“Did you know that Shawn is a master gamer?”
What was he talking about? “No, I didn’t. That’s great.” She looked at Shawn. “Do you have any questions about the surgery?”
The far-too-thin young man shook his head. “I think my mother does.”
“I’ll go and let Dr. Ross speak to your parents. I’ll see you in the OR in a few minutes. The nurse will give you something to make you happy.” Dr. Smith grinned. “Don’t get too used to it because you don’t get to carry any of it home.” He put out his fist and Shawn butted his against it. “Later, man. Remember you promised me a game.”
“Sure, Dr. Smith.”
“Make it Ty, man. See you soon.”
Shawn nodded and gave him a small smile. For the first time since she’d met Shawn he didn’t look terrified. She and Dr. Smith might have gotten off on the wrong foot but she had to give him kudos for making patients feel comfortable. She would like to be that easy with people but it wasn’t her strong suit.
Half an hour later Michelle entered the OR prep area. Dr. Smith stood at the scrub sink along with three of the OR nurses. The group was chattering non-stop. Dr. Smith seemed to be the ringleader, interjecting a random comment which would bring on a burst of laughter from the women around him.
For the first time Michelle felt like an outsider. She couldn’t remember ever feeling that way so intensely before, or caring. She had no idea how to join their conversation. Worse, she couldn’t understand why all of a sudden she wanted to. What would it be like to belong? To know what was happening in the staff’s lives, for them to know what was happening in hers? Could she ever have that type of relationship with her coworkers? With anyone?
She remembered having friends over to spend the night as a kid. After her father had died that had become less frequent. She’d found out pretty quickly that her friends hadn’t felt comfortable with her any longer. The sadness she’d felt over the loss of her beloved father had been far too much for them. She’d started spending more and more time at home, reading and studying. It had been easier than trying to pretend to be having a good time with people who didn’t understand.
Her father was gone and her friends had slowly left also.
Michelle’s mother had encouraged her to go out to football games, to the prom, but to Michelle all those things had seemed silly. She’d also hated to leave her mother alone. They’d become a team. As the years had gone by Michelle had lost most of her small-talk skills, choosing to focus on medicine instead of a social life. Her mother, school and then her job had taken all her time, leaving little to devote to building outside relationships. There had been a few men who had shown her attention. Most had only been interested in her for her looks. Few had appreciated her intellect. They hadn’t stayed around long.
A second later another nurse joined the group. Dr. Smith did have a way of drawing not only women to him but men as well. People liked him. She had to admit she was as aware of the man as the rest of them. She just refused to let it show, had more command over her reactions.
Unable to wait any longer to scrub in so that she could begin her procedure on time, she stepped towards the sink when a spot became available. Just as she took her place, the group erupted in laughter.
Dr. Smith turned, almost bumping into her. “Hey, Michelle.”
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the other women drifting away. She placed a foot on the pedal to start the water. “Hi,” she said, concentrating on washing.
“We were just talking about getting together tonight at a bar downtown. I’ve been asked to fill in as part of the surgeons’ band.”
“You play?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. I play a mean guitar. I think that’s why Schwartz requested me to take his place. More for my guitar skills than my medical ones.”
“I didn’t know Dr. Schwartz played in the band.”
Had he said he wasn’t surprised? She refused to let him make her feel like she didn’t belong. “No, it doesn’t surprise me that you play guitar. I was just making conversation.”
“Interesting. You don’t strike me as someone who makes small talk.” Was he trying to needle her on purpose?
“I don’t believe you know me well enough to know what I do.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded as if in deep thought. “You’re right. Maybe we should try to change that.”
Michelle looked at him. Where was this going?
“A group of us are getting together after the band plays on Saturday night. Why don’t you join us then? Practice that small talk.”
“I’m busy.”
“Well, if your plans change we’re going to be at Buster’s. Wherever that is.”
“It’s right in the central part of the old city.”
“A surgeon and a tour guide. Two for one,” he said with a grin.
She smirked at him. “My father used to take me there for burgers when I was a kid.” Why was she telling him this?
“Really, your father took you to a bar?” His tone implied he was teasing.
She made an exasperated noise. “My father would never have taken me to a bar.”
Dr. Smith chuckled. The man was baiting her again. Wasn’t he ever serious?
“It wasn’t a bar then. Just a grill. Mr. Roberts owned the place and was a friend of my father’s. I don’t know what it’s like now, but it was once a place with brick walls and had these old wooden tables.”
“You haven’t been lately?”
“Not since I was a child.”
“Why not?”
“I just hadn’t thought about going.” That wasn’t true. It had been her and her father’s special place. The memories were just too strong there. They made her miss her father more.
“Maybe it’s time to try it again.”
She finished scrubbing her nails. “I don’t think so.”
“Well, I hope you change your mind. It could be fun. If they still have burgers, I’ll buy you one,” he said, passing her on his way toward the OR.
A few minutes later she entered behind him. The team was talking and softly laughing at something Ty must have said. He seemed to always be saying something outrageous. She couldn’t blame her team for reacting. She’d smiled more since she’d met him than she had in a long time, but her nerves had been on edge just as often.
Everyone quieted down and became attentive when she joined them. “Are we ready to begin? By the way, it’s nice to see you here ahead of me, Dr. Smith.” Her voice carried a teasing tone. She didn’t tease. What was happening to her?
“Glad to be here. This time I wasn’t stuck helping out at a car accident.” His gaze caught and held hers.
He’d made his point. It figured he’d have a good reason that would make her feel bad about her actions the day before. “Understandable. I hope everyone was okay.”
“Everyone was fine. I’m ready to begin when you are, Michelle.” His eyes twinkled when he said her name.
Her jaw tightened beneath her mask. Demanding that the aggravating man call her by her formal name in the OR was a battle she didn’t think she could win. She’d let it go unless it happened at an improper time, like in front of a patient.
She glanced around to find all eyes on her. Their faces were covered but she had a sense that their mouths had dropped open. She imagined they were following the interaction between her and Ty with great interest.
Unwilling to let the team know he’d gotten a reaction out of her, she cleared her throat and said in her most efficient tone, “Let’s begin.”
* * *
Later, Ty sat behind the nurses’ station on the heart floor, reviewing patient charts before his pre-op visits. He and Michelle would share three cases the next day. Finished with the chart he’d been reviewing, he closed it as the clip-clip of heels tapping tiles drew his attention. He looked up to see Michelle coming towards him. Her hair was pulled tight behind her head and she was dressed in soft gray pants with a silky pale pi
nk blouse. Over that she wore a finely pressed lab jacket. There wasn’t a wrinkle on it and he’d bet a weeks’ pay it was starched. Her high heels were the same dove-gray as her pants except for the tips of the toes, which were hot pink.
Disappointment filled him over missing a view of her legs. She had exceptionally fine legs.
For such a strong-willed woman she sure wore feminine colors. This outfit was just as tailored as yesterday’s, letting no one mistake her as anything other than a female. She was a paradox. All hard edges in manner and all soft and sensual curves in looks. Which was the truer Michelle? He’d like to know.
She glanced in his direction. When he smiled she quickly looked away and continued towards the room of one of her cases. He returned his attention to the computer screen and the chart of his next patient.
Opening another file, he looked up to see the nurse assigned to Shawn stamping toward the desk. Her lips were clamped into a tight, thin line. She stopped in front of the nurse sitting two chairs down from him. Through clenched teeth she hissed, “Abby, please watch my patient for a few minutes. The ice queen is riding her broom again.”
The nurse she spoke to looked none too happy but she said, “Okay. But don’t be long. I don’t want to be in her line of fire either.”
“I just need to blow off some steam for a minute. At least she has moved on to poor Robin’s patient.”
Ty saw Michelle approaching, but the two nurses had not. He didn’t miss the look of glass-shard pain in Michelle’s eyes before she blinked and her face became an unemotional mask. He had no doubt she’d heard every word. It had hurt her. By the look in her eyes—deeply.
“Excuse me, if you are not too busy, could you get me a number where I can reach Shawn’s family?”