The Baby Who Saved Dr Cynical. Connie Cox
to get away this weekend. We could go to my cabin. We haven’t been up there since Independence Day. I could make lasagna.”
“Our personal relationship is over, remember?”
“Stephanie, just because our sexual liaison is over it doesn’t mean—” He swallowed hard enough for her to hear him. “Doesn’t mean we can’t still be friends.”
His voice sounded strained. As honest and forthright as he was, he wasn’t good at voicing what others wanted to hear.
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re just saying that to get me back into your bed, aren’t you?”
“Busted.” He sounded awkward, sheepish. “You’ve got to admit we’re awesome together.”
She looked up, as if searching for an answer in the ceiling tiles. “Jason—”
“I know you have a lot going right now, Stephanie. We could both use a little fun to put things into perspective.” He sounded serious. “No strings. No commitments. Just a weekend away. A glass of wine under the stars and a few laughs between friends.”
That had been more than enough for her only a few short months ago.
They had shared some fun times. His quirky sense of humor was right in line with hers. Together they had snickered and chortled at things the rest of the world didn’t get. It had felt good to be understood.
“There’s more to life than grins and giggles, Jason.”
She took off her glasses to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’ll email you the details on the class.”
Stephanie spent the rest of the afternoon familiarizing herself with Jason’s patient files, all the while marveling at his brilliance. His reports made for fascinating reading. They were thorough and detailed—and, best of all, unbiased. He didn’t slant the facts to support his hypotheses, and he included details of wrong assumptions as readily as right ones.
While all doctors were supposed to be this objective, Stephanie had never found one whose ego didn’t shade the facts at least a little bit until Jason.
Lost in work, she didn’t realize the time until Marcy buzzed her over the intercom. “Just letting you know I’m leaving for the day. Should I bring in your messages?”
“Yes, please.” Stephanie glanced at her watch. Where had the time gone?
Marcy brought in a fistful of messages and notes to be returned and laid them in the in-box on Stephanie’s desk.
Stephanie gave them a casual glance. “Anything urgent?”
“Just the usual. Dr. Sim in Obstetrics wants you to set up an appointment with her. She didn’t mention the topic of discussion. Do I need to get information on the meeting agenda?”
“No, Dr. Sim and I have talked previously.” Soon everyone would know why she had appointments with the obstetrician. But not tonight. Tonight her baby was still her little secret.
Stephanie folded that particular note and slipped it into her lab coat’s pocket. “Anything else?”
“Another in-house complaint against Dr. Drake.”
“Can it wait until tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’m sure it can. And your mother’s personal assistant called. Should she send the car here for you tonight?”
Stephanie thought of answering no, saying she would drive herself. But she suddenly drooped with exhaustion—mentally as well as physically. She didn’t know how late it would be before she could gracefully exit the Baby Isaac Benefit.
While she had intended to run home to do make-up and hair, the drive would steal minutes from her day. She could pin her ponytail into a ballerina bun, and she had sufficient cosmetics to do an acceptable make-up job here at the office. That way she could squeeze in a much-needed rest first.
While she didn’t have a lot of time for a nap, she didn’t need a lot. Just a few minutes to prop up her feet and close her eyes.
As a resident, she had perfected the art of napping. Fifteen minutes had always been enough to restore her flagging energy and weary mind.
“Tell her yes. I would appreciate having the car sent here. And keep my office phone on hold.”
As soon as Marcy left Stephanie dimmed the lights, kicked off her shoes and settled onto her couch.
When she heard the bing from her computer that let her know she’d received an email, she ignored it. Unlike her parents and her ex-lover, she knew how to manage her priorities, and right now a quick nap was at the top of her list.
Only six o’clock and she felt as if she could sleep through to the morning. Too many late nights, early mornings, and busy days in between were taking their toll. She needed to take a long look at her schedule and eliminate non-essential functions for the next several months. Possibly longer. It was time to take care of herself.
At least for fifteen minutes.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, her office door burst open, slamming back on its hinges.
“When were you going to tell me?” Jason demanded, more emotion in his face than she had ever seen. Unfortunately that emotion was anger—at her.
Sitting up too quickly made her light-headed. She blinked through the spots as she tried to gather her thoughts.
Caught off-guard, she thought fast before leading with her most calming reassurance. “I’ll take care of everything. There’s nothing you need to do.”
He waved a computer printout in front of her. “You’ve already done enough, don’t you think? How much was my reputation worth?”
“What?” Stephanie scrunched her toes, feeling vulnerable in her bare feet. Reaching up from the couch, she grabbed the emailed page from his hand and scanned enough to see the hospital’s law firm was informing all named parties of their agreement. “Oh.”
“Oh?” He grabbed the back of a chair, his knuckles white. “Do you believe I did anything negligent to cause that baby’s death?”
“No. Of course not.”
Was that relief she saw in his eyes as they settled into a less turbulent gray?
“Then why, Stephanie? Why make me the scapegoat?”
“To protect the hospital.” She stood, feeling vulnerable again with him standing over her as she sat on the couch. Still, shoeless, her standing didn’t make much difference. “Sheffield Memorial would have been gravely injured in the media circus they were threatening. Our lawyers felt that even if we won the lawsuit—which was unlikely—we would still lose in public opinion, which means funding and research grants and patients.
We’ve already seen some of that come true. Instead Isaac’s parents settled for an internal investigation, with the doctor responsible for Isaac’s death being officially sanctioned.”
“Sanctioned? How so?”
“I oversee all your cases personally.”
“I’ve got a standing invitation to join the Mayo Clinic. Maybe it’s time I accepted their offer.”
“Why haven’t you already?”
Wasn’t that what she wanted? Jason out of her life?
“I thought I had everything I wanted here.”
Did that mean her? Or only Sheffield Memorial.
Sheffield needed him. It was her duty to try to keep him.
What about the baby? She pushed away that intrusive thought. She would never use her child to bind Jason in any way.
“It’s only for a while. Six months or so.” She tried to placate him. Then she would be on maternity