Sage was sure he wasn’t used to anything but a simpering twit when he walked into a female patient’s room. Well, her days of simpering were long gone.
She’d really hoped she wouldn’t be crossing paths with Spence when she’d accepted her residency. The last she’d heard, he was some hotshot doctor in Seattle. It was just her luck that he happened to be in town, most likely visiting his family, at the same time she was rolling home.
“I’d be feeling much better if everyone would quit poking and prodding me and would just let me go home.”
“Has her family been notified?” Spence asked the nurse, obviously not finding it very appealing to speak directly to Sage.
Only someone with an extremely small brain could have missed her obvious hostility. So he had some intelligence going for him if he could read her disdain. Since he was her treating physician, she was relieved to know he knew something, unlike everyone else around the place.
But wait. Why was he treating her? He shouldn’t be working here. He worked in Seattle. Maybe they were permitting him to treat her since he’d been the first person on the scene. She really, really hoped that was the case.
The alternative would mean . . . No. If she refused to even think the thought, then there would be no possible way it could be true. She wouldn’t ask, either. As all her other options had gone down the drain the minute she’d accepted the offer to be in this program, she had to stay at this hospital and she didn’t want to work with Spence Whitman, her childhood crush.
When the man himself turned and gave her a megawatt smile that, despite her anger, had her knees shaking just a bit beneath her warm blanket, she strengthened her resolve. Locking her knees into place, she sent another glare his way—this one not cold, but guaranteed to melt steel—and felt a smidgen of satisfaction as his movie-star smile faltered again and he stood there looking unsure what to do next.
“Yes, Dr. Whitman. Her grandmother has been called.”
“I’ll go ahead and release you, Ms. Banks, but I need you to get plenty of rest over the next few days. Make an appointment with your general practitioner as soon as possible.”
He spoke while scribbling on his pad, clearly avoiding her eyes. Of course, she could look away from him, too. But she was trying to prove something to herself—that he didn’t affect her.
“I’ll send a prescription to the pharmacy in case the pain is too much in a few hours.” With that, he walked from the room.
“Good riddance,” she muttered, causing the nurse to turn and look at her as if she’d sprouted three heads. “Oh come on, he’s not that great,” Sage snapped, and the woman turned and left, probably chasing down Spence to tell him their patient clearly had brain damage.
“Sage!”
Sage turned to find her grandmother in the doorway, sporting red cheeks and tears in her eyes. “Hi, Grandma . . .”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’ve been so worried.” Bethel rushed to the bed and sank down in the chair next to it, grasping Sage’s hand.
“I’m fine, Grandma. It was only a little accident. They were just being thorough, that’s all.”
“I don’t think we should take you home. What if something terrible is wrong and we don’t find out until it’s too late?”
“I promise you that I’m virtually unscathed despite all the drama. And nothing could possibly make me feel better than some of your special hot chocolate and a full night’s rest.” Sage was desperate to get out of this bed and out of this hospital. She’d be here plenty beginning next week, when her residency began. At least due to this experience she’d be more understanding when her patients began feeling restless. Maybe all medical staff should have to be patients before treating anyone.
“Of course, darling, if you really think you’re safe to leave, then I’ll take good care of you. Eileen, Maggie, and I can take shifts so you aren’t alone for a single minute.”
Still, Bethel didn’t look reassured. Sage would have to try really hard not to wince as she was leaving. The thought of her grandma, Maggie, and Eileen hovering over her nonstop was enough to send her blood pressure shooting through the roof. Hardly the best way to get some rest.
The aches were starting to set in and she suspected that she’d have a rough few days of it. But it wasn’t as if she