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She tried to come up with graceful way to decline, but then nodded. “I'd like that. Ribs sound great.”
They wandered over to where the food vendors were lined up along the edge of the art festival grounds. Eating while talking wasn't easy, although Shannon didn't seem to have nearly the same problem as she chatted about their activities in the children's tent.
After they finished their impromptu meal, Alec insisted on walking her to her car. Shannon danced between them, which made her feel a little bit like they were a family. The minute that thought landed in her brain, she shook it loose.
Don’t go there, she silently warned.
“This is your car, right?” Alec stopped next to her blue Chevy.
“Yes. Good night, Shannon.” She smiled at the little girl.
“Night, Dr. Jillian.” The little girl smiled widely, then abruptly yawned and rubbed at her eyes.
“Have a good evening, Alec.” She purposefully kept her tone light. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Anytime.” He met her gaze straight on and a sizzling awareness flashed between them. The glimpse of desire in his eyes convinced her she wasn't alone in this. Not that it mattered. She could not, would not take their friendship any further. “I may stop in to see you tomorrow.”
“Really?” She hoped she didn’t sound as juvenile as she felt.
“Yes. You know, to get the list.”
“Oh yes, of course.” He was referring to the list of staff members she'd promised him, after getting clearance from the hospital administrators. This was work related, nothing more. She unlocked her car and opened the door. “That's fine. I'm working day shift tomorrow.”
“Oh.” Was that disappointment clouding his eyes? “Then I might not see you. I'm working second shift.”
It was tempting to offer to work a double shift, just so she could see him. But she managed to hold back. “Well, thanks again.”
As Alec and Shannon walked away, she couldn't hide keen sense of disappointment.
She'd run into Alec today by chance. By once he had his list, she likely wouldn’t see him again.
CHAPTERFOUR
Jillian headed to the hospital bright and early the next morning, despite her restless night. It was all Alec's fault, she thought, feeling cranky as she walked in. Reliving those precious moments she'd spent with Alec and his daughter had made it impossible to fall asleep.
Wishing for something she could never have.
At least ignoring her fatigue was easier once she began seeing patients. What she loved most about the emergency department was the wide variety of illnesses and injuries. She was never bored—how could you be when you never knew what your next day would bring?
Just before noon, one of the nurses, Susan Green, gestured her over. “Dr. Davis, you need to look at this patient. He suffered a pretty severe second degree burn on his arm.”
“I'll be right there.” Jillian quickly washed her hands before walking over to see the patient. She quickly logged into the computer at the foot of his bed, to take a look at his name, brief medical history and his vital signs. Then she moved around to introduce herself. “Mr. Perry, my name is Dr. Davis. What happened? How did you burn yourself?”
“I was stupid,” Mr. Perry admitted, grimacing when she lifted the edge of the cold towel to assess the damage. “I was trying to burn some garbage and as it rained the other day, everything in the fire pit was wet. I thought I'd use a little lighter fluid...” He sucked in a quick breath when she lifted the towel all the way off and the air hit his raw skin. “Like I said, I was stupid. There was a small explosion. I dropped and rolled in the grass, then went to stand in a cold shower. Then came here.”
“Very smart,” she told him. “Exactly the right treatment for a burn.”
“Yeah, smart.” Mr. Perry, a well built man in his forties, snorted. “Not smart enough to avoid a dangerous shortcut.”
“Maybe not, but this could be worse,” Jillian admitted. The burned area covered almost the entire expanse of his arm between the elbow and his wrist. “You still have hair follicles, which means you won't need a skin graft. This burn will be painful, but once the area has healed, it shouldn't leave a scar.”
“That’s good.” He managed a wan smile.
She replaced the cool towel. “I'm going to have one of the nurses wash this up and put a dressing over the wound. We’ll give you two percocets for the pain. You'll need someone to drive you home, though, if you take the medicine here.”
“I'll hold off on the pain medicine for now. Otherwise I'll to call my ex-wife.” Mr. Perry sighed heavily. “She won't be happy with me.”
Jillian flashed a sympathetic grin. “I understand, but burns are painful. You may need to swallow your pride and call her.”
