6. Chapter 6
Chapter 6
Luke
I'm in my room later that day, when Lexi knocks on the door.
"Can I come in? There’s something I need to talk to you about," she says.
I'm sitting on the couch, so I gesture for her to join me in the chair across from me. Closing the door behind her, she takes a seat.
"So,” Lexi says. “I just had a talk with your sister, and a not-so-nice one at that. She just left my office after trying to file a complaint about Brooke."
"What?" I say louder than I intend, and Lexi flinches slightly but then takes it in stride.
"She came in saying Brooke was being inappropriate with you. Of course, I sat her down because I was concerned and wanted to hear what she had to say. As she started talking about what she felt was an inappropriate relationship, I listened closely. But I’ve talked with Brooke, and she’s told me about your outings. Just so you know, Brooke was Noah's nurse, and she’s now a friend. We talk." She looks at me, letting me know without words that she knows things.
"So, after I calmed Gabbie down, I told her you had been making moves on Brooke as well. Then I said, because of the situation, I would watch it, but unless you yourself filed a complaint, there wasn't anything I could do," Lexi continues, "But I felt like I should tell you and see if there’s any truth that it's gone too far?"
"No, and if anything, I pushed Brooke too far yesterday. I really like her. She makes me feel... normal again. Not broken and like something that has to be fixed, like Gabbie does. Though I love my sister, she's young and sometimes too damn much to deal with. I don't always know how to handle her." I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, looking at the ground.
"Sometimes, you have to be blunt. They will get upset, but she's family, so she’ll forgive you for it. I see it time and time again around here. Family and friends want to help so much that they forget that the men and women here must help themselves first. They need to back up, let go, and be on the sidelines. You are the only one that can heal you. We are here to help with that, but we can't force you to heal."
"Does Brooke know about Gabbie?" I ask.
"Not yet, but I have to call her and tell her," Lexi says.
"Will you tell her I'd like to talk with her too, please? I know she has the next few days off," I say.
The nurses here work three twelve-hour shifts, and then have four days off, but not Brooke. With her being head nurse, she works four ten-hour shifts with three days off. It means I see her more than I normally would.
"Of course," Lexi says before getting up to leave.
I have the TV on, but I'm not really watching it, as I think about what Gabbie did.
There’s a soft knock on the door, and when I look up, I find Brooke there in jeans and a t-shirt.
"Hey, come in," I tell her.
Her face is closed and emotionless. I can guess what’s coming next, and I know I’m not going to like it.
"I just talked to Lexi," she says.
"She told me what Gabbie said. I will talk to her," I say.
"Luke, I can't risk my career, my reputation, and everything I’ve built on this. I worked too hard to get where I am and love my job. Had she gone to anyone else but Lexi, I'd be put on probation pending an investigation. When it came out what was going on, they would be letting me go to prevent medical malpractice. It wouldn’t matter whether or not you initiated it."
"Come on, Brooke. It's not that bad," I say, but in my heart, I know she's right. I know we got lucky this time, but if Gabbie tries to push this, it could get ugly.
"No, Luke, we can’t go on. I just wanted to come here and tell you face-to-face that we need to end this. I can't risk it, and she's your family. You need to focus on getting better for her, and she needs you. If nothing else, this shows she needs you more than you realize."
"Why do you think that? Because from where I'm sitting, I see an ungrateful brat who I spoiled too much and is now throwing a temper tantrum because she isn’t getting her way," I say, now irritated.
Brooke stands and takes a deep breath.
"When people act out, it's when they need love the most," She looks torn as she turns to leave.
"Brooke, don't leave it like this," I beg her.
She just shakes her head and walks out of the door. We haven't been that serious, and it hasn't been that long, but it doesn't stop me from feeling like she’s taking my heart with her. And with every step she takes away from me, it doesn't ease the pain that fills me.
Brooke
I leave Luke's room and head right to my friend Hailey's house. After my talk with Lexi, I texted her to make sure she was home. Lexi assured me everything was fine, but to say I'm a bit freaked out would be an understatement.
Hailey is a nurse at the military hospital, and we worked together for many years. I've been trying to convince her to come work at Oakside with me, but she likes it at the hospital, so I don't push too hard.
She meets me on the front porch with a hug. “Come on, I have some drinks set up on the back porch.”
In my mind, Hailey is a true Southern bell. She has her blonde hair done up in what I think is a fancy, messy bun. The kind that’s meant to look lazy, but it took her a while to perfect. Her perfectly applied makeup and hot-as-hell clothes amplify her image. Along with her charming Southern accent and, of course, her quintessential Southern house, she reminds me of Reese Witherspoon.
Her back porch is my favorite. It’s done in white wood, has large two story ceilings, and it's been enclosed as a sunroom with glass walls on three sides. She’s using it as a sitting room, and has decorated it beautifully, but my favorite part is the swinging sofas, hanging from the rafters.
Though the hanging sofas are relaxing to sit on after a stressful day, they’re not a good place to sit after you have been drinking. Trust me on that one, as we both learned that the hard way.
We both curl up on the swing, facing each other with some sweet tea and cookies.
"Okay, you have the 'I have a problem, and I need to talk to you about it' face, so spill it," she orders.
"I think I'm falling for a patient," I tell her outright.
This causes her to sit up straight. No more relaxed friends chatting, she’s getting down to business. I tell her about Luke from the first day, and how I felt just seeing him, and to him being reassigned to me. I don’t leave out any details about his sister, taking him shopping, going to the cardinal with him, and how his sister acted.
"Then, I get a call from Lexi today, asking me to come in, because she needs to talk to me. When I get there, she locks us in her office, which she never does, and then proceeds to tell me Gabbie tried to file a complaint against me for taking advantage of Luke. Lexi thankfully stopped it, saying she has seen Luke putting the moves on me, Lexi's words not mine, and unless Luke comes forward, then she isn't able to do anything. Gabbie is pissed. Lexi told Luke, so Luke is pissed, and I'm just... scared," I finish.
"Have you talked to Luke?"
"Yeah, right after I got done with Lexi and before I came here. He kept saying he’ll talk to Gabbie, but I ended things. I can't lose my job and everything I've worked for. If this had been the hospital, I'd be on leave right now," I say.
"Not necessarily. Remember Marla?" She asks.
Marla was another nurse we worked with at the hospital.
"Yeah?" I ask curiously, wondering where she’s going with this.
"She met her boyfriend while she was his nurse. The mother tried to make a stink about it and went to the hospital board. Yes, she was put on leave while they investigated, but her boyfriend stood up and said the mother was causing problems and trying to be controlling. He gave this huge speech, and Marla was cleared. They were told to keep it out of sight until he was released, and they have been together ever since. She didn't have a history of dating patients, and neither do you," Hailey says.
"She got lucky. What would have happened if he hadn't stuck up for her?" I say.
"I was curious about that, too, so I asked around. Apparently, they would have reassigned her and put her on probation. Yeah, it would have been on her record, but it wouldn't have been an issue if it's not habitual. Only when it becomes a pattern do they really step in. They frown about dating current patients and discourage it, but there isn't anything in the handbook that says we can't. At least, not yet, anyway."
"This just sucks," I say.
"Listen, you can be friends, so be his friend,” she goes on. “Once he's discharged, you can see if it goes anywhere, but with the bitchy sister, you might have dodged a bullet. No one needs the sister-in-law from hell to deal with."
"I don't think I can work with him every day and just be friends," I say.
"Then have him reassigned."
"It's a small place, and he's already been reassigned once, and I don't like the idea of anyone else working with him."
"Now you are just being difficult," she laughs.
"This isn't just a crush. I want to date him. What I feel for him is... stronger than I have ever felt before. There’s a pull to be around him. When I’m with Luke, I'm calm and relaxed, and I can be myself. That kiss? I've never felt anything like it and want to experience it again and again."
She looks at me and bites the side of her lips as she thinks.
"I guess this comes down to you. Is this so strong that you don't want to give it up, but you'd give up your job at Oakside if it came down to it? If so, then by all means go ahead. But if Oakside is more important, then you need to stop, even if it's just until he's released. This is a decision only you can make."
"Why can't finding a guy be easy? Why is there always something complicated?” I lament. “Why can't we know if this is the guy? If I knew he was the guy, then I'd be fine risking it all. But the thought of stepping away from Oakside for him, and it not working out, would crush me."
"Give it time. Maybe, just be friends and see. You will know when you know, and you can't rush these things," she says.
"I know you're right. So, you are seeing anyone?" I ask.
"For a split second, but after the third date, he got all handsy. I couldn’t help thinking that for him, date three meant sex, and that was the end of that."
Hailey is a sweetheart, beautiful, and kind. But she’s very picky, when it comes to men, though. Very few make it past date three. She knows what she wants and isn't willing to settle.
I wish I were as sure as she is.