Page 41 of The Doctor's No-Strings Deal

But then Jeffery Thornton asked the question that snapped Charlie out of his complacency. “I’ll bet it’s a godsend to have a higher class of patient, too, isn’t it?”

Ahigher class of patient…What did that even mean? Deep down, Charlie was seething, and he finally let his anger boil to the surface.

“I find it distasteful to treat moneyed patients any differently than I would anyone else,” he said, keeping a calm exterior despite the sharpness of the words he spoke. “Our lives are not more important or meaningful just because we were handed generational wealth. In fact, to me, we’re less important. It’s like we started the game with a massive handicap, and we’re still acting like we’re better than everyone else.” Golf terminology had to be useful for something, even if it was just pissing off his father’s friends.

Then Charlie cinched his own networking failure with the words, “Our achievements are meaningless because we were handed them. They aren’t our achievements at all. They’re somebody else’s, and we’re all strutting around the place like we didn’t start the race already inches from the finish line. In fact, I feel the patients I treated at Grand View were of a much higher caliber than the patients I saw today, as were my coworkers.”

The men he golfed with stood silently with their mouths hanging open as Charlie put his club back in its bag. He didn’t need them to say anything. He already knew he’d ruined any future chances he had of winning more handouts from them, which was exactly what he wanted. From now on, he wasn’t going to take any “gifts” from his father or his father’s friends. He was going to stand up for what he believed in, once and for all.

CHAPTER 21

MEGAN

Charlie was gone, and Megan felt his absence with just about every patient she saw. This one, for example, was a man with a mysterious rash on his neck. Normally, Charlie would have been looking over Megan’s shoulder, correcting her, adding his ideas, and generally trying to one-up her. And when Megan had to lean in to examine the rash a little closer, Charlie would have been glaring at the patient from behind her, keeping the man in line. As it was, Megan had to deal with the patient clearly enjoying her proximity, sneakily sniffing her hair, and pretending like he had to steady himself by touching her arm.

After she told her patient he had petechia and should get some further testing to see what could be causing it, he offered her his number and winked. “Maybe we could have that further testing at my place next time?”

Megan recoiled. “What?”

The patient stood. “Or over dinner?”

“I don’t think so,” Megan said. “Just get to the lab, and give them this.” She handed him the sheet with her orders and quickly left the exam room.

As if Megan needed another reason to be angry with Charlie. Now, not only had he stolen an opportunity from her, he’d taken himself away, too. He knew he was her rock, the steady presence that was single-handedly getting her through her residency. How dare he? She missed him so much that she had to rely on working herself to the bone just to keep from bursting into tears in the hall every time something mildly inconvenient happened to her. She took every extra shift, stayed after hours, and spent any free time she had, in which she wasn’t taking care of her mother, studying.

On her way to the break room, Dr. Ralter approached. “Dr. Bright,” he said with a wide smile on his face. “Exhausted yet?”

“It’s my natural state,” she quipped.

He stopped her and gave her a half smile. “You’ve been pushing yourself harder than usual. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. I’m going to be attending a conference this weekend, and I’ll be taking one resident to accompany me. I’d like that resident to be you. I will understand if you’re too burned out to join me, but keep in mind, it might give you the opportunity to make some valuable connections in the medical community.”

There wasn’t any question or doubt in Megan’s mind. “Oh, I’m going! Thank you Dr. Ralter.” She grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. “Thank you so much.”

Dr. Ralter laughed. “Such enthusiasm. I knew I’d made the right choice.” He gently but firmly pulled his hand away and patted her on the shoulder instead. “I know you’ve beendisappointed since you lost the fellowship, but as far as I’m concerned, you didn’t lose it. It was unfairly taken from you. And had the decision been mine, it would have been you who won it. Unfortunately, I’m merely an attending at a community hospital, and the decision was not mine.”

“Thank you, Dr. Ralter,” Megan said again. “I know it might not seem like it, but… that means so much to me. It really does.”

He nodded. “I know. Now go home and rest up. I want you sharp for the weekend. I’ve been bragging about you to all my friends, and now you’ve got to live up to your reputation.”

The conference was buzzing with excitement. There were specialists talking excitedly over things that would put most laymen to sleep. The hotel that hosted the event had a huge conference room with wood-paneled walls, recessed lighting, and extremely uncomfortable chairs. It didn’t matter to Megan, though. Everything she was learning was buried treasure to her, and she sat taking notes like she was drawing the map to it. Researchers were making huge strides in cardiology, including testing a new medical device that could make pacemakers a thing of the past.

To Megan’s surprise and delight, Dr. Ralter urged her to join him after the lecture. “Dr. Lee is an old friend of mine,” he said as they wove their way through the crowd. “You should absolutely meet him. He’ll love you.”

Dr. Lee was a tall man with thick black hair and a winning smile. If Megan didn’t know any better, she would have guessed he was a politician rather than a doctor. His handshake was firm, andMegan felt immediately that this was a man who would know what he was doing in almost every situation he could possibly stumble into.

“This is my resident, Megan Bright,” Dr. Ralter was saying. “She’s one of our… well, let’s say she’s ourbrightestresident currently, and I have high hopes for her future career. Her work ethic and quick thinking, not to mention her excellent comprehension, would make her a valuable asset to any hospital.” He grinned when he saw Megan blushing. “I was thinking you might like to take a shot at convincing her to go into cardiology.”

“Of course I would,” Dr. Lee said. “You never steer me wrong, Walt. If you say she’s got talent, then I believe it.” He turned to Megan. “So, have you ever considered a career in cardiology?”

Megan straightened her posture and tried to look a lot more confident than she felt. “Well, if I haven’t before tonight, after that lecture, I certainly will.”

Dr. Ralter chuckled and nudged her with his elbow. “She was taking notes through your entire lecture. I couldn’t have distracted her if I’d tried.”

Megan tried not to blush again. “Well, there was so much interesting information. I was worried I would forget some of it if I didn’t.” She still held her notes in her hands, and they were substantial, she had to admit. Note-taking felt like a crutch to her, and it was one she used often. But teachers and lecturers seemed to like it, and she could sort of see why. It meant you cared about what they were teaching. It meant you were paying attention, and that they weren’t wasting their time. And now, based on Dr. Lee’s expression, her habit had had the desired effect.

“I see,” Dr. Lee said with a huge grin on his face. “Well, should you ever have any follow-up questions for me, please feel free to ask. Teaching is my passion, and I’d love to have a student like you to mentor.” He offered her a card, and Megan pocketed it gratefully. Dr. Ralter had been right that she would make some great connections at this conference. Maybe losing the fellowship hadn’t been a total loss. Maybe it would even work out in her favor, in the end.

When Dr. Lee finally moved on to another conversation, Dr. Ralter said, “Let’s mingle. I’ll call you over if I find another gatekeeper I’d like to introduce you to.” He winked. “There are a number who I feel would be happy to take you under their wings.”

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