Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Oaklee
Spending time with Cade isn’t exactly a hardship.
That’s why I’ve been doing it as much as I can over the last couple of weeks.
We’ve gone fishing again, though we kept our clothes on that time, and we’ve watched a few movies at both his place and mine.
We’ve shared meals and hung out with friends.
We’ve spent nights apart, but admittedly, I don’t like those evenings as much as the ones where Cade is there.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, so I quickly pull it out to check my message while I wait to call back my next patient.
Grandma
Good afternoon. Grandpa went to the doc for his follow-up. The wound healed nicely.
Me
I’m happy to hear. I’d love to come for a visit soon. I know you told me not to come when Grandpa wasn’t well, but I’m hoping I can come for an afternoon soon.
I don’t know how quickly she’ll respond, so I’m pleasantly surprised when I spot the bubbles, indicating she’s typing.
Grandma
We just started playing Euchre on Sundays with a group at the lodge. I’m not sure when we’ll be available. I’ll keep you posted.
I sigh and shake my head.
Me
Sounds good. Enjoy your afternoon.
Grandma
You too.
I replace my phone and shake my head. I wish things were different between us, that we had a little more of a relationship.
Maybe that’s my fault for not trying hard enough, but maybe not.
I wasn’t enough to make my mom stop the lifestyle she was living, and I refuse to beg anyone for their time.
I know they love me, and if their idea of how to show love and mine are different, then it is what it is.
I’m okay.
I reach for my drink and find it empty. Exhaling, I turn around and open the fridge, only to find it about empty too.
I remember drinking the last bottled water yesterday, but wasn’t there a few cans of something else in there?
God, I can’t believe we let the fridge run empty and didn’t restock it.
Yes, I’m sure I can run up to the fridge in the office, used by the front-end staff, but I don’t want to take something that belongs to one of them, even if I was going to replace it first chance I get.
“Oaklee,” Becky practically sings as she rounds the corner to the nurses’ station and deposits a bag and a cup on the counter. “You have another delivery,” she adds with a smirk.
First thing I notice is the cup of something icy. It’s as if he somehow knew I needed a drink this afternoon.
“Are you and Cade, like, dating?” she asks.
“Umm, no. We’re just friends.”
She smiles. “Small towns, Oaklee. Everyone is talking.”
My eyebrows draw together in confusion as I stare at her. “Really? Why?”
“Because Cade doesn’t date, and as far as anyone is concerned, he’s never sent little treats to someone a couple days a week,” she informs me, leaning against the doorway.
“Oh, well, it’s…nothing.”
She shakes her head and pins me with a look. “It has to be something.”
I don’t give her anything, because to be honest, I’m not sure what this is either. I like Becky, she’s a great co-worker and I do consider her someone I can talk to, but when it comes to Cade, I’m keeping those conversations close to the vest.
“Where did this come from?” I ask, opening the white paper bag and finding a straw along with a brownie covered in powdered sugar.
“The diner. That’s Mabel’s famous sweet tea, and since it’s a little pink, I’m guessing she added a flavor, like raspberry. It’s seriously addictive,” Becky says.
Popping the straw in the cup, I take a sip and smile. “Oh, that’s so good.”
“It is,” Becky agrees. “Makes me want to run down to the diner and grab one.”
“I’m sure Fiona would watch the front counter for you for a couple of minutes,” I say.
“Oh, I’m sure she will, if I bring her back one,” she replies with a chuckle.
“Then it’s a win-win.”
Becky nods and glances down the hall. “I better use the restroom quickly and get back up there.” She leans forward and whispers, “Dr. Ex is on his way back here.” Then, she’s gone, offering a polite, “Hi,” to Lance as they pass in the hallway.
“Oaklee, the patient in Room 2 needs labs, and I want to see her again in a week,” he says, somewhat briskly as he continues to the office across the hall.
I get up and walk toward the hall, grabbing the chart from the door to check the notes.
When I see what exactly he’s ordering, I step inside and ask the patient to follow me.
We walk to the small room we use for labs and testing.
I verify patient information and set up the system to print the stickers.
Fortunately, the woman is an easy stick, and I have what is needed drawn within a few minutes.
“All right, we’re going to head back over to Room 2, and Dr. Williams will be back in shortly to finish up.”
She nods and steps inside the room, while I return to the lab and make sure everything is set for the pickup later today.
The hospital has a transport for testing, and the service picks up labs both morning and afternoon.
Results are usually back same-day, but in some instances, can take up to twenty-four hours.
Since I’ve worked here, that hasn’t happened, but I’m told it can from time to time.
I pop my head inside Doc’s office to tell Lance his patient is waiting, but I don’t see him.
He’s probably in the private bathroom, so I turn to go across the hall to the nurses’ station to wait.
That’s when I see him standing at my workstation.
I can’t tell exactly what he’s doing until I step inside the room and move past him. That’s when I see the white bag.
And he’s reading the message written on the side.
“What are you doing?” I ask, stepping forward and snatching the brownie bag from his hand.
He slowly lifts his gaze to mine, his eyes narrowed into little slits. “Is this from the same man who sent you the flower?”
“None of your business, Lance. We’ve been over this,” I reply, setting the bag on the counter. That’s when I see the note Cade had written on the bag. It must have been backward when Becky dropped it off, and I didn’t notice it before.
Saying hello to you is the best part of my day. ~C
I didn’t even realize I was smiling until the jackass practically snarls.
“This is completely unprofessional,” he retorts.
“You know, just when I think you can’t be any more of an asshole, you prove me wrong,” I whisper, rubbing my hand over my forehead where a headache is already starting to form.
“Lance, this doesn’t concern you, and the fact you’re imposing yourself into something personal makes you the one who’s unprofessional. ”
“Hey, Oaklee,” Allison says, coming around the corner and practically slamming into Lance. “Oh, shoot, Dr. Williams. I didn’t know you were in here. Is there something I can help you with?” she asks sweetly.
“No,” he responds, turning and exiting the room.
We watch him go before she turns to me. “Why must he slither out of his hole?”
“Because even snakes need sunlight every now and again,” I reply, making her laugh.
Allison spots my treats, her grin growing. “I see your special delivery arrived.”
“It did,” I reply, sitting down and pulling up a chart, making notes. Dr. Murphy, one of the specialists, pops his head in the room and talks to Allison about a patient. She makes notes and they discuss treatment plans for a fungal infection.
To be honest, I’m kinda glad I didn’t have to work directly with the specialists. Podiatry is the one field I don’t think I could do every day. Feet don’t necessarily bother me, but some of the stuff I’ve heard come through here in the last few weeks is a little nauseating.
When Dr. Murphy walks away, I glance over at Allison. “Did you need something?”
“Hmm?” she asks.
“When you came around the corner, you hollered my name.”
“Oh. Oh! Shoot! I was up front and heard we have a workman’s comp injury coming in.”
“Okay,” I reply, grabbing the chart for my next patient.
“It’s Cade.”
My eyes widen as I give her my complete attention. “What? Are you serious?”
She nods, not really seeming too concerned. “Apparently, he cut his leg on something on the jobsite, and they’re sending him in to have it looked at and get stitched up.”
“Okay, that doesn’t sound too serious,” I reply, my brain starting to spin.
“Nope. His boss called and said he insisted on driving himself,” Allison announces with a snort.
“Of course he did,” I mutter, standing up and running my hand down the pant leg of my scrubs. “Okay, I’ll go ahead and take the next patient back to the room but prep the triage room.”
And then it hits me.
The triage room is being used by the specialists.
“Jeez, what is wrong with me?” I ask myself, feeling the slight tremble in my hands.
Allison reaches over and squeezes my arm. “It’s because it’s someone you care about.”
The weight of her words gets lodged in my throat.
How did this happen, and in such a short amount of time? I haven’t known him for long at all, and here I am getting all up in my feels at the thought of him being hurt.
Because he’s a friend.
A close friend I’ve had sex with multiple times, but we don’t necessarily have to dissect that detail. I’d be this worked up over Allison or Charli getting hurt, right? I’m sure I would.
Right?
I take a deep breath and shake my head, dislodging all personal thoughts from my brain. “All right, I’ll run and get the patient into his room. Lance should be done with Room 2 by now, so I’ll put Cade in there when he arrives.”
Allison nods. “That’s what I’d do.” I turn to walk away when she says, “Hey, Oaklee? Maybe don’t leave Cade and Dr. Williams in the room together alone for too long, huh?”
Oh fuck.
This has trainwreck written all over it.
“Good idea,” I reply with an awkward chuckle.
“If you need me, holler. I can referee,” she states with a grin and a wink before stepping in close. “Oh, and for the record, my money’s on Cade, one thousand times over.”
I bark a laugh. “Mine too.”