Shattered Edge(21)
“Aw, gee man, are you aiming for a kiss or something?”
We were walking out of the OR and removing our gloves when he said, “Buddy, if I were gay, I’d definitely be going for the likes of you.”
Several people overheard him and the whole room broke out in laugher.
“Well, doesn’t that just make a guy all warm and fuzzy?” I turned to Jackson and kissed him on the cheek, which made everyone start howling even louder. Then I had to put the whipped cream and cherry on top by adding, “I’ll be damned if I’m letting you get the last word in buddy!” at which I slapped him soundly on the ass.
********
“So what’s up?” Jackson asked as I walked into his office.
After explaining the whole schedule thing with Destiny and how my account had been accessed during my first case that morning, he, too, was suspicious.
“You did the right thing by calling security.”
“The way she looks at me. It’s scary Jackson.”
“Oh come on Justin. She just a nurse with the hots for you.”
Shaking my head, I said, “I don’t know. I have this really weird feeling about her. A lot of women have had the hots for me but none of them have hacked into my account before.”
“True. Well, at least you’re on to her so you can be careful around her and what you say. I wouldn’t mention Terri’s name or anything.”
“Good point. And I gave Destiny’s name to security.”
“I’ll be on the lookout too. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.”
Making my way to the cafeteria, I grabbed my phone and decided to call my girl.
Christ! Since when did I start thinking of Terri as my girl?
Maybe I needed to pull back a bit. This whole thing between us was moving at light speed. She certainly hit my buttons in the right way. Damn, just thinking about her gave me a chubby. Thank God I had put on a lab coat. These damn scrubs didn’t hide a whole lot.
Her phone rang twice before that kitten voice said, “Hi.”
“Hi back to you.”
“How’s your day going?”
“Busy. I’ve got back to back cases all day. I don’t know who did my booking this week but I might have to strangle that person. Complicated cases too. I won’t be home until late. And I’m on call tomorrow night.”
“Oh.”
Was that disappointment I detected? It sure sounded like it to me.
“I miss you honey.”
“I miss you too. I guess I’m gonna have to sleep with JJ tonight then, huh?”
“Looks that way babe.”
“Okay. I hope JJ is up to the task.”
I laughed. “Well, if he’s not, then you’ll be in the same boat as I am.”
“Oh, how’s that?”
“You’ll just have to resort to manual labor.”
I think she spit out her coffee or something. I heard her sputter and then start coughing.
“Terri, are you all right?”
No answer, but I heard more coughing.
“Terri? Honey are you okay?”
Cough, cough, cough, cough.
“Honey?”
“Justin! Don’t do that to me right when I take a drink of something. I almost choked on my water!”
I just laughed at her. “Um Terri, you have to remember something.”
“What?”
“I can’t see what you’re doing right this minute, so I didn’t know you were taking a drink of something.”
“Well, don’t do it anyway.”
“Okay honey. Well, I gotta go. I’ll call you later tonight.”
“Okay, bye.”
We both ended the call and I grabbed a sandwich from the cafeteria. I ate it on the move because by the time I got back to the OR they’d be ready for me.
********
I left the hospital at nine. I was beat. A shower...that’s all I wanted was a hot shower. The water pounded on my tense neck and shoulders until it started to get cool. Drying off as I walked down the steps, I grabbed whatever I could get my hands on to eat. There would be no cooking tonight. My hunger wouldn’t allow for it. A sandwich, some fruit, a yogurt, chips, a few cookies and a salad later, I was finally satisfied.
Taking the towel from around my waist, I tossed it into the bathroom and brushed and flossed. Then I crawled in between the sheets. My phone was on the nightstand so I hit her number. She answered right away.
“Are you home at last?”
“Yeah. Got here about nine thirty but I was dirty, tense and starved so I had to shower and eat. Now I’m in this huge bed all alone, thinking of you.”
“Hmm. Same here.”
“So how was your day?”
“Well, I’m allergic to waterproof mascara.”