Masquerade

“I need that IV in now. What the hell is the hold up?” the intern on duty thundered.

Sophie took a steadying breath, willed her fingers to still their shaking. It was a procedure she had done time and time again, but today, her first day back after her break, her mind was full of cotton wool.

It didn’t help that the patient’s veins were near impossible to locate due to his injuries.

She pushed the cannulae into the vein she’d finally been able to source, the small blue line raising weakly against the skin of his hand. She felt a slight resistance before, at last, the quick slide of the needle as it entered the vein. She relaxed at the reassuring sight of the trickle of blood coming through the hub.

“I’m in and attaching the second IV now. Blood for a transfusion should be here shortly.”

She checked the flow of the other IV and was satisfied it was still providing the patient with much needed life-saving fluid. She focused solely on the task of stabilizing the young motorcyclist. He needed her to be on top of her game, not letting her mind wander to places it shouldn’t be.

She could hear the yelling of instructions around her. A multi-car accident had everyone working to capacity. What they really needed in here was a set of experienced hands. The intern should be out handling a patient with non-life threatening injuries. Today they were short a doctor and desperately needed all hands on deck with the traumas coming through the doors. It was why she was helping with this particular victim; she could gently prod the doctor until a resident was free.

In the next instant, the privacy curtain was thrust aside. Hopefully, help had finally arrived.

“What’s the status of the patient?”

She stilled. That voice, so rich and sensual and commanding. Totally unforgettable. A voice that sent her insides quivering like the ripples on a pond after a stone had been thrown in. The last voice she expected to hear in her hospital. With her heart hammering loudly like an orchestra of kettledrums, she raised her eyes and glanced at the newcomer, hoping against hope that her assumption was wrong.

Luck wasn’t on her side.

It was Alex.

His dress and tone were that of a medical professional, not a scared relative.

Her hand gripped the IV stand. Her stomach dropped to her feet and blood rushed to her head. She thought she was going to faint. She gulped in air, trying to calm her frazzled nerves.

What was he doing here?

Sophie bit the inside of her lip, wishing she would wake up and find out it was all a dream. A dream brought on by nerves from starting her new position. But all the biting achieved was a throb on her lower lip.

She was still in the resus cubicle. And now, so was her one-night stand.

Her fantasy lover, the man she’d pushed aside her inhibitions for. He wasn’t meant to turn up for real in her life. He was meant to stay as a memory. One she pulled out of the recesses of her mind when life got too much to bear. He was especially not meant to turn up in her professional life.

How could this be happening?

If she’d had any idea on New Year’s Eve that he was a doctor, and that the next time she’d see him would be in her hospital, there would have been no way she would’ve followed him into his hotel room.

What was she going to do?

The beeping of the monitor forced her attention back to her patient. She would have to deal with Alex turning up at the hospital after her patient was in a more stable condition.

Adopting what she hoped was a voice he wouldn’t recognize she listed out the injuries.

“Twenty-four-year-old male motorcyclist presenting with suspected fractures to his skull, left femur, and tibia. More than likely a crushed pelvis.” She took a breath before continuing with the list. “Significant blood loss, saline IV attached. Bloods are on the way. The patient was also given a shot of morphine at the scene. We’ll know the full extent of his injuries once he’s stable enough to be taken up to x-ray.”

She couldn’t avoid it any longer—she had to face him. It would be career suicide if she ignored a doctor. She didn’t want to be reported to the new director of emergency, either. How ironic if the new nursing unit manager was reported on her first day on the job. Déjà vu all over again.

Imagining her spine was made of unbending steel, she raised her eyes and met his penetrating gaze head on.

She saw the shock filter across his face before it was quickly blanked out. She thought for a moment that she’d imagined it. He turned his attention back to the other doctor.

“I’ll take it from here,” he commanded, slipping his stethoscope from around his neck and placing it on the victim’s chest. His brow furrowed at what he was hearing.

She watched as he flicked the stethoscope out of his ears. His nimble fingers began to palpate the patient’s stomach. She remembered how they’d felt as he’d feathered them across her skin.

Stop it. You have a potentially dying patient and you’re remembering the feel of his fingers on your skin. Concentrate.

“I don’t like the feel of his abdomen, his breathing is shallow. How’s his pressure?” Alex’s impersonal tone dragged her out of her inner thoughts.

Now wasn’t the time to be dwelling on things she had no control over. Calling on her professional training, she did what she was trained to do—put a patient’s needs above her own.

“Not good, he needs to be in theater, not down here.”

Sophie glanced up and her eyes met Alex’s, the expression in his gaze unreadable. His voice washed over her again. “Then let’s get him there.”

Sophie pulled herself together as she worked side-by-side with the man who could, potentially, ruin her career. How she kept her cool, she had no idea. They worked together in perfect harmony. Every time she anticipated Alex’s every move, question and request, she could hear the respect growing in his voice. Clearly, he hadn’t expected her to be able to deal with an emergency. What was his impression of her on New Year’s Eve?

Did he think she was purely a socialite? It was highly likely he did—most people thought she flitted around the social scene the first time they met her.

But here she was, showing her worth and providing him with information he needed even before he asked. It was as if they had been working together for years, not twenty minutes. Perhaps they’d connected in more than just a physical way that night.

She shuttered her thoughts. She didn’t want to go there. Not yet. She knew the night had to be dealt with, because if left alone, it could, like a simple scratch, fester into something more serious.

“Right, let’s get him upstairs.”

Again Alex’s voice penetrated her thoughts, as the patient was finally stable enough to be transferred to x-ray. His prognosis didn’t look hopeful, but she sent a silent prayer to anyone who may be listening that the young patient would make it. She also gave silent thanks that Alex had accompanied the patient, giving her some breathing space. Some time to collect her thoughts before the inevitable confrontation between them happened.

Ripping off her bloodstained gloves, she threw them into the trash, thankful her shift was finally over. If only she could solve her other problems like that. Rip them off and throw them away like a pair of soiled gloves.

She should be elated. She’d survived her first shift in her new position as nursing unit manager—only just. Helping out with a multi-trauma accident wasn’t what she’d expected on her first day. But she knew occurrences like that were going to be rare. Her job was now going to be more administration based, with the added perk of mentoring a new breed of nurse.

She dispelled the memories of the last time she’d held the position. The way she’d crumpled under the pressure. Not this time, though. This time she wasn’t going to let the self-defeating talk take her over. Demeaning and eroding her self-esteem like she let it the last time. She was a stronger person now, and she was going to be the best unit manager the department had ever seen.

With that resolve thrumming through her, she made her way to the staffroom. She had just enough time to grab a quick coffee before handling the paperwork for change of shift, and maybe a chance to start on all the other administrative papers already starting to mount on her desk.

When was the new director of emergency going to show up and take some of the load off her? She had hoped he’d arrive before her shift ended.

Just her luck he’d be some arrogant, old-fashioned doctor who looked down his nose at nurses. What joy it would be sharing an office with someone like that. He’d probably demand she do her work at the triage desk.

She didn’t want to let the other thought that flitted through her mind take purchase. She didn’t want to think of the possibility that it could be Alex. She didn’t want to think about the prospect of them working side by side in the close confines of the office, day after day.

Sophie pushed opened the door and stopped at the sight that greeted her. Most of her nursing staff were milling around chatting among themselves. With all that had happened in the last couple of hours, she’d forgotten administration had called a staff meeting. They wanted everyone to attend, which was impossible and she’d told them so. She was proud of her small victory when she’d finally gotten administration to agree that the change of shift staff would attend, and then she’d let the other staff members know the pertinent details. It didn’t take a medical degree to work out that the meeting was called in relation to the new director. She hoped it wasn’t bad news and the new director had changed his mind and decided not to take up the position after all.

“About time you showed up, we’ve been waiting for you.”

Phoebe’s voice jolted her and Sophie gave her friend a glare as she replied.

“I was in the middle of an emergency, in case you didn’t notice. I mean, this is the emergency department after all.”

Phoebe didn’t have a chance to reply as Neil, her sleazy ex and the CEO of the hospital, entered the room. Sophie quickly slid into a seat, slouching down to be less noticeable. He was the last person she wanted to see. Thank goodness it would only be for another week. Then she wouldn’t have to look or hear or speak or be in the same room as Mr.-I’m-the-best-CEO-this-hospital-has-ever-had, ever again. A gentle squeeze on her arm had her looking up—the sympathy shining out of Phoebe’s eyes annoyed her more than comforted her. She was over Neil and she’d told Phoebe that. What she’d done on New Year’s Eve proved to her that she was finished feeling sorry for herself. She needed to stop acting like a heartbroken waif.

She pushed down her annoyance at her weakness and sat up straighter in her chair. She gave Phoebe a determined smile and a look to say she was fine.

Lifting her head, she clashed eyes with Neil. She let all the contempt she felt for him fill her and she had the satisfaction of seeing him take a small step back. The urge to poke her tongue out at him was overwhelming, but she controlled it.

He started to speak and she let his words wash over her, not taking in what he was saying until he said the words that stopped her heart, and deflated the confidence she’d just gained in showing him she wasn’t bothered by his presence anymore. They were the words she didn’t want to hear. The words that brought her passing thought a while ago to fruition.

“Our new director of emergency is Dr. Alex Scavoni.”

She couldn’t look up.

It wasn’t possible.

It couldn’t be true.

Life couldn’t be so cruel. Could it?

She wanted to run and hide, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t let her staff see her reaction to the new director. Phoebe’s gasp showed Sophie she remembered his name from the ball. It wouldn’t take much for the others who were seated at that table to remember. After all, Alex had introduced himself to them.

“Did you know this, Soph? Did you know Alex was going to be working here?” Phoebe whispered to her.

Sophie’s throat had closed up. She wasn’t capable of answering so she shook her head. The only saving grace in this disaster was that Phoebe hadn’t seen her and Alex dance or their midnight kiss. Phoebe had no idea that she had slept with Alex.

Things just got a bit more complicated.

She would be sharing an office with the man she’d spent one torrid night with. A night she hadn’t been able to forget. She hoped to goodness no one had seen her leave with him, otherwise her career was shot. Getting involved with another senior staff member was tantamount to career suicide. No one would respect her abilities now.

Sophie had to believe Alex had protected them from any prying eyes as they’d left, like he had promised he would.

But she couldn’t let her thoughts show to the people gathered in the room.

Not again.

She summoned every ounce of the endless social skills her mother had drilled into her during her teenage years. Straighten your shoulders, Sophie. Even if one is bored, one mustn’t look bored. Smile, you own the room and everyone in it. You are a Franklyn—social royalty.

Her mother’s words sounded so loud in her mind, transporting her back to the times her mother would tap her on the shoulder with her constant companion—the wooden ruler. Drumming those words into Sophie, over and over and over again.

She finally became aware that everyone was looking at her, expectation showing in their gazes. She looked up and locked eyes with Alex. With that one look, she knew she was in trouble.

***

It took all his willpower, again, to keep his face devoid of emotion. He fought against the overwhelming desire to stride through his new staff, pick Sophie up, and whisk her away so he could reacquaint himself with her sweet taste.

When Sophie had heard his name, the look of disbelief and despair that had appeared on her face was quickly replaced by one of blankness with an underlying aura of poise and serene calm.

He was surprised at her reaction, considering she’d worked alongside him in the resus room. He was still amazed at her professionalism and how she had anticipated his every move and action when dealing with their patient. If he hadn’t been watching and wanting her since the moment he’d walked into the staff room, he would’ve totally missed that look.

It was his turn to be shocked when he realized exactly what the CEO was saying and the look of anticipation on the faces of the people surrounding him in the room.

Sophie was the nursing unit manager, or NUM as it was often shortened to, which meant they would be sharing the same office. Be in constant contact with each other.

Things just got a lot more complicated.

The rest of the meeting passed without him taking in much of what was said. All he could think about was what was going to happen on their first shift together tomorrow.

A familiar scent tickled his senses. He looked to his right and was arrested by the sight next to him.

Sophie.

Even after working a full shift, with a crumpled uniform showing evidence from the last trauma, she looked more beautiful than she had when she’d been fully made up. Her natural, uncomplicated beauty shone through.

“Dr. Scavoni, we need to talk.” Her voice was as sharp as a scalpel. No preliminaries, just straight to the point. He had to admire her for the way she managed to make it sound conversational and not confrontational.

“Our office?”

She leaned close, so close his flesh prickled at the sparks shooting out of her eyes. He watched the skin around her mouth tighten as she clenched her jaw and spoke in a tone only he could hear. “Unless you’d like the whole staff to hear what I have to say, then, yes, our office would be fine.”

She turned and walked out of the room, hips swaying, mesmerizing him with each step.

“You’ll need to keep an eye on her, Scavoni. I wasn’t happy with her appointment as NUM of ER, not after her last effort. But the powers that be decided to give her another go. Daddy probably promised a huge donation if she was given the promotion again.”

Alex was surprised at the bitterness with which the CEO, Neil Buchanan, spoke. Clearly he didn’t like or believe in Sophie. But as far as Alex knew, a new CEO would be taking over at the end of the week so Neil’s opinion mattered little.

“Not really your concern anymore is it, Buchanan?” He paused, taking a step that brought him closer to the other man. “After all, you’re leaving in a couple of days, aren’t you?”

Neil sniffed in disgust, as if he had just smelled rotting flesh. “True, but I know Sophie well and if I was staying on here as CEO, there is no way in hell she would’ve received the promotion. Donation or not.”

Something definitely wasn’t right between Neil and Sophie. Irrationally, a protective streak for Sophie sparked to life. Alex planned to find out what the history between them was and why Neil obviously had a lack of trust in her nursing abilities. From what he’d seen, her skills were impeccable. Only he wouldn’t ask Neil for details. He’d only met the man a handful of times, but each time he felt the need to wash his hands afterwards. The man exuded the slipperiness of a small intestine. If Neil had stayed on, Alex would’ve found it very difficult to take up the position and work with the man.

“Well, for Sophie’s sake I guess it’s lucky that you aren’t. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a meeting with the lady in question to attend to.”

“Trust me, Scavoni, when I say don’t believe everything she says. She manipulates the situation so she comes out on top.”

He strode out of the room, uncaring of the vicious words Neil Buchanan spewed from his mouth. All thoughts now centered solely on Sophie and what would be waiting for him when he entered their office.

He paused briefly before entering the room, keenness simmering through him at the thought of spending more time with her. Would he receive a warm welcome from her?

He no sooner opened the door before he got his answer. He stepped into the room and fire burst forth from Sophie’s incredible eyes. If they were anywhere but at work, he would’ve gathered her up and kissed her, changing the flames of anger to flames of passion. A passion he had no doubt would consume them like it had their one night together.

He’d tried hard to resist her that night, but hadn’t been able to. He’d initially thought she represented everything he’d sworn he wouldn’t touch again, a polished socialite. He’d sampled it once, and once had been enough. Now it seemed his initial impression had been wrong. She wasn’t a lightweight socialite, but something much, much more.

“Just what the hell are you playing at?” The question was fired at him with all the precision of a sniper rifle. “Did you know exactly who I was from the very beginning? Did you have this planned from the moment you walked into the ballroom and saw whose table you were on? Did you think it would be fun to humiliate me? Is this all just a game to you?”

“How about I ask you a couple of questions? Did you know who I was from the very beginning? Was it ~your~ plan to sleep with the boss? Did ~you~ think it would be fun to humiliate me in front of ~my~ staff?”

“Excuse me?”

“No need to act so surprised, Sophie. If you start flinging accusations, I can, too.”

“That’s not fair, I have so much more to lose than you.”

“Is that right? It’s not exactly the end of the world.”

The conversation was getting out of control and Alex didn’t like it. He hadn’t come into the office for a confrontation. What he wanted was to have a reasonable conversation. Come up with a way they could work together. Develop a professional relationship between them. They had to share an office, they had to get along.

Before he had a chance to get the conversation back on track Sophie continued on.

“Not the end of the world? Are you serious? I had a one-night stand with my new boss.”

“Well, I had a one night stand with my nursing unit manager. What does that say about me to my staff? I’m new at this hospital.”

“Doesn’t matter if it gets out, your colleagues will give you a slap on the back and say, ‘Way to go.’ For me it’s career suicide.” She dropped her face into her hands. “It’s just like that television show. Next thing I’ll know your wife is going to turn up out of the blue and slap my face.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous, I don’t subscribe to the old boys club, and Amanda’s not going to do that. She doesn’t do confrontations.”

***

Sophie fumbled behind her, looking for her chair. Sinking into it when her fingers connected with the soft leather, her heart stopped beating and a cold sweat broke out all over her. A hollowness filled her, like she’d been kicked in the stomach. Her nightmare had just reached catastrophic levels.

This time she was the other woman.

“Y-y-you’re married?” The words whispered out of her.

“No.” The word burst out like a firecracker shot from its canister. He sank down in front of her. “No, I’m divorced. I’m not a cheater.”

Alex took her hands in his, the touch shocking her out of her dazed state. His flesh warmed her numb fingers as he continued speaking, the words seeming to come from afar. Her ears buzzed, but she made out what he was saying. “I abhor people who cheat.”

At least they had that in common. She pulled her hands out of his hold and wrapped them around herself. She couldn’t think when he touched her. She gave a short push on the ground and her chair coasted gently back, away from his strong presence.

How could this day have gotten any worse? She’d been so optimistic when she’d started her shift. She’d felt more confident in her role and she’d managed her staff well when the call for the multi-accident trauma came in. But then Alex had walked in, and everything had gone pear shaped.

He had been married. How long since the divorce? Was she a rebound girl?

Everything started crowding in around her. She couldn’t do this. She had to get out. Get out of Alex’s presence so she could think. Get her jumbled, scrambled thoughts into a straight and sensible line.

“I’ve got to go.” She pulled the bottom drawer of her desk open, grabbed her handbag from its depths, and headed toward the door.

“You can’t leave it like this, Sophie. Don’t run away again. We have to work together.”

She whirled round to face him. “You think I don’t know that? Right now, I just can’t deal with all of this. None of the last hour has gone according to the way I imagined the last part of my shift would go.”

With her hand hovering above the doorknob, she sighed. “Yes, maybe I am running away. Maybe I should stay here and discuss this rationally with you. But I really can’t do this now. I just need my own space.”

Not waiting for a reply, she turned the handle and walked out the door. She made her way to the elevator in a daze, trying not to remember the time she had taken an elevator ride with Alex.

The doors opened and it was blissfully empty. She pressed the button for the lower car park. As she looked through the closing doors, she saw Alex standing in the doorway watching and brooding.

By first sleeping with him and now walking out, had she blown her promotion once again?