4. Skylar
Skylar
A ries and I spent six hours in the conference room going over pages and pages of medical records, and notes.
I had him go over the procedure in immense detail, step-by-step.
By the time hour four hit, we were both tired.
Everything he told me seemed to have been done by the book, but there had to be a reason a forty-year-old man still wasn't walking three months post op.
So, that meant until we narrowed down to at least two or three practical theories I could rely on, we would stay put.
"You have to be missing something, Aries. Why isn't Mr. Simpson walking without the aid of a walker?"
"I don't know Skylar, but I did everything by the book."
The way he said my name made something tingle in my gut, and I had absolutely no idea why.
I should dislike his arrogant ass beyond measure.
Especially being as though we have been in this room for six hours, and he didn’t show one hint of recognizing me.
We went to high school together but that was years ago.
I doubted Aries even knew I attended the same school as him, let alone noticed the geeky girl in the back of the class.
"You don't believe me, do you?" Aries asked, visibly upset.
I guess he took my silence as not having faith in his words. I ran my fingers through my straightened hair, trying to yank the previous thoughts from my mind. I had a job to do and focusing on the past was not one of them.
"I never said I didn't believe you. I’m simply following the medical records, and there’s a piece of this puzzle missing."
"Well, that piece isn't me."
"If that's the case; we'll figure it out."
"Can I go now?" Aries asked.
Looking down at my watch, I wanted to tell Aries that we weren’t done yet, but he looked defeated.
I didn’t want to break his spirit in our first meeting.
He still had to operate, and I didn’t want to be the reason his confidence took a hit.
As much as his cocky, confident attitude annoyed me, it was the quality that made him a great doctor. So, I shook my head and agreed.
"Yeah, this was enough for an initial meeting, but there will be more meetings to go, especially if you want to get ahead of this before a complaint is filed."
"I really don't have time for a lengthy litigation. I also can't afford for my name to be in the media for a medical malpractice suit. The media will have a field day with a smear campaign, and my pro-athlete clients will get nervous."
"I don't want that target on your back either. You're a good doctor, Aries. A pain in the ass, but a good doctor nonetheless."
His low chuckle filled the conference room, and the sound sent exciting chills down my spine.
There I go again, getting turned on by this man when I should be focused on saving his career. But he is so sexy. No, Sky! Do not even go there , I thought.
"Don't believe everything you hear, counselor," Aries drawled and winked at me before he started gathering his things, in preparation to exit the conference room.
"My job is to follow the facts, Dr. Yerba. And I have twenty years of facts." I regretted the words as soon as they left my lips. I didn’t want him to think that I was the lonely geeky girl, pining after the school’s star.
"How so?" he inquired.
“I’ve been observing people, patterns, and behaviors for a long time, Aries. It helps me with being the excellent attorney that I am. And... the walls of this hospital talk... a lot about you.” I told him, skating around the topic of us going to school together.
"Again, all hearsay. It wouldn’t hold up in court."
I smiled, "Oh so, you know how to do my job, now?"
"Nah, but I know some things."
"Aries, get out! Or I'll have another stack of medical records brought in."
"I'm going. I'm going! Can you at least give me another week before you cancel all my surgeries? I'll need to make up for missing today."
"I'll do you one better. I'll check the O.R. board and email you a calendar invite for a slower day. Note, that will require you to check your email."
I wasn't going to let that one go. He pissed me off earlier.
"Damn, Skylar! You win. I concede!"
"Do you, really?"
"This round."
"Oh, just this round?"
"Yeah, I definitely got the next round."
"If you say so. Have a good evening, Aries. "
Why did I like saying this man's name?