Page 21 of One Reckless Night

“Bummer for you.”

He looked confused. “Why?”

“Never mind.” I reached for the coffee and took a drink. “I’ve got some cases I need to assign to the researchers. Can you take this one to Amelia?” I handed him a file, trying to keep my tone casual.

Shawn took the file, still smirking. “Are you sure you don’t want to take it to her?”

“Shawn, I know you’re not stupid, but you are clearly an idiot. I don’t have time to play stupid workplace games. We can’t get distracted with bullshit. What we do here is too important.”

“You know she’s really smart,” he said.

“Drop it already.”

“No, for real. I had lunch with her Friday. She was talking to me about some of her research. Do you know who she reminds me of?”

“Nope, but I’m guessing you’re going to tell me.”

“When she’s talking about her research or some case she’s been studying, she gets in the zone. Like you. But there’s one glaring difference.”

“An amazing rack?” I said.

He chuckled. “She’s definitely got that.”

I shot him a dirty look. “Don’t start looking at her chest.”

“You’re the one that brought it up. But no, the difference between you two is she’s not arrogant. She explains things. She’s passionate, but she’s also nice. Humble. Kind.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I muttered. “I’m the humblest person I know.”

He shook his head. “And the most modest.”

“Just make sure she gets that file.”

“Sure thing, boss. Anything else?”

“No,” I said, waving him off. “Just get out of here. The arrogant one demands it.”

He laughed as he walked out of the office. I waited until the door closed behind him before letting out a long breath. The truth was, even the mention of Amelia’s name had me feeling dizzy. I didn’t know what it was about her—maybe it was the way she thought so little of me. She seemed completely immune to my charm, but she was under my skin in a way I couldn’t explain.

I tried to push the thought aside, focusing on my work. I pulled up my schedule, which was full as expected. I scanned the calendar and clicked the link for the patient I was going to be doing a consult with. My assistant was good. She never let anything slip. I appreciated that she kept my schedule tight. Every patient had a complete file loaded and ready for me to review at the click of a mouse. While I was brushing up on the file, an email notification popped up on my screen. I felt my stomach drop. It was from my brother, Michael. I hesitated for a moment before opening it, already dreading what I’d find. He was pissed at me.

The email was short, just a few lines of text and a couple of pictures. The pictures were of my nieces at Disney World, their faces lit up with joy as they posed with Mickey Mouse. I felt a pang of guilt as I stared at the screen. I’d missed their birthday trip—again. I’d had a surgery that day. When I told Michael I couldn’t make it, things had gotten a little tense. That was an understatement. He’d been pissed, and I didn’t blame him. But sending me these pictures felt like a low blow. He was just trying to make sure he showed me what I missed.

I stared at the email, my jaw tightening as I read it again. The pictures of my nieces didn’t help—they just twisted the knife deeper. I clenched my fists, then exhaled slowly, forcing myself to unclench. I wasn’t going to let this get to me. Not today.

I quickly tapped out a reply. Got your email. The girls look happy. Glad they had a good time. Thanks for the pics. I’ll call them later.

Michael didn’t understand. He never had. He thought I was selfish, that I cared more about my work than my family. And maybe he was right. But what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t just drop everything every time he wanted me to play the doting uncle.

People thought I was an arrogant, selfish prick. Maybe I was. But it wasn’t always about being an asshole. I just knew what was right and I knew that I could do things other people couldn’t. I could change people’s lives. Not just change—save. It wasn’t a God complex. It was just reality. I had the power to make a difference. If it was one of Michael’s daughters, he would understand.

I stood up, needing to clear my head. I grabbed my phone and headed out of the office, deciding to take a walk around the campus. The sunshine and warm breeze were an immediate balm to my soul. It was one of the reasons I chose to have my foundation here. People like me spent a lot of time inside under fluorescent lights. That was like the opposite of vitamin D. I wanted my people to be happy and healthy. A walk across the campus was a dose of endorphins. People thought clearer, which was always good when people needed full brainpower.

I wandered aimlessly, thinking about my schedule and Michael and everything else. I couldn’t explain how it happened, but I found myself outside Amelia’s lab.

I paused, glancing through the glass. Her lab was a hive of activity, researchers bustling around, equipment humming, the air thick with the scent of coffee. It was the busiest lab I’d ever seen. I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of pride. She’d only been here a few weeks, and she’d already made it her own. A lot of labs devolved into chaos. Either the lead had zero management skills or there were a bunch of egos all trying to prove they were the smartest person in the room.

I wondered what her motivations were. What drove her to work so hard, to push herself like this? There was something about her—something intense and focused—that I couldn’t quite figure out. This wasn’t just a job for her. It was clear there was something personal about all of this. She was pushing hard. I got that way when a life was on the line. Who was she trying to save?