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Mia had a little smile on her face that didn’t bode well.
***
For a change, Matt’s night shift was uneventful, with no emergency requiring him to rush into the OR. In contrast, his morning schedule didn’t allow him a break.
A cup of coffee in her hand, the head nurse caught him hurrying out of an examination room to his office. “Dr. Matt, hold on,” Heidi Commons ordered in a tone that didn’t tolerate discussion. “You haven’t taken a minute for a much needed breakfast. Here’s your coffee and a muffin.”
The senior nurse, hired by his grandfather when Matt had toddled in a playpen, was a respected icon in the clinic. She ran the place with an iron hand and never hesitated to step on the doctors’ toes to remind them of the house rules. Yet she hovered over Matt with a motherly—and embarrassing—affection.
He swallowed a curse. “Thanks but later, Heidi. I have surgery in five minutes.”
“Oh bother. You need a boost of energy. It won’t help if you lose concentration while cutting into a patient.”
Heidi handed his the carton tray and stood in the doorway of his office, trapping him inside. Now he knew why his father had called the senior nurse the most lovable and irritating person he’d ever had the misfortune to work with.
“Heidi,” he started his voice filled with frustration.
“Don’t let me stand here forever.”
Those were the same words she’d used when she babysat him years ago and insisted he drink his milk.
He shook his head and huffed. “Damn it, you’ll never change, Heidi.”
“Never, Matt boy.” She crossed her arms over her ample chest. “Hurry up. We both have patients waiting,”
Giving up, he burst out laughing and bent to kiss her cheek.
“I still love you, Nana Heidi.” He bit into the delicious muffin and drank the coffee. “Delicious. Too bad I don’t have time for more.”
“I baked a dozen muffins. I’ll keep some for you for your afternoon tea. See you later, Dr. Matt.”
He smiled at her affectionately, as she left him and strutted to her desk.
By four-thirty, he was back in his office with a splitting headache. He reconsidered and walked over to the nurses’ break room. He knocked and waited for permission to enter.
“Where are those muffins?”
He slumped onto a chair at the table, knowing Heidi would be only too happy to pamper him.
She jumped out of her chair and set a box on the table.
“Here. All yours. Help yourself. I’ll make you some tea right away. You look a fright.”
Ignoring her comment, he devoured four muffins.
“It’s been a busy day, but a productive one. My patients are doing well.”
“Good.” She set a mug in front of him, brought another for herself, and sat next to him. “Here’s your tea with two sugars and milk. Try to relax while I tell you about the new patient who drove us crazy.”
Sipping his hot tea, he glanced at her. “We don’t need difficult patients unless it’s an emergency.”
“Far from it. It’s Cybil’s cousin, Jocelyn Jordan.”
Without missing a bite, he arched his eyebrows. “What does she want?”
“We’re not sure yet. Poor Stacy tried to take her information. The woman drove her nuts, insisting she wanted to talk to you. Stacy kept telling her you were in surgery and finally called me.”
“Good for her.” Matt chuckled. “I’m sure you had no problem handling her.”
