It was more she wasn’t sultry. Overtly sexual. She wasn’t a born flirt. She was everyone’s friend. So yes, sometimes she did feel a bit of longing for a man to give her the so-called Look. She was reasonably attractive, with a cute figure, yet guys always treated her with a best-buds kind of attitude and frankly, she was tired of it.
But being tired of it, and knowing how to fix it, were two separate things. She had no clue how to address the problem without completely altering her personality, learning the art of smoldering looks, and buying a whole new wardrobe. Since none of those choices appealed to her, it seemed she was doomed to remain man’s best friend.
With a final wave towards Sara, she pushed her way into the surgical recovery room and approached bed three.
“Mr. Davidson, how are you feeling?” Josie leaned over the gurney bed and studied his complexion, putting Dr. Hayes out of her mind with effort.
Even at seventy-two, Mr. Davidson was one of their livelier patients, and she was confident the knee replacement surgery he had just undergone would have him back on the golf course in no time.
Mr. Davidson’s case had been the fifth or so total knee she had assisted Dr. Hayes on, and despite the fact that Dr. Sheinberg had allowed her to perform the surgery in the past. Dr. Hayes never did. She had been hopeful that Dr. Hayes would let her operate on Mr. Davidson, but he had merely taken over without a word. At this rate she’d need her own knee replacement surgery by the time Dr. Hayes decided she was ready to operate.
Mr. Davidson’s eyes focused on her sharply, despite having awakened from the procedure only two hours earlier. “Doing fine. Dr. Adkins. Just a few more hours of sleep, then I’m ready to test this metal piece out.”
She smiled, since she knew he was kidding. At least she hoped he was kidding. She checked his hemovac for blood. “You know you’re going to have intense physical therapy ahead of you. No jumping up and dancing a jig now, you hear?”
He winked at her, his complexion rosy and healthy. “Yes, ma’am.”
She gave his good leg a squeeze through the blanket. Charlie Davidson was a real character. “That’s more like it.”
It was times like these, when she was talking with patients, that she worried in the back of her mind that surgery wasn’t for her. Not that she should be doing somethingwhimsical,despite what Sara thought. But that she would be more suited to the people-oriented areas of general practice or pediatrics.
However, she had chosen surgery, specifically orthopedic surgery to specialize in, and there was no going back now. It just wasn’t acceptable to change your mind in the second year of your residency. Of course, she hadn’t really chosen surgery—her father had—but she had to make the best of it.
She knew that she would be good at it, and had handled her cases with Dr. Sheinberg well. Then Dr. Hayes had joined the ortho group and she had morphed into a stammering, clumsy comedy act.
Mr. Davidson said, “You know the only reason I’m even here is for the hospital food and to see your pretty face every day.” He gave her a cheeky grin.
She couldn’t help but smile as she checked his vitals. “That’s an awful lot of pain to go through just to see me and to get a meal.”
“What pain? I’m not in any pain.”
“Wait until the anesthetic from surgery wearsoff,” she warned him, once again amazed at the man’s vigor. His blood pressure was just as it should be.
He shrugged. “Then I’ll have the nurse get me those little blue pills. Those work.” He impatiently shoved the IV tubing out of his way. “But enough about me. Let’s talk about you. I see you’re not wearing a wedding ring.”
Making a notation of his vitals on his chart, she looked up, amused. “Don’t you think I’m a little young for you?”
He laughed, which dissolved into a post-surgical cough.
“I made you cough,” she said cheerfully. “That’s good. It clears your lungs.” She helped him to a sitting position.
“You’re not my type,” he said with a grin as he caught his breath. “Never went in for brunettes myself. No, I was thinking about my grandson. He’s about your age, a lawyer, looks like that actor fellow the girls are always raving about.”
Josie dropped his chart back on the foot of the bed. She didn’t even bother asking which actor he was referring to. Shaking her head, she held up her hand and laughed. “No, thank you.”
She wasn’t lonely enough to succumb to blind dates arranged by medicated patients. “Now, if you be good, the nurse will arrange for you to be moved to your room on the floor, and let your wife pop in to see you. I’ll stop by first thing in the morning to make sure you’re behaving.”
With a wave and a smile, Josie turned around to leave and connected with something solid. She knew immediately it was Dr. Hayes’ chest, since she had mentally catalogued every inch of his body.
Well, noteveryinch.
Some she’d had to leave to her very vivid imagination.
Her cheek brushed against his hard, muscular pectorals beneath his light blue scrub shirt before she darted back quickly to avoid further contact. Which had her colliding with her patient’s bedside tray, spilling his cup of water and knocking hisglasses to the floor.
“Oh! Sorry Mr. Davidson.” She quickly retrieved the glasses and stood up in time to see Dr. Hayes sigh with long- suffering patience.
She suspected he was tired of her clumsiness. As if she were enjoying it.