Recreational Love

Chapter 2

“Are you excited?” The woman from human resources asked in the nearly airless elevator. Her demeanor was cool, professional. It was packed, the doors opening on every floor letting people in and out. A gurney took up half the space, forcing the two of us against the wall.

I knew I should give an immediate answer, laced with a smile. But the ball of anxiety spinning in my gut made it difficult. It was my first day of work at the VCU Hospital in the ER. I’d moved home to Richmond from Boston to make a fresh start in my hometown. It was comforting to see familiar places, but starting a new job was stressful, especially after being gone for so long. Twenty years in Boston, the last fifteen nursing at Tufts Medical Center. Finally, my lips stretched across my face in a semblance of a grin. I managed a small nod.

“Well, the staff are looking forward to meeting you, and they will put you to work right away. The emergency room is always hopping. Never a dull moment.” Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and scowled.

“I thought I’d have time to show you around the floor, but an emergency of my own has come up. Don’t worry, I won’t leave you stranded. I have someone who will work with you for the next two weeks to make sure you learn the correct procedures.” Her eyes never connected with mine, and the ball of anxiety bounced up to my rib cage.

Human resources was on the 22nd floor, so by the time the elevator doors slid open on the first, I was ready to bolt. I’d never been claustrophobic before, but my nerves were on edge. It felt like day one of school again, not knowing anyone or anything. I glanced at her name tag. Alesha. I knew the woman meant well, but her demeanor left something to be desired. Oh, and her perfume was a powdery rose that overwhelmed the small space we were in.

AleshaIt took every ounce of self-control not to run out of the cramped elevator. I waited for Alesha to exit first. When I stepped on to the floor I was amazed at the calm. This was a huge hospital, and I expected it to be a madhouse from the get go. Instead, the staff patiently went about their business. A few of them were standing together, obviously gossiping, but when they saw Alesha they parted in a hurry. Apparently, she was someone they didn’t want to cross.

“Spencer?” Alesha’s grin was gone, and she was looking at her watch.

Shit.

Shit.“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” My cheeks burned, caught not paying attention.

“That’s okay, but I need to be elsewhere. Come with me.” She hurried toward the nurses’ station in the middle of the ward.

“Nancy, where’s Josh?” She asked a nurse, an older woman with a neutral smile she assumed as soon as she noticed Alesha heading her way.

“He’s at the pharmacy, but he should be back any minute. Would you like me to page him?” She said, picking up the phone.

“No, that won’t be necessary. Nancy, this is Spencer Talbot. He’s moved here from Boston and today is his first day on staff. I have to leave him here with you. Something has come up, or I’d stay with him myself. Josh is expecting him, so let him know Spencer is here as soon as he returns to the floor.” She turned without another word and jogged toward the elevator. Nancy’s mouth opened to reply, but Alesha was already gone. Her eyebrow lifted, and she shook her head.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. They scheduled me for my break five minutes ago. If you don’t mind I’m going to let you sit in an empty office until Josh returns.” She reached under the counter and pulled out a thick binder and handed it to me. It was a manual of procedures, and must have weighed ten pounds. “This way.” She led me down the hall and deposited me in a small gray room with a single window.

“I’m sorry, but you’ve arrived when it’s relatively calm. I need to take my break now, otherwise, well, you know what it’s like.” She shook her head then shut the door behind her.

I sat at a plain metal desk. There were no pictures or decorations, only the familiar smell of disinfectant. I opened the manual, prepared to at least give it a cursory glance, but my thoughts wandered to why I was here in the first place.

“You’ve come full circle, home again.” I whispered, then turned in the chair and looked out the window. A mixture of students and staff were walking up and down the sidewalk. A few in pairs, but most had their heads down, hurrying to their destinations. I wished I was one of them, with something to do, an important task to rush for.

I’d arrived in Richmond less than a week ago, escaping the chill of another Boston winter, or that’s what I told myself. I’d spent two decades up north, only coming home for sporadic visits to my Aunt Sue. She’d graciously taken me in until I could find my own place. My parents moved to Florida three years ago, so she was my only family here. I hadn’t maintained contact with anyone else, so it felt like a fresh start.

I heard a thump outside the door and my knee jumped and hit the bottom of the desk. I focused on the manual in case someone walked in. Footsteps hurried away, and I sighed with relief, glad I wasn’t caught daydreaming.

“No more doctors or men for that matter. You are to come to the hospital and leave alone.” I spoke aloud, a faint echo filling the empty space.

I drummed my fingers on the desk, impatient for this Josh person to put me to work. The longer I was alone, the more I could think of my humiliation. Jilted at the altar by Dr. Ted Walton, abandoned for a younger surgical intern. It was for the best, since oddly enough, I hadn’t missed him. On paper, he tore my heart to shreds. But what I didn’t tell anyone, was that instead of pain, I felt relief. Like missing an airplane at the last minute and discovering it crashed into the ocean later that day. I thought I’d been in love with Ted. He was confident and a top doctor in a crowded city teeming with doctors. In the rearview mirror though, he left me empty, devoid of passion. I’d only known true love once, but that was like a teenage dream, one you wake up from and despite closing your eyes over and over again, it’s lost forever.

What drove me away from Boston were the gossips. They were thrilled to whisper about it all over Tufts Medical. It was humiliating. The pediatric ward I truly loved went from being the perfect work environment to a nightmare overnight. After a month of sideways glances and whispered speculation, I turned in my notice.

thrilled“You just had to s**t where you eat, didn’t you?” I reminded myself for the umpteenth time. This job would be different. Come to work, get my s**t done, then go home. My heart was permanently encased in surgical steel, and it would stay that way.

The door burst open, and a man in scrubs stepped in, hands on hips and a broad smile plastered on his face.

“Hi! I’m Josh. You must be Spencer. Welcome to insanity.” His hands spoke as loudly as his words. He had flaming red hair and freckles sprinkled across his nose. Josh’s enthusiasm was infectious, and I returned his grin with a genuine one of my own.

“Nice to meet you, Josh.” I started to stand, but he gestured for me to stay where I was.

“Sit, sit. It’s quiet on the floor, which scares me. Whenever we get a lull, something insane happens.” He sat across from me on the other side of the desk. “I was informed by her highness, Alesha, that I am to be your mentor for the next two weeks. She’s someone to be avoided at all costs if you know what’s best for you.” He winked.

insane “Well, she does have a certain, um…” I started, then he burst into laughter.

“Oh my gawd, that look on your face is priceless. You are definitely going to fit in. Yes, a stick resides in her ass. Oh and don’t ever get trapped in an elevator with her. That god awful perfume would gag a maggot.” He slapped his thigh and giggled, and moments later I giggled, too. Looked like my new job wouldn’t be as boring as I thought. Boston was a crazy city, so I thought Richmond would be a snore fest.

gawd“Before I show you around, tell me a little about yourself. You’d better do it now, because at the drop of a hat this place can turn into a madhouse. Where did you work last?” He asked.

“I moved here from Boston. Worked at Tufts, in pediatrics.” My gut clenched again, but this time it was a pang of regret. I had loved my job, wished I was still there.

“Strange, you don’t have an accent. I love Boston, oh and Provincetown, but have the hardest time understanding anyone. Did you ever hang out there?” Josh opened the office door and peeked out, checking to see if the floor was doing okay. When he closed it, I answered.

“I’m actually from Richmond, moved away twenty years ago. I guess that explains the lack of an accent. And yes, I used to go there with...” my mouth snapped shut while thoughts of long weekends with Ted at his condo on Cape Cod flooded my mind. Status and luxury were my rewards for being with my ex, and though I missed that part, I didn’t miss him. No walking down memory lane with someone I just met.

“Ah, sounds like a man with a past. Tell me later over a cocktail. So, you come from pediatrics. Have your worked in ER before?” Josh asked, eyebrows coming together. He was probably scared of having a total newbie to train.

“Yes, I worked in the ER there for my first twelve years. I transferred to pediatrics for a change of pace. It can get pretty crazy there too.” I said, then the door swung open. A young nurse with wide eyes interrupted us.

“Josh, there’s been a multi-car pileup at the Second Street exit on 95. Get out here, the first ambulance is pulling up now.” Adrenaline surged through my limbs and we both got to our feet. Josh held out his arm for me to go first.

“Welcome to the ER.”

I leaned against the nurses’ station and wiped my hand across my brow. Despite the chaos I felt great. Work was what I wanted, keeping my hands busy and my mind on anything but myself. Now that things had calmed down a little, they had me behind the desk until I knew more about how the department operated. At least, until the next big emergency.

“I brought you some lunch. Hope you like egg salad sandwiches. Let’s go back to that office. Normally we’d eat in the cafeteria, but I want to make sure we’re close by in case anything comes up.” Josh grinned and walked away. I followed behind, trying to keep up with his quick steps. Damn, if it was like this everyday, I wouldn’t have time to miss the slower pace of pediatrics.

“So how are you holding up?” He asked as I opened the white paper bag. I pulled out the soggy sandwich and was overwhelmed by hunger. I realized I hadn’t eaten breakfast, too nervous to hold anything down this morning.

“That was something else. I haven’t been that busy in years.” I mumbled, then scarfed down a quarter of the sandwich in one bite.

“You’re going to be just fine. I can tell you’ve done this before. You were a big help, trust me. And hey, we’ve only got six more hours to go!” Josh laughed, then started on his own meal. A couple of minutes later he put down his food and spoke.

“For the rest of the shift you’ll be working triage. I know you still don’t know all the procedures, but it will help you learn the department better than anything else. Just check people in, and figure out the top priority cases. If you have any questions, page me. I’m sorry to eat and run, but I want to make sure Dr. Pratt has everything he needs.” Josh winked, his grin giving his game away.

“Which one was Dr. Pratt?” I asked innocently, knowing exactly who the hot doctor was. I might be off of men, but he was a looker I’d immediately noticed as we took care of patients together. Blood rushed to Josh’s face and his blue eyes twinkled.

“Only the most delicious doctor in the hospital. Of course, he doesn’t even know I’m alive. But I can dream.” Josh sighed, then threw the remnants of his lunch in the trash. I bit my tongue, wanting to warn him away from nurse/doctor relationships. Ted’s face flashed in my mind, then I thought once again how my life would be so much better if I’d never pursued him.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Josh asked, then stood. No way I’d let him in on my office romance humiliation. I needed to be professional, even if he wasn’t.

“First day jitters I guess.”

“My son thinks I’m having a heart attack.”

“Let’s see what is going on, Mr…” I asked, wanting to hear him say his name to figure out how alert he still was. When I saw the chart, warning bells went off inside my head. He was older, late fifties I guessed. The man looked familiar, and his commanding voice had the hair on the back of my neck standing at attention.

“Reynolds. Frank Reynolds. My son and I were inspecting a property we might buy, and I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I think it’s indigestion. Can’t stand doctors, but Michael insisted he bring me in.” The man had a domineering attitude that I was starting to remember from years ago. More importantly, I recognized his name.

Shit.

Shit.“Dr. Pratt will examine you, but before that you’re getting an EKG.” I said, then a nurse rolled the machine in.

“Perfect timing.” I thought, then I handed her the chart and beat a hasty retreat. Not only was the old man having a heart problem, but my own was suddenly pounding. The urge to hide in that gray, empty office overwhelmed me, but I hurried to the nurses’ station instead. As I circled the corner, the broad shoulders of a man’s back were my first clue that my memory was on point. His dark hair was clipped short, and even though his hands were talking as loud as he was, through his panic he sounded like a man comfortable giving orders. He was speaking to a flustered nurse who was trying to calm him down.

“Is he okay? Dad’s always been like Ironman. What’s happening? s**t, I need to call my Mom.” The man reached into his back pocket for his phone. His deep voice was so familiar. It was the voice in those teenage dreams that haunted me to this day.

It can’t be him.

It can’t be him.I caught a glimpse of his face, and in an instant his eyes locked on mine. The man had dark, rugged masculine looks that suggested arrogance, someone used to getting his own way. He c****d his head, then his eyebrows drew together. Without a second thought I turned on my heels and jogged around the corner, then I leaned against the wall, breathless.

“It can’t be him. My first day back and it’s Michael. It has to be Michael. Shit.” I whispered, shaking my head. No way he would be here on the first day of my new job. f**k. Those sparkling brown eyes and sharp cheekbones were ingrained in my mind, never to be forgotten. And damn, he was built! Father Time had been good to my ex-boyfriend. His pecs bulged under his tight red shirt. The last thing I needed was to get a hard-on underneath my scrubs. Michael was standing only a few feet away, and instead of being elated, I wanted a hole in the ground to open up and swallow me. I wrapped my arms around my chest and struggled to control my breathing. If this could happen a few months from now the timing would be perfect, but not on my first day of work. And especially not so soon after my last disastrous attempt at a relationship. An orderly pushing a patient in a wheelchair by me gave me a strange look as she passed.

Fuck“He probably doesn’t remember you, or he has a boyfriend. Nobody that good looking is single, plus, you are not searching for a boyfriend. Pull yourself together Spencer. This is your first day of work, don’t f**k it up.” I muttered, then straightened my back and strolled toward the nurses’ station.

not He was pacing in front of the desk, his phone pressed against his ear. I walked behind the counter and was about to hide in a supply closet when I heard my name called.

“Spencer?” Michael’s deep voice rang out over the low roar of the ER. The skin on my arms pebbled at the sound and my heart leapt into my throat. Damn it, I couldn’t have a panic attack on the first day of work. I guessed there was no escaping the inevitable. Turning around, I tentatively gazed into those eyes that occasionally haunted my thoughts to this day. But they were fantasies, not reality. There was no way he could be the same boy I loved after all these years.

“May I help you?” I replied, my voice scarcely above a whisper.

“It’s me, Michael. Michael Reynolds.” He stuffed his phone in his back pocket. “My old man is here, and I think he’s having a heart attack. You are Spencer Talbot, right?” He c****d his head and looked me dead in the eyes. Jesus, those eyes were so sexy and dark, the color of chocolate. My knees shook, and I placed my hand on the desk for balance. I didn’t want to deal with this. I opened my mouth to deny it, then noticed another nurse staring at us with curious eyes. Can’t lie now, can I?

Can’t lie now, can I?“Yes, I’m Spencer Talbot.” I choked out. What the hell? I couldn’t even act normal around him.

“Don’t you remember me? We both attended the same school, we, um…” Michael said, and I saw a flush creeping up from the collar of his shirt to his tanned cheeks, covered in day-old stubble. My heart raced, and I felt beads of sweat forming on my upper lip. What the hell could I say? How did I escape his intense gaze without looking like a total i***t? Images of me standing alone in front of hopeful and confused guests at my wedding flashed through my mind. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I’d had enough rejection lately to last an entire lifetime.

“Sorry, I don’t remember you.”