Page 57 of Safe With You

The last few words she says drown out once we pass the walls of offices and storage and the station comes into view, because all I can see is Lainey.

She’s a charge nurse today, which adds extra tasks to her plate and her time is even more limited. Even though I was the lucky bastard who got to spend the last two nights wrapped in her arms, rocking into her for hours on end, it wasn’t enough.

I want more nights with her soft skin on mine. I want mornings to drink coffee. I want to see the fake annoyed look she gives me when I insist she lets me do the dishes. I want more of her damn cooking and stories about her childhood. I want more time with the girl who continues to convince me I’m worthy, when I’ve felt anything but that my whole life.

I want it all.

“My buddy Jim is the same way,” I say, turning my attention back to Meg as we sit in neighboring chairs. “All through med school and our fellowship, his focus was on trauma. He originally wanted to be a trauma surgeon, but decided the ER is the best fit for him.”

“Ugh,” she groans. “Tell your friend I’m jealous of him.”

“If you’re interested in a career move, I could see if he’d be open to having you shadow him for a day. You could get an idea of the types of cases they see, how many are critical, and how many should be at the clinic instead of the ER. Our team is phenomenal, they boast a door-to-needle time for stroke patients of around twenty-seven minutes. That’s insane when you think of all the diagnostics that need to be done before determining a course of treatment.”

“That would be amazing.”

“Scratch down your number,” I push a notepad to her. “I’ll pass it along to Jim and you two can figure out some days that may work.” Jim is going to piss his pants when I tell him.

“Dr. Ryan!” A voice screeches at me, and it’s not coming from my favorite person. I don’t even have time to scold whoever it is for yelling at the nurses' station because Jenna’s stomping toward me. “Are you trying to poach her? We are finally fully staffed, no mandated overtime and here you waltz in like the cocky bastard you are, and try to poach my Megan?”

During my first few days on the unit, everything irritated me. Hell, even for the first few weeks I was a constant crab-ass. I found Meg to be too confident and lacking energy. Jenna was too loud and slightly obnoxious. But now, now that I’ve seen them and Lainey work together, they make a magnificent team.

They are all smart and take zero shits when it comes to caring for their patients. And now I’m realizing Jenna’s brashness is her attempt at lightening even the darkest situations, and Meg’s over-confidence is likely a cover-up for wild insecurities.

Both of them I can relate to.

“Anything I can do to get a rise out of you, Jenna.”

“If Meg leaves because you found her some fancy-ass critical care job, you will owe me. Forever. You will be buying me pizza any time I ask, no questions asked.”

I lock my eyes on Lainey. “A wise woman told me once that if your current situation no longer benefits you, it’s time to try something new. If Meg wants a change, we should support her choice.”

Jenna breezes over the statement and fails to notice me ogling Lainey and her returning blush.

“Dr. Ryan, I’m tired from staying up all night with a sick toddler. I’m fucking starving, and you trying to poach Meg is the last thing on my list that I want to talk about.”

I lean back, clasping my hands behind my head, finding way too much humor in getting Jenna riled up. “And what is the first thing on your list that you want to talk about?”

“I want to talk about ordering pizza. And I want you to pay for it since you’ve now pissed me off.”

Lainey and Meg both scoff at Jenna’s comment, Lainey doing her cute eye roll as she writes the finishing touches on the schedule and props it up on the half wall.

“Jenna,” she says, “you are ridiculous, and I love you for it, but Dr. Ryan doesn’t need to buy us pizza.”

“Is pizza going to make you forgive me for trying to poach Meg?”

She turns back towards me, and I see the wheels turning. Even if she says yes, I know this won’t be the last I hear her nag me about helping her friend find a different job. But it has been a busy week, and everyone has been pitching in to help. If ordering pizza will put me in good graces with Lainey’s friends, well damn, that’s a no-brainer.

“Yes. For now, anyway.”

“Alright. Let’s do it. I could go for pizza.”

Her eyes widen at first, but then she reels back and holds up her palm. “Let me be clear, when I said we should order pizza, I meant I’m ordering pizza, and breadsticks, and pop, and one of those triple chocolate fudge bombs that I get when I want to eat my pain away. And I’m not paying for any of it.”

I reach into my back pocket to my wallet, pulling out my credit card and handing it up for her to grab. “I’ll pay for whatever will shut you up for now, if you do all of the ordering.” I think for a minute, then add, “Order enough for all support staff that comes through, therapy, dietary, housekeeping … I’ll treat everyone. Please,” I add for effect.

Jenna doesn’t come to grab my card, instead, she leans back against the copy machine and crosses her arms. “Dr. Ryan, I think you’ve bloomed.”

“I’ve what?” Just when I think I know what will come out of Jenna’s mouth, she throws a fast one at me.

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