The ER's Newest Dad

DISINFECTING HER HANDS at the nurses’ station, Brielle frowned at her friend. “No, I do not want to talk about why Dr. Lane said he enjoyed the breakfast I cooked this morning.”

What she wanted was to strangle Ross for saying such a thing in front of Cindy. Why did he think she insisted on taking separate vehicles to work? Was he trying to make her life as complicated as possible? Probably, as he seemed to go back and forth between being so angry at her that she could feel the almost hatred rolling off him to other softer, pleasant emotions that were too similar to the way they had once been for her liking.

“I’m not blind, you know.”

“I know.” Brielle sighed. “Do we have to talk about this at work, though?”

“Well, you’ve been busy every night this week,” Cindy reminded her. She glanced towards where Ross was talking to a patient in Bay One. “Not that I haven’t known why.”

“It’s not what you think,” Brielle quickly assured her, punching a code into the medication cart.

“Oh?” Cindy’s brow rose. “It’s not that Dr. Lane is really your long-lost love returned from the past to sweep you off your feet?”

“Not even close.”

“No?” Cindy’s gaze narrowed. “Then my second guess must be the right one.”

“What would that be?” Brielle asked, knowing she probably shouldn’t but doing so all the same.

“That he’s Justice’s father and realized that he screwed up big time by not being part of that kid’s life and he’s here to do right by you both.”

“Mostly right.”

Both women jumped and spun toward Ross.

“Don’t do that,” Brielle hissed.

He shrugged. “What? Walk up to the two best nurses in the hospital so I can ask one of them to get Radiology to do a chest X-ray on Mrs. Jones? Also, I’d like a comprehensive metabolic profile, a complete blood count, and a BNP to assess for congestive heart failure.”

“Uh, yeah.” Heat flushed Brielle’s face. “I’ll get right on that.”

Glancing back and forth between them, Cindy shook her head. “Nope, Mrs. Jones is my patient. I’ve got this.” Her gaze met Brielle’s. “You stay and find out why my second guess is only mostly right.”

Brielle and Ross watched Cindy go over to Mrs. Jones, say something to her, then draw blood from her patient’s left arm.

“I should help her,” Brielle said, to fill the silence that stretched between them and as an excuse to escape his always overwhelming presence.

“Scared?” He took a

step closer to her, leaving only inches between them.

“Of?” She didn’t budge, hating the way her feet itched to run and how his nearness affected her.

“Doing what Cindy suggested.”

She lifted her chin despite how it put their faces closer together. “I’m not scared of you.”

“No?”

“No.” But she took off to help her friend, who didn’t really need help, to the sound of Ross’s laughter behind her.

* * *

The emergency department had been crazily busy in spurts and almost dead at other times. Now was one of those crazy times. Everybody available was busy but no matter how busy they were Ross was aware of where Brielle was at all times. Starting an intravenous line, giving an injection, doing an assessment, she always managed to be busy to the extent that she didn’t have to spend any downtime with him.

Which should be just fine, but wasn’t.

They’d been living together almost a week now and she kept him at arm’s length. What was up with that? He was the one who’d been done wrong by her. He should be the one to keep distance between them. Instead...instead, he just felt confused. He’d come to Bean’s Creek for her, to reconcile his unresolved emotions for Brielle. He’d not resolved a thing and was more confused than ever about the frustrating woman.