pushed the door open further. The room was filled with people, undoubtedly family and friends. Dr. Smith stood beside Shawn’s bed with his back to her. Having only known him a day, she still recognized his dark hair and broad back.
He glanced around. “Good morning, Dr. Ross. We were just talking about you,” he said with a grin.
Michelle raised an uncertain brow. Never a fan of people discussing her, she wasn’t sure she was happy with what Dr. Smith might have been saying.
More than once she’d heard the whispers after she’d gone by the nurses’ desk. But instead of those negative thoughts his grin brought back memories of their conversation the evening before when he’d announced unabashedly that he was in the shower. He’d been trying to get a reaction out of her. She planned to see he didn’t get one.
“I was checking on Shawn to see if he had any questions for me before he goes into the OR,” Dr. Smith offered.
She nodded. “Good.”
Dr. Smith pushed his dark hair back away from his face. There was nothing conservative about its length or cut. Worn long and being wavy and thick, it curled behind his ears. It was the kind of hair that women envied. He certainly didn’t meet what she considered the standard dress code.
“Did you know that Shawn is a master gamer?”
What was he talking about? “No, I didn’t. That’s great.” She looked at Shawn. “Do you have any questions about the surgery?”
The far-too-thin young man shook his head. “I think my mother does.”
“I’ll go and let Dr. Ross speak to your parents. I’ll see you in the OR in a few minutes. The nurse will give you something to make you happy.” Dr. Smith grinned. “Don’t get too used to it because you don’t get to carry any of it home.” He put out his fist and Shawn butted his against it. “Later, man. Remember you promised me a game.”
“Sure, Dr. Smith.”
“Make it Ty, man. See you soon.”
Shawn nodded and gave him a small smile. For the first time since she’d met Shawn he didn’t look terrified. She and Dr. Smith might have gotten off on the wrong foot but she had to give him kudos for making patients feel comfortable. She would like to be that easy with people but it wasn’t her strong suit.
Half an hour later Michelle entered the OR prep area. Dr. Smith stood at the scrub sink along with three of the OR nurses. The group was chattering non-stop. Dr. Smith seemed to be the ringleader, interjecting a random comment which would bring on a burst of laughter from the women around him.
For the first time Michelle felt like an outsider. She couldn’t remember ever feeling that way so intensely before, or caring. She had no idea how to join their conversation. Worse, she couldn’t understand why all of a sudden she wanted to. What would it be like to belong? To know what was happening in the staff’s lives, for them to know what was happening in hers? Could she ever have that type of relationship with her coworkers? With anyone?
She remembered having friends over to spend the night as a kid. After her father had died that had become less frequent. She’d found out pretty quickly that her friends hadn’t felt comfortable with her any longer. The sadness she’d felt over the loss of her beloved father had been far too much for them. She’d started spending more and more time at home, reading and studying. It had been easier than trying to pretend to be having a good time with people who didn’t understand.
Her father was gone and her friends had slowly left also.
Michelle’s mother had encouraged her to go out to football games, to the prom, but to Michelle all those things had seemed silly. She’d also hated to leave her mother alone. They’d become a team. As the years had gone by Michelle had lost most of her small-talk skills, choosing to focus on medicine instead of a social life. Her mother, school and then her job had taken all her time, leaving little to devote to building outside relationships. There had been a few men who had shown her attention. Most had only been interested in her for her looks. Few had appreciated her intellect. They hadn’t stayed around long.
A second later another nurse joined the group. Dr. Smith did have a way of drawing not only women to him but men as well. People liked him. She had to admit she was as aware of the man as the rest of them. She just refused to let it show, had more command over her reactions.
Unable to wait any longer to scrub in so that she could begin her procedure on time, she stepped towards the sink when a spot became available. Just as she took her place, the group erupted in laughter.
Dr. Smith turned, almost bumping into her. “Hey, Michelle.”
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the other women drifting away. She placed a foot on the pedal to start the water. “Hi,” she said, concentrating on washing.
“We were just talking about getting together tonight at a bar downtown. I’ve been asked to fill in as part of the surgeons’ band.”
“You play?”
“Don’t sound so surprised. I play a mean guitar. I think that’s why Schwartz requested me to take his place. More for my guitar skills than my medical ones.”
“I didn’t know Dr. Schwartz played in the band.”
Had he said he wasn’t surprised? She refused to let him make her feel like she didn’t belong. “No, it doesn’t surprise me that you play guitar. I was just making conversation.”
“Interesting. You don’t strike me as someone who makes small talk.” Was he trying to needle her on purpose?
“I don’t believe you know me well enough to know what I do.”
He pressed his lips together and nodded as if in deep thought. “You’re right. Maybe we should try to change that.”
Michelle looked at him. Where was this going?
“A group of us are getting together after the band plays on Saturday night. Why don’t you join us then? Practice that small talk.”
“I’m busy.”
“Well, if your plans change we’re going to be at Buster’s. Wherever that is.”
“It’s right in the central part of the old city.”
“A surgeon and a tour guide. Two for one,” he said with a grin.
She smirked at him. “My father used to take me there for burgers when I was a kid.” Why was she telling him this?
“Really, your father took you to a bar?” His tone implied he was teasing.
She made an exasperated noise. “My father would never have taken me to a bar.”
Dr. Smith chuckled. The man was baiting her again. Wasn’t he ever serious?
“It wasn’t a bar then. Just a grill. Mr. Roberts owned the place and was a friend of my father’s. I don’t know what it’s like now, but it was once a place with brick walls and had these old wooden tables.”
“You haven’t been lately?”
