I laugh. “Glad you didn’t forget about me during my recovery.”
“Charlotte! Rock, paper, scissors! One, two, three.” Dr. Croy holds his hand out in paper while I make scissors. “Damn it! I always lose!”
I throw my arm in the air in a victory pump. “Club Hip Hop Radio. All day.”
He groans.
I turn to meet the new doctor and my heart about stops in my chest. My smile falls. A surgical mask covers his face, but I know those eyes. They’ve haunted me over the last six months.
I seriously must have messed up in my past life. Whoever is in charge of karma hates me.
Dr. Sear says, “Charlotte, meet our newest surgeon, Dr. Xander Kane.”
“Dr. Kane, meet Charlotte DeVoe. She was in a bad car accident and her foot was reconstructed. She was out of work for the last six months, but it’s our lucky day because she’s back. Charlotte’s the best rep we have.” Dr. Sear beams at me then Xander.
Xander stares at me, and I stare back at him.
He’s only staring at you because this is uncomfortable and he doesn’t know what to say.
What do you expect him to say? She’s the girl I screwed several nights and got into the car accident with? Oh, but I don’t remember her and am obsessed over my ex-girlfriend who I haven’t been with in a decade?
Does he even know it’s me?
I recover quickly and nod at him. “It’s nice to meet you.”
He blinks then nods. “I’m glad to hear your foot is okay.”
“Thanks. Welcome to the hospital.” I turn to Dr. Croy so I don’t have to look at Xander. “Isn’t my music supposed to be on?”
Maybe my music will tune out my thoughts about Xander so I can get through this.
Dr. Croy groans and turns the channel on.
The anesthesiologist announces, “You’re good to start.”
I let out a breath.Just concentrate on the surgery and forget he’s here.
But I can’t. My pulse is beating against my throat and I want to run out of the room. I try to ignore him, but it’s impossible.
From time to time, we catch the other person staring. I wonder if he knows it is me or if he just thinks I’m some other girl named Charlotte who broke her foot.
The surgery is long. We are reconstructing several bones in the patient’s leg, and there has been excessive damage. It is scheduled to take four hours but ends up taking seven.
As luck has it, I spend almost the entire surgery next to Xander, as Dr. Sear instructs him to do a lot of the work I’m needed to advise on.
When I first approach, he freezes. It’s not something the other doctors would have noticed, but I do.
Does he know it’s me?
As quickly as his paralysis comes, it goes, and he soon is back into his routine of surgery.
Not only do I have to remain near him but talk to him and hand him different devices. And it’s clear to me he’s brilliant at what he does. He’s miles ahead of many surgeons I’ve worked with and another reminder he’s amazing but I can’t have him.
I spend seven hours with my heart beating way too fast, feeling the electrical buzz of him next to me, and trying to not get excited every time my name rolls off his tongue.
For six months I attempted to forget about his voice. It’s like a cruel joke the universe is playing on me, and I do my best to maintain my professionalism.
And every single time I see his bright brown eyes, my soul is crushed further.
