bordered on conflagration and his body felt incendiary. When his thoughts formed images of Carrie in the red outfit, he knew they were approaching a line he would soon cross.
“No speech?” Jane asked.
“Thanks,” Tony said. “Let’s get back to work.”
“Kiss the bride,” Beth said.
Tony pulled Carrie into his arms and brushed his lips over hers. “For show,” he said.
“Why not?”
He ended the kiss an instant later. Though his body cried for more, not here and not now, and especially not until he and Carrie set new ground rules for their marriage.
Chapter 7
Carrie finished passing meds to the dozen patients in the semi-private rooms on the second floor of the clinic, and pitched in to help the aide make beds. When the last sheet had been tucked, she headed to the door. “Mindy, if you need me, I’ll be in the lounge. I need a caffeine break.”
“Don’t surprise me none.” The large-boned woman nodded. “For a bitty thing, you sure work hard.”
“Thanks.” Carrie opened the stairwell door. She wasn’t that small, except to a woman who was nearly six feet tall.
Today, she was the sole RN on in-patient duty, so she wouldn’t be working in the clinic with Tony. Not spending the afternoon with his super-professional attitude was a blessing. Since she was the only recipient of his formal treatment, his attitude nettled. He laughed with Beth, teased with Jane, and talked to Ruth.
With me, it’s, “Mrs. Flynn I would like to order a complete blood count on this patient.” He even spoke in a slow, even tempo like she was too dumb to understand. Much more of his special treatment and she’d scream.
She poured a cup of coffee and slumped in the green couch. The first sip brought a sigh. It was just what she needed to help her devise a plan of attack designed to grab Tony’s interest. She wanted to help him realize his feelings for Marilyn were nothing but a bad habit that could be broken. It was a shame she didn’t know her coworkers well enough to involve them. Jane, Beth, and Ruth, were friendly and fun, but they were still on the getting to know you level. Plus, they were Tony’s friends, and she was sure he hadn’t given them a hint of the reason for the marriage.
The lounge door opened. Hazel paused on the threshold. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Her hair was uncombed and her blouse mis-buttoned.
Carrie put her cup down and crossed the room. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ben. Dr. Flynn’s sending him to the medical center. His breathing’s real bad. I have to go with him.”
“Of course you do.”
“What about Chad? He can’t come home to an empty house.” Tears pooled in the older woman’s eyes. “My fault. I should have called the doctor yesterday. I should have made that stubborn old man come to the clinic. Should have called the boys. They would of made him listen.”
Carrie put her arm around Hazel’s shoulders. “Should haves are hindsight and don’t mean a thing. I’m sure you tried. Don’t worry about us. Tony and I will handle Chad’s schedule. Ben needs you to be there for him.”
“Are you sure? I hate hospitals.”
“I know the feeling. Go and don’t worry about a thing.”
“Who’ll cook?”
“There’s the microwave, and we can eat out. We won’t starve.” She hugged Hazel. “Go. Give Ben my best.”
“Bless you.”
“Drive carefully.”
“I will.”
As soon as Hazel left, Carrie carried her coffee to Ruth’s office. She tapped on the door.
Ruth looked up. “Carrie, what’s happening?”
“Am I interrupting?”
“Just the dreaded monthly schedule. Got a problem?”
“I need a favor.” Carrie explained the situation. “Tony’s on house calls, and I hate to ask when I’m new, but could I leave early?”
“No problem. Tomorrow, take Jo’s seven to three. I’ll call her. She won’t mind coming in at nine for a change. You’d better call the school. The driver can drop Chad off here.”
“I’ll do that.
“No speech?” Jane asked.
“Thanks,” Tony said. “Let’s get back to work.”
“Kiss the bride,” Beth said.
Tony pulled Carrie into his arms and brushed his lips over hers. “For show,” he said.
“Why not?”
He ended the kiss an instant later. Though his body cried for more, not here and not now, and especially not until he and Carrie set new ground rules for their marriage.
Chapter 7
Carrie finished passing meds to the dozen patients in the semi-private rooms on the second floor of the clinic, and pitched in to help the aide make beds. When the last sheet had been tucked, she headed to the door. “Mindy, if you need me, I’ll be in the lounge. I need a caffeine break.”
“Don’t surprise me none.” The large-boned woman nodded. “For a bitty thing, you sure work hard.”
“Thanks.” Carrie opened the stairwell door. She wasn’t that small, except to a woman who was nearly six feet tall.
Today, she was the sole RN on in-patient duty, so she wouldn’t be working in the clinic with Tony. Not spending the afternoon with his super-professional attitude was a blessing. Since she was the only recipient of his formal treatment, his attitude nettled. He laughed with Beth, teased with Jane, and talked to Ruth.
With me, it’s, “Mrs. Flynn I would like to order a complete blood count on this patient.” He even spoke in a slow, even tempo like she was too dumb to understand. Much more of his special treatment and she’d scream.
She poured a cup of coffee and slumped in the green couch. The first sip brought a sigh. It was just what she needed to help her devise a plan of attack designed to grab Tony’s interest. She wanted to help him realize his feelings for Marilyn were nothing but a bad habit that could be broken. It was a shame she didn’t know her coworkers well enough to involve them. Jane, Beth, and Ruth, were friendly and fun, but they were still on the getting to know you level. Plus, they were Tony’s friends, and she was sure he hadn’t given them a hint of the reason for the marriage.
The lounge door opened. Hazel paused on the threshold. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Her hair was uncombed and her blouse mis-buttoned.
Carrie put her cup down and crossed the room. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Ben. Dr. Flynn’s sending him to the medical center. His breathing’s real bad. I have to go with him.”
“Of course you do.”
“What about Chad? He can’t come home to an empty house.” Tears pooled in the older woman’s eyes. “My fault. I should have called the doctor yesterday. I should have made that stubborn old man come to the clinic. Should have called the boys. They would of made him listen.”
Carrie put her arm around Hazel’s shoulders. “Should haves are hindsight and don’t mean a thing. I’m sure you tried. Don’t worry about us. Tony and I will handle Chad’s schedule. Ben needs you to be there for him.”
“Are you sure? I hate hospitals.”
“I know the feeling. Go and don’t worry about a thing.”
“Who’ll cook?”
“There’s the microwave, and we can eat out. We won’t starve.” She hugged Hazel. “Go. Give Ben my best.”
“Bless you.”
“Drive carefully.”
“I will.”
As soon as Hazel left, Carrie carried her coffee to Ruth’s office. She tapped on the door.
Ruth looked up. “Carrie, what’s happening?”
“Am I interrupting?”
“Just the dreaded monthly schedule. Got a problem?”
“I need a favor.” Carrie explained the situation. “Tony’s on house calls, and I hate to ask when I’m new, but could I leave early?”
“No problem. Tomorrow, take Jo’s seven to three. I’ll call her. She won’t mind coming in at nine for a change. You’d better call the school. The driver can drop Chad off here.”
“I’ll do that.
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