Theo didn't know how long he was out, but when he opened his eyes, the bright lights made him squint. Where the hell was he? He couldn't summon up enough energy to move. He thought he might be on a table. It was hard, cold.
'Where am I?' His mouth was so dry, he slurred the question.
'You're in Brethren Hospital, Mr. Buchanan.' The man's voice came from behind him, but Theo couldn't see him.
'Did they catch her?'
'Who?'
'J. Crew.'
'He's loopy.' A female voice he didn't recognize made the comment.
Theo suddenly realized he wasn't in any pain. He felt good, in fact. Real good. Like he could fly. Odd, though, he didn't have the strength to move his arms. A mask was placed over his mouth and nose. He turned his head to get away from it.
'Are you getting sleepy, Mr. Buchanan?'
He turned his head again and saw her. Blue Eyes. She looked like an angel, all golden. Wait a minute. What the hell was she doing here? Wait…
'Mike, are you going to be able to see what you're doing? That eye looks bad.'
'It's fine.'
'How'd it happen?' the voice behind Theo's head asked.
'He clipped me.'
'The patient decked you?'
'That's right.' She was staring into Theo's eyes when she answered. She had a green mask on, but he knew she was smiling.
He was in such a happy daze now and so sleepy he was having trouble keeping his eyes open. Conversation swirled around him, but none of it made any sense.
A woman's voice. 'Where did you find
'At a party.'
Another woman leaned over him. 'Hubba, hubba.'
'Was it love at first sight?'
'You decide. He threw up all over me and ruined my new dress.'
Someone laughed. 'Sounds like love to me. I'll bet he's married. All the good-looking men are married. This one's sure built. Did you check out the goods, Annie?'
'I hope our patient is sleeping.'
'Not yet,' a male voice said. 'But he isn't going to remember anything.'
'Where's the assist?'
'Scrubbing.'
There seemed to be a party going on. Theo thought there were at least twenty or thirty people in the room with him. Why was it so damned cold? And who was making all the clatter? He was thirsty. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Maybe he ought to go get a drink. Yeah, that's what he would do.
'Where's Dr. Cooper?'
'Probably passed out in the dessert by now.' Blue Eyes answered the question. Theo loved the sound of her voice. It was so damned sexy.
'So you saw Cooper at the party?'
'Uh-huh,' Blue Eyes answered. 'He wasn't on call tonight. He works hard. It was nice to see him having a good time. Mary Ann's probably having a great time too.'
'You.' Theo struggled to get the word out. Still, he'd gotten her attention because when he opened his eyes, she was leaning over him, blocking out the glaring light above him.
'It's time for you to go to sleep, Mr. Buchanan.'
'He's fighting it.'
'What…' Theo began.
'Yes?'
'What do you want from me?'
The man hiding behind him answered. 'Mike wants your appendix, Mr. Buchanan.'*
It sounded good to him. He was always happy to accommodate a beautiful woman. 'Okay,' he whispered. 'It's in my wallet.'
'We're ready.'
'It's about time,' the man said.
'Who do you want to hear tonight, Dr. Renard?'
'Need you ask, Annie?'
A groan went around the room. Then a click. Theo heard the chair squeak behind him, then the stranger's voice telling him to take deep breaths. Theo finally figured out who the man behind him was. Damn if it wasn't Willie Nelson, and he was singing to him, something about Blue Eyes cryin' in the rain.
It was one hell of a party.
CHAPTER FOUR
Theo slept through recovery. When he awoke the following morning, he was in a hospital bed. The side rails were up, and he was hooked to an IV. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. What the hell had happened to him? He couldn't remember.
It was past ten o'clock when he opened his eyes again. She was there, standing beside the bed, pulling the sheets up around his waist. Blue Eyes. He hadn't imagined her after all.
She looked different today. She was still dressed in surgical scrubs, but her hair wasn't hidden underneath a cap. It was down around her shoulders, and the color was a deep, rich auburn.
She was much prettier than he remembered.
She noticed he was awake. 'Good morning. How are you feeling? Still a little drowsy?'
He struggled to sit up. She reached for the controls and pushed a button. The head of the bed slowly rose.
Theo felt a tugging in his side and a mild stinging sensation.
'Tell me when.'
'That's good,' he said. 'Thanks.'
She picked up his chart and started writing while he blatantly stared at her. He felt vulnerable and awkward sitting in bed in a hospital gown. He couldn't think of anything clever to say to her. For the first time in his life he wanted to be charming, but he didn't have the faintest idea how to go about it. He was a die-hard workaholic, and there simply hadn't been room for social graces in his life. In the last four years-since his wife's death-he had become blunt, abrasive, and to the point because it saved time, and Theo, these days anyway, was always in a hurry to get things done. This sudden turnabout surprised him. He actually wanted to be charming. Go figure, as his youngest brother, Zack, would say. Still, Theo thought he could manage it. Yeah. Charming was definitely doable.
'Do you remember what happened last night?' she asked, glancing up from her notes.
'I had surgery.'
'Yes. Your appendix was removed. Another fifteen minutes and you definitely would have ruptured.'
'I remember bits and pieces. What happened to your eye?'
She smiled as she started writing in his chart again. 'I didn't duck fast enough.'
'Who are you?'
'Dr. Renard.'
'Mike?'
'Excuse me?'
