The Doctor's Undoing (Doctors in Training 3)

“A pity cake?” He gave a short laugh and patted her cheek in a gesture that made her go from wanting to comfort him to wanting to punch him. “That’s our Haley. Always there to boost the morale.”

Before she could answer, he dropped his hand and moved toward the doorway. “I’d better go finish my assignments. See you tomorrow, Haley.”

He was gone before she could respond.

Ron parked in the lot of Haley’s apartment building Wednesday evening, then sat looking at her window for a few minutes. He was there to study for the shelf exams they would take at the end of their medicine rotation. They’d invited Hardik to join them. He’d agreed, but he’d said he might be running a little late and urged them to start without him.

It annoyed Ron that he was oddly hesitant to be alone with Haley until Hardik arrived.

A few days earlier, he’d been irritated with Haley for letting her matchmaking patient’s teasing put awkwardness between them. Now he was the one feeling awkward because he’d let her see his chagrin at the careless mistake he’d made in front of his resident and attending.

They hadn’t discussed the incident since, though there had been some ribbing from his resident during rounds Tuesday morning. Haley had not joined in the teasing, and she’d been quick to change the subject as soon as she was able. She’d considered herself rescuing him, he supposed.

He shouldn’t be so perturbed that Haley knew about his gaffe. As she’d reminded him, they all did something wrong at some point in their training. Not that he’d heard of her doing anything as stupid as he had that afternoon. What galled him the most was that she’d seen him before he’d had a chance to hide his embarrassment and resulting self-doubt.

Telling himself he would just laugh it off if she brought it up this evening, turning the whole incident into a self-directed joke as he always did, he exited his vehicle. She probably wouldn’t even mention it, unless she felt compelled to give him another bracing pep talk.

As he walked toward her door, he found himself hoping she’d made that chocolate pity cake. He wouldn’t turn down chocolate, no matter what the motive behind the offering.

Already wearing his usual practiced grin, he rang her doorbell. The grin faded when he saw her face. She was smili

ng, and her makeup looked freshly applied—neither of which deceived him. He knew her too well. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Come on in, I made that cake I promised you.”

Even cake couldn’t distract him from this. “You’ve been crying. What happened?”

She sighed. “I didn’t think you would be able to tell.”

He closed the door behind him without ever taking his gaze from her face. “I can tell. What’s wrong?”

If she told him this was a personal problem and none of his business, he supposed he would have to let it go. But he wanted her to know he was here for her if she needed a shoulder.

He saw her throat work with a swallow and sensed her internal debate. And then she sighed and shrugged. “Kylie Anderson called me a few minutes ago. Mr. Eddington went into cardiac arrest and died suddenly this afternoon. Half an hour after I left the hospital.”

Ron grimaced. “I’m sorry, Haley. I know he was one of your favorites.”

She blinked rapidly. “Yes. He was a sweet guy. Always smiling and teasing. Though he knew he didn’t have long, he was hoping to go home in the next few days to spend a little more time with his family.”

He rested a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry. But don’t forget the burn-out lectures we’ve heard. You have to leave it at the hospital. You can’t bring it home with you.”

She shook her head. “I know. And I’m not going to let it affect my work. It’s just sad, that’s all.”

Ron had always believed Haley would be an excellent physician. His only concern had been that she would take it all too personally. Get too involved with her patients, fret about the ones who wouldn’t take care of themselves, and grieve over the ones who lost their ultimate fights. That was just Haley’s personality—all heart. And hearts, he had learned long ago, were too easily broken.

“So you’re okay?”

She smiled. “I am. Thanks for asking.”

Not entirely convinced, he shook his head. “You are going to have to guard against burnout, you know. You care too much.”

Her left eyebrow rose slightly. “I happen to think a doctor should care about her patients.”

“There’s caring. And then there’s caring too much.”

“Okay, I get your message. Now how about some cake?”

At least she didn’t look so sad anymore, he decided before letting her sidetrack him. “Chocolate?”