Page 22 of Fierce-Dane

“Too young for anyone to know,” Dane said.

He turned Nate around and had him standing on his lap. Might as well give him as thorough an exam as he couldsince the child was cooperating. Though he was positive both Wyatt and Adriana, who was a nurse, were going to do it anyway when they got home.

“They will do what they want,” Carolyn said. “If I’ve learned one thing in all my years of teaching and my own kids and grandkids, it is that they are stubborn. You can talk until you’re blue in the face, but they will listen when they are ready.”

“Like setting people up?” he asked cheekily.

“Now that you mentioned it,” Carolyn said. He and his big mouth.

“Just saying is all,” he said. “Nothing more than conversation.”

“Don’t rain on my parade,” Carolyn said. “You’ve got to let us set you up with someone. Just one date?”

“No, thank you,” he said. “I’m not big on blind dates. Not my thing.”

“Which means you’ve had them before.”

“Haven’t most single people my age?” he asked.

“Could be they aren’t picking out the right person for you,” Carolyn said. “I know a thing or two about this.”

“I know you do,” he said. “Do you want to go back to Grandma now? I’ve got stickers for you for being so good.”

He opened another drawer and found some dinosaur stickers and pulled one off and held it out. Nate reached for that while Dane got the toy ambulance back and dropped it in the drawer to be cleaned.

Once Nate had the sticker on his finger he put another one on his shirt, then let Nate get a third on his other finger.

The young child was smiling and drooling at the same time.

“He seems happy now,” Carolyn said. “You’ve got the touch with children.”

“The key is distraction, as you know,” he said, grinning.

“Very true.”

“I’ll have a script sent over to their pharmacy now. If either Wyatt or Adriana wants to talk to me when they are out of surgery, just tell them to call. They’ve got my cell number.”

He’d handed it out personally to some patients’ parents. There were some children he’d rather never go through the on call that were his patients and would follow up when needed. Those with medical conditions or going through something.

The Fierces had a connection to him on a personal level, not to mention doctor to doctor. But many of the Fierces’ kids worked at Duke just like him. Even if it was on the campus like Bryce and Jade’s husband, Brock. It was a courtesy.

“I’m sure one of them might send you a text,” Carolyn said. “They will know you’re busy.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

“And my family appreciates it.”

“I hear you’re the one to thank for introducing Chloe to Sloane’s Spa.”

Carolyn lifted her eyebrows. “I did. Diane and I always recommend that spa or give gift cards there. Is Tiffani asking for more pedicures? Chloe said Tiffani had a ball there for a girls’ day.”

“Oh, she wants more, but my mother or Chloe will have to take her. Chloe talked about massages enough that Tiffani got it in her head that I should have one too. That was my birthday gift from the kids. I used it last week.”

“That’s wonderful,” Carolyn said. “Who did you have? There are three wonderful women there. I’ve used them all, but Sloane is my personal favorite.”

“I had them just book me with whoever and ended up with Sloane. She does have some magical hands.”

Carolyn laughed. He wasn’t sure why he was talking about this with her, but he’d always been friendly with patients and more so with those he had that connection to outside of work.

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