Thankfully Valentino had already left for the wards to do post-op checks as she stripped out of her surgical gown and she was able to breathe again. To function without a pulse that kept racing and a stomach that was looping the loop.
But what had been even more disconcerting than the heated memories was their amazing synchronicity. For a surgeon and a scrub nurse who had never worked together, they had been a well-oiled machine.
As if they’d been doing it for years.
Like her and Harry. Butmore. She’d anticipated Harry’s every move in the OR for the last two years, but what had happened today wasn’t that. It wasn’t practice or familiarity; it had been more like… clairvoyance. As if she’d been in Valentino’s head. As if she could read his thoughts.
Whilst the general sequence of a surgery was usually the same – notwithstanding individual patient factors – each surgeon had their own preferences and foibles. About how they wanted things done. How they liked to drape, where they liked to stand, how they preferred their instruments handed to them.
Etc, etc, etc.
Which was something a scrub nurse would learn over time. But not Peyton and Valentino. They’d been completely in sync, which was a rare thing to have straight up.
So rare, Peyton didn’t even know what to think. Didn’twantto know.
What shedidknow, however, was Valentino was an exceptional surgeon. It had taken her about ten minutes into the first surgery for that realisation. Efficient, steady, sure and capable. Methodical in his approach, supremely knowledgeable. She had no doubt that McKenzie was in very good, very safe hands.
There were also the intangibles about the man while he worked. The things that the patients or their families didn’t get to see. His unfailingly politeness to everyone no matter their job in the OR and his utter – despite the mask and being covered head to toe in green – charisma that oozed from every pore.
He’d made the morningfun. For everyone. From the nurses – femaleandmale – to the anaesthetist to the very new, very nervous surgical resident who was standing opposite and assisting to the orderly adjusting the theatre light. He had them all eating out of his hand, talking about anything from grandkids with Dr Hamilton to the wild beauty of his childhood home in Italy, from football to Australian beer.
They had all loved him.
Everyone loved Harry too, but he was quieter and more studious whereas Valentino hadentertained.
All in all, it had beena lot.
A lot to unpack. She’d gone from thinking she’d never see the man again to making peace with the idea that he was going to be McKenzie’s surgeon. Because she had no doubts about that now even if she did have doubts about this new relationship they were about to enter.
Doctor to patient’s mother.Thatrequired the deepest kind of trust. But it was even more complicated now because he was going to beher boss.
She’d slept with her boss. No, wait… that was far too insipid. She’d hadthe most amazing sex of her life.
With her boss.
So yeah… it was a lot. Too much really. And the day wasn’t even over yet. She still hadn’t asked him about being in the theatre when McKenzie had her operation. The one objective she’d been determined to achieve at the start of the day – convinced she’d be able to talk Harry around.
But somehow, not even with their recent history in mind, or perhaps because of it, she doubted Valentino Lombardi would be as amenable.
Didn’t mean she wasn’t going to try though…
4
An hour later, Valentino strode from the lift on his way to his rooms –Harry’srooms – in the audiology department of the hospital. Dressed in dark trousers and a business shirt that was open at the neck and turned up at the cuffs, he’d seen all his post-op patients from his morning list and had met with the St Auburn’s medical director about his temporary position.
There’d been forms. A lot of forms. But he’d never once considered saying no to Harry’s request. How could he in the face of the terrible predicament that had befallen the Abbott family? Plus, it was exactly the opening he’d been looking for. Sure, it was unexpected and things had moved quickly, but Valentino had never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
In fact, herelishedbeing thrown in the deep end and not only proving he could survive butthriveas he conquered a new challenge.
He’d assured Harry during their phone conversation that the department would be in safe hands, and he’d meant it. The last thing the old man needed to worry about was work when he was going to need all his energy, emotion and focus for his grandson.
Valentino had this.
Although he’d admit to being thrown when Harry had asked him to break the news of the accident to Peyton. He’d remembered that her and Harry worked together but he hadn’t realised she was his right-hand woman in the audiology department. Indispensable, apparently. Running his clinics, scrubbing in for him during ops and keeping Harry’s schedule, along with everything else, running smoothly.
Peyton.
The woman who’d done a midnight runner on him two months ago. Theonlywoman who’d ever snuck out in the middle of the night without so much as a goodbye note or a scribbled phone number.
