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“Of which half were ready to sell the hospital. This board has also agreed on budget cuts in the past that would take needed services away from young mothers.”
Doug Renault held up his hands. “Look, London, the board of directors know how lucky Travis County Hospital is to have a resident of your caliber on staff. But having a rising star surgeon in our pediatric ward only gets us so far. Trident was brought in to try to save this hospital, and we need voices like yours to impart the seriousness of this situation to the others on staff. Now, can you please just hear Mr. Sullivan out?”
Just as she leveled her gaze at Drew, her beeper went off. She glanced at it.
“I’m needed in the ER,” she said, pushing back from the table. She spoke directly to Drew. “Hopefully, I can grab a bite to eat in my office at some point today. I’ll try to find you later.”
Drew made sure she didn’t have to seek him out. He spent the afternoon on the pediatric floor, interviewing nurses and support staff. Conducting on-site interviews didn’t fall under a managing partner’s typical duties—in fact, he and his two partners tried to refrain from getting too much into the weeds. But Samantha had flown back to New York this morning for a family emergency, leaving them one person short. Drew knew how to roll up his sleeves and do the day-to-day work when necessary.
He’d just finished a discussion with Nurse Francis, the scary-as-hell charge nurse who just didn’t seem to have the personality for working in pediatrics, when he spotted London walking through the doors of the surgical rooms. She looked exhausted as she walked up to the nurses’ station.
“Please tell me some grateful parent sent a tray of cookies, or brownies, or something unhealthy today,” she said.
The other nurse, Kia, shook her head as she pointed to a cellophane-wrapped fruit basket.
“Maybe the strawberries are sweet,” she told London.
London’s shoulders slumped and she gave Kia a thumbs-down. “It’s probably a sign that I should lay off the sweets, but I need sugary carbs after this last surgery. I’ll take my chances with something from the vending machine.” She finally acknowledged Drew. “Are you ready for the ambush?”
“It’s not an ambush,” he said, following her down the hallway toward her office. “And I can have my assistant order something from Uber Eats if you don’t have lunch.”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Your assistant? Do you mean to tell me you can’t be bothered to order your own Uber Eats, Drew?”
He didn’t want to admit that he didn’t know how to use the app because it would make him feel too much like Dr. Coleman, the techno dinosaur.
“Do you need lunch?” he asked her.
She shook her head as they entered her office. She sat behind the desk and opened a drawer, taking out two packets of peanut butter crackers.
“I have backup. I just wanted something sweet and unhealthy as a reward for getting through a six-hour surgery on an MVA patient with multiple traumas. That’s multiple vehicle accident,” she clarified. She opened the crackers and stuffed a whole one in her mouth, making aget on with itgesture with her hand as she chewed.
“First, this is not an ambush,” Drew started. “I won’t try to coerce you into doing something you’re opposed to doing, London. Dr. Renault believes you would be an asset to this committee, and I’m betting he’s right. But you’ve been clear about where you stand in regards to Trident’s work, and I have to respect that. All I’m asking is that you don’t purposely sabotage what we’re doing.”
She picked up another cracker, taking a daintier bite. She chewed slowly, looking directly at him the entire time. Drew didn’t understand how she could be so sexy and intimidating and aloof all at the same time. The combination turned him the fuck on, even when he didn’t want to be turned on.
“Tell me, Drew,” she said as she dusted crumbs from her fingers. “Do you believe I’m the type of person who would sink so low as topurposelysabotage Trident’s work? Do you think I have that kind of time and energy? And, even if I did, that I could be so conniving?”
Now that he thought about it, he could see why she would take offense to his statement.
“I’m sorry.” He held up his hands. “Maybepurposelywasn’t the correct word here. No, I do not think you would intentionally undermine the assessment process, but many on the staff will get their cue from you. If they sense you’re against our recommendations, then they will be too.”
London folded her hands on her desk. “Earlier, I asked if ambassadors would have any say in these recommendations we’re being asked to push to the rest of the staff, but I never got a clear answer.”
“We value the input of everyone on staff,” Drew said.
“You can value my input and still toss it in the trash. I’ve seen this before, Drew. Coleman and his cronies on the board have proposed cuts to everything that will actually improve patient care. I won’t allow myself to be used as some rah-rah cheerleader for their bullshit.”
“It’s not like that, London. Trident’s work is independent of the board and the administration.”
“You may think that, but I know how these people operate,” she said.
Drew pinched the bridge of his nose. What would it take to convince her that this was different? “Why are you still being so damn difficult after the week we’ve had together?”
“And why do you think this past week would change anything?” she asked. “Do I have to remind you that what goes on in this hospital has nothing to do with the other thing we’re doing?” She leaned forward, and in a low-pitched voice, said, “As much as I appreciate the work you put in last night, it doesn’t mean I’m going to all of a sudden play nice today. I’m still against what the hospital’s administration is trying to do here, and I see you as an extension of that.”
There could not possibly be a more stubborn person on the face of this earth, but Drew knew better than to allow those words to move past his lips.
After talking to the nurses on this floor today, Drew had no doubts that London could sway them and a bunch of others at this hospital to do whatever she said. She had just that much influence over the staff. They respected her, even though she was still a resident and one of the youngest surgeons here.
