Page 23 of Silver Fox's Intern Dilemma

Jack moved quickly, tying off the vessel in what felt like record time. I was holding my breath, watching him the whole time, and when he finally leaned back, I realized I hadn’t exhaled in what felt like forever.

“Pressure’s stabilizing,” Dr. Briggs announced, his voice shaky but relieved. “We’re good.”

Jack glanced up at me, and for a moment, it was just the two of us. His eyes held mine, and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. We were like two cogs in a well-oiled machine.

I looked away first, my pulse still racing, but not from the surgery.

Dr. Briggs cleared his throat, bringing me back to the present. “You two really have a rhythm, huh?” He sounded curious but a little suspicious.

I forced a smile behind my mask, trying to shrug it off. “Yeah, I guess we do.”

Jack didn’t say anything, just gave a quick nod. He handed me the final instrument to close the incision. My hands moved on autopilot, but my mind wasn’t in the OR anymore. It was back to the nights we’d spent together, the quiet moments between shifts that no one else knew about.

When I tied off the last suture, I glanced up again, catching Jack's gaze again. There was something in his eyes, something no one else would notice but me. It was a reminder of what we weren’t saying out loud.

“Good work, Dr. Chen,” Jack said with a steady voice, but I could hear the edge to it—the tension beneath the professionalism. I wondered if Dr. Briggs heard it too.

But if he did, he didn’t say anything. He just watched as I finished, probably still wondering exactly what had changed between me and Jack.

Dr. Briggs was the first to leave and scrub out. The nursing staff stayed to finish the dressing and clean up along with the anesthesiologist. Jack and I made our way out of the OR just as Dr. Briggs was leaving the scrub room. He'd be in Jack's office when we got there, so we only had a split second of privacy. But Jack stole a kiss and grabbed my ass with a firm grip, leaving abloody handprint on my surgical gown which I quickly tore off and tossed in the bin.

"Now, Dr. Thornton, you're going to get caught if you keep being risky like that." I smirked at him as I took off my gloves then stripped off my mask.

He was disrobing too, prepping to wash his hands and go back to his office for a debrief about the surgery. I thought it went well, and I'd have guessed Jack did too. Except with Dr. Briggs's suspicious behavior, I knew later tonight there would be another serious conversation. We'd had so many of them that I already rehearsed in my mind what he'd tell me, that we were walking on thin ice, dangling by a thread. That he had to keep his job.

I loved that he was so cautious and protective of both his job and mine, but I knew he was being too worried. Even if Dr. Briggs came right out and accused us of having an affair, he had no proof.

"Well if you don’t stop being so fucking amazing in the OR, you're going to give it away. Briggs is getting jealous of you.” Jack winked at me and turned on the faucet. I stood beside him washing my hands and feeling giddy about the closeness I felt with him.

"You think he's just jealous? I felt like he was suspicious."

"He might be. We just have to be more careful." Jack seemed too casual for this moment, but maybe he was feeling more relaxed and at ease with me too. "See you in my office," he said, pecking me on the cheek quickly before grabbing a towel and darting out.

I finished up and started toward his office when I got a phone call. My cell, buried in my pants pocket, vibrated against my leg, so I stopped to pull it out and answer.

"Dr. Chen speaking. How can I help you?" This number was only for professional calls, though my parents had it foremergencies. My personal cell was in my locker in the doctors’ lounge. I didn't know who would even call me here since I wasn't on call, but a call was a call.

"Dr. Chen, this is Dr. Manning from Johns Hopkins. Is now a good time?" The man's voice paralyzed me. I stood stock still in the hallway, staring at Jack's back as he disappeared from view down the way.

"Uh, hi. Yes, it's okay." I went from bold, confident Sophia to anxious and indecisive Sophia instantly. My father had given this man my number without my permission and I didn't know how to respond to that. He clearly had not listened to my words when I told him I was happy here and not planning to leave.

"Dr. Chen, I was informed by your father that you are looking to upgrade your residency. Is this correct?" The man paused, but I couldn’t even stammer out a sentence before he continued. "It was quite a feat, but I have secured a grant to allow me to take on one more intern this year, with an allowance in the budget to extend the offer for up to five years total. Now this would be a localized trauma surgeon residency, not the generalized surgical you're doing now, but I believe it is worth your while. The pay is better, and for the time spent, you'll have more experience."

I stuttered out a few syllables and felt like crying. Anger rose up and swelled in my chest until my eyes were tearing up. Dad had no right to do this. He knew how easily I was pushed around and swayed by other people. He'd done something similar when I wanted to join marching band and I was determined to play clarinet, and he told the band director I wanted to play trumpet—because it was more practical. Needless to say, I ended up cowering and playing the brass instead of woodwinds.

"Dr. Manning, can I please get back with you on this?" I asked, not even knowing where to begin with him. I couldn't just outright refuse. I'd look like a complete idiot. My father was the respected one, not me. They'd think I was being selfish andinsubordinate, which I was, but only because I should have been allowed to make my own choices.

"Certainly, but think quickly. We only have this availability for four weeks to make the decision, and I have to provide the option for a few other interns too, just in case." Dr. Manning sounded like a very nice man, but he wasn't Jack, and he wasn't my first choice.

"Thank you," I told him, and I hung up with shaking hands. I knew if Dr. Briggs found out that I'd been offered such an incredible internship at such a prestigious hospital whose reputation outweighed Twin Peaks' by miles, he would know something was up. No one would stay here instead of taking that offer. No one but me.

And I only had one singular reason for staying. And it wasn’t the medicine.

18

JACK

The car bumped along the road and Sophia's hand rested on top of mine on the shifter. We were headed across town where the likelihood of anyone recognizing us was slim so we could have dinner out. I was set to pick up Leah later, when dinner was over, because Sophia promised to make a blanket fort and have a sleepover with her. I thought it was sweet, especially given how well the two were bonding. After four weeks of Sophia and me sneaking around and Leah knowing about it, it was about time we let her get involved.

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