Hot Single Docs: Meeting His Match. Susan Carlisle

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      “My ba—uh...niece.”

      He placed a large hand on her shoulder. The heat from him seeped into her, easing some of the ache. As if he’d realized what he was doing, he let his hand fall away.

      “That must have been hard.”

      Ryan sounded sincere but a little unsure. Her head spun. Was this the same doctor she’d had a heated confrontation with just an hour earlier about being compassionate? She’d never seen this side of him with the families. Maybe what happened tonight had knocked some of that crustiness off. She looked into his gorgeous blue eyes that compelled her to continue.

      “My head said she didn’t belong to me, but my heart said differently. I made the fatal mistake of starting to think of her as mine.” She’d shared all she could. Her nerves were raw.

      “You didn’t want to give her up.”

      She couldn’t have been more surprised. He understood. “That’s why I took this job, to get away. Had to figure out how to get my life back. I’d like to go home now.”

      He opened the door. “Put on your coat. I’m going to see you home.”

      * * *

      Ryan delayed until he was sure Lucy had made it safely inside her apartment. She’d insisted that he not walk up with her so instead he’d had the taxi wait until he saw her light come on.

      He was on an emotional overload. If it had been a warmer day, he’d be sweating. He’d felt more and cared more than he’d wanted to in the last twelve hours. Taken a double shot. All of a sudden he’d been forced to support a family and had later become Lucy’s confessor.

      He’d been more in touch with others’ emotions than he had been since his father’s death. His father’s debilitating disease had not only taken him but had slowly taken Ryan’s soul as well. He couldn’t let himself be pulled into that eddy again. He would be back to going round and round. If he didn’t feel, didn’t care, then it didn’t hurt. Supporting someone emotionally was beyond his ability any more.

      Today he’d stepped too close to the edge. At Lucy’s pronouncement and the troubled look in her eyes, he’d almost gone over that edge. Only through fist-clenching control had he not taken Lucy in his arms.

      They’d both stepped over the professional line today. After the emotional flood Lucy had experienced, would she be able to handle her job? She was supposed to be there to support and care for Miguel’s family. Could she maintain that openness that made her so effective?

      Lucy was worming her way into his life so effortlessly that she would begin to expect something he couldn’t give to both her and his patients. She’d want everything and he had nothing. He had to step back a pace. Keep their relationship professional only. It was up to him to make it happen.

      The problem came down to whether he had the strength to remain distant when he looked into those stunning jeweled blue eyes misted over with unhappiness.

      * * *

      Lucy hadn’t heard from Ryan over the weekend. She’d not really expected to but she’d hoped he would at least call and check on her. It had felt good to share her burden with him. Just talking about Emily had made it easier. There had been a time she couldn’t have uttered the words. Now at least she could think about Emily without crying. If Ryan hadn’t insisted she talk, she might still be stymied by the pain. It wasn’t gone but it had eased.

      On Monday she didn’t see Ryan until evening rounds and there was no opportunity to talk to him outside of giving reports on the patients.

      They were just finishing up when Ryan announced to the group, “Miguel Rivera’s surgery is scheduled for tomorrow first thing.”

      “I helped walk the mother through the insurance process and found them a place to stay while Miguel’s in ICU,” Lucy reported.

      Ryan gave her a curt nod that held none of his usual humor. It was as if they were strangers again who knew nothing about each other and never intended to. He laughed and joked with the other staff members but hadn’t even spoken to her directly. This was worse than his reaction to her on the day they’d met. She hadn’t expected them to be best friends but she hadn’t anticipated being thoroughly ignored either.

      She didn’t make it a habit of confiding in anyone other than her sister, and now that was gone she had no one. It disturbed her that the single time she’d stepped out beyond her safety zone she’d been treated like she didn’t exist.

      Maybe she should give him the benefit of the doubt. Was he worried about Miguel’s surgery? Ryan had already proved that he was the kind of guy that compartmentalized. Still, she’d come to expect a certain attitude from him and she missed his easy grin.

      Miguel’s surgery was an all-day affair. Lucy came to the hospital early so that she’d be available if the family needed her. She had to work harder than usual to keep her emotions in check. Miguel reminded her so much of Emily that she had to call on her professional persona and do what she’d been trained to do. During the day, between seeing to her other cases, she checked in with the family. She happened to be sitting with them when Ryan came in after surgery to speak to the family.

      The dark blue scrubs he wore brought out his vivid eyes. He hesitated a second when he saw her. He looked tired, the lines around his mouth a little more evident. After giving her a brief nod, he turned his focus on the mother and grandfather waiting anxiously to hear what he had to say.

      “You will translate?” Ryan asked, again without looking at her.

      “Yes.”

      Ryan didn’t go down to the mother’s eye level, but instead stood away from her. She looked up at him from where she sat. Disappointment filled Lucy. She’d hoped that what had happened the other night would make a difference in his rapport with families.

      “Miguel’s doing well. He came through surgery fine but it will not be an easy recovery. He’ll be in ICU for a few days. If all goes well he’ll go out to the children’s ward after that. The first few days we have to be very careful.”

      “Thank you,” the mother gushed, jumping up to wrap her arms around his waist.

      Ryan looked shocked but patted the woman’s shoulder. “You’re welcome.”

      Lucy might have found it comical if it hadn’t been for Ryan ignoring her.

      He pushed away from the woman, shook the man’s hand and left without a backward glance. Lucy understood this time wasn’t about her but she still couldn’t help the disappointment she felt that Ryan hadn’t said something to her.

      She’d planned to stay late in order to go into ICU with Miguel’s family for the first time. The boy’s nurse spoke enough Spanish to answer simple questions, allowing Lucy to leave without worrying about the family being on their own. She followed behind the Riveras as they left the unit. Ryan was sitting behind the unit desk. He looked up briefly and met her gaze before his eyes returned to what he was doing. A prickle along her spine said that he had watched her walk out the doors.

      Where was the guy she’d thought might be a friend? She’d had enough of the cold-shoulder treatment. She was going to find out.

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