Page 18 of Doctor One Night

Frankie nods, her expression calm, unbothered. “Dr. Bench should be here any minute,” she replies, glancing briefly at the door before turning her attention back to me.

She’s composed, like this is just another routine meeting for her, while I’m sitting here like one of those dumbass newbie residents, fresh out of med school.

I lean back in my chair, trying to appear relaxed, but everything is off-kilter. I scramble for something to say, something to fill the silence. “How’s, uh, everything going with the research?”

She smiles politely, that professional mask firmly in place. “It’s going well. I think we are ready to soar. The data has been promising.”

“Good,” I grunt, nodding as I try to keep my thoughts straight. “That’s great to hear.”

There’s a pause, the kind that stretches just a bit too long to be comfortable. “How about you?” she asks, her tone polite but distant. “How have you been? Recover from our collision Friday?”

“Busy,” I reply, a little too sharply. “I don’t stop, for the most part.” Why didn’t I keep with the lightness and comment on bumping into her on Friday? God, I’m such an idiot. All business and no play.

She nods, not missing a beat. “I bet.”

The silence that follows is heavy, awkward. I should say something, but everything I can think of seems forced, like I’m trying to jam the wrong piece into a puzzle.

I’m not usually like this—small talk doesn’t bother me, but right now, it’s grating on my nerves. I am totally a fish out of water, and it’s making me more irritated by the second. Where the fuck is Theo Bench?

Tuesday, May 7

12:20 pm

I’m deep in the middle of charting, my focus narrowed to the screen in front of me when my phone buzzes on the desk. I glance at it and see a text from Jonah Bellinger, one of the few people who can pull me out of work mode.

Lunch in the cafeteria?

I check my watch. I’ve got some time before my next patient, so I shoot back a short reply.

Meet you in 5.

I finish up the note I’m working on, close out the chart, and push back my chair from my desk. It’s been a long morning, and the idea of grabbing a quick bite with Jonah is a welcome break.

When I walk into the cafeteria, I spot him already seated with his tray, looking like he’s just come off a double shift. I grab a burger, some steamed broccoli, and a bottle of water before making my way over to him.

“Hey,” I say, sliding into the seat across from him.

“Hey, dickhead,” Jonah replies, already halfway through his sandwich. “Busy morning?”

“Not too bad,” I reply, taking a bite of my burger. We fall into the usual small talk, catching up on patient cases, hospital gossip, the kind of things that fill the gaps between surgeries and rounds.

After a few minutes, Jonah glances at me, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. “So, I heard you’re working on a new research project. Something with Theo Bench?”

I nod, swallowing a mouthful of green beans. “Yeah, it’s a pacemaker trial. They’ve been working on it for a couple of years, and Theo brought me in to help get it over the finish line to start the clinical trial.”

“Sounds like a big deal,” Jonah comments, taking a sip of his drink. “Who else is involved?”

I hesitate for a fraction of a second but quickly cover it up. “Frankie Renna. She’s the lead researcher on the project.”

Jonah raises an eyebrow, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Frankie Renna, huh? She’s hot.”

I shrug, trying to play it off like it’s nothing. “She’s good at what she does. The project’s solid.”But as I say it, I can’t help the flash of memory that comes with her name. She's good at a lot more than research.

Jonah’s grin turns a little wicked. “Come on, man. You’ve got to admit she’s a knockout. And smart, too. The whole package.”

I shake my head, trying to steer the conversation away from dangerous territory. “She’s a colleague, Jonah. We’re working together. That’s it. You know we can't go there. Nothing but trouble.”

But Jonah isn’t letting it go. He leans in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. “We hardly see her. Not enough, if you ask me. I might have to tap that ass now that I think about it. She’s got that whole sexy scientist thing going on.”

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