Page 8 of Secret Baby for Dr. Grump

“It’s just files. I’m organizing them.”

“Oh, but those are important files. You should know the story.” She grins. “I’ll tell you while we have lunch.”

I try not to be intrigued, but I can’t help wondering. When my stomach grumbles, I use it as an excuse and follow her out the door and toward the elevator. It’s empty, which gives me the confidence to lean in.

“What’s the story?”

“The story is that his previous medical assistant, Elizabeth Holmes, worked with him for years and has pretty much perfected his routine and his needs. But she got pregnant and decided to focus on her family, so she resigned. The medical assistant before you, Hannah Lewis, was a fresh graduate with top honors and was hired to contrast the older, stricter Liz. Hannah was nice, maybe too nice because she said yes to everything and got burned out too quickly.” Wanda sighs. “On her last day, she messed up a lot of files, burst into tears, and resigned on the spot, leaving Dr. Jennings with a mountain of patient and surgery schedules that needed to be postponed or reassigned—and those are all special patients and surgeries, mind you, because he’s the head and doesn’t handle the regular ones anymore.”

“What about computer files?”

“She accidentally deleted those, too.” Wanda shrugs. “Getting burned out sucks.”

I wince, then nod, understanding. I know the feeling because I experienced it years ago when I was stuck in an office that prioritized the boss’s needs and gave us too much work without compensation. It’s ironic that the night I met Luke was the same night I quit that job.

“Was she burned out because of Dr. Jennings?”

“Partly, maybe, but I think she just crumbled under the general work pressure. We’re here.”

We enter the cafeteria, get a tray, and load it up with food before we grab a table in a corner. I don’t get to ask Wanda about it anymore as a few people join us: a medical assistant named Jasper and a nurse named Maria—both good friends with Wanda. When she introduces me and tells them who I’m working with, their eyes widen.

“Shit. Really? You’re working for Dr. Grump?”

I turn to Jasper. “Dr. Grump?”

Maria elbows him. “That’s just wrong. He’s not Dr. Grump. He’s the Hot Dr. Grump.” She gives me a teasing smile. “You have to highlight everything, Jasper, otherwise Liv here will get the wrong picture.”

“Right. Fine.” Jasper shrugs. “To explain, that’s what we call him here. Not in his face, of course. Dr. Grump or The Hot Grump. Or Daddy Grump.”

I startle. “Daddy?”

“Yeah.” Jasper nods. “I don’t know why since he’s not a dad, but I guess it’s because of his age. Forty and up is a daddy and he’s forty-five.”

I relax slightly. “Right.”

Jasper continues. “Hot is self-explanatory as Maria here and pretty much half the population in this hospital would agree.”

“Not just half.” Maria shakes her head. “Everyone. Including the patients. Let’s just add Liv to the list.”

My heart skips a beat, recalling how he looked at me earlier. The initial shock had turned into a scrutiny, one that became so intense that I couldn’t breathe just being in the same room as him. But I must have more self-control than I expected as I managed to turn the situation around and made him leave the room without getting fired.

I still can’t believe it. Luke, the guy too connected to my past—hell, the guy who’s seen me naked and at my most vulnerable—is now my direct boss.

And there’s nothing I can do about it.

I shake my thoughts away. “What’s the Grump title for?”

“Self-explanatory, too, but you’d have to work here to know. He’s great with patients, but he doesn’t tolerate bullshit from them. And if it’s an employee or another doctor messing up…” Jasper clucks. “Grump immediately becomes Doctor from Hell.”

Nerves flit in, realizing what that means: either he’s an arrogant asshole or a perfectionist who won’t tolerate incompetence. I recall his last words to me.

Don’t disappoint me. Sort out those files. My previous medical assistant messed it up, so don’t do the same.

I gulp. “I see.”

Wanda rolls her eyes. “You guys are scaring her away. Don’t. I like her.”

“I’m not. I mean, I’m sure she’ll do well.” Maria grins. “She’s not even fazed over what we’re saying.”

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