was willing to bet money on the identity of the ‘someone’ who would point out the similarities between Leland and himself. Allan would plant enough doubt in the board’s collective mind to make J.D.’s proposal sound risky. In the end, Allan’s long association with Mercer Memorial would be pointed out and Candace’s request would seem the more sensible of the two.
He cut right to the chase. ‘So, the bottom line is since I’m not a happily married man with a mortgage my chances of the board approving my proposal are slim to none.’
Allan raised both hands as if to placate him. ‘Well, now, J.D. I won’t presume to second-guess our hospital BOD. I’m simply pointing out the obvious. As they say, forewarned is forearmed.’
Anxious to leave before his temper exploded, J.D. rose. ‘Absolutely.’
‘I’ll certainly put in a good word for your project, though. Don’t you worry.’
‘I’m glad to hear it.’ J.D. wasted little time in reaching the exit and took extra care to avoid slamming the door behind him.
He bestowed a forced smile on Allan’s secretary in the outer office, before heading toward familiar—and friendly—territory.
He burst through the pendulum-like double doors intent on finding Katie. Not only did she share his vision for establishing an area specifically for the minor emergencies, but she was the person both he and Daniel had come to rely on for the past four years. A quiet, dependable, level-headed young lady, she looked after Daniel almost as much as he did.
Best of all, she acted as his sounding board. If there had ever been a time when he’d needed her in that capacity, it was now. Luckily, he found her sitting at the nurses’ station.
Katie glanced at him, the smile on her face dying to a frown. ‘I don’t need to ask how your meeting went.’
He glowered. ‘No, you don’t.’
‘What did Allan think of your report?’
He didn’t hide his disgust as he plunked himself on a vacant office chair. ‘The report was fine. And, to quote Allan, “an impressive document”.’
A tense moment passed before she prompted, ‘But?’
‘But I’m a risky element.’
She stared at him in open-mouthed disbelief. ‘What?’
J.D. patiently explained. ‘Allan questions whether I’ll be here to see my project to completion.’
‘Where did he get that idea?’
‘From Leland.’
‘Dr Purdy?’ Incredulity crossed her face. ‘What has he got to do with anything?’
J.D. shrugged. ‘Leland left for greener pastures. Allan thinks I will, too.’
‘But Dr Purdy always said Mercer was a stepping-stone to bigger and better things. He was quite vocal about it.’
‘Yeah, well, since we’re both tarred with the same brush of bachelorhood, Allan figures I’m just as footloose and fancy-free.’
Katie crossed her arms and her brown eyes blazed with indignation. ‘That’s preposterous! You’re a single parent with responsibilities, and Dr Purdy had none. I doubt if the man even knew what the inside of his apartment looked like. He went out with nearly every woman in the county.’
J.D. was well aware of the other man’s habits. His colleague had tried to include him on some of his evenings around town, but J.D. had never taken him up on his offers. Curiosity prompted him to ask, ‘You went on a date with him, too?’
She appeared affronted. ‘I said nearly every woman. I wasn’t his type. In any case, it’s an insult for Allan to lump you in the same category as that Romeo.’
J.D. straightened a paperclip, then reshaped it into a square. ‘I’ll admit I wasn’t flattered by the comparison. Renting my house is also a point against me. I could skip town at a moment’s notice.’
Her expression became thoughtful. ‘Owning property does imply a certain amount of stability. It’s also a good long-term investment.’
‘Yeah, I suppose,’ he said, thinking of the inherent worries associated with such a major purchase. He hadn’t avoided purchasing a house—it was just that he was satisfied with the one he had. Nor did he have any complaints against his landlord—if something needed to be fixed, Mr Hepplewhite took care of it almost immediately.
As an added bonus, the location of his home was within walking distance of the hospital and a neighbourhood elementary school. As far as J.D. was concerned, he had an ideal arrangement.
‘Next you’ll tell me that I need something along the lines of a five-acre estate.’
‘At the very least,’ she said, a teasing glint in her eyes. ‘You could even add a few horses, a couple of cows, a dog and a family of cats, too. My neighbour has a few kittens ready to wean. Daniel would love taking care of a kitty or two.’
‘A dog, maybe. A cat? Forget it.’
She chuckled. ‘Rambunctious little boys and playful puppies go together better than little boys and cats, I guess.’
Her smile died and her voice became tentative. ‘What are you planning to do?’
An unholy thought occurred to him. ‘Other than perform a sigmoidoscopy on Allan without anaesthetic?’
Her grin returned. ‘Yeah. Other than that.’
‘I’m willing to do what I can to improve the emergency services department. I’ll buy a house, or build one if need be, but getting married is out of the question.’
Katie turned away to rummage through a drawer. ‘You’re right. That would be the ultimate sacrifice.’
Oddly enough, her voice sounded cool.
‘You’ve always been honest with me,’ he began, fearing he’d offended her in some way. ‘Surely you can see my point. My proposal should stand on its own merits and nothing else.’
She straightened to meet his gaze. ‘I won’t argue with you. However, a few of the more conservative members may agree with Allan. You should be prepared for that eventuality.’
‘The board is composed of intelligent people,’ J.D. said. ‘They’ll see how much more efficient and cost-effective the ER will be if they approve my idea.’
‘Are you willing to gamble that your personal life won’t influence their decision?’
Part of him was, but a small voice warned him of the perils associated with assuming how people would think. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt if he conducted a little PR of his own before his report appeared on the next board meeting’s agenda.
The first phase of his plan included paying a visit to Dr Robert Casey, the medical director. Unfortunately, J.D.’s medical skills were constantly called for as the day unfolded and he shelved his idea for the
