Page 71 of Take Me Home for Christmas

“I’m worried about you,” Sam said.

“I’m okay.” Ihadto be. Sam knew as well as I did that everyone was stretched thin with the holiday schedule. If I took off, I’d be screwing my already-overworked colleagues. I would somehow have to get through this day.

Cracking a wry smile, I joked, “Being busy cures anything, right?” Although I doubted that was a smart strategy for a broken heart. All I could hope for was to continue getting pounded, so I didn’t have a second to think about Brax.

Sam gave me another concerned look and a squeeze as I wrapped my stethoscope around my neck and headed out of the call room.

“There you are,” Dr. Brunner said as he met me at the nurses’ station.

I immediately grabbed my laptop and tried not to think about the dreaded job that had torn Brax and me apart. “Okay,who have we got?” I hovered my hand over the keyboard, waiting for the details of the incoming admission.

“Actually,” he said, looking over his silver-rimmed bifocals, “I’m here with a little holiday gift.”

That made me look up. He looked calm and confident, as if he was about to bestow a great honor upon me. I can read people pretty well, and somehow, whatever he was about to say made my gut clench. “I’m speaking on behalf of all of us physicians in the group,” he said as if he were making a speech. “We’re all highly impressed with you, young lady. We feel that your work ethic, your relatability to our patients and our families, and your competence all add up to a physician with exceptional character. Bottom line is, we’d like to offer you a spot in our practice.”

I stared down at the compact computer in my hands, but I couldn’t bring anything into focus. That seemed to be the mantra of my life lately—nothing was clear.

Brax had said no to the job of his dreams? And now they were offering the job to me? Or did they end up not offering it to Brax in the first place?

I couldn’t think. I couldn’t understand.

All I seemed to hear was the fact that Brunner had called meyoung lady.

Did anyone ever call himold man? What would happen if someone did? And why was I thinking of this when he’d just presented me my heart’s desire?

My heart started pounding and sweat was accumulating along the back of my neck.Say thank you and accept the offer, I told myself.

“Thank you for the offer,” I began. But no other words came. I set down the computer on the counter. I knew the smart thing would be to walk away. But instead, I looked at him, at this respected, experienced pediatrician, and said, “May I ask you a question, Dr. Brunner?”

“It’s okay to be a little stunned, Mia,” he said, chuckling. “Ask away.”

It was better to be quiet. To be grateful. But I had to know. I had to hear the answer and see him say it. “Why me?”

I saw Dr. Brunner’s eyes shift. He hesitated slightly. Cleared his throat.

“First of all, we at BCP believe in diversity and inclusion.”

“Is being a woman diverse?” A white woman at that?

The lines between his eyes creased into a frown. “Part of our plan has always been to expand the number of female physicians in our practice. But as you know, our top priority is to provide our patients with twenty-four-seven access to the best health care in the city. We dislike our employees dropping to part time, so we’re committed to finding the hardest-working residents we can. Those whose work ethic resembles yours.”

I thought of Robin, who always seemed overworked and exhausted. Who had tiptoed around the truth to keep her job.

“As you must know,” Dr. Brunner continued, “Dr. Hughes turned us down because of his plans to search for a job in Philadelphia, so we are absolutely thrilled to offer you the spot. Both of you were excellent candidates. It really was a neck-and-neck choice.”

Brax wasn’t taking the job, and he was leaving? To go to Philadelphia? Where Jenna lived?

Leaving me? Leavingus?

“Mia,” Val called from across the desk. “Morgan’s mom is asking if it’s okay for her to have something to drink.”

“Just ice chips until I get the X-ray results,” I answered over my shoulder.

“Okay,” she said on her way down the hall. “But just FYI, she’s starving.”

“I’ll get on it,” I said. I turned to Dr. Brunner. “Thanks for being honest.” I blew out a big breath. The kind of breath you letout when you’re about to do the thing you should have done a long time ago.

“I’m truly honored to be one of your top picks. Your group sets the standard for what good pediatricians are.”

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