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“Yup!” Josie grinned and lifted her hip, rubbing her bottom in an exaggerated manner.
Sandy shook her head and nodded. “Yeah, I get the picture! Hey, can I use your bathroom before I leave? I have a shift and thought I’d just drive straight down to the hospital.”
“Sure, it’s that way, down the hall on the right.”
Josie watched Sandy leave the room. It was so nice to have made a good friend, one she felt relaxed with and had so much in common with.
“Hey, honey, I’m home!” Max was back.
“Hi, in here!” Josie called.
He appeared in the doorway, looking as gorgeous as ever. “How’s the leg?” he asked, kissing her.
“Yeah, much better. I think I’ll be able to go into work tomorrow. Sandy’s here, she’s in the bathroom.”
“Marcus said you should leave restarting until Monday,” he told her, crouching down to examine her ankle. “There is still some residual swelling. Best rest it a bit longer because the trauma is in the same area as before.” She was about to argue the point when Sandy reappeared. Max stood and swiveled about to face her, a welcoming grin on his face. “Hi there, it’s Sandy, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, and you must be Max. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“All good I hope?” He mock-glowered at Josie.
Sandy grinned. “Naturally. Josie loves you,” she answered seriously.
“Sandy’s Dom is away, Max, Sean is in the army,” Josie told him.
“I expect Josie mentioned that I worked at the forces hospital. I helped operate on a lot of our brave servicemen and women, heroes, every last one. I’m an anesthetist.”
“Yeah? Look, sorry, you two but I really have to dash. I have a shift,” Sandy explained.
“I’ll see you out.” Max led the way from the room.
Sandy blew Josie a kiss and followed him. “By-ee!” she trilled from the door.
Max was back in moments. “Where did you say she lived?” he asked.
“Denver—apparently she’s in digs. It’s easier for her work schedule until Sean’s back home again. They have a house here.”
“In Corbin’s Bend?”
“Yeah, and before you ask, I don’t know where. I forgot to ask again.”
“I’ll ask Brent.”
“So, dinner, what shall we have tonight?” she asked, hoping he’d say take-out.
“You stay put and I’ll make a stew. I’ll bring the veggies in here to you. You can peel the carrots sitting down while watching television.”
Later, while they ate, she asked him about his work overseas. She could tell he’d rather that she’d not touched upon the subject but she persisted and slowly he began to open up and talk haltingly about his role in operating on soldiers blown up or shot in Afghanistan.
“The hardest thing I found to deal with was losing a patient on the table. These men have fought to stay alive with every determined tortured breath. To have them die under your joint care is devastating. Then someone has to face the ordeal of telling the patient’s family and colleagues.” Max fell silent. Josie thought he’d finished talking. She was about to ask another question when he spoke. “Sometimes the family react with hopelessness, which is bad enough, but others turn on you aggressively. They blame you for the patient’s death. I don’t think they meant to be personal but it wounded me because I always did absolutely everything in my power to save those who died. They were heroes, every damned one of them, and they deserved to live.” He lifted his gaze to hers and she saw that his eyes were pain filled and tortured.
She reached out and covered his clenched fist with her hand. “You did everything you could. It wasn’t your fault, Max.”
“I kept telling myself that but one day I knew I couldn’t face the job anymore. That’s why I left. I guess you could say I was a coward.”
Josie was horrified. This was a side of Max she’d never seen before, nor expected to see. Her strong resilient Max was hurting deeply and she didn’t know how to help him. She tugged on his wrist and he came toward her with a sigh, burying his head in her stomach. She stroked his dark blond hair, now much longer than when he’d first arrived home.
“You did all you could for those servicemen. No one could ask for a more qualified or conscientious anesthetist and I know for a fact that you are not a coward. I won’t have you disparage yourself. Of course you mourn for those people your medical team couldn’t save. This is what I love about you, the depth of care you carry. It’s what makes you a good Dom.”
