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The vehemence in her voice had him internally flinching, but he stood his ground. “When I boarded that plane to Miami, I was under the impression my moving to Memphis was a no-go and Dr. Luiz’s position would be filled by someone other than me.”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes. “You, the great Dr. Matthew Coleman, interviewed for my job and you thought they weren’t going to hire you? Puh-lease.”
“I was never told it was your job, Natalie.” He wanted to be clear on that. “Dr. L
uiz, nor the board, ever mentioned any intent to offer the position to you. Not once.” She acted as if he’d intentionally taken something of hers. He hadn’t done anything wrong. He’d needed this opportunity in Memphis and when it was offered he’d taken it. “Were you told they were going to offer you the position?”
The pain that flittered across her face stabbed into Matthew’s chest. Never had he wanted to hurt Natalie. Far, far from it. But they needed to clear the record on what had happened, to establish some professional ground rules if they were to work together. Maybe it would even be easier on them both if she hated him.
“No, but I was given reason to believe it would happen.” Her face full of accusation, she asked, “For the record, if you had been aware of the possibility that the job would otherwise be mine, would it have changed anything?”
Technically, he had known it was a possibility, but even if he’d been point-blank told the job was hers if he said no, his reasons for wanting to relocate to Memphis took precedence.
Carrie took precedence.
He shook his head. “No.”
A steely resolve settled into her eyes. “I don’t want you here.”
“I think you’ve already established that.” He moved toward her, stopped when she flinched and backed away as if she couldn’t stand the thought of him being close enough to touch her.
He rammed his hands into his pockets to keep from doing something stupid. Like doing just that. The last thing he needed was to touch Natalie. They were work colleagues now. Nothing more.
“My reasons for relocating have nothing to do with you,” he assured. “I met with the hospital board and Dr. Luiz the day prior to flying to Miami, but the hospital initially wasn’t willing to meet my terms. I thought that was the end of it, until Dr. Luiz called to say the board had reconsidered.”
She didn’t look any less ticked, just more suspicious. “When was that?”
“A month ago.”
A fresh wave of betrayal blanched her already pale face. “Dr. Luiz has known for a month that the job was yours? He...he never said anything.” She winced, paced back across the room, turned and met Matthew’s gaze with a world of hurt shining in her eyes.
A desire to take away her hurt hit him, to somehow undo what had been done. Impossible. He knew that. But he hated his indirect role in the pain she was suffering.
“He should have told me. I deserved to know before an announcement was made.”
“He told you today. Before an announcement was made,” Matthew pointed out. “He has great respect for you. He was adamant you have a prestigious place on my team.”
“As your second-in-command,” she bit out, not impressed. “Just as I’m his second-in-command.”
“You’re young, Natalie.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” she huffed. “I have been with Dr. Luiz for years. Did my residency at Memphis Children’s. I’ve worked my butt off to build our neonatal cardiology program. I’m more than qualified. What does my age have to do with anything?”
She was right. Had Matthew not intervened, she would have been named Head of Neonatal Cardiology with Dr. Luiz’s semi-retirement.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Natalie. I can’t speak for Dr. Luiz or the hospital board. I interviewed for a position that I needed, and when my terms were met, I accepted.”
“That you needed?” she scoffed. “You head up your team in Boston at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world. Why come here?”
She was right. He’d never have chosen to leave Boston had it been just him involved.
“Relocating to Memphis makes Carrie’s life better.”
Taken aback, she stared at him, then asked in a voice he barely recognized, “Who is Carrie?”
Matthew took a deep breath. “My...daughter.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
