Beautifully Awake

was any indication, I needed to stock up on pantiliners. A month’s supply.

Without giving me a second to answer, Sierra finished. “So was I right about the new guy—big dick?”

Lord help me. This was going to be a very long month.

4 Blue scrubs

Latte questionably in hand, I stepped off the elevator on the fifth floor. Silently praying the rumble would stay quiescent, I took a sip and admired my cute fuchsia ballet flats, a welcoming back- of-the-closet surprise. I’m sure something my personal shopper insisted I buy. Luckily Sierra had a knack for the designer goods at pauper prices. There was no way in hell I could spend another day running up and down the stairs in heels.

Ten minutes early, I decided to visit my new favorite patient in room 508.

“Hi, all.”

The girls at the nurses’ station returned my wave as I headed for Kelly Peterson’s room.

“Good Morning, Mrs. Peterson, hope I’m not waking you.” I gave the slightly ajar door a little push as I stepped inside. She looked up from her iPad and smiled. “How you feeling today?”

“Hi Lili, happy you stopped by. A bit of a rough night though.” She repositioned herself in the bed and closed her iPad. “After Dr. Colton explained the surgery to me last night I’ve literally been a wreck. Two in the morning rolled around and I totally freaked. Everything is so much worse at night, right?” She reached up and ran her hand through her blonde curls.

“Really, Mrs. Peterson … you should’ve called me, the nurses know how to reach me. Please don’t hesitate, that’s why I’m here.” I approached her bed.

“No more Mrs. Peterson crap, please call me Kelly.” She half smiled. “And you don’t need to be ruining a perfectly good evening with my drama. You’re way too young, super sweet and adorable to be hanging out with me.”

I frowned and shook my head while she found herself funny. “Thank you, but so not true. Now, seriously I’m a phone call away.” If she only knew what a non-life I really had.

She tipped her head back and rested against the pillow.

“You okay?” I asked.

She curled her knees up to her chest. “I’m so scared. All I want to do is screw the surgery and go home to my babies.” I sat on the edge of her bed and squeezed her hand. “Can you believe he’s gonna drill my head open? That’s insane, right? Then he’s gonna wake me up in the middle of the whole thing to check my speech. What ... what if I don’t wake up?” Her voice cracked, but that’s not what got to me. The strength she used to hold back her pool of tears killed me. I squeezed her hand a little tighter, blinking back my own tears.

“Oh sweetie, you can’t think like that. You’re going to do so well, I know it. You’re freaked and that’s totally understandable. I’d be too, hell, who wouldn’t be? But Dr. Colton is the best of the best. I’m not just saying that. He was recruited to be Chief of the department. That doesn’t just happen. Do you know what I mean? You have to be special, really special—you have to be amazing.” Her lips curled slightly and she dragged a finger under her eyes. I handed her a tissue from her night table. “You know people fly in from all over the country, actually all over the world to have him operate on them? You’re in good hands.” She dabbed the last of her tears with the tissue. “And besides, you have to be strong for not only yourself but your hunky husband and two gorgeous children. They need you.”

Her family photo sat on her side table, so I grabbed it and smiled. Must be so nice to be loved, something I was not that familiar with. Of course my father loved me and my friends loved me, but I was missing my family photo.

She removed her legs from her chest and propped herself up on the pillows. “You’re right, I have to be strong. Tim’s at home juggling two jobs and two nutty twin three-year-olds.”

I took a closer look at her photo. “Oh my goodness, they’re twins. I can’t believe it. One’s so blonde and one’s so dark … hmmm, just like Mommy and Daddy. They’re precious, Kelly. You must really have your hands full, huh?” She perked up a bit and sighed. “I know you must miss them so much. Don’t worry … we’re going to do everything in our power to get you recovered and home quickly.” I glanced up, making eye contact with two very mesmerizing grey ones. Chase was just outside the door, hidden from Kelly’s view, eavesdropping. My nervous stomach was back.

“Am I interrupting?” His eyes bounced back and forth from mine to Kelly.

Shit. Starting morning number two off on the wrong foot, too.

“How are you feeling this morning, Mrs. Peterson?” Chase strolled into the room with Guy and Sam on his heels.

“Headache’s still there and didn’t sleep much. My nerves in the middle of the night were relentless. But,” Kelly motioned to me and smiled softly, “Lili knows exactly what to say to make you feel better. I’d keep her around if I were you.”

“Oh, I definitely plan on it, thank you. I appreciate hearing kind words about my team.”

What the hell did that mean?

“Now let’s get you better, you have a family to get home to. We discussed the logistics last night. Do you have any more questions?” He sat at the edge of her bed.

“How long will the surgery be? I want to give my husband a call so he knows when to expect me to be finished. Unfortunately, he can’t be here when I go in. He has to pick the twins up from nursery school.”

“You have twins?” He bowed his head and kicked at something on the floor.

“Oh, she certainly does and they’re absolutely adorable.” I handed Chase the photo that was still in my hand.

He stared at the children, and after several long seconds he finally commented. “They’re gorgeous. You’re lucky to have them, Kelly.”

“Thank you.”

Chase handed back her picture and turned his attention to the residents lingering at the end of the bed. “Dr. Hunter, take Mrs. Peterson through the logistics of what to expect again.” Then he abruptly rose from the bed.

The whole time, his eyes remained glazed and distant and aimed directly for the door. I hadn’t known the man long, but his expression was one I’d never seen.

“Dr. Colton, before you leave?” Kelly snapped him out of his hollow stare. She seemed to notice his change in demeanor as well.

“Yes?”

“I need to wake up for my babies.” One of her pooled tears strayed and her voice wavered.

“You’re at an amazing hospital, Kelly. I have a stellar team. You’re in the best hands possible. I’ll find your husband when I’m through. See you in there.” He gave her a small smile, turned and walked out the door. The mood in the room definitely shifted.

“So, let’s see…” Guy quickly averted the attention off Dr. Colton’s odd behavior and began to finish Kelly’s questions. “It usually takes about five-six hours and you should be resting comfortably in the recovery room right around seven.”

I waited for Guy to finish rambling then retreated to the hallway. Dr. Colton’s eyes immediately found mine as he stood, back against the wall, and his hands snaked in his pockets, waiting.

I shifted my gaze to my tablet and started screwing around. Anything to avoid the awkward tension mounting.

“I want you there,” he snapped.

“What, where?” I glanced up from my tablet, hoping he wasn’t really talking to me. I was never around someone who fluctuated moods as fast as a puck traveled across the ice.

“In the OR.” His eyes reconnected with mine, leaving me to question what he was asking.

“The OR?”