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This time there was a slight coughing sound and the woman’s chest started to move.
Tiffani released the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
The sound of an ambulance’s siren filled the air.
The first-aid person slipped an oxygen mask over the patient’s nose and mouth.
“Don’t move,” Rex instructed the patient. To the first-aid person he said, “I’m Dr. Rex Maxwell, by the way. May I use your stethoscope? I’m going to give her a quick check and then I’ll get out of the paramedics’ way.”
The first-aid person handed it over.
Rex efficiently and expertly listened to the patient’s heart and lungs. He then checked the pulse in her neck.
Tiffani pulled out her phone and took some pictures. Now that the worst was over, she couldn’t miss a chance to capture Rex in action. By the time he was finished the ambulance had arrived. She stood and waited out of the way while Rex spoke to the EMTs.
As the ambulance left, one of the women who had been with the patient said to Rex, “Thank you.”
He answered with a warm smile, “Not a problem. I’m just glad I was nearby.”
“That’s you on the billboard, isn’t it?” the woman asked.
“I’m afraid so.”
Tiffani smiled at his not-so-gracious admission.
“The hospital picked the right guy. You were a hero today,” the woman said.
Looking humbled, Rex nodded and headed toward where Tiffani was standing.
She said as he joined her, “You know, you really are a good guy.”
“You doubted it?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. But it just goes to show you can’t believe everything you read.” Or believe everything her father had told her about doctors, or what she’d come to believe as true from what had happened with her family. Not all of them were bad. Especially not Rex.
“I could have told you that,” he retorted.
Rex had been amazing with the hurt woman. Kind and gentle. He hadn’t hesitated to run to help. Giving was part of his nature. All her life, her father had, and still did, demanded her help, always putting his needs first. Rex was just the opposite, thinking of other people before himself. He was so different from what she’d had in her mind he would be.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s finish this walk. I’m hungry.”
When he took her hand, she let him. The feeling of being wanted, of feeling secure, even if only for five minutes, sped up the healing of her heart.
* * *
Half an hour later they were in her car, pulling out into traffic. He gave directions to the restaurant. A short time later they parked in a lot two blocks away and she was shutting her door before Rex could get his legs out.
“I beat you.”
“You have me folded up in this clown car and now you’re making fun of my manners.” He grinned at her.
As they walked to the restaurant Tiffani asked, “Where did those manners come from?”
“My mom said good manners can get you anywhere.” He winced as if it had hurt him to confess that but immediately went on, “She reinforced them at home from as far back as I can remember. Cotillions and dance lessons embedded them in me.”
“I like them. I’m glad your mother cared enough to teach them to you. Manners make a person think of others before themselves.” Something the men in her life had never done as they’d always thought it was about them. She liked having someone think of her first. Even if only to open a door.
As she pondered her new appreciation of simple good manners, he said, “I never thought about it like that.” It sounded as if he’d come to an important realization himself. Then he asked, “You ever been to Mac’s before?”
“No.”
“Best-kept secret in the city.” His fondness for the establishment was audible and visible as he stopped in front of a red brick building with a large wooden door. Above it was a sign that read Mac’s in bold red letters. Rex held the door open.
She smiled her genuine pleasure as she passed him. “Thank you.” Once inside, she turned in time to see his grin and nod of appreciation.
“You’re welcome.”
They both laughed. She enjoyed laughing with Rex. Hadn’t done much of it recently.
They went down a few steps and made a left turn into a dimly lit dining room. Tables were covered in white cloths with small flower vases in the center of each.
“This was a speakeasy during the twenties,” Rex informed her on the way to the hostess stand.
“I can imagine.” Tiffani loved the place immediately with its warm old-world charm.
A short, heavy-set, balding man came around the stand to greet them, a smile lighting up his face. “Rex. This is a pleasure.”
“Hi, Joe,” he said, taking the man into a hug and patting him on the back.
They broke apart and Joe said, “Long time no see.”
“Too long. I’ve been busy.”
“I saw that. Glad everything worked out,” Joe remarked.
Rex stepped back and put his arm around Tiffani’s shoulders in a friendly manner, pulling her close. “Joe, I’d like you to meet my friend Tiffani.”
Joe’s smile deepened. “Hello, Ms. Tiffani.”
“Hi.” She felt unusually shy all of a sudden.
Rex removed his arm. “Are we too early for the ribs to be ready?”
Joe picked up a couple of menus from the slot on the stand. “Not for you.”
“Are they any good?” Rex teased.
“All my ribs are good.” Joe grinned as he showed them to a table.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Rex declared, pulling a chair out for her.
Tiffani settled into the wooden seat and Rex took the one beside her. Why did he choose to sit so close instead of across from her? Trying to dismiss her uncharacteristic shyness, Tiffani opened her menu. “I’m guessing we don’t have to earn his vote of confidence.”
“Nope. Joe and I go way back.”
“It makes you uncomfortable to talk about the lawsuit, doesn’t it?”
A grimace flowed over Rex’s face. “I just hate that people feel they need to tiptoe around what happened. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was trying to save the man’s life.” In the same breath he added, “You’re welcome to get anything you want but I recommend the dry-rub rib dinner. You can’t go wrong.”
Obviously, he was done with that subject. Now that she’d seen him with all sorts of patients she knew there was no way he had ever been guilty of what he’d been accused of. He was passionate about his work, caring. He would have saved that man’s life had it been in his power to do so. She shot a covert glance at Rex. Was he the same in other areas of his life?
A young waitress dressed in a white shirt and black skirt came to take their drink orders.
“You eat here often?” Tiffani asked as the waitress walked off.
“No. I wish I did. I stay pretty busy at the hospital.”
“I know you’re a dedicated doctor and all, but don’t you ever do something for fun?”
He shut his menu and put it on top of hers. “Sure I do. Every day.”
What was he talking about? “Like what?”
“You won’t like my answer. I ride my bike.”
Tiffani smirked. “And I’m ruining all your fun.”
Rex grinned. “Yeah, you are. I think you should make that up to me.”
“And just how should I do that?” She watched as a hint of a wolfish grin curved his lips.
“I have a few ideas.” His voice held a provocative note.
Tiffani shifted in her chair. She was grateful when the waitress returned and they ordered the ribs Rex had suggested. When they were alone again she pulled out her phone and announced, “I got some great pictures today. In fact,
as soon as we finish here I need to post them.”
He ignored the picture on the phone she held out for him to see, keeping his eyes on her face. “You talk about me having fun. What about you? Let’s talk about something besides our jobs.”
She put her phone away. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”
“How about what’s your favorite movie?”
He kept the easy conversation flowing as the food arrived and they ate. To Tiffani’s delight, they had more in common than either of them expected. They even laughed over Rex’s story about his first attempt to ride a motorcycle.
“Hey, look this way,” Rex said as they finished their meal.
She did as he requested.
