Page 17 of Offside Attraction

Jordan dispensed hand sanitizer and rubbed it between his palms out of habit. "Fenugreek is in the same family as peanuts. If you're allergic to peanuts, there's a good chance you'll react to fenugreek." Rhonda's mouth opened, then closed. "It's not common knowledge. I only know because of my sister. She has a peanut allergy and found out the hard way."

Jordan picked up her chart. Peanut allergy. It was noted. “Is this your boyfriend?” He didn’t look up.

“Uh . . .” Rhonda hesitated.

“Blind date. I’m Aaron.” The dude put out a hand, and Jordan glanced up from the clipboard. He shook it then reached for more sanitizer.

Rhonda exhaled and leaned back against the reclined chair. “It was a double date. My other friends are still in the waiting room.”

Jordan turned to Ally. “Can you get this chart approved with Dr. Petrov? I’m guessing he’s going to want Benadryl and Solu-Medrol before we discharge.”

Ally nodded, taking the chart and exiting the room. They had other patients needing attention, and they only had one doctor on staff for the next couple of hours. Rhonda probably wouldn’t meet Petrov in person.

Jordan nodded toward the door. “Aaron, you can go get your other friends. Tell them she’s stable. They can come see her.”

Aaron hesitated a moment, then glanced at Rhonda. She nodded, and he shuffled past the two of them and exited into the hall.

Rhonda dropped her head back. "What a shitty date.”

Jordan pointed back at the door. “Because of that guy? Yeah. I get it.” Rhonda laughed, then winced and pressed her non-IV hand to her forehead. “You might be a little out of it for a bit.”

She turned her head to look at him. “Thank you.”

Jordan wheeled the stool over to the computer, putting a few notes into her chart. "Just doing my job."

“Yeah. I didn’t know you were a . . . doctor?”

“Nurse.” He glanced over, and to her credit, she kept a smirk off her face. “Just say it.” There it was. A puffy-ass grin.

“Say what?”

“I know you’re thinking it.”

She laughed through her next words. “I wasn’t thinking anything.”

“Bull shit.” He turned from the computer, smirking.

Rhonda pursed her lips. “Okay, I might’ve been thinking that it’s kind of funny?—”

“Funny how, exactly?”

She groaned. “You’re going to make me say this?”

“Definitely.”

She lifted her head. “It’s funny because you’re this, like, hot, built hockey player.”

“And hot, built hockey players can’t be nurses?” He deadpanned.

Rhonda grinned. “You’re the worst.”

“You’re smiling. Plus I got you to admit you think I’m hot. I win.” He stood up from the stool.

She scoffed, ignoring him. “I think it’s the name. ‘Nurse’ sounds so feminine. They should have a different title, like ‘emergency responder’ or something.”

“That’s an actual job.”

“Well, you know what I’m saying.”

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