14. Jack
14
JACK
I n spite of having good news from Nick about the board's stance on the lawsuit and the fact that the police were now investigating a second incident, I was still on edge. Until I heard from my lawyer that the patient's family had dropped the lawsuit, I didn't think I'd calm down. Every time my phone rang, I jumped and answered it, and when I was in surgery and had to leave it in my locker, it plagued my thoughts. I just wanted it to be over.
I walked out the employee entrance of the hospital into the parking garage and heard voices. It wasn't abnormal to see a few doctors or nurses chatting near their parked cars this time of the evening. A lot of us all left around the same time. Tonight, however, I wasn't in the mood for small talk. I'd had one stressor after another and I was ready to have a hot shower and text Ashley to see if she'd like to swing by this evening.
The door swished shut behind me almost silently, and I walked with my head down toward the ramp where my car was parked, but I heard a very distinct laugh I recognized. It was Ashley, here in the parking garage. I thought she left thirty minutes ago when she came to say goodbye for the day. It struck me as odd since the other voice I heard was male, and I didn't recognize it at all.
I raised my head and glanced around, seeing her speaking with Dr. Sam Gooding yet again. She had a broad smile and her hand rested on his bicep as she laughed. It made my jaw clench instantly and my temper flared. It had been a few days since I saw the man, but that time it was with Ashley in the cafeteria, and now this. Alone in the parking garage? And what was so funny?
They seemed to be engrossed in their conversation, so much so that they never saw me standing there staring at them. I couldn't hear a word they were saying, but the din of their voices echoing off the concrete walls sounded light and cheerful. She looked happy too, even radiant. I hadn't seen her look so blissfully unaware of her surroundings since she came back from UCLA and partied on Calvin's yacht. I wondered if our sneaking around had anything to do with that. Was she frustrated with having to hide things from everyone and she wanted more with someone she didn't have to sneak around with? Then why the parking garage?
I swallowed the lump in my throat as jealousy constricted my breathing. Sam Gooding was a plague on my otherwise brightening world. I still hadn't figured out how I would ever tell Ashley I was really in love, or Calvin that I wanted to date his daughter, for that matter, but that didn’t mean I hadn't staked my claim to her. The fa?ade of our marriage should have kept him away, but this man was bold. And when he reached for her phone and typed something into it, I knew right away just how bold he was.
I watched his fingers linger on her hand, the way he smiled at her so peacefully. I couldn't smile at her that way recently, not with the pressure of the lawsuit. What if she wanted a peaceful man like that and I was just grumpy and short-tempered?
Every single inflection on his face caused Ashley to respond with happiness and enjoyment. It made a rollercoaster of emotions go off in my chest. Was I not pleasing her well enough? Was it that I was moving slowly because I didn’t know how to handle the dynamic with her father? Or was it because Sam was her age, and I was just the old man?
Whatever it was, it made my body ignite with anger and frustration. I wasn't about to stand here and let that man sweep her off her feet right in front of me. And I wasn't going to keep pretending I was okay with things if she was okay with sneaking around and talking to him behind my back. I had made myself clear that I wasn't sharing, and I knew she understood that.
I started to move in her direction, but she wiggled her fingers in a wave goodbye and climbed into her car. Before I got anywhere close, she was gone, jetting off to who knows where. But Sam was there, watching her drive away with his hands in his pockets, rocking on his heels like an idiot.
He heard me approaching and turned around, and his face was smeared with shock. Eyebrows high, he said, "Dr. Stewart, I?—”
"Cut the crap, Gooding. You know Ashley is with me. What are you trying to pull?" I barely kept the expletives out of my speech.
"Hey, whoa," he said, hands up, facing me in surrender. "We were just talking about?—"
"Stay away from her. Got it? She's mine, and I won't be nice if I have to chase you off." I stood so close to him he had to back up a step. It was clearly intimidating and I didn't care. I didn't even care if he thought me a monster or an idiot.
"I know you two are faking this whole thing, and I haven't figured out why yet, but you can lay off. Ashley is free to choose whoever she wants." His cocky expression made me so angry, I curled my hands into fists.
A car rumbled past and his eyes flicked out to look at it briefly, but I laid in on him again. "I've tried being nice, but you're clearly not getting the message. Ashley Sutton is mine, and I don't want to see you talking to her or touching her or using her phone." That part angered me, that she actually let him have her phone for some reason. To share his number, maybe? I was so irate.
"How about I tell the hospital board your little secret, Jack?" He stepped forward and looked down his nose at me. "That you two are in a relationship and you're keeping it a secret from everyone else so you can work together and not get caught? How do you think Dr. Fisher would like that when you're already messed up in this lawsuit stuff?"
The added anxiety from his threat pushed me over the edge. I lost control and I slugged him hard in the gut. I felt instantly horrible for doing it, for acting out in a jealous rage, but it felt good to let loose.
"I said, stay away from her. And keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you."
Sam doubled over, holding his stomach, and wheezed as I walked away. If Ashley had seen me, she'd be furious. As it was, if Sam told the board, I'd be screwed. He could press charges too, get me in trouble with the law, but what was done was done. I refused to stay there and apologize. The man had it coming.
Guilt only worsened as I walked away and climbed in my car. I locked myself in and punched the steering wheel as I growled out my anger. I had to get control of myself or I was going to ruin my career and any chance I had with Ashley—if I even wanted it.
Was it worth it to chase her down and threaten my friendship with Calvin if she was sneaking around to see Sam behind my back?