“Calm down, cowboy.”
“On second thought, I think I may hang around.”
This is ludicrous. “No, you’re going to the gym because you’ve been letting yourself go lately and it’s showing.” I try to pinch his side, knowing it’s hard as steel.
The mask of irritation fades and his lips curl. “I’ve been getting my exercise in different ways, burning a lot more calories.”
“On that note, you need to go. I need to work.” I kiss him briefly then jump out of his reach and scuttle back to the desk where it’s safe.
For the next two hours, I tend to my charts, check on my kids, and work out a shift switch for tomorrow. By the time I’m expecting Mathis to return, I find Lora behind the desk.
“What’s all the juice about?” I cut right to the chase.
“You haven’t seen him?” She raises her brows.
“Not yet, who is he?”
“New physician assistant doing his internship. He’s lush… like supermodel lush. Built so buff his scrubs strain against his arms, legs, and are tight against his butt.” Her face blushes at the last statement.
“Is he on our floor?”
“All floors—rotating. It’s kinda unusual, but rumor has it he’s reporting to the hospital administrator directly.”
“That’s not legit,” I point out.
“I don’t ask questions; I just ogle his male specimen beauty, kinda like Mathis.”
I hide my grin and peer up as Mathis saunters out of the elevator. He’s freshly showered, his hair shining and damp. My mouth waters at the sight, not even thinking about the bag of food in his hands.
I’ll have to find out more about the lush PA-supermodel later.
Chapter 10
Mathis
“Dr. Bennett, what are your thoughts?”
“Dr. Andrews, I’m not sure I should have a say in this. You can guess where I stand and who Claire is to me,” I answer my department head, ignoring the other sets of eyes bearing into me.
“I trust you to take your relationship out of the equation and tell me honestly if she’s a good fit.” He blatantly puts me on the spot.
I take a deep breath, pushing my personal feelings to the side, and speak freely. “Claire Dixon is the only one qualified to attend this training. She came into this specialty because her best friend is a childhood cancer survivor. It hits close to her. Outside of her impeccable continuity of care, she has a dedication to these kids that runs so deep it’s in her soul. She takes her job as a nurse for these children as an honor, treating each one with individualized attention. Even on the worst of days, she can steal their hearts. We’ve all seen how she goes above and beyond when we lose a patient. It cuts her deeply, leaving a scar, but she does it over and over again. She loves her job, takes every opportunity to train, learn, and increase her knowledge in the field. As far as I know, every doctor enjoys working with her.” I scan the room to find six heads nodding. “We almost lost her to Charlotte a few years ago, which would have been a devastating hit to this department. If you’re looking for my opinion or my vote, Claire’s the top choice.”
“Then it’s decided!” Nurse Evie chirps. “Although, we all knew that since she had unanimous references.”
“Evie, aren’t you the one who had to lecture her in Charlotte about shenanigans?” Dr. Andrews points out.
“Hardly anything to worry about. The w
oman is full of spirit, and together with Lizbeth Hastings, they are a force. Never have I had to discipline Claire, and you know this.”
Dr. Andrews nods and writes something in his notes. “She has my vote as well.”
“She had your vote before you walked in the door, didn’t she?” I ask him emphatically.
“Yes, she’s going to thrive in this training and bring back invaluable knowledge to our department. But, out of respect, I had to get your pass. Since you’re attending the seminar, you had a choice. Over my years, I’ve seen some couples dissolve under this type of pressure. The days are intense and distractions can be a problem.”
“Thanks, but Claire’s never a distraction,” I promise.