maybe his motive was to keep up the charade of their engagement, but he really didn’t give anyone reason to doubt it.
They shared dinner together most nights. He would prepare something or she would, depending on who arrived home first. Mostly it meant warming up Mrs. Davy’s meals. Thank you, Mrs. Davy. Mikaela hadn’t met her yet, but every Tuesday the house was cleaned and the fridge and freezer stocked. Bless her heart.
She was secretly surprised Sam was home most evenings, but she loved it. She loved sharing her day with someone and loved hearing about his. She could talk to him about everything from hospital politics to patient care, and he got it. He didn’t try to solve her problems. He asked questions and listened. It was refreshing and just made her happy that he cared.
Mikaela laughed and hugged herself. Sam O’Brien, well-respected eye surgeon, with the sparkling eyes and amazing smile, was interested in her. He made her dinner. Regularly. Who’d have thought?
When dinner was over, they would go their separate ways. Mikaela generally holed away in the study looking over architect drawings, planning meetings, or reading the latest medical journals. Sam usually went for a swim, and despite all she had to do, most of her time was spent trying not to picture him stripped down. Mikaela thought about joining him, but it was fleeting. When they were alone, he hadn’t touched her. They had a sort of truce going, and despite its tenuous hold, she didn’t want to rock the boat. Once or twice Mikaela caught a hungry look in his eyes when he thought she wasn’t looking, but he certainly didn’t act on it. If the air sizzled when they were together, she tried to ignore it. Mikaela threw herself into work and Sam, it appeared, threw himself into exercise. The more she got to know him, the more time she spent with him, the deeper her feelings and the more she wanted him. It was driving her crazy, and eventually she would have to deal with it.
But today, Mikaela wasn’t going to think about it. She would be content that they shared their space and their meals. Wondering what he felt for her and wondering what to do about her feelings could wait another day.
So how was she going to spend her day? Mikaela rolled over and stretched. First, she’d have a leisurely breakfast of French toast and strong coffee. Then, she’d try out some of Sam’s very impressive exercise equipment. Free weights or machines? She laughed, hoping that was going to be the biggest decision of her day. She would definitely go for a swim and sit by the fire and read. She had a new Nora Roberts novel, something sh
e could curl up with until it was time to eat again. Her mouth watered at the thought of Mrs. Davy’s delicious lunch waiting in the refrigerator. Eat, exercise and relax, Mikaela thought. It sounded like the perfect day.
Mikaela pushed back the covers and glanced at the clock. Eleven o’clock already? She could probably skip the strong coffee.
Mikaela pulled open the curtains and looked with delight at the snow falling. Big fluffy flakes slowly swirled down and covered the ground with the first snowfall of the season. It was just the beginning of December, and the air was cool enough for the snow to stay. Perfect weather for a cozy day inside. Mikaela shrugged into a warm housecoat, pulled on thick socks, and headed to the kitchen.
As she licked the maple syrup off her fingers, Mikaela scanned the news and marveled how it was all about living in the moment. Today, it turns out, we should build a pipeline, depend on wind farm energy, and use wine to prevent heart disease. Last month, last year, it was all about the oil spill, windmills causing health problems and wine linked to liver failure. Really, life was one big gamble. You had to make the most of it and hope you were making the right decisions.
And that, Mikaela thought as she rinsed her dishes and loaded the dishwasher, pretty much summed up what she was doing. She hoped this would all work out. The job, what she had with Sam — whatever it was, she hoped she wouldn’t regret it. Shaking off the mood, Mikaela went to get dressed.
An hour later, sweating, Mikaela thought the one thing she would not regret was living at Sam’s place. His workout room was sweet. How spoiled could you be? Elliptical, rowing machine, free weights, so much to choose from. She ran, did lunges, bicep curls, and burpees all while watching the snow lazily and steadily covering the trees through a wall of windows. It was like a different world, miles away from reality.
A swim was next. Skinny-dipping crossed her mind, but was quickly squashed. Layers of stress melted away as she skimmed through the water. Relaxed and content, she floated on her back and watched the snow fall on the glass above. It melted as it landed and slid slowly down the sides of the pool house.
Perfectly Honest Page 8
