Roman arches a curious eyebrow at me. I’m ready to drop the topic before I overshare all of my family issues, but he presses. “Aren’t you from St. Louis? Why didn’t you do it there if it’s what you want?”
I don’t know if he’s really listening or if he just plays the interested date part well, so I give him the short answer.
“My dad runs the program in St. Louis and he won’t give me one.”
“Because he doesn’t want to show favoritism?”
“Because he’s kind of a sexist prick who doesn’t think women should be in the field, including his own daughter.” I don’t evenmean to say it out loud, and the moment I do, I cover my mouth. Did I really just admit that out loud?
Right away, I realize it’s not a part he’s playing. He’s furious, completely offended on my behalf, and it’s kind of sweet. “Seriously? That’s bullshit.”
“Yeah.” I bit my lip. “And what’s even worse is that he sent me here under the pretense that Dr. Bauer would let me in on more critical care cases than most other hospitals, but he rarely even has me in surgery. Most days, I just work as a general practitioner.”
I may have some friends and like the city, but I’m counting down the days until I can get out of here. At least, I was until I met Roman.
“Jesus, Maddie. That sucks.” His face creases with a frown. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I say. “Any experience is good experience, I guess.”
I’ve heard those words a thousand times from my father over the years, and they leave a sour taste in my mouth.
“I could talk to him. Bauer.” Roman darts his eyes away. “Get him to put you on some bigger cases.”
“What’s the deal between the two of you, anyway? You’re friends?”
Roman scoffs. “We’re absolutely not friends. He just owes me, and if you want me to talk to him…”
“No.” I shake my head. “Thank you, but I don’t need you to get involved and pull strings for me. I’ll figure it out.”
“Okay,” he says. “But if you change your mind, just say the word. I’ve got a friend in New York, too, who could—”
“Roman.” I shut him down because I want a job one hundred percent on my own merit. Not because of him. Not because of my dad. I want to earn it.
“Right, sorry.” A deep laugh passes through his lips and it’s a sound I could listen to all day. Roman is serious so often that seeing him genuinely laugh or smile feels special.
“So what’s for lunch?”
“Sushi!” Ty chimes in. He’s completely out of breath from his run, and plops himself down next to me. “No octopuses, though.”
“Octopi,” Roman corrects with a laugh.
Ty’s face immediately scrunches up in disgust. “No, I don’t want it in a pie, either.”
Roman and I share a laugh that goes over Ty’s head, and we eat. Ty tells me about all the new clothes he got and promises to show me his Lego set when I get home, but soon, he’s off running again. A flock of geese fly off, honking as he chases them down toward the water.
“Wow,” I say. “He’s really getting his stamina back.”
“Yeah,” Roman agrees. “He’s doing really well.”
“You think so? You think he’s handling all of this okay?” I chew on my lip hesitantly.
Roman’s eyes shift to Ty, and he’s quiet for a moment, as if he isn’t sure how to answer. “I…I really don’t know. I thought he was, but this morning I asked him if he wanted to go to the park and he immediately shut down. Wanted nothing to do with it. It used to be his favorite place in the whole world.”
“Well, that could take time, Roman. He’s still learning how to process things,” I tell him, tracking Ty as he races across the field again. “He’ll come back to it in his own time. Kids are so resilient.”
“Yes, they are.” His eyes meet mine across the table, lips curling into a smile. “Come here. You’ve got a little soy sauce there.”
He wipes his finger across my lip, the simple touch sending a harsh, prickly heat through my body, making my cheeks flush. Icross one leg over the other before my body gets carried away. It’s almost embarrassing how easily he gets to me. How much he can make me feel with a little brush of his skin on mine.
