I’m about to point out that my shift doesn’t start for another three minutes, but I bite my tongue. No need to wake the beast this early in the day. “I’m sorry.” I dip my head, doing my best to look contrite. “It won’t happen again.”
“We’ve got a new patient from SICU,” she says, gesturing for me to follow as she marches down the hall. A transfer from the Surgical Intensive Care Unit? Must be a step-down case, then. My palms begin to sweat as I chase after her, Crocs squeaking loudly in the quiet hall. I’ve only dealt with standard pre- and post-surgical care, which means this patient is sure to be more challenging and probably has a more complicated history.
Inhale confidence, exhale doubt.
Right. This is what I’ve trained for. I’ve got this.
Although it’s barely seven o’clock, the blinds are open when we enter the patient’s room. Early morning sunlight spills across the foot of the bed closest to the window and cartoons are blasting from the TV. I’m one step behind Nurse Rogers as she introduces herself, and when she steps aside, I get my first look at the patient.
Broad shoulders. Wavy blond hair. Glacial blue eyes even a Norse god would envy.
My heart stutters.
No. Freaking. Way.
It’s him. The guy from the party. The one who fell off the roof attempting to retrieve my shoe.
Nurse Rogers introduces me, probably giving the usual spiel about student nurses, but I don’t hear any of it because Chase Spellman is my newest patient.
Karma, you dirty bitch.
Chase turns his attention to me and my heart leaps into my throat.Shit. What if he recognizes me? No, that’s stupid, right? It was dark and I was wearing that ridiculous wig. Plus, we never even exchanged names, even though I’d wanted to. If things had gone differently, I’d have happily traded my number for my sandal. The guy earned it after scaling the house like freaking Spiderman.
But that’s out of the question now.
Just. Be. Cool.
“Seriously?” He flashes that panty-melting grin, and, I’m not going to lie, my pulse flutters. Just a little. Then my gaze shifts to his left leg, which is heavily bandaged and encased in a bulky metal brace. No, not a brace, an external fixator with metal pins that pierce the skin to hold broken bones in position. All thoughts of romance are quickly replaced with gut-clenching horror. “Your name is Nurse Payne?”
Heat blazes across my cheeks, but I clear my throat and nod. Because, yeah, no words.
“I hope it’s not a portent of things to come.” He rubs the back of his neck and chuckles, a deep, sexy rumble that raises goose bumps on my arms. “I gotta tell you, I was sort of hoping the worst of it was behind me.”
For someone with a broken leg, he sure has a lot of jokes.
“I’m…” I clear my throat again, forcing confidence into my words. “I’m sure it is.”
For him, anyway. Me? Not so much. Waverly football has a passionate fan base and thanks to my role in Chase’s injury, I’m currently the most hated woman on campus. There’s been speculation that the loss of the starting kicker could cost Waverly their shot at a national title and the fans are out for blood.
Mine.
Thank God no one but Bri knows I’m the infamous redhead.
I just have to make sure it stays that way.
Which means I need to keep my mouth shut, even if the guilt is coiled around my heart like barbed wire. Chase cannot know I was the one at the frat house last weekend. Because if he did? He’d hate me, just like everyone else. And the thing is, I couldn’t even blame him. If it weren’t for me, he’d be at training camp with the rest of the team, chasing a national title, not lying here with a broken leg, a staggering number of get well cards, and floral arrangements his only company.
“An optimist,” Chase says, nodding his approval. “I like that.”
“Don’t worry,” Nurse Rogers says, tapping away at the computer as she pulls up Chase’s records. “We’re going to take good care of you. You’ll be back on your feet in no time.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” Chase winks and I swear to God the old battle-ax smiles in return.
Seriously?
I blink—to make sure I’m not hallucinating—but no, she’s smiling all right.
Figures. Even Nurse Rogers isn’t immune to his charm.
