Page 60 of Doctor One Night

Wednesday, May 29

5:21 am

The room is dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the city outside the window. Frankie is curled up beside me, her breathing steady and soft, her warmth a comforting presence against the cool sheets. I’m half-asleep, drifting in that space between dreams and reality, when the buzzing of my phone on the nightstand jolts me awake.

I groan softly, reaching for the phone, trying not to disturb Frankie as I glance at the screen. It’s an urgent text from the hospital’s answering service. My eyes narrow as I read the message:

Nurse Grace—heart attack on the floor. Need you in ASAP.

Shit. Grace. Big Mama. The thought of her down with a heart attack hits me like a punch to the gut. It’s not like this came out of nowhere with her incident a few months ago. Still, she is so stoic and so damn stubborn that I guess I let it outside of my radar.

Fuck.

Even though Wednesdays are usually my clinic days with no surgeries scheduled, I have no doubt—I’m going in for Grace. She’s always been there for us, and now it’s my turn to be there for her.

I turn my head to look at Frankie, still fast asleep beside me. Frankie's auburn hair spreads out over the pillow and her face remains peaceful, even in sleep. I take a moment to appreciate her beauty, stunning, so at ease. The fact that she’s here, in my bed, after everything finally gives me peace instead of angst. It’s hard to pull myself away, to leave this warmth and comfort, but duty calls.

Gently, I place my hand on her shoulder, giving her a soft shake. “Frankie,” I whisper, my voice low so as not to startle her. “Frankie, I need to go.”

She stirs, her eyes fluttering open, still heavy with sleep. “Hunter?” she murmurs, her voice drowsy.

“There’s been an emergency at the hospital,” I explain, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “Grace had a heart attack while working. They need me to come in.”

Her eyes widen slightly, and she sits up a little, concern flashing across her face. “Oh no… is she going to be okay?”

“I don’t know any details,” I say, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. “But I need to get there. I hate to leave you like this, but it’s an emergency.”

She nods, fully awake now, her hand resting on my arm. “Of course, you have to go. I understand. I can get up quickly.”

“No, stay in bed. There is nothing you can do there right now.” I lean down and kiss her gently, savoring the softness of her lips against mine, the warmth of her body radiating out of the bundled covers wrapped around her. “Stay as long as you want,” I tell her, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. “Sleep in, help yourself to anything. The door will lock behind you, so just pull it closed when you leave.”

“Okay,” she whispers, her voice full of understanding. “Go take care of her. Keep me posted and give Grace my love.”

I give her one last look, hating the fact that I have to leave her, but knowing there’s no other choice. “I’ll see you later,” I promise, kissing her forehead one last time before standing up.

As I get dressed, pulling on scrubs that I keep in the closet for emergencies like this, I can’t help but glance back at Frankie. She’s already lying back down, but her eyes follow me, a soft smile on her lips despite the situation.

“Be safe,” she says, her voice filled with a quiet strength that I’ve come to admire.

“I will,” I reply, giving her a small nod before heading out the door.

TWENTY-ONE

Frankie

7:41 am

I wake up slowly, the warmth of the sheets wrapping around me like a cocoon. For a moment, I’m disoriented, not entirely sure where I am, until I bury my face in the pillow beside me and breathe in his scent.

Hunter.

I’m in his bed. The realization washes over me, and I let out a soft sigh, snuggling deeper into it.

It’s surreal, being here in his place without him. The room is filled with his presence, even though he’s not here—his scent lingering in the sheets, the faint hum of the city outside his window. I feel a little out of place, like I’m intruding on something private, even though he invited me to stay.

But there’s no time to linger. I know I need to get up and get home to shower before my midmorning meeting with Theo. As much as I’d love to stay here, wrapped up in this moment, in the essence of him, reality is calling.

I stretch out, my hand brushing across the empty side of the bed where Hunter should be. I remember the way he woke me up, his voice soft but urgent as he explained what had happened. I appreciate that he did verses just leaving like he did before.

---