Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
KATIE
“The paramedics think that the driver who crashed had a heart attack at the wheel,” Ellie informed me as we made our way down the corridor to the ER.
“How do you get all this information?” I asked my best friend. “No casualties have even arrived in the ER yet, and you already know every little detail.”
“I went out for drinks with that cop last week,” she explained. “The one who brought Mrs. Rogers in when she fell in her yard.”
I sent her a glance. “Is there a man in town that you haven’t dated?”
“A couple.” She waggled her eyebrows. “But I’m working on it.”
“Has Tommy Marino gotten lucky yet?” I asked.
“Nope,” she said, popping the p. “He’s a fuck boy.”
We approached the double doors leading to the ER. “You and Tommy have that in common.”
Ellie let out a huff. “I prefer to call myself a modern woman who fights against the sexual limits that our patriarchal society pigeonholes females into.”
We walked into the ER. “That’s a great way to put it.” I caught the eye of the Nurse Supervisor, who was talking to a group of colleagues, and she beckoned us over.
“Staff Nurse Leone and Staff Nurse McBride. We’re going over care requirements.” She glanced at her clipboard. “Eloise. You’re going to work with Doctor Manning.”
Ellie nodded. “I’ll go and set up.”
“We have an injured child coming in, Katherine,” my supervisor told me. “The responders had to cut him out of his parent’s car. You’re with Doctor Ansell.”
I was training for my Nurse Practitioner certificate with a healthcare specialty in Peds. I was in my final year of my master’s and was taking all the shifts I could get in the Children’s ward.
I hurried toward Dr. Ansell, who stood next to a young boy on a stretcher, tapping on her iPad. “This is Tyler Stern, aged eight. Fire personnel cut him out of his parent’s vehicle. He’s complaining of neck pain. He needs an advocate, Katie.”
A lump formed in my throat. “His parents?”
“Being prepared for surgery,” she explained. “Our patient’s mother has a suspected pneumothorax. Father has a head injury.”
I snapped on fresh gloves.
Whenever a child came in without a guardian, the hospital gave them an advocate. I was the most highly experienced nurse in children’s health and care, so I often took on the role.
Doctor Ansell checked Tyler’s vitals as I hooked him to the heart monitor. He lifted his stare toward me, his brown eyes glittering with pain and fright.
I touched his shoulder. “Hey, I’m Katie, and that’s Doctor Ansell. Can you tell me where it hurts, sweetheart?”
“My head and my neck.” His eyes welled. “Where’s my mom and dad?”
“They’re being assessed.” Haley shone a small torch in Tyler’s eyes. “Don’t worry; we’re looking after them.” She stood straight and tapped on her iPad.
Gently, I examined the cut on his temple. “Does this hurt?” I asked.
“Where’s my sister?” he queried nervously.
My eyebrows drew together. “Was she in the car with you?”
“Yeah,” the boy replied. “They took her before they got me out. I need to find my sister. My mom and dad would want me to look after her. She’s only five.”
“I’ll take Tyler down for a CT scan, Katie,” Haley said confidently. “Why don’t you find Tyler’s sister and bring her here.”
“Of course.” I smiled down at the boy. “What’s her name?”
He heaved a sigh of relief. “Emily,” he told me. “Emily Marie Stern. She’s got blonde hair and brown eyes like mine, and she’s wearing a blue tee.”
I squeezed his arm. “Doctor Ansell’s taking you down for a scan. It won’t take long.”
“I want to wait for Emily,” he protested.
I rubbed his arm reassuringly. “I may have found her by the time you get back here.” I kept my tone light. The poor little guy needed reassurance.
Doctor Ansell’s pager beeped. “They’re ready for us in imaging. Let’s get you downstairs.” She grabbed the head of the stretcher and wheeled it into the hallway.
I was about to grab a police officer when goose bumps flickered down my arms while a tingle went through my belly.
My heart fluttered.
It was the same feeling I used to get whenever I saw Theo. I always knew when Theo entered the room because I could feel him. When he died, I’d wake up, smell him, and, for a nanosecond, believe he was beside me.
Slowly, I turned toward the door, half expecting to see my husband, but instead, a different tall figure stood there with the sun to his back, putting him in shadow.
A collective sigh breezed through the room, and every woman—and some guys—gazed toward the man coming through the door. He was tall and broad, and he walked with a confident strut.
As he got closer, my breath caught when I realized who was stalking toward me.
My new neighbor.
A flutter went through my belly.
He wore a thick black jacket with a bright yellow high-vis stripe across the chest, black pants, and boots. There was a small girl in his arms. Her blonde head was tucked into his throat, and her little arms were thrown tight around his neck as she snuggled into him.
I sighed. There was nothing more captivating than the sight of a handsome man carrying a child.
“Hey, Katie,” Jake called out. “Meet my friend, Emily. She’s looking for her folks and her brother.”
“Hi, Emily,” I greeted softly. “All your family are here. We’re just taking pictures of your brother. He’ll be back soon.”
The little girl pulled her face from Jake’s throat and stared at him with huge brown eyes, shoving a thumb in her mouth.
He beamed at her, and my heart pulsed.
I stepped toward Emily, pushing her soft blonde hair away from her forehead. “I’ve got a daughter, Grace, about your age. She left one of her dolls around here somewhere. Do you want to play with Barbie while we wait for Tyler?”
She nodded enthusiastically.
I held my arms out. “Let’s get Barbie.”
Jake smiled again at the little girl. “You go with Nurse Katie; she’ll take care of you. Okay?”
She gave him a little nod and reached out to me.
My arms went around her, and I placed her on my hip. “Thanks, Jake.”
He grinned sexily. “I better get going, but I’ll come back after my shift to check on the kids.” He turned and walked toward Tommy, who was waiting at the door.
I glanced around the room to see the women staring after Jake. A few smiled softly, eyes dreamy as they tracked his path.
Ellie bustled toward me, furrowing her brow. “Sweet baby Jesus. Who was that?” she demanded, her eyes flicking toward the exit.
I smiled at Emily. “Jake, my new neighbor,” I explained. “He moved in a few days ago.
“Girl,” she murmured. “He’s fine.”
I shrugged nonchalantly, glancing up at Ellie. “Is he? Can’t say I noticed.” But secretly, I had to agree; my new neighbor was gorgeous.