Page 1 of Doctor Frost

Dalton

NOVEMBER

Rain hit my office window, the steady tap annoying me, pulling my focus away from the report I was working on. It had been a long day and combined with the steady giggling from the girls out at the front desk, I was growing more annoyed by the minute. What did they think this was, a playground?

I let out a sigh, flipped to the next screen, and went to write more of my report when I got to one section of my notes and couldn’t read them. I frowned as I stared at the messy handwriting. I’d asked my nurses to add this part when I was on my way out of an appointment. They should have better penmanship than this. My writing was one thing, but this was inexcusable.

When another round of laughter erupted through my wall, I got up from behind the desk and took off out my door and around to the front desk.

Charlotte took half a glance in my direction, stopped laughing, and focused on whatever it was she was supposed to be working on, but when I set my sights on Amelia, she sat there looking up at me with a huge grin on her face.

It was always the same with her, and it had been that way since she’d started working for me. She was always certain that people could be cured. It was exhausting when I knew that wasn’t the case. I looked at Charlotte and then over to that grin again.

“Last I checked, it’s only two. There are three more hours before you’re finished today, which means you should do the work that needs to be done and not be goofing off. This office should be silent,” I said, slamming the patient file I had questions about down on the counter in front of Amelia.

Charlotte jumped, but Amelia sat there giving me that look. She cleared her throat, rested her chin on her hand, and met my eyes.

“We are just creating a healthy work environment,” she bit back. “Everyone knows laughter is good for the soul. Something you should do a little more of.”

My jaw clenched as I placed my hand on the desktop and opened the file I’d brought out. Then I met her eyes. “Are you saying this isn’t a healthy work environment?”

She’d been a thorn in my side ever since she’d started working for me. She was always cheerful, always bubbly, something that any doctor in this hospital would probably love to have. She was also attractive and beautiful as hell, but she was also always talking back and put a lot of effort into making my life hell. It was exhausting and, as of late, had been irritating me more than ever.

“Is there something you needed? If not, I’d like to go back to laughing and having fun while we finish out our day.” She rested her chin on her hand, giving me that adorable grin I absolutely hated.

I shoved the file at her as I stared down into those big cinnamon eyes. “Page three…halfway down there is some sort ofscribble. Can you tell me what you wrote there?” I questioned, remembering that it was her working with me that day.

She smiled at me, slowly taking the file while looking me directly in the eyes. “Sure thing, Doctor Frost!”

She opened the file, flipped to the third page, and ran her finger down the page, stopping at the scribble mark. She studied it for a moment as I watched her, then frowned and swallowed hard before looking back at me. Did she not know what it said, either?

“Well?” I grunted.

“This mark here?” she asked.

“Yes, Amelia, that mark right there.”

“Geez, I’d love to help you out, but I don’t have a clue what it is. Besides, that is your handwriting,” she said, pressing her lips together as she closed the file and placed it back on the counter in front of me.

I looked at her, at those beautiful cinnamon eyes, growing more irritated by the second as she looked up at me while the phone rang. Charlotte quickly grabbed it, whispering as I locked eyes with Amelia.

“And you know, you really ought to say please when you ask someone to help you with something. Just adds, oh…I don’t know, a touch of something to the question.” She shrugged.

I felt as if my head were going to explode. She’d been on me about that recently whenever I’d given her direct orders on anything. She reminded me every single time, just like now, that I should say please and thank you.

“Amelia…” I barked, only to be stopped by Charlotte quietly clearing her throat.

“Doctor Frost?” she said, her voice squeaking.

I turned my attention toward her, waiting for her to speak.

“What?” I barked when she didn’t immediately start talking.

“One of your patients would like to see you…” she said, her voice cracking. “She’s up on floor fifteen, room 223.”

I glanced at my watch and then let out a sigh. I’d already done my rounds for today. I’d had all the patient interaction I’d wanted. I was about to tell her to put it off until tomorrow when I saw Amelia looking at me.

“Fine. Pull the file, Amelia. Let’s go.”

---