Weekend Fling with the Surgeon

Nothing.

He turned to leave. She obviously didn’t want to talk to him. He’d done his duty, tried to show common courtesy by getting her a drink and the crackers and she’d not even had the same common courtesy to respond.

What if she hadn’t been able to respond?

The question hit him hard, punching him in the gut, and stalling his feet. What if she’d gone into her office and something bad had happened?

She’d looked as if something was really wrong, had been leaning against the wall for support and been pale as a ghost. Had she gone into her office and passed out?

He knocked on the door again. This time brisker and with more urgency.

Nothing.

“McKenzie, open up.” Because the more his brain raced, the more he knew he couldn’t just walk away without making sure she was all right. He had to know she was okay even if it meant later being accused of overreacting.

Her office door could be locked. If so, he’d break in or get help.

“If you don’t answer, I’m coming in to make sure you’re not passed out on the floor.”

* * *

What was Ryder’s problem? McKenzie wondered as she lifted her head off her knees and tried to get her blurry eyes to focus on the room around her. He’d barely acknowledged she existed for months and today of all days he felt the need to make sure she wasn’t passed out on the floor?

“Go away.”

There. She’d answered. He could leave.

“I brought you water and crackers,” he repeated.

“You can have them.”

Water and crackers weren’t going to solve her problems.

“I’m not going away until I make sure you’re okay.”

Ugh. If he was waiting on her to be okay, he might be there awhile.

She would be okay, she told herself again. Eventually. Hadn’t she been after Clay had broken her heart? Sure, it had taken a long time and meeting and falling for Paul, but she had recovered from Clay’s blow to her heart.

She had experience in recovering. This time shouldn’t take nearly as long to get back on her feet, to make the pain in her chest go away, to not want to burst into tears at every sappy song on the radio.

Yeah, she was a pro at this getting dumped and would be shaking off Paul’s wanting time apart. No big deal.

“I’m not leaving, McKenzie. Open up.” He knocked on the door again.

Ugh. He was making so much commotion in the hallway he had to be drawing the attention of their colleagues. She could do without everyone there knowing she was Paul’s yesterday news.

She stood from where she had been crouched on the floor, wiped her eyes, took a deep breath and told herself she had this. That Ryder was just a man. A gorgeous man who’d probably never been dumped, but, still, just a man.

She didn’t bother forcing a smile to her face because she wanted him to know she didn’t appreciate his concern. Perhaps she should, but at the moment she just wanted to wallow in her pity a few minutes.

“What is your problem?” she asked as she flung the door open. Okay, so that hadn’t been very nice of her, but he was seriously butting into her business and she just wanted to be left alone.

Seeming stunned by her irritation, he held the water and package of crackers out to her. “These are yours.”

“Fine. I’ll take them.” She did just that, taking them from him. “You can go now.”

“I... Okay, I will.” He studied her face.