She shrugged. “I guess I hustled.”
“You had to do more than hustle to get all this delivered and set up in this insane amount of time.”
She shrugged again. “I may have gotten a couple tips from Superwoman…”
I chuckled. “You call my mom Superwoman?”
“Well, I’d call her Boss Bitch, but that’s a little inappropriate.”
This time, I really laughed. “She’d like that name, actually.”
“I’d still rather not take the gamble.” She dipped her chin and looked down at her notebook, her brown hair falling forward, so she had to tuck it behind her ear. “So, have you given any more thought to the positions I lined up for you?” She didn’t have any notes to take, but she continued to look down for a few seconds.
It gave me the perfect opportunity to stare at her, to notice how gentle she was in all her movements. When it came to women, I wasn’t picky, and I could find something good in pretty much everyone, but she was the definition of a soft woman. Everything about her was soft, from her green eyes, to her skin, her hair…everything.
She looked up when I didn’t say anything.
I got back on track. “All.”
She gave me a blank look at first. “All?”
I nodded.
That surprise was still on her face.
“What? Did you expect to shove a butter knife under my nails to earn my cooperation?”
“Not that, specifically…but kinda.” She looked down and added the notes.
“The rotation with Doctors is only once a quarter, so we’ll just plan the schedule ahead of time. And when it comes to research, it sounds like you’re in the trenches getting your hands dirty all the time, but there’s actually a lot of waiting around for data, peer evaluations, edits…blah, blah. And teaching…” The only reason I agreed to that one was because of my sister. “That’s going to be a little difficult, but I’ll get the hang of it.”
“Why?”
I sat with my forearms on my thighs, examining the coffee table between us and the vase of flowers sitting there for no one to enjoy. “It’s a long story.”
“Well, I’m on the clock twenty-four seven, so I’ve got time.”
“God, please tell me that isn’t true.”
“Honestly, I’ve got nothing else to do anyway, and I could use the money.”
“I don’t even know how much I’m paying you, actually.”
She gave an innocent shrug. “A lot. I’ll leave it at that.”
I knew my parents were the silent partners in all of this, but once things were running smoothly once again, I’d be able to pay them back—with interest. “I’m sure you’re worth every penny. I mean, look at this place.”
Her smile was impossible to suppress, and she even had a slight flush under her skin, as if she weren’t only touched by the compliment but even a little embarrassed about it. “Thanks. So, why will teaching be difficult?”
My eyes shifted out the window as I considered how to explain it to her. “Basically, teaching is really important in my family. My dad’s primary focus is research and patient care, but he takes bright minds under his wing in the hope of making them perfect physicians like he is. And my older brother is also a professor, and teaching is his entire life. He doesn’t just teach in the classroom, but at his aeronautics company, and he believes educating the next generation is his calling to help humankind. So…big deal.”
“Then teaching sounds perfect for you.”
“Yeah, but sometimes I’m not sure if I have the right to teach other people.” I bowed my head, reliving that moment over and over, the distinct lack of sound once he flatlined. The constant beep of the monitor was annoying, but once that sound was gone…you missed it more than anything.
“You’re being too hard on yourself,” she said gently. “They wouldn’t have offered you the position if they didn’t think you deserved it. Anytime I’ve had schooling, the intangible lessons that come from education have taught me more than the education itself.”
I stared at her, unsure what that meant.
“Sometimes teachers attempted to get their lessons across, but I never got it, no matter how hard they tried. But I admired their commitment and compassion toward me, and I integrated that into my life so I could help someone who wasn’t understanding something themselves. Theoretically, another surgeon could take your position and teach those students just as well, but they’re going to miss the intangible lessons you can impart, like compassion, kindness, heart, humility…and the million other qualities that you possess. You’ll remind them what’s important about the profession—which is the patient. It’ll inspire them in a way they won’t be inspired by somebody else. So, I think you should take that position more than somebody else because I know how doctors can be, showing off their ridiculous penthouses and their fleet of cars, caring about the money and the fame. But you aren’t like that, Dex.”