“No, as in whether patients in critical condition should be fed some healthy food in the ER,” Luke said. He shook his head. “The doctor asking was a nutritionist, and I guess he just wanted to feel included.”
Bella giggled. “I don’t know if this is better or worse, but I heard a doctor say that the columns on the ceiling looked like blood vessels.”
Luke shook his head. “They don’t.”
“I know!” Bella laughed, and they both shook their heads.
“Why did you become a doctor, anyway?” Bella asked. “You don’t seem to like them all that much.”
“I became a doctor for the usual reasons, I suppose.” Luke shrugged. “I wanted to save lives, and I found the human body amazing.”
“Amazing how?” Bella sat up a little, and Luke was glad that she’d taken the less personal route. He didn’t want to talk about why being a doctor was so important to him, because that would make the conversation too personal. It was better to keep some things to himself.
“Let me see.” Luke considered a good fact for her. “Do you know how many bones a human adult has?”
“Oh, no.” Bella’s eyes widened in joking horror. “I didn’t know this was going to be a test. Two hundred and seven?”
“Two hundred and six,” Luke corrected. “But do you know how many bones a humanbabyhas?”
Bella leaned forward gamely. “How many?”
“Three hundred.” Luke raised his eyebrows at her, and Bella’s eyes narrowed.
“Really? Are you messing with me? I know babies have some extra bones in their skulls and stuff, but almost a hundred more seems like too much.”
“Nope.” Luke held up a hand. “Honest truth.”
“Tell me another one.” Bella leaned forward, elbows resting on the counter.
“Did you know that your gut has its own nervous system?” Luke asked. He suddenly realized that this wasn’t exactly a good flirtatious topic, but it was too late now. “It has its own neurons and is even called a second brain.Andit can function even if it’s cut off from the brain, like if the vagus nerve is severed.”
“That gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘gut feeling,’” Bella said, wiggling her eyebrows. Luke let out a laugh. It seemed she didn’t mind his lame attempt at flirting.
If Luke were being honest, it was hard to believe he was even trying to flirt. It had been years since he had, and when he’d sat down at the bar tonight, talking to a pretty woman had been thefurthest thing from his mind. Yet since Bella had sat down, his bad mood had dissipated, and he no longer felt quite so tired.
“True.”
“So, do you think it’s true that your stomach can tell you what’s going to happen?” Bella asked, her tone lowering a little. She leaned closer as though they were sharing a secret, and even though it was silly, Luke grinned.
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “Not in such an obvious way as telling the future, probably, but maybe ‘gut feelings’ really do meansomething.”
Bella sat back, looking thoughtful now. She smoothed her hair absently with one hand and reached for her drink.
“Interesting.”
“Do you get a lot of gut feelings?” Luke asked.
“Not really.” Bella shrugged. “But when I do, I try to listen to them.”
“Idon’t,” Luke admitted. “Years of college and medical school and residency have taught me to believe only in the things that can be proven through tests and scans.”
“That seems like a sad way to live.” Bella bit her lip. “I get it, though. It’s much easier to work with facts than feelings.”
“It is. And it’s not sad.”
Bella met his eyes. “Really? Because you’re drinking alone in this bar.”
“You would have been, too, if I weren’t here,” Luke said, though he didn’t really know if that were true. Maybe she’dhave found someone else to talk to. In fact, a beautiful woman like herdefinitelywould have found someone else to talk to if she’d wanted to. He didn’t like the thought of her flirting with someone else.
