Page 15 of The Beat of her Heart

Addie Wolfe was a good surgeon—more than good. Giselle had observed one of her surgeries from the viewing gallery. But after the surgery where she had observed Giselle, it seemed like Addie had transformed into mush. She’d stayed behind, checking on the patient like a worried parent instead of a professional.

That was amateur. They were there to save lives, not to make emotional investments in patients.

Giselle leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She didn’t understand it. Why did everyone here act so...warm? It was unnecessary and, frankly, distracting.

Her phone buzzed on the desk and she glanced down—it was a message from Josephine requesting a meeting in her office. Giselle’s brows furrowed. She hadn’t expected to be summoned so soon after the surgery.

She stood up, straightened her coat, and headed out of her office.

As she walked down the hall, her thoughts drifted back to Addie. It was hard not to notice her. That had been a problem since the moment they’d met. Addie wasbeautiful, no doubt about that. Her beautiful hazel eyes, her light brown hair against her face, and the softness of her expression even when she was serious…all of it was stunningly annoying.

Giselle didn’t want to be distracted by her, so she flung those thoughts to the recess of her mind.

When she reached Josephine’s office, she knocked once and then stepped inside. Josephine was behind her desk, shuffling through papers.

“Giselle,” Josephine said, gesturing to the chair in front of her. “Sit.”

Giselle sat down, her back straight, waiting for Josephine to speak.

Josephine looked at her. Her eyes were as sharp as they’d been that morning. But there was something different in her expression now. This wasn’t about a case. There weren’t any open files on her table.

This was personal. Giselle braced herself.

“I wanted to talk about what happened in the OR today,” Josephine began.

Giselle’s eyes narrowed. She hadn’t made a mistake. She knew that.

“Your skills are unmatched,” Josephinecontinued. “There’s no doubt about that. But there’s more to this job than just technical skill.”

Giselle’s shoulders tensed. “I’m here to save lives, not socialize.”

Josephine leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk. “Saving lives is part of it, yes. But you’re also working with people—patients, families, colleagues. They’re not objects.”

“I know that,” Giselle said, her voice clipped. “But my job is to perform the surgery and ensure the patient survives. I don’t see how being friendly makes me a better surgeon.”

Josephine sighed and leaned back in her chair. “It’s not just about the surgery, Giselle. It’s about how you interact with the team and the people around you. They need to trust you, and trust doesn’t come from skill alone.”

Giselle’s jaw clenched. “They don’t need to like me to work with me.”

Josephine studied her for a moment, her eyes thoughtful. “This isn’t about being liked. It’s about creating an environmentwhere people feel comfortable working with you. You need to find a balance.”

Giselle bristled at the suggestion. She’d spent years perfecting her craft to ensure she was the best. And now, after one day at this hospital, she was being told she needed to change.

“I don’t see why it matters,” Giselle said. “The girl survived. That’s the only important thing.”

Josephine didn’t flinch. “That’s important. But how you engage with the team matters, too. People here are used to working with and supporting each other. You need to find a way to fit into that dynamic.”

A spark of irritation jostled down Giselle’s spine. She’d been doing just fine on her own for years. She didn’t need to “fit in” with anyone. She took a breath to steady her voice.

“Is this about Dr. Wolfe? She seems...distracted. She’s more concerned with emotions than her job.”

Josephine raised an eyebrow. “Addie is one of the best pediatric surgeons we have. And she cares about her patients. That’s not a weakness.”

Giselle’s irritation flared. “It gets in the way. She’s too involved. It’s not efficient.”

Josephine watched her for a moment, silent. Then she shook her head. “You’ll have to learn to deal with it.”

Giselle’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

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