Chapter 12
My mom tried to make my graduation into a big deal, but since it was my third, I declined the big party she suggested, preferring something more low-key. Instead, we took the ferry into Charleston with my brother and Morgan, and went to dinner at one of my favorite steakhouses.
I’d finished school, but the pressure of the board exam still loomed over me.
It wasn’t scheduled until the first week of July, which meant the anxiety would linger until then.
I told myself I deserved a one-week study-free break before diving into nonstop prep—I thought I’d earned a little time to breathe.
And in the meantime, I had work.
The weekend passed quickly, and before I knew it, Monday morning had arrived.
I clocked in at ten minutes to seven, yawning as I shoved my bag into my locker and grabbed my water bottle.
I entered the break room, where Marie stood next to the coffee pot, repeatedly jabbing the button and sighing between presses.
“Morning,” I yawned.
“Morning, sunshine.”
I filled my water, slipped it into the fridge, and tied my hair up. “Doesn’t look too bad out there.”
“I think there’s only six patients right now,” Marie noted as she finally poured her coffee. “And the waiting room is empty.”
“Well, let’s hope it stays that way. It’s been a while since we had a low-key day.”
“I’m in triage.”
I groaned. “Really? See if Kathy will switch with you. She prefers triage.”
“She called in sick.”
“Dammit.”
She laughed as we headed for the door. “I’ll give you a heads up if we get anything good.”
“Deal.”
I opened the door and took a step, running smack into a hard chest with a yelp before stumbling back. When I looked up, there was Blake, his broad frame filling the space of the door.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
“No worries,” he said. “You okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah.” He didn’t have his white coat on yet, and I couldn’t help but look him over in his navy blue scrubs. Jesus. He should not look that good in scrubs. “Uh…first day?”
“Yeah, first time out on the floor,” he said, glancing between me and Marie.
I didn’t have to look to know Marie was grinning like a damn idiot behind me, feeding off my obvious awkwardness. I knew she was enjoying it far more than she should be, and I was already dreading her commentary later. When I glanced over, her broad smile confirmed my suspicions.
I introduced them, trying to sound casual. “This is Marie, one of the nurses. Marie, this is Dr. Pierson.”
“Nice to meet you, Marie. And please, call me Blake.”
Marie giggled. “Sure thing, Blake. Nice to meet you, too.”
I took a deep breath, grabbed Marie’s wrist, and gestured toward the hallway. “We should go get report.” Blake nodded and stepped back from the door, allowing us to pass.
I pulled Marie along, and when we rounded the corner, she started to laugh. “Oh, you are so fucked.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You were totally checking him out in his scrubs.”
“I was not.” Lies. I definitely was.
“Listen, I don’t blame you. It’s a damn shame that white coat is going to cover up those drool-worthy forearms.”
“You’re insufferable,” I huffed.
She let out another giggle. “Dr. Dimples at your service.”
By the time afternoon rolled around, Blake seemed to fit right in with the rest of the ER staff, both the doctors and nurses alike. He made a good first impression on all of them. He clicked right away with Dr. Wileman, a former military man himself from Florida, who was ten years his senior.
I couldn’t help but watch him throughout the day, especially when I was the nurse on his cases.
His bedside manner was damn near impeccable, and his care for each patient was thorough; he listened to them instead of rushing through his assessments just to get to the next one.
We had a few critical patients come in, and he maintained a level head, with no hesitation, when calling out orders. He seemed truly in his element.
And I kept noticing, no matter how hard I tried not to—he just looked so good doing it.
Marie was right—it was a shame his white coat was covering those criminally impressive arms. He’d certainly turned more than a few heads from other staff, too.
Gretchen from X-Ray was practically drooling as she handed off films. Natasha from the lab fanned herself.
Even a female police officer muttered “damn” when she saw him.
Dr. Pierson was the shiny new toy and was a rather popular guy on his first day.
Later in the shift, as the pace picked up, I was sitting down to chart when a call came in from emergency dispatch, letting me know that the ambulance was en route with a critical patient.
In the midst of writing down what information they had, Blake appeared behind me, peering over my shoulder at the paper I was scribbling on.
I’d barely got off the call before he asked, “ETA?”
“One minute out.”
And we both moved.
He double-checked that the defibrillator was ready, and I quickly pulled several supplies from my pockets, dropping them onto the small table nearby in case we needed to start a new IV.
We both tugged on gloves just as the ambulance bay doors slid open and the paramedics hurried in with a stretcher, already performing CPR on the patient.
“What do we got?” Blake asked as they stopped alongside the bed, and he stood next to me, both of us reaching over to help lift the patient from the stretcher to the bed.
I stood on the step stool at the side of the bed—it was easier for me that way—and took over compressions while the CNA quickly hooked the patient up to the monitor.
I listened as closely as I could as the EMTs spoke to Blake, mainly relaying what they already told me over the call. Fifty-eight-year-old male. Collapsed at work. Unresponsive. BLS was given en route.
“Stop compressions,” Blake said, his head whipping toward the monitor.
I raised my hands as I glanced over to see that the patient was in V-fib.
Blake was quick to act, ensuring the defibrillator pads were in place and secure before calling clear, then shocking the patient once.
I continued CPR, then paused at his signal so he could shock the patient again.
That cycle repeated one more time. When Blake called for epinephrine, I grabbed it from our code cart and administered it.
He then maneuvered to the head of the bed and leaned over, tilting the man’s head back to extend his neck, and I stepped aside as the respiratory therapist moved in to help.
I watched Blake intently as he grabbed the glidescope and began to intubate the patient.
My eyes were locked on his hands, watching the way he effortlessly guided the device and inserted the tube to advance the man’s airway as if it were second nature.
Blake quickly checked the placement with his stethoscope.
“It’s good. Get X-Ray down here for a portable chest, and let’s get an EKG done,” he called out while securing the tube with tape.
I already had the lab on its way, knowing he was going to order a full workup.
While the patient was hooked up to the ventilator, he stood with his arms crossed, continuing to study the monitor, watching the man’s vitals begin to stabilize.
Once he was comfortable with where the patient was at, he turned and looked at me. “Good work.”
Then he simply walked away…like he didn’t just save a man’s life.
And he had no business being that goddamn sexy about it.
Marie was right. I was fucked. The second he walked into that break room, I never stood a chance.
After my twelve hours were up and the busy day had settled, I gave off my report, grabbed my things from my locker, said goodbye to Marie, who was stuck finishing up a last-minute admission, and headed out.
When I stepped outside, I spotted Blake a few steps in front of me, making his way toward the employee parking lot.
I hesitated, but for only a moment. “Hey,” I said, quickening my steps to catch up.
He turned, and I swore I saw him tense slightly when he saw me, but he offered a polite nod and a small smile. “Hey.”
“You had an eventful first day back on the floor,” I said as we walked side by side.
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “I guess I did.”
“You fit right in with everyone.”
Blake nodded. “Seems like a good bunch of people. And you all work together really well, so that helps.”
We fell into a silence, one that was somewhere between comfortable and awkward, as we stepped into the employee parking lot and headed toward our cars. “Where are you parked?” he asked.
“There.” I pointed at the white Jeep Wrangler.
“Hm,” he hummed. “I’m right next to you.”
I eyed the black Jeep Rubicon and smiled. “I didn’t know you drove a Jeep.”
“I just got it not too long ago.”
My eyes scanned the dashboard behind his windshield before I looked at him again. “No ducks yet?”
His brow furrowed. “Come again?”
“Ducks,” I repeated with a chuckle, then gestured to my Jeep. The dashboard was lined with various rubber ducks of all colors and themes.
“Uh…” He let out a confused laugh. “I’m not sure I’m following.”
“You haven’t heard of Duck, Duck, Jeep?”
“Nope,” he said, popping the ‘p’. “Can’t say that I have.”
“It’s a thing in the Jeep community. You leave rubber ducks on other Jeeps to spread a little kindness.”
“Ah,” he said with a nod. “Well, I guess you learn something new every day.”
“Hold on.”
I walked to my car and unlocked it, tossing my bag into the passenger seat before opening the back door, where I kept a small box of rubber ducks with tiny stethoscopes around their necks. That way, I always had some on hand. Was it ridiculous? Maybe a little. But I didn’t care.
I grabbed one of the ducks and shut the door before walking back to him, holding out my hand with it sitting in my palm. “There. Your very first duck.”
I saw the corner of his lips twitch. “Cute.” He looked at it. “The stethoscope is a nice touch.”
I chuckled. “I thought so, too.”
His eyes met mine. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” We stood there for a moment. “Uh…when’s your next shift?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Mine, too. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
“Yeah,” he replied with a nod, holding my stare. “See you tomorrow.”
I turned and walked back to my Jeep, sliding into the driver’s seat as he got into his. When I backed out of my space, I glanced over as I stopped behind his vehicle to shift into drive, and I smiled when I saw him place the lone duck in his windshield.