is head of the burn unit. I think I’ll have her take a quick look.”
“Your ex-wife?” I’m certain the whole cafeteria hears me, but his suggestion strikes me as odd. I mean … all the rumors about his marriage. His wife leaving him.
Wrinkles form along his forehead.
Yes, I know everything about him because the sexiest doctor in the hospital getting a divorce was the hottest topic for months. The divorce saga settled down, but he remains a hot topic.
“She is. Why?” he says slowly.
“I realize she’s a doctor, but it has to be weird letting your ex-wife see your naked ass … butt … buttocks … gluteus.” I smile, my go-to when things get really awkward—which happens way too often.
His thick eyebrows dip. “She’s seen it a few times before.” An odd grin plays along his lips.
I’m not sure if I amuse him or if it excites him to think about his ex being forced to look at his ass again, a reminder of what she gave up. Sucking my top lip between my teeth, I nod several times. “Okay. But make sure she listened to that podcast. I can send her the link if she hasn’t heard it yet. But I’m sure she knows all about it. She’s brilliant and my favorite boss bitch in the whole hospital.”
“Dorothy …” He scratches his chin, lips corkscrewed to the side.
“I mean bitch in a really good way. Take charge. No nonsense. Get shit done.”
Dr. Julie Hathaway is my idol in so many ways, but I stop short of making that confession. Real progress on my part. “Yes?” I whisper.
He hands me his cup of coffee. Pressing his finger to the bottom of my chin, he lifts it, guiding my head to one side and then the other side, gaze focused on my nose. Then he gently pinches my nose while pressing the surrounding area with his other hand. It’s a bit sore, but not broken … or bleeding. Or scorched from hot coffee.
Ugh …
It’s not that I’m not concerned about my nose. I am. This isn’t my first nose injury. By now I could have irreversible damage to structures and tissues in my nose. I can’t even think about the long-term problems I might experience, like stuffiness and breathing issues or sinus, bone, and other nose infections. This could be really bad for me.
“Sorry about your nose.” He releases my chin and smiles before heading toward the elevators.
“Your coffee!” I hold it up.
“Keep it.” He presses the up button.
* * *
Elijah
Julie knew she wanted to be a plastic surgeon from the moment her younger brother had surgery on his cleft lip. She knew she wanted a successful career as a doctor. She knew she wanted to change lives by giving kids confidence again. I, on the other hand, floundered around, unsure of a specialty, unsure of where I wanted to live and work, unsure about if and when we should start a family.
Julie was my compass.
“I need a favor.” I tuck an extra pair of scrubs under my arm.
She glances up from her phone, just outside of her office on the second floor. “I’m not switching weeks with you. Roman has been looking forward to—”
“A large cup of really hot coffee was just spilled down my backside.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Oh. You want me to take a look?”
“No. I just wanted you to know in case I die from sepsis.”
She rolls her greenish-brown eyes and smirks. “Follow me.”
We find an empty room down the hall, and she closes the door with her back to me. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
“Wow! Fifteen years of marriage and you want me to undress while your back is to me? Put on a gown, only so you can pull it back and inspect my bare ass. We’ve had sex so many times in this hospital, I stopped counting. Yet … here we are. Cordial and professional.”
“Eli …” she whispers on a sigh.
“I’m ready, Dr. Hathaway.”
Dr. Hathaway … there was no question that she wasn’t going to take my name when we got married. I didn’t need her name to be the same as mine. I just needed her.
On my stomach, I glance at her over my shoulder. She focuses on my burns. Always professional. I focus on her new red hair color and her crisp, purple button-down under her lab coat revealing her larger cleavage. I’m sure some eager plastics guy jumped at that opportunity for professional reciprocity with the world renowned Dr. Hathaway.
“Hope