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“Where are you parked?” Cayson asked Quick. Remembering the man had insisted on driving Cayson to work instead of letting him drive himself. It was okay. Cayson could’ve gotten a ride home with anyone. He wasn’t far away at all. Walking distance if it weren’t so brisk out.
“I’m in visitors’ parking.”
“Let’s cut through the ER, it’s faster. Not interested in the scenic route today,” Cayson said, trying to avoid the busy main lobby.
When Cayson came through the ever-swinging double doors of the emergency room, he was met with quite a few curious, but mostly shocked stares from the nurses and a couple over-worked doctors.
“Dr. Chauncey. Everything okay?” Renee asked him. Standing to get a better look at his large escorts. That woman was the biggest gossipmonger. She wasn’t concerned for him; she wanted scoop to talk about on her lunch break.
“Yes, Renee. I’m fine, thank you.” Cayson kept his stride, and only managed to get another twenty feet before he was blocked by the ER’s security guard. Cayson was familiar with the stout man, but couldn’t say he knew him.
“Is there a problem?” he asked, jutting out his chest, his shiny silver badge gleaming in the harsh fluorescent lighting as though he polished it every night.
Duke scoffed at the guard and Cayson elbowed him in the arm for it. “I’m not being arrested, they’re friends.” Cayson stood in front of Quick to sort any confusion, and Quick eased in right behind Cayson and placed a protective arm over his chest. The security officer was fast to get the hint and moved aside.
“Dr. Chauncey, introduce us to your friends,” Renee purred, leaning over the nurse’s counter, eyeing Duke and Quick like they were on auction. Why did I come this way, again? Renee not so subtly licked her lips, and Cayson almost busted out laughing. If she only knew.
Cayson was known as a really nice guy in the hospital. All the nurses loved when he came down to help out. He may not have had Joe’s last name, he wasn’t a Wellington, with medical-administrative-clout flowing out of his ears, but he was a highly sought after nephrologist. He’d been flown all over the country to give consultations or second opinions. Despite what Dr. Joe thought, Cayson was doing just fine on his own. Most everyone enjoyed working with him, simply because he respected them. He didn’t bark at the nurses, and the doctors didn’t mind that he’d cover for any of them in a heartbeat.
“Hey, you. In the red tie, behind that computer. Don’t I know you?” Cayson craned his neck, looking at Quick to see who he was talking too.
Following Quick’s line of sight, he spotted Dr. Joe, practically hiding behind one of the computers in the HUB. “Roman. Don’t,” Cayson admonished seriously, but Quick was ignoring him.
“Is that him?” Duke whispered, oblivious to Cayson’s pleading. He’d had a feeling Quick would tell Duke about Joe and what happened last night, but he didn’t think they’d gang up on the man.
“That’s him, alright.” Quick wasn’t loud, but he wasn’t quiet, either. They now had the attention of the entire damn department. Everyone turned and looked at Dr. Joe, wondering what Quick was referring too. Intrigued. Trying to figure out the relationship between the four of them.
Quick snapped his fingers as if he was really contemplating. “I have seen your face somewhere before, haven’t I?”
Dr. Joe looked as sick as the patients, his usual peach coloring rapidly leaving his face, making it appear transparent and gray. Joe shook his head in mortification, looking around at all the eyes now trained on him. It was Joe’s biggest nightmare come true – he was going to be outed. There was no way Cayson was going to let that happen.
Cayson put his back to the staff and looked up at Quick’s eyes, hoping he’d pay attention. “Don’t do this, please. Leave him alone. If you have any respect for me. Don’t do this,” Cayson begged on Joe’s behalf. Sure, Joe had done him wrong on more than a few occasions, but this wasn’t the way to get even. The game Quick and Duke were playing with Joe wasn’t going to end well. Everyone would lose.
Quick finally looked down at Cayson. “Stop it. Stop, now.”
Duke flicked his head in the direction they’d been walking. “Let’s go, Rome. That’s not who you think it is.”
Quick held Joe’s eyes, putting his huge arm protectively around Cayson’s shoulders. Now Cayson’s own face was blooming bright with color and embarrassment.
“No. You’re right.” Although they were talking to each other, Duke and Quick kept their hunter eyes on Joe. Whatever private cryptic message they were trying to relay to Joe, Cayson didn’t think he got it. “That’s not him. Sorry man. Thought you were someone else.”
As soon as Cayson got outside, he walked off in the other direction, leaving a laughing Duke and Quick to themselves. If they thought that was funny, Cayson wanted nothing to do with them. If that wasn’t a form of bullying, he didn’t know what was. Joe probably would’ve preferred they stuff him in his locker than embarrass him in front of his peers.
