“Call me Mathis.”
“Since our days are packed starting tomorrow, he’s agreed to show us around today,” Claire informs me.
“Baby, twenty minutes ago, you were sleeping like the dead. Are you sure you don’t want to go back to the hotel and rest?” My hand curls around her lower back, and I slide my fingers under the hem of her sweater to skim along her bare skin. Goosebumps pop under my touch, and she sucks her lower lip through her teeth, her eyes widening in response.
“How about a little bit of sightseeing and then I’ll need hours of resting.”
“Whatever you want.” I give in, deciding that when we get to the hotel, she’s not leaving the bed until we have to report to the hospital tomorrow morning. “Tony, you know a good place to get lunch?” My attention goes back to him.
“Absolutely.” His accent is in full effect.
“Let’s go then.”
Chapter 13
Claire
Stupid fucking egotistical, smartass, bottle blonde, petty-ass, cunt bitch! I say to myself. You’re in a room full of people, Claire, remember you’re here for a reason.
r /> “Absolutely, Dr. Sams. Thank you for that tip.” My gratitude comes out surly, and a few soft snickers sound around me. Dr. Sams narrows her beady brown eyes and glares.
“Nurse Dixon,” she spits my name with venom and disgust, “I’d appreciate you showing a little more competence.”
Bitch!
I clench my teeth and give a small nod, sidestepping the nurse to my left to stand in the back of the group. The poor child in the hospital bed looks uncomfortably at me. I shoot her a small grin, trying to calm her anxiety, and a bit of my anger disappears when her thin lips tip to one side.
The last four days have been incredible. Training has been exciting, group exercises have been intense, and patient visits have been educational. Our rounds with the doctors have gone smoothly, until today.
Since the moment I walked into the training room this morning, I’ve had a huge target on my back, but not the kind of target Mathis warned me about. This was the kind of target of the worst kind—the green-eyed monster of jealousy.
I spied it on the first day. Mathis and I walked into the welcome breakfast, and this woman was at his side in an instant. She stepped in between us, dismissing me without a glance, and immediately set in on purring her greeting to him. Her voice was grating, dripping with intent, and she embraced him much too affectionately for my liking. My mouth dropped, and before I could say anything, Mathis shot me a look that said “keep your cool” as he disengaged from her. I snapped my mouth and waited for him to introduce me. Before he could, the head of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology with Dana Farber’s Children’s Cancer Center stepped up to the microphone to start our day.
This woman reached for his elbow, explaining the doctors were on the other side of the room, and tried to guide him that way. He ignored her, came to me, and gently ran his hand down my cheek to cup my chin before telling me to have a good day. It was an intimate gesture, and when he turned away, I couldn’t miss her revulsion.
I found out later when the doctors were introduced her name is Dr. Sams, and she’s a specialist in therapeutic radiology.
I’d lasted all week without being in her presence again until this morning. All day, she’s made me the object of her ridicule. Every question I answer is wrong, every explanation of theory is poorly hypothesized, and now she’s informed me my methods of prepping a patient for radiation are sloppy.
Just a bit longer and I will be free of her forever. I make a mental note to check the physician roster if ever invited to attend another seminar.
A male nurse I’ve partnered with most of the week, Pat, reaches over and taps my arm in encouragement, telling me he hasn’t missed the treatment she’s been throwing my way. I fidget with my braid to have something to do, so I don’t shoot fire lasers at her.
I sigh in relief when the patient’s doctor comes in, and Mathis is close behind. We meet eyes briefly, and his mouth forms a tight line. I dart my eyes to Dr. Sams, and he jerks his chin in understanding.
Finally, my day has a bright side as I get to watch Mathis in action. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Dr. Sams is ogling him, her eyes glued to him as she hangs on every word he says. It may be my imagination, but I swear there’s a dribble of drool leaking out of the side of her mouth. My stomach coils. It’s not unusual for people to gawk at Mathis; hell, I find it comical that most of my own department has a crush on him. But with her, it’s nauseating. Thoughts of unleashing my inner bitch on Dr. Sams evaporate when I catch the young girl’s face light up after Mathis calls her a beauty.
It takes all I can do not to clap when we’re released for the day. I shuffle out with the rest of my team and feel the slightest brush across my butt. Mathis catches my eye and winks. With just this small gesture, the irritation vanishes. I veer in the direction of the training room to get my things and strut away.
The room is buzzing when I arrive, the chatter of excitement about tonight’s dinner event. It’s a large soiree as a celebration to end the week.
“Hotel bar at six, woman. We’re doing a little pre-partying before being stuck with the lab coats,” Pat informs me.
“I’m there; although, some of the lab coats aren’t that bad.”
“Oh, that woman had it out for you today. I hope to fuck she’s nowhere near my table tonight.” He doesn’t lower his voice, and a few people murmur their agreement.
“Let’s get an Uber and get out of here,” I suggest.