“Whatever gets this over with faster,” Dr. Ellis sighed. The slender heels of her expensive-looking leather pumps clicked on the tiled floor of the clinic as she accompanied Anna to her office. Everything about her was expensive-looking, really, from the sleek drinking flask to her shoes to the black skirt she was wearing, so ferociously tailored that it fit her like a second skin. Her top was a crisp white cotton button down, the top two buttons open at the throat, and she carried a Burberry trench slung over her arm. Anna had only seen women like this on television, and while she wasn’t in the habit of feeling insecure around powerful women, she did feel a certain sense of unease, like she’d just been thrown into a chess game when all she’d even known was checkers.
She would have to tread very carefully with this one, she knew. Victoria Ellis would not be easily drawn out.
They arrived at her office, and Victoria swept in, dropping her Burberry coat and a deceptively simple looking leather tote Anna couldn’t identify—but was sure would cost far more than she had ever paid in monthly rent anywhere—carelessly on the floor by the plush green corduroy couch, another consignment shop find for Anna. She wondered how the glacial, designer-wrapped surgeon would react to know how many of the items in this room were second-hand. Would she deign to put her pert little bottom on the sofa cushions? Anna had very carefully cleaned all of her thrifted finds with her own two hands, but she suspected Victoria would turn her nose up all the same.
Anna sat down in her brown velvet chair and observed Victoria as the surgeon prowled around the office, inspecting everything closely. She ran one elegant hand through the tea selection. “Rubbish,” she sniffed.
“If you have a preference, I can add it to the collection for you,” Anna offered.
“You couldn’t get it here.” Chin up, Victoria continued her inspection. She glanced back at Anna and waved her drink flask. “And I’ve brought my own, at any rate.”
“Right.” Anna picked up her notebook and pen, as well as the personnel file. “Would you like to take a seat? We can get started.”
That elegant hand fluttered dismissively. “I’m fine.”
Anna quietly took a deep breath in through her nose. She did not want this imperious woman to see that she was starting to annoy her. Anna was no stranger to the often irritating superiority complex that surgeons nearly always seemed to possess. She’d counseled enough of them in her career. But Victoria? She was on a whole new level from any of the others. Anna opened the file again and glanced at the lengthy list of accomplishments and accolades there. Perhaps the attitude was partially justified… but only partially. Anna offered her warmest, friendliest smile, but put a hint of steel in her voice. “Dr. Ellis. Please have a seat.”
“Oh, very well.” Victoria sighed, and sat down gingerly on the edge of the sofa, hands folded in her lap. Her eyes, when they rested on Anna, were a lovely, vibrant blue, and as chilly as any glacier in Alaska. Anna had to admit, she was an absolutely stunning woman. Tall, slender, with a dancer’s poise, those wide blue eyes and her dark golden blonde hair pulled back into a large bundle at the nape of her neck. Her eyebrows were perfectly groomed into slender arches, her makeup was minimal but carefully done, and her skin was literally flawless. Honestly, she looked like she’d stepped right out of a magazine, not like she was ready to perform complex surgical procedures.
Against her will and her better judgment, Anna felt drawn to this perfect, Arctic statue of a woman.
“You do like to stare, don’t you?” Victoria observed, tilting her head to one side. “Is this part of your evaluation process?”
The words almost didn’t sound rude with that accent. Anna cleared her throat and sat up straighter. “Perhaps it is,” she stalled, trying to shake off the odd pull she was feeling. “I’m sorry, Dr. Ellis. I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Dr. Anna Monroe.”
“Yes. I gathered.” The response was delivered shortly, with an unblinking gaze.
It would be unprofessional of her to match tone, but Dr. Victoria Ellis, M.D., F.A.C.S., was really starting to get Anna’s back up. She looked down at the file in her lap and composed herself. “Dr. Ellis, you’ve been asked to see me today because yesterday, several hospital personnel reported that you were experiencing some emotional distress following the loss of a patient.”
“Did they?” One perfect blonde eyebrow went up. “How odd.”
“You’re saying you didn’t?” Anna looked up, keeping her face neutral.
“If I did, I don’t see why it would be any concern to anyone else.” The continued composure, the icy stillness… it would be impressive, if it weren’t an absolute red flag.
“If it’s affecting your ability to perform surgery, then that would be of concern to many people. Including your superior,” Anna replied.
A flash of anger lit up the cool blue eyes. “A minor aberration following an absolutely uncalled-for assault on my abilities and personality by a patient’s family.”
“It is unfortunate that the Jennings family felt the need to take their loss out on you.” Anna had read the report of the altercation, written by one of the admissions desk nurses. It had been a deeply unpleasant read, so she could only imagine that experiencing it in person would have been excruciating. “I understand they’ve submitted a formal written apology.”
“Have they. Interesting.” Victoria’s full lips pressed tightly together.
“I also have a report here indicating that you had something akin to a panic attack in a stairwell?” Anna flipped through the pages. “Do you want to talk about that?”
“Damn it, Hayley Milton,” Victoria muttered, pinching her mouth even more tightly. “No, I do not in fact wish to talk about that, or about any of this. Dr. Monroe, I had one less than stellar day, behaved somewhat out of character for the first time in my fifteen-year career here at Oakridge, and suddenly, I’m supposed to talk about my feelings with a psychologist in a Laura Ashley skirt and Nine West ballet flats?”
Anna looked down at her clothing, mildly astonished to be twitted in this way by a medical professional. “Well, I don’t think my clothing has anything to do with this.”Except that it is a very interesting look into your defense mechanisms.“Dr. Martin actually observed your meltdown in the operating room. She certainly seems to think that it warranted further evaluation, so that it doesn’t happen again.”
“Which of course, it won’t.” Anyone else who didn’t want to go through therapy might have thrown their hands into the air in frustration. Victoria Ellis simply rolled her marvelous blue eyes. “I’ve lost several patients in my career, Dr. Monroe. It’s an unfortunate reality of my profession. As is the occasional confrontational family. I am perfectly capable of managing myself. One poor day doesn’t define me as a person.” She stood up. “I have a full day ahead. If you’ll excuse me?”
“We have an hour booked,” Anna said mildly, not leaving her chair. “I genuinely suggest you complete it. It’s hardly been fifteen minutes.”
“It has been fifteen minutes longer than this entire farce warrants,” Victoria snapped. Bending down, she picked up herbag and coat. “I’ve got lives to save, Dr. Monroe. I feel that’s a better use of my time.”
Head held high, she swept imperiously out of Anna’s office, heels clacking down the corridor. Anna took another long breath into her nose and closed her eyes. Her next appointment was a coffee meeting with Elaine Martin, and she was not at all looking forward to discussing just how very poorly this session had gone.
She let her breath out and inhaled again, noticing the delicious scent of a very expensive perfume lingering in the air. A clean floral, with a hint of citrusy warmth. Again, the odd pull of interest tugged in her stomach. Dr. Victoria Ellis was certainly an infuriating woman, but Anna couldn’t deny she also presented a deeply interesting challenge… something that had always gotten her in trouble in the past. “Lord help me,” she breathed, shaking her head. “We got a long road ahead of us, don’t we?”
