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“Here she is,” the chief of surgery said. His jovial expression threw Drew off for a moment.
“Fred?” Dr. Hemingway’s face beamed with recognition. “I forgot you were in Austin. Is this your hospital?”
“Yes, it is,” Dr. Coleman said.
London looked from one doctor to another. “I’m always astounded at just how small the medical world can be,” she said. “I guess introductions aren’t necessary.”
“Susan and I were residents at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles many moons ago,” Coleman said.
“I was chief resident at the time,” Dr. Hemingway said. Drew wanted to high-five her.
“A very good one,” Coleman said, though his smile was tighter than before. London was right. The man had an issue with women in authority, and now they knew where it stemmed from.
“I thought it was just a rumor when I heard that you were at the hospital,” Coleman continued. “What brings you to Travis County?”
She gestured to London. “I came to speak with Dr. Kelley regarding the new sensory room you all will be adding here at County. I must say, Fred, I am impressed, especially with Dr. Kelley here. You have a fine pediatric surgeon on your hands. Count yourself lucky that we’ve already filled all of our fellowships in Seattle, or I would be giving her the hardest sell of my life to try to lure her away.”
“Yes, Dr. Kelley is very special indeed,” Coleman said. Drew could measure the enthusiasm in his voice using a thimble.
For London’s part, she didn’t so much as flinch. Drew now realized it was because she’d spent so much time dealing with a father who had the same chauvinistic mindset. Coleman was child’s play for her.
Still, Drew felt he needed to set the record straight.
“I’m the one who contacted Dr. Hemingway on Dr. Kelley’s behalf,” Drew said. “I know there is still a lot for the board and hospital administration to discuss as Trident wraps up its audit, but when I learned that Dr. Hemingway was in Austin, I didn’t want to pass up the chance for her to tour County’s pediatric ward. I’m jumping the gun here, but I can tell you that the sensory room will be at the very top of Trident’s list of recommendations when it comes to additions to the hospital.”
“Thatisjumping the gun,” Coleman said. “But I applaud you for taking the initiative. We’ve looked into Dr. Kelley’s little project on multiple occasions, but if Trident believes it will benefit the hospital, we may reconsider.”
Drew wasn’t sure how London managed to hold it together. He was pissed on her behalf. She’d done her homework on this and had more research to back it up than should have been warranted. Yet Coleman was only willing to consider it now that Trident had put it on the table? This guy really was an asshole.
Coleman turned to Dr. Hemingway. “Let me know if you’ll be around for lunch, Susan. I’d love to catch up.”
“So would I,” she said. “I’ll find you once I’m done speaking with Dr. Kelley. I assume your office is whichever is the largest in the hospital?”
“You assume correctly,” Coleman answered with a laugh. “I’ll see you after you’re done here.” He gave London a pointed look as he exited the room, but she barely paid him notice. Her entire focus was once again on gleaning every drop of information she could from Dr. Hemingway.
By the time they were done, London had secured an invitation to tour the sensory room the other doctor had created at her hospital in Seattle, along with a pledge from Dr. Hemingway to return to County on a subsequent trip to Austin.
“Feel free to pick my brain whenever you need to,” the doctor said. “I wasn’t joking when I told Frederick that I’m tempted to poach you. County is lucky to have you in their residency program.”
“I’m so grateful to the hospital and the physicians here. They’ve taught me so much, and it has been a true honor to serve the people of my hometown,” London said. “I’ll always treasure my time here.”
Drew’s forehead dipped with his frown. There was something odd about both her tone and phrasing.
He took Dr. Hemingway’s proffered hand and thanked her for coming, then followed them both out of the room.
London’s office was across from it. She pulled Drew inside, closed the door behind them, and pinned him against it. The kiss she laid on him was long, slow, and deep, and if they weren’t at this hospital right now, Drew had zero doubts that they would be naked in two minutes flat. It took every ounce of restraint to keep his hand from going to his necktie and ripping it off.
“That was phenomenal,” London said. “Did you see how excited she was when I mentioned the bubble wall?”
Drew could barely recall his own name when she pressed her body against his like this, but he nodded anyway.
“I’ve been struggling with an extremely important decision,” she said. “You pretty much made it for me by bringing Dr. Hemingway here today.”
“What decision?” Drew asked.
“Whether to remain at County,” she answered.
“You considered leaving?”
