“Am I interrupting?” His eyes bounced back and forth from mine to Kelly.
Shit. Starting morning number two off on the wrong foot, too.
“How are you feeling this morning, Mrs. Peterson?” Chase strolled into the room with Guy and Sam on his heels.
“Headache’s still there and didn’t sleep much. My nerves in the middle of the night were relentless. But,” Kelly motioned to me and smiled softly, “Lili knows exactly what to say to make you feel better. I’d keep her around if I were you.”
“Oh, I definitely plan on it, thank you. I appreciate hearing kind words about my team.”
What the hell did that mean?
“Now let’s get you better, you have a family to get home to. We discussed the logistics last night. Do you have any more questions?” He sat at the edge of her bed.
“How long will the surgery be? I want to give my husband a call so he knows when to expect me to be finished. Unfortunately, he can’t be here when I go in. He has to pick the twins up from nursery school.”
“You have twins?” He bowed his head and kicked at something on the floor.
“Oh, she certainly does and they’re absolutely adorable.” I handed Chase the photo that was still in my hand.
He stared at the children, and after several long seconds he finally commented. “They’re gorgeous. You’re lucky to have them, Kelly.”
“Thank you.”
Chase handed back her picture and turned his attention to the residents lingering at the end of the bed. “Dr. Hunter, take Mrs. Peterson through the logistics of what to expect again.” Then he abruptly rose from the bed.
The whole time, his eyes remained glazed and distant and aimed directly for the door. I hadn’t known the man long, but his expression was one I’d never seen.
“Dr. Colton, before you leave?” Kelly snapped him out of his hollow stare. She seemed to notice his change in demeanor as well.
“Yes?”
“I need to wake up for my babies.” One of her pooled tears strayed and her voice wavered.
“You’re at an amazing hospital, Kelly. I have a stellar team. You’re in the best hands possible. I’ll find your husband when I’m through. See you in there.” He gave her a small smile, turned and walked out the door. The mood in the room definitely shifted.
“So, let’s see…” Guy quickly averted the attention off Dr. Colton’s odd behavior and began to finish Kelly’s questions. “It usually takes about five-six hours and you should be resting comfortably in the recovery room right around seven.”
I waited for Guy to finish rambling then retreated to the hallway. Dr. Colton’s eyes immediately found mine as he stood, back against the wall, and his hands snaked in his pockets, waiting.
I shifted my gaze to my tablet and started screwing around. Anything to avoid the awkward tension mounting.
“I want you there,” he snapped.
“What, where?” I glanced up from my tablet, hoping he wasn’t really talking to me. I was never around someone who fluctuated moods as fast as a puck traveled across the ice.
“In the OR.” His eyes reconnected with mine, leaving me to question what he was asking.
“The OR?”
“Yes, Ms. Porter, the OR.” His tone was short. I was silent. His request completely baffled me. Why would he want me in the OR? “You with me?” He pulled his hands from his pockets and crossed them over his chest.
Did I have a choice? “Um … um ... do I have a choice?” Yep, I said it out loud. Shit.
“You don’t,” he growled. “Kelly needs you there, I need you, so I want you in the OR, period. You with me?” He never blinked, not once. His intensity was insane.
He needed me? “Um ... um ... okay.” I muttered before I heard Guy at my back whispering, “What’s going on?”
“Good.” Chase turned to Sam who was tapping away on his tablet, completely oblivious to our conversation. “Dr. Petit, get her scrubs, show her where she needs to go, don’t leave her alone anywhere until I get there. You hear me?”
“Yeah ... sure...” Sam looked totally caught off guard.
“Colton, you think this is a good idea?” Guy came to my rescue. “I mean—I don’t think case managers are allowed in the operating room. I’ve been here three years and I’ve never seen one in there before. What if she touches something or-”
Chase’s bark cut him off mid-sentence. “Hunter, I don’t care whether she’s allowed to be in there or not. I want her in there. Make it happen.”
Damn. Bad call on the latte this morning. The rumble below was back.
“Why would he do this to me?” I sighed and swiveled my chair around to face Leanne typing at the nurses’ station.
“Listen, have you seen that man? He can notch my bedpost.” Her hand twirled a strand of her long blonde hair.
“Shhh. What’s wrong with you? Can we have one conversation that doesn’t involve men and sex?”
She shimmied her shoulders. “Why? That’s no fun.”
“Really.” I grimaced. “Why am I wasting my time talking to you right now?”
“Come on, Lil, listen, you need to look on the bright side. You have a smokin’ hot brain surgeon to stare at for seven hours, that opportunity doesn’t shine its pretty head very often, no pun intended.” She giggled. “Take advantage, and have a sense of humor.”
I looked away annoyed. “I do have a sense of humor, when it’s funny! Whatever…”
“Whatever, what?” Jackson appeared out of nowhere.
“Hey Jack.” Leanne grinned and I might have been mistaken, but she looked like she batted her eyelashes. “Haven’t seen you around lately, you should visit more often.” Leanne was the female version of Guy; she had no problem flirting with all things male.
“What’s up, Lee? Yeah, sorry I really do need to make it up here more often.” He winked. Pretty sure Jack notched her bedpost. His gorgeous mulatto skin, built body and glistening smile were a sight most females couldn’t ignore.
“So, heard you’re in the OR with me today, Lil.” Making himself comfortable, he rested his forearms on the counter in front of me.
“Didn’t you just get here, Jack? How on earth do you know that already?” I pouted and sat back in my chair, crossing my arms against my chest.
He snickered. Somehow PAs didn’t have to round at the butt crack like the rest of us. Like ever. I definitely picked the wrong profession.
“Porter, that’s good gossip. Colton wants you in the OR ... it’s probably on Facebook by now.” He laughed.
“You think that’s funny ... what the hell am I gonna do in the OR?”
“Don’t touch shit for one. Wouldn’t want ya infecting the sterile field.” He chuckled again.
“Glad you find this funny. Is this some kind of sick joke? I can just picture myself throwing up, or better yet passing out,” I moaned, shaking my head in defeat. “Anyway, why are you scrubbing? Thought the case was Guy’s.”
“Yeah, well it’s mine, and Guy is pissed. You think I’d miss my favorite case? Colton rocks a left frontal lobectomy. We’ll wake her up mid-surgery and get her to talk to us ... it’s awesome.”
“Awesome? Do you hear yourself, her brain’s gonna be wide open while she’s talking … that’s insane!”
“Kiddo, you just wait, it’s going to blow your mind.”
“Yeah, literally—my head might just explode.”
Jackson laughed out loud. “Dramatic much? You’ll be fine.” He looked at his watch. “I gotta run. See ya in there.” He opened the steel door to the stairs and was gone.
I cinched my eyes shut and rested my head in my hands. “Lee, save me!” I whined.
“I’ll save you, babe. I’d gladly switch places with you in a heartbeat.” She stopped typing and leaned in a little closer. “I wish he made all those googly eyes at me. I’m even wearing a smaller scrub top so the girls look perkier.” She grabbed her boobs and gave them a lift, squeezing her cleavage through the small V-neck hole.