Читать книгу Hot Docs On Call: Surgeon's Seduction - Carol Marinelli - Страница 18

MINDY TRIED NOT to let her gaze wander to Sam as she walked into the boardroom. It had been a week since their day in New York together. When he’d walked her to the door of her apartment she’d lingered.

She didn’t know why. Perhaps it had been habit. She had been waiting for him to kiss her, even though kissing him again wouldn’t have been wise.

Yet she’d waited there and he hadn’t done anything. Just stood with her, his blue eyes dark, his face unreadable.

She actually didn’t know why he’d waited there either, but the more he’d lingered the more she’d fought herself over inviting him up to her apartment. Of course, the last time she’d done that they’d slept together and she couldn’t do that again.

Though she’d wanted to.

Being with Sam was so easy. She admired and respected him as a surgeon; he was fun, sexy, intelligent. Sexy.

Stop thinking about sex and his sexiness.

Only she couldn’t when she was around him.

Focus.

Right now she had in front of her a skilled team of pediatricians, neonatologists, nurse practitioners, residents, anesthesiologists, just about anyone who could possibly help with her quint case. Mindy had been keeping an eye on Mrs. Jameson for about a week, but it was apparent to Mindy that with Mrs. Jameson’s condition they would have to prepare an elite team of practitioners in preparation for the quints’ birth.

It was coming sooner rather than later.

She glanced up quickly to see that Sam was sitting next to Dr. Chang, leaning back in the chair, focused on her intently. When their gazes met he smiled, just briefly.

It sent a zing through her.

Before she could get started, though, there was a knock and Professor Langley stepped into the room.

“My apologies, Dr. Walker. I hope I haven’t missed anything.”

“No, of course not. Come in.”

He nodded and then waved to someone else who was standing just outside the door. “I hope you don’t mind, but I read the case file on the quints. I noticed one of them had a brain bleed that might need to be addressed.”

“Yes. I was about to talk about the medical conditions of the babies.”

“I thought you might want the help of one of the finest neurosurgeons. So I brought in Dr. Hanley.” He stepped aside and Dr. Hanley stepped into the room.

Mindy’s eyes widened. There was a collective gasp. Everyone knew who Dr. Hanley was. Who didn’t? She was one of the most renowned and respected neurosurgeons.

“Thank you for allowing me to join you.” Dr. Hanley’s gaze fell on Dr. Chang and Sam. “Dr. Chang.”

There was an odd tone to Dr. Hanley’s greeting and as Mindy glanced at Sam she could see he was not happy. His lips were pressed together in a firm line of annoyance.

Mindy knew he had issues with Professor Langley, but open hostility wouldn’t be good for his career and could impede his fellowship.

“You can proceed now, Dr. Walker,” Professor Langley, the chief of surgery, said, taking a seat next to Dr. Hanley.

“Thank you.” Mindy turned to the computer and brought up an ultrasound and Mrs. Jameson’s medical records. “As you can see, Mrs. Jameson is a thirty-four-year-old female whose LMP was approximately thirty weeks ago today. She is Gravida One and Parity X. That pregnancy resulted in a forty-week-term delivery of a healthy baby boy who weighed approximately eight pounds seven ounces. There were no complications.”

Mindy went on with her presentation, explaining about the different quints, and began to set out the teams that would be responsible for each baby. Most of the babies didn’t seem to have a whole lot of medical problems. The fact that Mrs. Jameson had gotten to thirty weeks was a blessing, but she was starting to have frequent contractions and Mindy knew she had to get the teams prepared now, because once one of the waters broke that was it. It was time to get those babies out.

“As you can see, it’s baby C that has fluid buildup around his brain and baby C is the one we’re most concerned with.” Mindy clicked on a close-up of baby C.

Dr. Hanley got up and walked over to the screen. “Hmm, I would need some more comprehensive films, but it looks like a simple shunt would take care of that. We should closely monitor that buildup of fluid, Dr. Walker. If it continues, we shouldn’t delay in delivering the babies.”

“I agree, Dr. Hanley,” Mindy said. “I’ll have that set up for you right away.”

“Do.” Dr. Hanley didn’t even really acknowledge her as she headed back to her seat beside Professor Langley.

She’d heard rumors that Dr. Hanley was a piece of work. She could see why. Unfazed, Mindy went on with her presentation and went on to assign the teams that were responsible for each baby.

As she was about to assign Sam to Dr. Chang’s team, Dr. Hanley stood up.

“If you don’t mind, Dr. Walker, I would request that Dr. Napier be on my team for Baby C. I would like him to work on the shunt with me.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed and he scowled, not at all impressed.

“I think Dr. Chang requires Dr. Napier’s assistance,” Mindy said, and then regretted it. She didn’t want anyone to think she was playing favorites.

Dr. Hanley glared at her now. “Nonsense, he’s a resident and I require his assistance.”

“Dr. Napier can work with Dr. Hanley,” the chief of surgery said, standing up. “I trust there were will be no further discussions. Keep us updated on the patient, Dr. Walker.”

He excused himself and Dr. Hanley followed him.

Mindy was absolutely confused. She knew that Dr. Hanley was a brilliant surgeon but so was she. Yet they were bending over backwards to accommodate Dr. Hanley.

As people began to disperse Dr. Chang leaned over to a visibly angry Sam and whispered a few words, but he rebuffed her, stood and stormed out of the room.

What in the world?

She knew Sam didn’t like orders from Chief Langley and didn’t like time taken from pediatrics, but he was having a shot at working with Dr. Hanley. He shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

Dr. Chang sent her a furtive glance but didn’t say anything else. She just left the room quietly. Mindy couldn’t help but wonder what was up between Dr. Hanley, the chief and Sam. Any time Professor Langley was mentioned Sam would tense up.

What did he have against him?

Curiosity killed the cat.

Even though she really wanted to know what was going on, she knew it wasn’t her business. She wasn’t going to pry or push. When Sam was ready to tell her, he’d tell her, though she was really dying to know. Besides, she didn’t exactly open up to him and she wouldn’t. There had to be a good reason Sam kept it secret and she’d respect his wishes. Some things could destroy a career very fast.

Mindy sighed and cleaned up her presentation. She shouldn’t be fussing over why Sam was upset. The teams had been set up. Her focus should be on her patient. On those babies. That’s why she’d come to West Manhattan Saints. She’d come to provide the best medical care, to focus on her career.

Let Dr. Chang, the chief and Dr. Hanley deal with fighting over Sam.

She couldn’t worry about it.

Sam had to deal with his own problems.

Sam was furious. What the heck was his mother doing here? He was also so angry that she’d called him out like that, requesting him and taking him off Dr. Chang’s service. He was sure the surgery his mother wanted him to work on, placing a shunt on Baby C, would be exciting, but he’d rather learn the procedure from anyone but his mother.

Not that he’d have an actual chance to participate in the surgery. His mother didn’t really involve her residents. She didn’t let them get their hands dirty. Sam knew his mother well. She liked to hog all the glory.

His mother was speaking to Langley at the end of the hallway. She was touching his arm and laughing in an intimate way. It made Sam’s teeth grind, seeing them together, because it instantly brought back the memory of his father holding his hand almost twenty years ago and the look of heartache on his father’s face as he’d realized his wife was cheating on him.

They finished talking and Langley walked away. His mother turned around and smiled, briefly. Not in a warm compassionate way, or in a way that showed she was glad to see him. It was polite.

“Well, I can tell by your expression you’re not exactly happy to see me, Dr. Napier.”

Sam was pleased that at least he was keeping his anonymity.

“Perhaps we should take this somewhere more private.”

His mother smirked. “Of course. My temporary office is down the hall.”

Sam nodded and followed behind his mother as she led him to the office she was using. His stomach knotted when he saw all the boxes. How long was temporary?

She shut the door and Sam crossed his arms.

“I know that look,” his mother said. “You’re not happy that I’m here.”

“Aye.”

She chuckled. “So like your father.”

“What are you doing here?” Sam asked, not wanting her to talk about his father with him. She had no right.

“That’s the way you talk to your mother after not seeing her for five years?”

“I didn’t think you cared particularly.”

She shrugged and then tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. “I kept busy.”

So like his mother. She didn’t admit to caring. It infuriated him.

“What’re you doing here, Mother?”

“Saving a life?”

Sam glanced around at the boxes. “Dr. Walker requested your presence? I thought she only just discovered the issue with Baby C in the last week.”

“No Dr. Walker did not request my presence. Gareth did.”

Sam cringed inwardly at his mother’s familiarity with Langley. It was another kick in the pants to him. A reminder about how she and Langley had broken his family apart.

“Again. Why?”

“There’s a patient here in your pediatric ward. One with an inoperable brain tumor.”

“Janie?” Sam asked.

His mother nodded. “Her parents have agreed to allow me to try and resect it using a new technique. That’s why I’m here for some time. If the surgery is successful then I’ll publish a paper and credit Gareth and West Manhattan Saints.”

“How generous of you.” Sam was very familiar with Janie and her family. Janie was one of his special patients and it broke his heart that she had a tumor that was ending her life. He didn’t particularly like the fact that his mother was here and was planning on using poor Janie as a guinea pig to further her research.

“You’re mad that I requested you,” his mother said.

“I don’t want anyone to know that you’re my mother. You know that and you agreed to those conditions if you were to ever come here.”

His mother snorted. “I really don’t know why.”

“I want to earn this fellowship on my own.”

His mother snorted again and moved to sit behind her desk. “Really a waste.”

“Pediatrics is a waste?”

“No.”

“Then a waste of my talent?”

His mother shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never seen you operate, but given that you’re my child I would assume that you have decent surgical abilities.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “How generous of you to compliment me.”

“You’re being immature.”

“Why did you request me?”

“To test your surgical abilities. Chief Langley speaks very highly of you and I want to see if you live up to his praise.”

“I don’t need to live up to anyone’s expectations. I came here to learn under Dr. Chang.”

His mother snorted. “You could be extraordinary. Brain surgery is cutting edge. If your abilities are as good as Gareth says they are then you’re just wasting your talent in pediatrics. Do you want to settle for the ordinary?”

“Aye. I do.”

His mother shook her head and then picked up a file, effectively dismissing him as she opened it up and began to read. “You’re on my service. There’s no point in arguing about it.”

“I would rather not be.”

“If you raise a stink don’t you think people will question why you don’t want to work with me?”

She had a point.

“Fine,” he agreed grudgingly, but he was not happy. Not that she cared. His mother only cared about herself.

“Good. Well, if we’re done talking I’d rather like to get to work.”

“Of course, Mother.” Sam opened the door and barged out, slamming it behind him. As he turned around he crashed right into Mindy.

“Dr. Napier!” She gasped in surprise.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Walker. What’re you doing here?”

“Bringing Dr. Hanley the information she requested on Baby C. Is she busy?”

“Yes, but I’m sure she’ll want to see the file.”

Mindy glanced up at him and frowned. “Are you okay, Sam?”

He frowned. “Perfectly.”

He wanted to tell her he wasn’t fine. That he was annoyed, but if he did then he would have to tell her that Dr. Hanley was his mother and then the whole story about his mother and Langley would come out.

The only people at West Manhattan Saints that knew about his situation were Langley and Dr. Chang. Sam knew that Dr. Chang wouldn’t say anything and he thought Langley had enough couth not to say anything either.

After all, his mother had eventually made him a cuckold as well. Still, there was no reason to take it out on Mindy, but he really didn’t want to get into it right now. He just had to go somewhere and calm down. Maybe do some charting in a broom closet.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Good day, Dr. Walker.” He walked away from her, brushing her off. It hurt him to do it, but it was for the best.

This kind of situation was why he didn’t want to get involved with anyone he worked with. Messes like this. Rumors and secrets. He was here to practice medicine, not fall in love.

Who said anything about love?

Sam cursed under his breath.

He knew he had to get out of there and put some distance between him and his mother.