The Emergency Doctor's Chosen Wife

“Like I said, no basketball scholarship for you.” She turned and gasped. She hadn’t expected him to be so close to her and her heart took off. She tried to back up, but her legs wouldn’t move.

“Want some help with this?” he asked.

“You want to help me?” She glanced down at his attire of crisply pressed white shirt that probably cost more than a day’s pay and the navy linen slacks that bore a neat pleat. “You don’t want to get blood on your shirt. I can handle this, thanks.” The way his mouth moved, one corner of it twitching up, made her want to reach out and touch it, to see if it was as warm as it looked. She swallowed. This attraction was getting a little too serious a little too fast.

He took a step back. “I’m not bothered. Why should you be?”

“Seriously, this is my job, and I’d feel guilty if you helped me. You don’t want to be responsible for my guilt, do you?” Despite the mental warning to herself, she couldn’t help liking his reply.

“Gina, I’ve done my share of dirty jobs as an intern and resident. A little bit of gauze isn’t going to bother me.”

“I know. But just the same. I’ve got it.” She looked down at the mess around her. “It’s a shame, isn’t it?”

Thomas instinctively knew exactly what she meant. “It is. Some kids learn the hard way, and I think he’s one of them.”

“His mom’s in for a whole lot of heartbreak, isn’t she?” Gina asked, already knowing the answer.

“She is. But hopefully she won’t have to face it alone.” He watched her stuff the gauze into the trash can. “Are you OK?”

“Putting a kid back together gets old sometimes, ya know?” A sigh came from her. “It seems like everywhere I go I put the same kids back together for the same things all the time. Just once I’d like to see them do well.”

“Yes. I know. Emergency medicine can be a bit overwhelming at times. Nurses burn out in ICU and ER more frequently than any other area.” He watched her with those striking blue eyes. “You make sure to take breaks, don’t you?”

“Yes. That’s why I don’t work in the same area all the time, but change back and forth to stay fresh.” Returning to her task, she stuffed more trash in the garbage can.

“Relax, will you? Let someone else get the trash. You don’t have to do everything.”

“It makes life easier on Housekeeping if I can at least help.”

“Certainly. But the trash isn’t what’s bothering you. Everything is just fine. Terrence is off to surgery and there aren’t any other emergencies right now, so why don’t you take a break?” He tried to coax a smile out of her, put her mind at ease. “I could use a break, too.”

“I can’t,” she said, as she carried on tidying. “When one job’s done, there’s always another waiting.”

“Come on. Trauma can be tough on people. The patient, the family…and the staff,” Thomas said, and took a step closer to her, invading her space again, putting more pressure on her until she looked up at him.

She frowned and glared at him, but couldn’t hold it and cracked a grin, feeling the heat of a blush in her neck. “What? Don’t you have a laceration somewhere to suture?”

“Nope, I’m fresh out.” The sassy edge to her voice made him smile. She was a refreshing change from people who knew who he was, what his family was, and sought to ingratiate themselves to him. Gina didn’t care who he was, and he liked that.

She dropped her shoulders and released a pent-up breath. “OK. Coffee sounds good. But I need to get rid of this stuff first,” she said. “I don’t want to leave everything for Housekeeping. That’s not fair.”

Thomas smiled, glad she had accepted his offer. “Five minutes, in the staffroom, or I’ll hunt you down.”

She grinned. “Good enough.”

Thomas hesitated. When she smiled like that she was absolutely stunning. With a quick nod he left her to her task, not wanting to think where this association could head. They were just coworkers sharing a bit of coffee and conversation, right?

Minutes later Gina entered the staff room to the fragrance of an exotic blend of coffee. “Oh, what’s that?” she asked, and sniffed appreciatively. “That’s not hospital coffee, is it?” The smell was making her mouth water. Thomas smiled, and Gina’s knees threatened to go weak. Oh, he was almost making her mouth water, too.

“This is my secret office stash.” He shook his head. “Now you know my deep, dark secret.”

“There are some perks to being the medical director, I see.”

“So, how do you take yours?” Thomas asked.

“Loads of cream and a touch of sweetener, thanks,” Gina said, and accepted the mug from him. For a moment or two she forgot who he was, what he was, and it felt just like two people having a coffee together. Like normal people would. Then she remembered. There was nothing normal about a man like Thomas.

“This isn’t your first time in this hospital, is it?” Thomas asked.

Surprised, Gina’s brows shot up. “What makes you say that?”

“For a traveler, you seem to know your way around this hospital very well.” Thomas gave a smile. “And your r'esum'e shows that you did your nurse’s training here. I looked.”

“Cheat. I went to the university program here in Hidden Valley. Then I left right after graduation.” Couldn’t wait to get out, in fact. And had never thought she’d be back. “Seems like a long time ago.”

“Ever think of coming back?” Thomas sipped his coffee and contemplated her. “Being a travel nurse must have its appeal, but when you’re ready to settle down, had you thought of coming back here? You have family here, I assume.”

Gina cleared her throat and toyed with the cup handle. “My mother’s here, but I hadn’t thought of returning on a permanent basis.” She shrugged and chanced a look at him. “Nothing in my life is permanent, which is why I’m a temporary nurse.” Making things permanent meant giving up things she wasn’t prepared to give up at this point in her life.

“I see.”

Changing the topic, Gina needed to direct the focus away from herself. Sharing personal information didn’t come easily. “Your turn, Doc. What brings you to Hidden Valley? If you’ll forgive the observation, this doesn’t seem like your kind of place.”

“Me?” Why had he come here? He hadn’t thought about it for a long time. To get away? To run away? Not so unlike Gina, he thought. “My life…changed abruptly about a year ago, and I needed a quiet place to think.” He paused. Was that really it? “Hidden Valley is a good place to do that.”