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Dr. Croft eyed me but addressed the other doctors. “You wanthimto work on the healthcare-associated infection task force?”
“Yes,” Dr. Okafor said, warm as ever. At least someone here believed in me. “Davis has an impressive resume in public health.”
“And,” Dr. Ambrose added, “we need Infectious Disease on the task force—especially since we intend for you to take a look at Beaufort’s guidelines as well.”
Dr. Croft turned her wary gaze to her mentor. Dr. Donaldson glanced at me, hesitance showing in his eyes, before responding. “I think this is a great opportunity for you.”
Dr. Croft regarded the other two women. “I’ll need some time to think about it.”
Clearly the senior physicians here had not expected her reluctance. Both of them blinked at her. “Cassie,” Dr. Ambrose began, “this is vital to our patients’ health and—”
Dr. Croft nodded quickly. “I know, I know, it’s not that. I’m not sure I’m the best fit for the job.”
If she’d been tryingnotto cast a meaningful glance my direction, she failed.
Clearly, Dr. Croft was willing to sacrifice quite a bit to not work with me. I almost argued with myself that I shouldn’t blame her if Nielsen’s treatment was what she was used to—but this kind of rejection was the exact thing I’d been trying to escape in coming here.
Maybe we’d gotten off on the wrong foot yesterday. Obviously she hadn’t appreciated my insight into the not-at-all subtle way Dr. Donaldson already acted like they were in a de facto relationship. Also the fact that I was a Hardcastle was a problem, but surely an intelligent, hopefully kind person would see past that.
If ethics impressed her, my work ethic would be so brilliant she’d need SPF 50.
“Of course,” Dr. Ambrose was saying, “but we all think this is tailormade for you, Cassie.”
I fought to hide an internal wince, and it seemed Dr. Croft didn’t take that any better. “You’ve been talking about me?”
“We’ve been trying to figure out how we can best set you up, post-fellowship,” Dr. Donaldson offered. “The task force project deadline is in six weeks, so it won’t disrupt your work for long.”
Dr. Okafor leaned over her clasped hands. “We also feel your expertise is particularly well suited to this task force. And it may also help you later on in your career.”
Dr. Croft’s expression was closer to a grimace than a smile. “I—I’ll think about it.”
Yeah, I’d definitely have to talk to her.
Phase one of Operation: Make New Friends had been... less than stellar. Phase two, not much better. But maybe there was hope for phase three.
Surely I could convince Dr. Croft I wasn’t so awful that she should give up a career opportunity to avoid me.
Mr. Nielsen and his Health Department cronies returned to the conference room. “As we were saying, Dr. Hardcastle—”
“Mister.” Davis’s smile was more of a smirk. “I’m not a doctor.”
Nielsen’s face was expressionless, as if Davis’s correction didn’t register.
“But,” Davis continued, “Drs. Okafor, Ambrose and Croft are.”
Nielsen looked down his nose at us. “Hm.” He turned to deliver the rest of his lecture to Dr. Donaldson and Davis, as if the rest of us weren’t in the room.
“You worked with him before?” I murmured to Dr. Ambrose.
“Unfortunately.” She didn’t lower her voice quite as much as I did.
I couldn’t imagine a force of nature like Dr. Ambrose putting up with such blatant sexism for long.
Nielsen blathered on, only looking at the women in the room when he was explaining topics we’d mastered in our first years of med school or things we were up to our elbows in every day. Dr. Ambrose scoffed aloud at one point before she and I opted to confer about a case instead.
When the room fell silent, I turned back to Nielsen. He looked to Davis, who turned to me, his eyebrows raised expectantly like he was waiting for an answer.
Dr. Donaldson came to my rescue. “I’m sure that Dr. Croft will be more than capable to answer for all purposes.”
