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“Drop the curtains!” someone shouted.

“Come on, Gary,” Vivian said as she began to pump his chest. “Get me an AED!”

“Drop the curtains. You can’t shock him on television,” another person yelled.

“Forget about the damn curtains and get her an AED,” Reece screamed.

Vivian tuned the world out but as she turned and looked at the audience one last time before the curtains dropped at the Opry, she saw her father’s face looking up at her from the crowd.

* * *

Reece was glad to be leaving the Opry. He wasn’t glad how it was happening, though. He’d rather sit through all his father’s songs than have this happen to someone. The paramedics had arrived and Vivian was rattling off instructions as Reece helped them load an unconscious Gary onto a stretcher.

They’d got his heart to start again, but his blood pressure was not good and he hadn’t gained consciousness. There was pupillary reaction but not much else and Reece had no doubt that if they hadn’t been there Gary would’ve died on stage.

“Good thing we came tonight,” Vivian said softly beside him.

“I was just thinking the same thing myself.”

Vivian stood behind him and shivered. It was early summer, but it was still cool at night and all she was wearing was a sequined tank top, skinny jeans and open-toed heels. She looked so damn sexy, but she probably wasn’t all that warm.

“Let’s take my car and get to the hospital. Run some more tests,” Reece offered.

“Sounds good.”

He didn’t have a coat on to offer her, so instead he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in close and holding her tight. It felt so good to hold her.

“What’re you doing?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“You’re shivering.”

“Oh.” She settled into him. It was nice, his arm around her as they walked toward his car. He wished it was a more leisurely stroll. He wished it was a different time. He wished there hadn’t been any separation between them, but it was dangerous being so close to her. It made him forget the pain.

He couldn’t let her get too close. It was bad enough that that producer backstage at the Opry had recognized him and she’d overheard. When he’d first seen her backstage she’d been staring at the picture of his father, frowning. He’d been so sure she was going to recognize him then, but thankfully she hadn’t.

If she’d stayed in Nashville he would’ve eventually told her.

“Thanks for the arm. I didn’t realize how cold I’d gotten. Sorry I freaked out.”

“What did you think I was doing?” He opened the car door for her. “And I didn’t think Germany was all that tropical.”

She laughed uneasily. “It’s not and I’m not sure what I thought. I’m out of sorts. Still in shock over what happened.”

“You did good,” he said as she slid into the passenger side.

“We both did,” she said, but then she began to curse under her breath. “I wish we didn’t have to let him go. I wish I knew what was plaguing him. It’s driving me crazy that I can’t find the cause.”

“We’ll find it.”

What he didn’t say was that he hoped it was before they were doing an autopsy. He wanted to find a cure for Gary.

“I know. I have to find it.” She sighed. “I mean
we
have to find it.”

He knew with that slip of the tongue that she was blaming herself, that she was putting so much pressure on herself. Even after all this time, her modus operandi hadn’t changed.

So he didn’t say anything else. If he did she’d push him away.

Isn’t that what you want?

And that was something he couldn’t answer.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“
W
HAT
THE
HECK
HAPPENED
?”

Vivian glanced back as she worked over Gary Trainer to see Dr. Brigham burst into the trauma pod, looking none too pleased. His face was red as he fumed. This was the Dr. Brigham Vivian remembered. As if it was her fault Gary had seized on stage. Dr. Brigham was two-faced enough to throw her under the bus if it came to it.

“Mr. Trainer had a seizure on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry,” Vivian replied, turning back to Gary, who was unconscious. She had just made the choice to intubate him and put him in a medicated coma until she could figure out what was going on with him.

Every time he had a seizure his heart stopped, yet cardio had cleared him. It was a medical mystery, to be sure, and she didn’t need to feel the added pressure of Dr. Brigham breathing down her neck, demanding answers.

She wanted to find out what was causing this in Gary. It was driving her crazy.

“Why was he discharged in the first place?” Brigham demanded.

“He was discharged because we couldn’t find anything wrong with him and he passed a stress test. There was no reason to keep him,” Reece snapped.

Great. Now Reece was fighting her battles. She didn’t need him fighting her battles. It was bad enough he’d seen her at a weak moment backstage at the Opry. A moment made worse when she’d seen her father’s face in the crowd as she’d worked over Gary. Only it couldn’t have been her father. She hadn’t seen him in many years but how much could he have changed, realistically—he couldn’t afford the Opry. Not when he spent all his money on booze and goodness knows what else.

Taking care of her mother after her father left had taught her that she didn’t need help fighting her battles. She could take care of herself. Besides, if Reece was fighting her battles, what kind of message would that convey?

It would tell Dr. Brigham that she couldn’t handle this job, when she knew she could.

“Yes. Thank you, Dr. Castle. Dr. Brigham, legally, he had every right to leave. I gave him the facts and he decided to leave. Did you really want rumors flying that we unlawfully kept Gary Trainer locked up at Cumberland Mills?”

Dr. Brigham looked shocked but shut his mouth. It was obviously the right thing to say to get him off her back, but she knew she’d have to watch herself around him.

“Find out what’s causing this,” Dr. Brigham blustered and he left the trauma pod.

“You’re doing the right thing,” Reece said as he helped her intubate. It was as if he was reading her thoughts.

“I just wish I knew what was going on.”

“You’ll find out what’s going on soon enough.”

Vivian blushed. She didn’t deserve Reece.

The intubation was finished and Gary was stabilized, even though he was in a medicated coma. She’d run some more tests and she’d stay as long as it took to find out what was causing his condition.

“We need to get him down to CT. I want a full body scan and I want some labs drawn. Get me a full array of blood.”

“Yes, Dr. Maguire,” the resident said. Vivian moved away from the bed and ignored Reece, moving past him. She needed to get into her scrubs and then she was going to head down to the research lab and start searching the neuroscience journals for something. Anything.

“You know, you’ll never get Dr. Brigham’s job if you snap at him,” Reece said, falling into step beside her.

“Well, I had to let him know I could handle whatever he threw at me, especially when he’s questioning my medical decisions. And I don’t need you to stick up for me. I can handle my own battles.”

He frowned. “Why are you getting angry at me?”

“I’m getting angry at you because he was talking to me. Not you. I can handle Dr. Brigham by myself.”

“Fine. Handle him by yourself.” Reece turned on his heel and walked the other way.

Vivian cursed under her breath, regretting her decision to snap at Reece. She always pushed people away because she didn’t want to rely on anyone else. She only wanted to rely on herself. Her mistakes were just that and her wins were also hers as well.

Just keep walking.

Only she didn’t listen to that inner voice. She ran after him.

“Reece, wait.”

He stopped and looked annoyed with her. “What? Did I step on your toes again?”

“No. I’m sorry.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “You’ve been saying that a lot recently.”

“I know, I know. It’s just I’m not used to this. I’ve forgotten.”

“Forgotten what? Common courtesy?”

She rolled her eyes and then laughed. “Shut up.”

He chuckled. “All right, all right, I accept your apology. I don’t want you to beat me up in the hospital hall.”

“Please. You know what I meant. I’m not used to dealing with politics and hierarchy like this. I’d forgotten how tough a teaching hospital can be. I’m used to doing what I want and when I want. I’m used to ORs being ready and I’m used to diagnosing patients a lot quicker than this.”

It took a lot for her to admit that. Especially to Reece. He was a man she could somewhat trust, but not fully. He could still turn around and use that information against her to bring her down.

She knew how it worked.

“Your father loves us. He loves us, Vivian. You have to trust him not to hurt us. He’ll come back for us, Vivian. He’ll come back and take care of us.”

The memory haunted her.

“I’m sorry you’re so frustrated, but you’ll find the answer.” He didn’t say
we
and that stung and she didn’t know why. “I know it.”

“Thank you for the vote of confidence. I don’t deserve it.”

He shrugged. “You’re a good surgeon, Vivian.”

“So are you.”

Reece’s face was unreadable. “Go to Gary and I’ll page you when I take your mother down for her protocol.”

“You’re doing that tonight?”

He nodded. “She can’t wait too much longer and the room is available tonight. I was going to tell you after the concert. Get you out of going to that party and mingling.”

She smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“Go get Gary dealt with. I’ll wait until his scans come up before I take your mother down.”

“Thanks.”

He nodded. “Sure.”

Vivian rubbed his arm. “Sorry for yelling at you.”

“I’m used to it.” He winked and smiled but she shrugged his hand off her and walked away. Vivian felt a bit better now that was settled. It put her at ease so that she’d be able to deal with Gary and his mystery illness, because that was the most pressing thing. His life hung in the balance, as did her career.

Only that wasn’t as important as finding out what was attacking Gary and diagnosing him. Figuring out the mystery was why she’d become a doctor. It was what she loved to do.

She was going to discover what was ailing Gary Trainer and she was going to get him back on that stage at the Grand Ole Opry.

But first she needed to go to her office and get changed into her scrubs. Once she had tied back her hair and grabbed her identification she checked her pager to find a message from the resident saying they were just getting into CT scan.

So she had a few minutes.

She went to check on her mother.

When she peeked into the room, her mother was sitting up in bed and watching television.

“Mama, it’s eleven at night. What’re you still doing up? You need to get your rest.”

Her mother looked at her. “Dr. Castle said that I was going down to the OR.” She held up her hand to show her that she had an IV. “I haven’t been able to eat or drink for the last couple of hours. He said he’s going to take me after midnight.”

“It’s because you’re getting general sedation. That way you don’t feel anything when Dr. Castle gives you the medicine.”

“
If
he gives me the medicine,” her mother said. “It’s a blind study. I could get the placebo, which sounds a bit like an amoeba.”

Vivian laughed and squeezed her mother’s hand. She was so glad her mother was lucid tonight and that they could chat like they used to. The only thing that would make this perfect was being back home in her mother’s comfortable living room, or on the porch drinking sweet tea on a hot summer night.

“So where were you tonight?” her mother asked.

“Believe it or not, I was at the Grand Ole Opry.”

“You’re kidding?” Her face lit up.

“Not kidding.”

“What was it like? I bet it was amazing. I always wanted to perform at the Opry.” There was a wistfulness to her mother’s voice which broke Vivian’s heart.

“It was okay, but I was backstage for a patient.”

“So you were there when Gary Trainer collapsed?”

“I was. I administered CPR to him. He’s my patient.”

“Wow. I can’t believe that.” Sandra smiled and leaned back against her pillows. “So unbelievable.”

“Why?” Vivian asked. “I’m a neurosurgeon.”

“I know, darlin’, it’s just that I still see you like that little baby I brought home from the hospital.”

Vivian laughed. “That reminds me, stop telling Dr. Castle stories about me.”

“He’s cute,” Sandra said.

“Mama, you know who Reece is, don’t you?”

Her mother nodded. “I know. I may not have known before, but I put two and two together. You did the right thing going to Germany. You advanced your career. Now you’re the doctor to Gary Trainer and spending nights at the Grand Ole Opry.”

“My job’s not all that glamorous,” Vivian teased.

“Don’t burst my bubble, Vivi.”

Vivian shook her head and laughed. “I’ll try not to.”

“So what happens now?”

“What do you mean?” she asked. “Between Dr. Castle and me?”

“No, I mean with me.”

Vivian let out a sigh of relief because she wasn’t sure she could answer her mother or whether her mother would accept any answer she gave. “I’m going to head down to Radiology and check on my patient. I just want you to know I’ll be in the OR with you. You won’t know it, but I’ll be there holding your hand when you’re under and I’ll be here when you wake up.” She leaned over and kissed her mother on the top of her head. “Good night, Mama. Stay out of trouble.”

She headed down to Radiology and got there just in time for the scans to come up on the computer. The brain was clean; there were no lesions.

Nothing.

Damn.

She scrubbed a hand over her face. She needed time to think. “Email me the scans and take Mr. Trainer up to the ICU. Monitor him closely and if there’s any change, any little blip, page me. I’ll be in my office.”