Page 18 of Reunited with His Long-Lost Nurse

‘No,’ she agreed. ‘I shouldn’t have either.’

‘I would rather that it didn’t happen again.’

As though it was some insignificant thing, and not the fact that she’d broken apart in his hands.

‘Of course.’ She drew in a steadying breath, wishing it didn’t hurt so much. ‘Like I said, we have four more days to get through where our paths may well cross and then, after that, I’ll be on the other side of Williamtown.’

‘So you mentioned.’ He dipped his head but she couldn’t make out his tone. It was too even, too neutral. ‘However, I wanted to talk to you about that.’

‘Oh?’

She couldn’t have said why her pulse kicked up the way that it did. And there was no reason at all for her skin to prickle or for that strange sensation, which couldn’t possibly be excitement, to ripple down her spine.

‘I understand Lucy Wells was originally your patient, which is how you knew the case well enough in the first instance?’

‘She was.’ Talia lifted her shoulders. ‘But once she was accepted for this trial she became part of the clinical trial team’s caseload.’

And she knew he would have been poring over all their notes, ensuring he knew the case inside out. He always liked to be as thorough as he possibly could be, whether the surgery was an emergency, or an elective. It was part of what made him so good at what he did.

‘But you aren’t on that clinical team?’ He frowned. ‘Why not? You’ve been an OR nurse in these types of procedures before back at Duke’s. With me.’

Talia’s mind spun, a thousand replies all cramming her brain at once. But what would be the point in any of them? She’d already said more than she’d ever intended. In the end, she settled for the practical.

‘The previous cardiothoracic surgeon had his preferred team from before I even arrived at The Island Clinic, and I wasn’t part of it.’

Liam frowned at her again, but this time it felt different.

There was a beat of quiet.

‘Did you want to be on the team?’

She blinked, taking a moment to process the question.

‘Sure, it’s a fascinating surgery and Lucy’s a good kid.’

‘As far as I’m concerned, you’re one of the best scrub nurses I’ve had in my OR,’ he said candidly. ‘Isak would be a fool not to want you on the team.’

Gratitude and something else she didn’t care to identify shot through Talia. In spite of all they’d just said to one another, he still didn’t think twice about telling her that she was a good nurse.

‘Thank you.’ She pulled her lips together. ‘But I also don’t know much about the procedure.’

He frowned.

‘You’ve been part of atrial repairs before back at Duke’s. With me even.’

‘None of the surgeries I was ever on with you were total atrial arch reconstructions.’ She shook her head. ‘I’ve worked on a handful of traditional two-stage elephant trunk procedures, but you’re skilled in the single-stage approach.’

‘I didn’t realise,’ he mused, and a heavy weight of regret plummeted through her.

After what had happened in his office less than twenty-four hours ago, it might have been good to have something less...intimate between them. Maybe even get them back to an easier, more neutral footing with each other.

But now he was going to rescind his offer to put her on his team, and she felt a stab of regret. He opened his mouth to speak and she steeled herself for the inevitable.

‘Well, you’re going to have to learn at some time. I’d still like you on my team.’ Liam shrugged, as though it was no big deal. ‘So if you wan

t on, I’ll talk to Nate in the morning.’

She could almost feel the silence in the room, swirling around her.

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