Eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore. She marched over to where Elizabeth was taking a soil sample near the spring. “I think you may have misjudged our hospital and our city, Doctor Grant.” Ava could feel the techs turn their attention toward them.
“Phoenix Ridge, both the hospital and the city, is run by powerful incredible women. Phoenix Ridge is feminist and badass. Phoenix Ridge has a thriving lesbian community where I feel absolutely at home. Phoenix Ridge has everything that is good in this world.”
“I’m sorry, Doctor Jackson,” Elizabeth said, stressing the professional use of her title. “I didn’t mean to offend, I was just curious.”
“What does it matter where I choose to live and work?” Ava asked.
“It doesn’t,” Elizabeth said and turned her back to Ava.
“Then why bring it up?” Ava demanded.
Elizabeth sealed the sample bag she was holding and stood up to look Ava in the eyes. Her gaze darted back and forth to the techs who where openly watching the exchange. “Can we talk about this later?” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
Ava pressed her lips together behind her mask. She knew that was the smart thing, the professional thing, but she had the irrational desire to prove to Elizabeth that she was just as good a doctor as anyone. She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth pulled in a breath and Ava could see the tightness around her eyes. “I can explain later, but I admire you, Ava.”
Ava’s heart lurched in her chest. What was that supposed to mean?
“I admire you, and I am curious about your motivations, that’s all,” Elizabeth continued, her voice low.
Ava’s mind spun. She felt almost as though she had whiplash, but none of that made sense.WasElizabeth judging her? It seemed like every other out-of-town doctor who was called in had the same judgement, and they would eventually be forced to reconcile that Phoenix Ridge was on the same level as so many other hospitals, despite their smaller size. With the amount of research Elizabeth seemed to have done about the place and Ava herself, she would have to have known that. And what is this about her motivations? What kind of nonsense is that?
Ava stalked away from Elizabeth, trying to get her mind together. It had been a long time since someone had managed to get her so flustered. The team finished gathering what they thought was needed and started to pack away everything. They remained in their protective gear until they were well away from the site and began the short climb back to the trail.
Ava did her best to avoid Elizabeth, but she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes off the woman. She was striking. Her sharp features made Ava feel as though she were looking at the face of a warrior, and the description probably wasn’t far from accurate. She moved with grace and dexterity, especially through the rough terrain, which was impressive given that she was unfamiliar with the scene. Ava would almost be willing to believe that Elizabeth had grown up around the same wilderness she had.
In Ava’s disgruntled state, she allowed the team to gain some ground ahead of her and she stayed back to nurse her wounded pride. She didn’t know if she should apologize to Elizabeth or ignore her completely, but she did know that she still needed Elizabeth’s help if they were going to find a way to help the patients, and they were running out of time. Ava couldn’t even be sure how the patients were doing, since the cell service was spotty out here at best.
With an exasperated groan, Ava quickened her pace to catch up to the team, but her foot slipped on some flakey shale and she lost her balance on the steep incline. With a shout, she tumbled backwards down the incline to the floor. Pain shot through her leg as she landed on the hard ground. She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw against the pain as the others rushed to her side.
“How bad is it?” Ava groaned as Elizabeth looked her over.
“You’re going to need stitches,” Elizabeth said. There was a slight sparkle in her bright blue eyes and Ava felt her heart sink. Here she was trying to prove herself to this woman and instead falling all over herself, literally. Ava finally glanced down at her leg and saw there was a deep laceration along her shin that Elizabeth was putting gauze over. “Can you walk?” Elizabeth gripped Ava’s calf and bent her knee, then her ankle checking over her joints.
Ava felt electricity buzz through her body from Elizabeth’s touch on her leg and it unsettled her.
“Yes,” Ava grumbled as Elizabeth taped over the gauze to staunch the bleeding for now. Elizabeth put Ava’s arm over her shoulder and looked over at Ava. She couldn’t see Elizabeth’s face behind the mask, but she could see the smile in her blue eyes. She wanted to just pass out from embarrassment alone, much less the pain.
“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Elizabeth asked as she lifted Ava to her feet.
“A couple of bruises, probably, and I hit my head when I landed, but nothing serious,” Ava answered. She couldn’t meet Elizabeth’s eyes.
“Laugh,” Elizabeth said, it sounded like a command.
“Excuse me?”
“Laugh, trust me, it helps,” Elizabeth said.
“I suppose you’ve made an ass of yourself in front of people you were trying to impress before?” Ava regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.
“Does earlier this morning count?” Elizabeth asked.
Ava couldn’t help it, she laughed, and Elizabeth laughed with her.
“Did it help?” Elizabeth asked with a chuckle.
“Yes,” Ava deadpanned. The woman was right,again. This was getting unbearable. She leaned against Elizabeth’s shoulder, and they locked eyes over their masks. Ava’s breath caught, Elizabeth’s eyes were so light blue in this light that they were almost gray, she had never seen such a light color before, they reminded her of a summer sky. Elizabeth’s hand snaked around her waist, and Ava felt a surge of electricity as she made contact, but she tried to force it from her mind.
