Page 31 of Lovesick

“Exactly.” He proceeded to give Louise a sedative and a local anesthetic as he instructed Melissa on assembling all the instruments. It was easier now that he was in full-tilt medical doctor mode to tolerate Lou’s moans of pain as he pressed his fingers on her abdomen. Calm and sure, he took the scalpel and made the incision.

* * *

Less than forty-five minutes later,Max stepped into the waiting room to find a worried Tim sitting between George and Margo. She was reading a book to him. They all jumped to their feet.

“Is she okay? You saved her, right, Dad?”

“Yes, son, she’s okay.” It was only a slight exaggeration.

“The limo is ready,” George said. “We can take her down the service elevator to the garage.”

Max nodded. He and George rolled her out on a gurney with care so they didn’t disturb her recent stitches. Melissa had dressed her in an examination gown and covered her in a blanket. When they got to the elevator, Tim stood on the threshold, unsure.

“Why don’t you go with Margo, Tim?” Max looked at her and she nodded.

“We can go to my penthouse to wait,” she said. “Have you ever been to a penthouse?”

“No,” he looked excited and looked back at Max to make sure it was okay.

Max smiled at his son. “I’ll be back later to get you. Don’t let Mrs. Regal spoil you.” His son rolled his eyes and allowed Margo to take his hand as the elevator doors closed. He was left with Louise, who’d been sedated, Melissa, still in her makeshift scrubs, and George in his tux. He’d taken off his white coat and still wore his circa 1930s doctor get-up has they carefully slid Louise into the long couch-like seat of the company limo.

Traffic was light so the smooth ride didn’t take long to arrive at the emergency room. Margo had called ahead to get her admitted. The emergency room doctors took her in right away and allowed Max, who was a physician with privileges at the hospital, to go in with her.

Putting her on monitors, a nurse checked her vital signs. Louise was running a high fever and her breathing was shallow. Taking no chances, they put her in intensive care. She was touch and go.

“I’m staying with her,” Max said. “You can go home to be with your baby and Margo,” he said to George. When he would have protested, Max raised a palm. “I can do her some good if I stay, being a doctor and all. You can’t.”

“We’ll keep Tim with us in the meantime.”

“You don’t need—“

He’s in good hands.” George patted his shoulder

“I’ll stay with Louise until her fever breaks and then I’ll come by to pick Tim up. If you don’t mind.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Max stayed with Louise all night, alternately holding her hand and berating himself for being a fool. He contemplated her beautiful face, her honest soul, and wondered what the hell was wrong with him for thinking he ought to have just a fling with her, as if she were someone he could hold temporarily in his life.

She wasn’t that kind of woman, not to him. That may have been who she was, someone who held back from romantic relationships in the past, but that’s not what she was about now. And neither was he. There was no use denying it.

He had no idea what all the soul-searching meant, what kind of conclusions he could draw, but he knew how he felt about Louise. He was falling in love with her. Hard.

At about five in the morning, Max woke to find Louise’s bright brown eyes smiling at him. He lurched forward in his seat as every muscle and joint in his body protested. He reached out and took her wrist, then stood and checked the machines. Everything looked good, had returned to normal. Her fever had broken.

“How long have you been awake?” he whispered, not wanting to bring the nurses in just yet.

“I don’t know. Minutes, not hours.” She looked like the picture of adoration. A well of joy rose in him, along with heat and desire. Completely inappropriate, but inevitable. This was Louise, the woman who spoke to the man in him like no other woman ever had.

“You saved my life,” she said, tugging him closer with her hand, the one with a needle attached to a tube sticking from it. He reminded himself of the need for restraint. But there was nothing wrong with her lips, so he leaned over and kissed her.

“Least I could do,” he said.

The door opened and two nurses and a doctor invaded, all three women filled with energy and concern, holding charts and bottles and a syringe.

“Dr. Pendleton? Thank you for your efforts last night. You saved our patient from a world of hurt, possibly worse. I’m Dr. Scott and I’ll be taking over now.”

He looked back at Lou, her vibrant eyes on him her sensuality plain even in her state. Or maybe it was only he who saw it. Either way, it was there between them.