Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Grace
A few days had passed, and I hadn’t seen Jamieson at all, which was odd. When I’d call for a neuro consult, his resident, Dr. Rebecca Lasher, would come to the ER.
“Dr. Lasher, where’s Dr. Finn?” I asked.
“He’s in New York. He’s due back today.” She smiled brightly.
“That’s odd. I wonder why he didn’t tell me.”
“I don’t know. Are the two of you seeing each other?” she asked.
“No. I just thought if he were going to be out of town, he’d at least tell me that he wouldn’t be here when I needed a consult.”
She shrugged. I glared at her as she walked away.
“You’re giving Dr. Finn’s resident the evil eye,” Jackie spoke. “Why?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yes, you are.” She smiled. “She’s pretty.”
“She’s okay.”
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering if she and Jamieson are sleeping together.”
“No, I’m not. Like I would care anyway. We aren’t a thing. I’m just a little pissed he didn’t tell me he was going to New York.”
“Why? If you’re not a ‘thing,’ then why does it matter?”
I cocked my head and raised my brow at her.
“Come on, Grace. Don’t. You better not be falling for him. You’ve got that look.”
I grabbed the patient’s chart out of her hand.
“I don’t have a look, and I’m not falling for him,” I spoke as I turned and walked away.
I didn’t like the fact that he left without telling me.
And I didn’t like the fact that I felt that way.
The truth was that it felt weird not seeing him.
My shift was almost over, and I needed a neuro consult on a patient of mine.
After paging Dr. Lasher with no answer, I took the chart up to the neuro floor and walked over to the nurses’ station.
“Have you seen Dr. Lasher?” I asked. “I need a neuro consult.”
“I believe she’s in the on-call room,” the nurse spoke.
“Thanks.” I gave a small smile.
I walked down the hallway to the on-call room, and when I opened the door, I found Jamieson and Rebecca in a passionate kiss. Instantly, I felt sick as he turned his head and his eyes stared into mine.
“I’m sorry,” I stuttered. “I thought you were in here sleeping, Dr. Lasher. I need a consult on one of my patients. Please, continue what you were doing. For the record, I’m not sorry that I interrupted the two of you.
Dr. Lasher, the next time you get a page, you better damn well answer it.
” I put my hand up and then shut the door.
I scurried down the hallway and into the bathroom.
I hid in one stall while trying to catch my breath.
Tears filled my eyes as I clenched my jaw, trying to refrain from the screams that wanted to erupt from me.
What did I expect? A little respect? From Dr. Manwhore?
Ha. I composed myself, stepped out of the stall, and stared at myself in the mirror as I rested my hands on the sink.
I walked out of the bathroom and down to the ER, where I saw Jamieson standing at the nurses’ station.
“There you are. We need to talk,” he spoke. “But first, who’s the patient you need a consult on?”
“We don’t need to talk about anything,” I spoke harshly. The patient is in room five. Mrs. Carrington. Here’s her chart.” I handed it to him.
“Aren’t you going to come with me?” he asked.
I could see Jackie glaring at us from behind the computer screen. She knew something was up.
“Grace, you have a trauma coming in. ETA five minutes. A car crashed into a pedestrian on a bike crossing the street.”
“Sorry. I have a trauma coming in.” I smiled. “You’ll be fine with Mrs. Carrington on your own.”
He shot me a look and walked away.
“What the hell is going on?” Jackie asked in a low voice.
“I just found him and his resident with their lips locked together in the on-call room.”
“So, you found out the answer to your question.” She rolled her eyes. “I warned you about him, Grace.”
“Hey, I know. I’m not upset or anything,” I lied.
“Your tone of voice and actions towards him lead me to believe otherwise.”
“Nah. All is good. We had fun and now it’s over. I’m not going to continue having sex with him. I’m done, and the casual thing is over. Is there really a trauma coming in?” I looked at my watch.
“No. I just said that because I could tell you didn’t want to go into the patient’s room with him.” She smiled.
“Thanks, friend.” I grinned.
“Where’s your trauma patient?” Jamieson asked as he walked up.
“They took him to another hospital. Apparently, he refused to be brought here,” Jackie spoke.
“Grace, I need to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, Jamieson.”
“You’ve been ignoring my text messages and I want to know why.”
“What text messages? I never got any from you. Oh shit. I changed my number. Remember, you told me to?”
“And you couldn’t give me your new number why?” He glared at me.
“I haven’t seen you.”
His eye steadily narrowed at me.
“You have my number in your phone. You didn’t get a new phone, Grace,” he spoke.
“Actually, I did get a new phone.” I pulled it from my pocket and held it up to him. “Some of my contacts didn’t transfer over, and you were one of them.”
“Can I please have it?”
“No.” I scrunched up my nose. “I really don’t see any reason for you to.”
“Are you fucking serious?” he asked in a harsh tone.
“Yeah. Pretty much. I’m not sleeping with you again, and I’m not sure we’re really friends anymore.”
“Why? All because of Rebecca? Are you kidding me?”
He grabbed my arm and led me into the doctors’ lounge.
“Will you let go of me?” I spewed.
“You lied to me,” he harshly spoke.
“Lied about what?”
“You’re starting to have feelings for me.”
I let out a loud laugh.
“Yeah, right. I am not, nor do I have feelings for you.”
“Yes, you do!”
“No, I don’t!”
“You’re all pissed off about Rebecca. In fact, you’re jealous.” He pointed his finger at me. “You and me, we aren’t a couple or anything. So, you have no right to be upset.”
“I’m not upset. I’m just not going to be another one of your whores!” I pressed my finger into his chest.
“If you recall, you called me that night to come to your place because you were horny! I didn’t initiate it.
You did! You specifically told me that you weren’t looking for anything.
But clearly, you’ve had a change of heart and you’ve changed your mind.
I was stupid enough to think that you were different. ”
Anger rose up inside me as I began to lash out at him.
“Do you think after everything I went through in New York, I’d be racing to get involved with someone!” I spoke through gritted teeth.
“How the hell do I know? I don’t even know what the fuck happened in New York. You won’t tell me!” He held out his arms to the side. “What did he do? Cheat on you? Did you catch him with another woman?”
“We’re done here,” I calmly spoke as I grabbed my purse and walked out of the lounge.