The Doctor's Devotion (Love Inspired) (16 page)

Chapter Eighteen

T
he second Lauren stepped inside the center the next day, Kate grabbed her and squealed. “Sweet vitals! He almost kissed you!”

“You saw?”

Ian meandered up after Kate. “Saw what?”

Kate clapped. “Mitch almost smooched Lauren yesterday.”

Lauren’s face heated. She dragged her gaze down the halls. Where was Mitch? What if he heard Kate creating an ordeal? Would he freak out? Avoid her? Ugh.

He hadn’t come to breakfast at Grandpa’s this morning. Double ugh!

“Finally!” Kate peeled the top off a yogurt with zest. “You two’ll get with the program and stop fighting the inevitable.”

Ian looked from one woman to the other. He also looked increasingly disturbed. Kate’s face glowed as though she was ecstatic at the prospect of Lauren and Mitch being an item.

No question, Ian was not.

Why? Concern infiltrated Lauren. Perhaps chocolate would sweeten Ian up. Remembering the dark chocolate stash Mitch paid for, she scrambled for her satchel. She’d leave Ian chocolate and flee. Mitch approached. She tensed. Swatted Kate, smirking.

How would Mitch react upon seeing her? Caustic like yesterday? Acid curdled up Lauren’s throat and burned.

Mitch walked, head bent, eyeing his watch. “I have a meeting with new employees. Be back later.” He nodded to Kate, avoided Ian and gave Lauren’s shoulder a playful pinch. “Hey.”

“Hey.” She pressed tangled hands to her fluttering tummy.

As Mitch stepped away, he smiled slowly, expressions revolving like someone stumbling into a state of wonder.

Lauren put a hand to her chest. Relief!

Kate smiled smugly and went to answer a call light. Lauren went to stock rooms. Ian’s gaze narrowed at Lauren then Mitch, who paused in the hall, talking with another doctor. Ian obviously fumed about something. What?

He lumbered angrily toward Mitch. An ICU nurse poked her head out of a room. “Dr. Shupe, can you check these vent levels?”

Ian sulked that way. The look on his face said this unchartered conversation was far from over.

Kate joined Lauren stocking rooms and kept humming classic love songs. Lauren swatted her with glove packets. They finished a row of bins and grabbed the next list.

Kate smiled. Pointed behind her, whispering, “Your admirer.”

Lauren turned to find Mitch observing her with a tender expression. He walked toward them. When had he returned?

“Lauren, you busy?”

“I was just helping Kate.”

“I see that.”

Kate snatched the bin from Lauren. “She’s done.”

Chuckling, Mitch led Lauren from the room. “I saw your employment application in the office.” He beamed. “You should put in for a permanent Illinois license…if you plan to stay.” The question grew stronger than the gleam in his eyes.
Stay?

The idea appealed more than he knew. “I found out last night I get to be here two more months. My Texas friend is doing her best to accommodate me in light of Lem’s recovery.”

“How is he today?”

“If you’d come for breakfast, you’d see he’s doing super.”

He nodded but didn’t give an explanation as to why he hadn’t joined them for breakfast. He had at least phoned Grandpa to say he wouldn’t make it. Still, Lauren was curious. Yet not secure enough in their fledgling relationship to ask his whereabouts.

“So how about it, Lauren? Want the job full-time?”

“I guess it couldn’t hurt.” She nibbled her lip. “As long as you let me transfer to recovery or somewhere less intensive.”

Apple in hand, Kate returned and leaned against the wall where they talked. “It’s trauma care. Everything’s intensive.”

“Not like this.” Lauren indicated the O.R. suite. “I can do recovery. Also wouldn’t mind doing triage.”

Muscular arms folded across his broad chest. “I like you better as my scrub nurse.”

“But orthopedic surgery is apparently not my thing.”

“What if I’d walked away when I hit the floor that day?”

Her laughter faded.

Kate smiled and stepped gingerly away. “He has a point.”

Mitch rustled Lauren’s hair. Normal at first, then slower, which sent tingles through her scalp. “You’ve obviously had sufficient surgical experience.”

“In school, I worked part-time as a surgery tech. Also in obstetrics, we got cases at night that couldn’t wait for morning. They trained the OB crew to scrub in during an emergency.”

“You have a knack for it. Regardless, I’d like you on board in any capacity. Think about it, okay?”

She nodded. “I will.” Even though a lump of fear the size of Texas sat on her chest.

Did she deserve the trust freely flowing from his eyes?

God, from the time I was little, Grandpa always said You’re The Great Physician. If You’d still entrust the care of patients to me, please help me to know that.

Out of the blue and on the heels of her unspoken prayer, Mitch dialed a number and handed the phone to her.

“Who is it?” Lauren asked. Kate resumed eavesdropping.

Mitch grinned. “Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Nursing Department.”

She shook her head and eyed Kate, who snickered. “When the man wants something, he doesn’t waste time.”

The caller answered. Lauren explained her situation.

“We’ll need to conduct a departmental check. It should be three days.”

“For the background check?”

“No, ma’am. For your license to arrive, as long as there are no red flags.”

She hung up, feeling like a floatation device. She stared at the phone. “I absolutely cannot believe it.”

Mitch sank his teeth into a chocolate square and leaned his hip on the desk. “What’d they say?”

“My Illinois license will be here in three days.”

Mitch’s grin grew sweeter than any chocolate in existence.

Lauren didn’t know what terrified her more. The prospect of doing nursing full-time again. Or the giddy way her insides crooned when Mitch looked her way.

She stood on three precipices that could go very badly. Or very well. Hopefully her streak of hardship was over. Being able to work as a nurse without making a single mistake. To move to Illinois near Lem, like she’d always dreamed of. Growing a relationship with a dashing doctor.

Any one of the three going wrong would break her heart. Hard to hope for all to work out well when her life hadn’t been without heartache since age ten. Lem had been the one bright spot.

“Chocolate for your thoughts?” Mitch brandished her candy.

She smiled. “Things seem too good to be true. Not sure I remember what it feels like to hope and have it come true.”

“Thankfully we know Someone in the business of restoring hope.” Mitch’s gaze tracked Kate, who was leaning their way. “She’s nosier than a plastic surgeon’s office agenda.”

“Ya think?” Lauren laughed.

“Although she did bring up a good point to me yesterday. Said she hoped you’d end up working here with us permanently.”

“How’d your meetings go?” Lauren hedged.

“Excellent. We headed off a serious staffing shortage. I put out a community call for employees and have interviews lined up for weeks. We’ll soon have two more trauma teams in force.”

Which meant he was moving on, with or without her long-term. Mitch was the kind of man who would. That made her feel glad and sad at the same time.

Glad for the community. Sad for her? “I’m a nut job,” Lauren announced decidedly.

Mitch laughed. “You trying to convince me I wouldn’t want you working here with me?”

“I’m trying to convince both of us.” She groaned when call lights went off. “Shall I answer that? Or make the doctor?”

He smiled. “Either way. You let me know.”

She headed toward the light. “Since it’s a nurse’s job, I’ll cut you a break.” She aimed her finger at him. “But know without a doubt I’d be far too much trouble for you.”

That stopped him in his tracks. She went on to the room.

“May I trouble you for an extra pillow?” the mother, at the side of her son—the recovering planker—asked Lauren.

“It’s no trouble.” Lauren turned to get it and rammed face first into something hard—Mitch’s chest. She looked up, up, up. He grinned down and raised well-built arms. A pillow dangled from each hand. He must’ve followed her into the doorway and heard the mother’s request.

What kind of doctor delighted in answering call lights?

“Thanks,” Lauren muttered and snatched both pillows from him, then helped the mother plump them around herself.

“Thank you, Nurse Lauren. You certainly knew your calling.”

Her words stopped Lauren. She felt Mitch’s stare, and probably his knowing smirk, on her frame from the door.

“Uh, thanks.” If the woman only knew… Lauren entered the hall, not surprised to see Mitch still outside the door.

“You, trouble?” He draped an arm around her. “Maybe so,
Nurse Lauren,
but I’m quite convinced you’re worth it.”

Two hours later, he met her at the time clock. “Shift over?”

“Yes. But if you need something—”

“No.” Mitch ushered her outside. “I need to set something straight, and it would be unprofessional to do so on duty.”

Beyond curious, she followed. He led her to a cozy lakeside bench canopied in a flower-woven trellis beside the parking lot.

Before Lauren could blink, Mitch bent and thoroughly kissed every last question out of her mind.

For the next few electrifying minutes, his mouth took exquisite care with hers. Intent. Gentle. Delicate. Deliberate.

As he broke contact, deep feelings surged between them. His fervent eyes softened as he dipped his face in earnest once more, with delectable pressure and the promise of devotion.

Every slumbered nerve, every hope, every emotion—awakened.

Every fear, every reservation, every doubt—demolished.

The world dwindled to just him and her and the ardent kiss between them.

A startling sound pulled Lauren back to earth. Still in the bliss that was Mitch’s arms, she turned.

Ian stood, scowling, one fist clutching a bag of fast food, the other clenched into a fist. He stood seething at the end of the employee parking area.

“Yikes. Big mistake,” Mitch muttered and moved toward Ian.

What? Did he mean the kiss?

Or something with Ian?

Mitch approached Ian intently, but Ian shook his glaring head and stalked off until he disappeared inside the building.

Mitch came back, braced Lauren’s shoulders and bent his mouth close to her ear. “In case there’s any question, I meant every single second of that kiss. My only regret is I didn’t do it sooner.”

With that, Mitch pulled her in for a caring follow-up that more than adequately proved he meant it.

* * *

“Speaking of trouble, here it comes in spades,” Kate said to Lauren and Mitch at the break table the next day.

Everyone turned.

Ian tanked toward them like an irate military interrogator. “What’s the scoop, Lauren?”

He turned his wrath next on Mitch. “You’re my best friend. I shouldn’t be the last to know.”

No question Ian was still miffed. He hadn’t answered Mitch’s calls yesterday or this morning.

Lauren looked to Nita for help.

“Shall I translate for all of you then?” Nita stood. “Mitch and Lauren care deeply about one another, but each of them has been too scared, scarred or stubborn to admit it. In fact, they are probably falling flat-faced in love as we speak.”

Everyone’s mouths fell open. Including Mitch and Lauren’s.

Kate’s eyes widened. “Wow. This is better than a TV drama.”

“Lauren?” Ian pressed.

“I seriously have no idea what that means.”

Mitch did. But didn’t want to say it the first time with an audience. He studied Ian. Pangs of regret hit that he hadn’t mentioned his feelings for Lauren. But the truth was, he only recently came to terms with admitting his feelings to himself.

He’d prayed for permission yesterday and gotten a green light while Lauren went to the jail to visit Mara.

“So it’s not true about you and Mitch?” Ian’s jaw clicked.

“I, er, I’m not sure what’s going on there.” Lauren seemed more bewildered by the minute. She nervously wrung her hands.

Kate passed Mitch looks as if he’d better do something fast.

Ian was out of control. And completely out of character.

“Making out on hospital property meant nothing?” Ian said.

That did it. Mitch’s anger boiled against Ian over his badgering Lauren. Ian needed to pick on someone his own size. Besides, he and Lauren were far from making out yesterday.

“Ian, can I talk to you privately?” Mitch rose formidably.

Ian’s jaw clenched. He fell into wordless step with Mitch.

“Peace offering.” Mitch shoved Ian a bouquet of Lauren’s dark chocolate once they were down the hall.

Ian didn’t crack a smile, however, and instead hulked, hurt and humorless, ahead of Mitch into the physicians’ lounge.

“Why didn’t you tell me you and Lauren are dating?” Ian’s tone seared into Mitch like flaming shrapnel.

“We’re
not
dating, bro.”

Ian’s head tilted. “You’re…”

“No. She’s a respectable girl and I told you, I’m doing things right this time around. We haven’t technically been on a date.” He needed to remedy that ASAP.

As soon as he fixed this rift with Ian.

“You said if you ever fall in love again, you’ll do things differently. You saying you’re in love with her?”

“No, man. I, maybe. I don’t know. All I know is that, where you’re concerned, I’m sorry. This is coming out all wrong. I didn’t want to talk to you about it because, well, I thought that would be insensitive since you’re…” Mitch’s hand tilted.

Ian straightened. “What? Headed to Divorceville, and you’re headed to Blissville?”

Ian’s voice had softened somewhere in the middle.

Mitch looked up, glad to see Ian half smiling now.

“She’s why you’ve been dissing me.” Ian laughed with the self-revelation, bringing Mitch great relief.

“Ian, you’re my best bud. Like a brother. The last thing I want right now is to bring more pain and suffering upon you. So, while my intentions of being cautious were good, I might have waited too long to tell you.” And too long to make a move with courting Lauren.