Page 39 of Stone Vows

“Sounds good, just text me. See you later, Elizabeth.”

Elizabeth barely acknowledges my departure as she’s enamored with Baylor.

I walk down the corridor and plant myself at the nurses’ station, pretending to chart when all I’m doing is staring at the room at the end of the hall. Who am I kidding? I don’t have anything meaningful to do. I just needed to get out of there. Distance myself.

Yes. Distance is exactly what I need. I pull out my phone and tap out a text.

Me: On-call room in 10?

Chapter Eighteen

Gina doesn’t respond to my text. Probably because she’s got an actual patient who needs a doctor instead of a babysitter.

I head down to the ER to see if I can lend a hand. I find myself uncharacteristically happy to get to throw some stitches in a kid who fell off a scooter. I find myself unusually upset that I don’t get in on the gunshot wound that rolls through the doors.

I look around the ER longingly. I need to be back down here. Where I’m actually useful.

Someone slaps a chart on the counter in front of me. I spin around to see Dr. Redman.

“The OB floor not exciting enough for you, Dr. Stone? Are you down here trolling for cases?”

I shrug. “Just trying to keep busy, Dr. Redman.”

She nods to the chart. “I’ve got a complete hysterectomy at four o’clock. Think you can be prepared to assist?”

I try not to pump my fist and yell,‘fuck, yeah!’

“Of course, Dr. Redman. I’ll be ready.”

She eyes me up and down like she’s trying to decide if I’m worth her time. “Fine, then,” she says before walking away.

An hour later, my eyes are bugging out after reading everything I can to brush up on hysterectomies when my phone vibrates.

Baylor: Do you have time for a quick coffee?

Me: Meet me in the courtyard. I’m buying.

Five minutes later, I hand Baylor her cup of coffee. Milk and no sugar, just like all the Mitchell sisters take it. “Thanks for bringing Elizabeth those books. I know she’s a huge fan.”

“No problem. She’s incredible. Nothing like I thought she’d be.”

“How so?” I ask.

“Well, I know how Mallory described her, but we all know Mallory is a saint disguised as a school teacher. I guess I expected her to be, I don’t know, some shrinking violet who was cowering in the corner wearing nothing but rags. But she’s quite the opposite. She’s funny, beautiful, and very smart.”

“Smart?” I cock my head to the side. “I mean, yeah, of course she’s smart, but what makes you say so? She’s pretty closed off.”

Baylor laughs. “Yeah, I sensed that. But when she was talking about my books, it became obvious she knows a lot about literature. Turns out she has a degree in it. That and elementary education.”

My unbelieving eyes snap to hers. “She does? And shetoldyou about it?”

“Yes. Why wouldn’t she?”

“I don’t know. She doesn’t ever give personal details. I have no idea where she’s from or where she lives or if she is or was married. Nothing.”

She raises her eyebrows at me. “Are those things patients usually tell their doctors, Kyle?”

Shit.

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