Love Me (The Elites of Cheshire shore #2)

27. Florence

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

florence

I stare at the patient’s chart in front of me, reading over her current medications. I check my watch, then flick my gaze to the cuff hanging off her arm, and scribble down the numbers. This is my third rotation of the day surgery unit, and although it’s a much slower pace than what I’ve been experiencing, I’m glad to finally be rid of night shifts for the next couple of weeks. I flip the page up, skimming over all the important information again as I wait for the medication I just administered to kick in. Her pulse rate is still too high for the current spot in her anesthetics.

“The patient isn’t sufficiently anesthetized to commence the procedure,” I tell the operating doctor. I rub my brow with my wrist. The patient’s pulse rate should’ve dropped slightly, but it’s still showing strong. While it’s not a bad thing, the light sedative seems to be even lighter at the moment. Rome and I have stepped up the studying of the pulse points since I started my rotations. Today though, my mind has blanked the fuck out. I level my breathing. I’m used to high-stress situations and the last thing I need is for my adrenaline to kick in. The medication I just injected her with means she should be dead asleep any moment now. I give her a couple more minutes; perhaps her body metabolizes the medication quicker and I need to combat that by giving her a slightly higher dose.

“Do you know humans can’t walk in a straight line without looking at something?” the patient spurts out her fifth random fact.

“You don’t say,” I murmur. Some of these facts are hilarious, and I’m sure if I wasn’t currently in charge of her care I would be taking more time to listen. Her eyes droop down. The sedation should be taking effect by now. I stopped listening to the patients rambling and become more focused on why the fuck the sedation isn’t working.

Forty seconds…

Forty-five…

“Dr. Liu-Savino, we need to get the patient sedated so we can perform the procedure,” the anesthetics nurse whispers in my ear.

You don’t say, here I was thinking we could perform the colonoscopy with her wide awake —but given the current circumstance, I don’t think that will go down well. “Mmm-hhhhmm,” I reply, keeping my lips held tight.

“Did you know dolphins are as smart as humans? I guess someone should tell my ex this, because a dolphin totally would have outsmarted him. I’m offended for dolphin-kind.”

Someone snickers. “A dolphin would’ve outsmarted my ex too.”

“Dr. Liu-Savino, do we have a problem?”

“No.” I check the cannula in the patient’s hand; I definitely hit a vein. Shit. I’m going to have to fucking call him, aren’t I, and I know he will never let me live it down.

“Just two minutes.” My eyes flick to the heart rate monitor to make sure the patient isn’t going to randomly go into cardiac arrest while I’m making the call. Satisfied, I grab the phone from the wall and dial the extension to Dr. Dick’s office. I need help, and right now he is the only one who can give it.

“Dr. Moore,” his gruff voice answers on the third ring.

“Umm, hi, Dr. Moore, I am having some trouble with a patient, and I need some advice.”

The line is silent. I take a deep breath and try to hide the tremor in my hand by stuffing it in my pocket. If my dad were here, I wouldn’t have hesitated, the moment I wasn’t feeling sure, I would’ve dialed his number and I know he would’ve helped me through it or given me advice on who to call. Even though anesthetics wasn’t his main practice, having someone to bounce ideas off without fear of judgment can really help a person. Since I’m still in training the hospital policy is to call the consulting doctor when faced with difficult cases.

“My advice to you, Ms. Liu-Savino,” he spits, like just saying my parent’s hyphenated last name is a bitter reminder on his tongue, “go to medical school and learn what it means to be a doctor before you step in my OR again and put more patients’ lives in danger.” The line goes dead. My jaw clenches in fury. Thanks, Dr. Dickhead.

It’s one thing to treat me like shit, but it is a whole new level of assholary when he puts a patient at risk. Medicine isn’t black and white, Florence. So many doctors think it is . See the color between the lines. My dad’s voice rings clear in my mind. I’d almost forgotten the familiar words of wisdom. I take another deep, steadying breath. I know Rome and I have been over this. See the color . Just like Dad would.

“Did you know my hair is naturally red, I’ve been told I have this really cool mutation it’s called MC1R,” the patient spurts, and I stare at her with wide eyes. Well now that makes complete sense. See color, indeed. She has a gene mutation and that’s why her anesthetic isn’t working, I haven’t given her enough.

Thank you, Dad.

“You don’t say. That is cool.” I quickly change up my medication and administer her the new dose, taking into account her body’s ability to resist sedatives. The MC1R gene mutation results in patients needing 20 percent more sedation than what is usually required. It’s not uncommon in patients who inherit the recessive gene, but it does explain why my current mix of anesthetics isn’t working. And it was also completely left off her paperwork. “Okay, sweetie, you won’t feel a thing, we’ll see you when you wake up.” I pat her hand and watch the monitor with an eagle eye. Slowly, her pulse rate slows to where it should be, to what my textbooks tell me. My muscles relax; it’s working.

“Thank—” Her reply is cut off as the new medication takes effect. I give the operating doctor a nod to commence the procedure.

No thanks to Dr. Dick.

A few hours later, my shift is officially over, and lucky for me the day surgery ward doesn’t require me to do overtime hours. I’m free to go home. I throw my scrubs in the trash, a little harder than necessary, ready to be rid of the day. Rome is due to pick me up soon, and I hope he’s in the mood for boba tea, because I sure as shit am. With my stuff thrown into my bag, I make my way out of the staff change rooms. A flash on my screen tells me Rome is already here. As I turn the corner, I find him waiting in the spot we have designated, it’s the same spot he dropped me off the very first day, and every day since. His face is drawn tight as he stares at something on his phone, while he leans casually against the wall. To anyone passing by, they would think Rome is cool, calm, and collected, but I see straight through him. The way the muscles on his shoulders are bunched, the way the corners of his lips turn down—he’s upset.

Feeling’s mutual.

Like he senses I’m near, his eyes leave his phone and meet mine. The frown on his face instantly fades.

“Is everything all right?” I ask.

“It’s better now.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and bends at the knee, making sure to hit the corner of my lip with a kiss.

I shrug and lightly slap his chest. “I have that effect on people.”

“I know you do.” He grunts before twinning our fingers together and letting them fall to his waist as we make our way to the car park. We have our double date tonight, and I need a serotonin boost before I become the world’s worst fake girlfriend. Oh, and screw up yet another chance for the Venuccios.

“Is everything all right? You look like you want to cry?” Rome’s thumb lightly strokes the top of my hand, and the sweet gesture causes tears to gather in the corner of my eye.

I quickly blink them away, and clear my throat. “I think I’m going to need a boba tea to turn my mood around.”

“A sweet boba tea for my sweet lolli, coming right up.” That’s why it’s so easy to be around the Venuccio boys. As much as I don’t want to be in love, they make it really easy to love them—just not in the romantic sense.

“I think you were sent to kill me,” Rome whispers softly in my ear as we walk into the restaurant he’d booked for tonight.

“I think if I were sent to kill you, the person who hired me would’ve asked for a refund because of how long I’m taking.” I eye him.

His thumb is splayed under my open rib cage as he rubs it slowly. “Trust me, lollipop. If I can get through this dinner without a heart attack because all the blood in my body has rushed to my cock, then it will be a miracle.” I’m really loving the amount of compliments Rome is always showering me with. “There’s only one way that dress would look even better.”

“Oh?” I ask. “And how is that?”

“On my floor.” He tugs lightly on a strand of hair I left loose.

“Are you sure I’m the right fit for this?” Luca whisper-yells, coming up behind us. Rome drops his arm just as Luca separates us. The whole car ride here, he has repeated the same question.

“Yes.” The muscle in Rome’s jaw ticks.

I adjust the napkin on my lap. “You mean, spend the night being a gentleman.” My mood has significantly improved since I had a shower and changed.

He touches his hand to his chest in mock hurt. “I’m always the perfect gentleman. I just feel awkward being the whole third wheel between you two.”

“My sources have told me Brian was bluffing. There is only one other proposal, and we need to find out who.” Rome rests his arm along the back of my chair. “I should’ve brought Henley instead,” he mumbles. His eyes dip to my chest. The thin silk dress I’m wearing shows off some serious side boob, and Rome keeps finding any excuse to brush up against me.

Someone clears their throat, pulling all our attention to the side of the table, where Nora stands with…a man? He shares her same golden locks, but he absolutely towers over her. His well-toned physique is something you only see in athletes.

“Nora.” Rome is out of his chair. He dots a single awkward kiss on her cheek.

“Rome. Please allow me to introduce Finn Donald. Star quarterback for the Cheshire Shore Sharks and my godbrother.”

My jaw drops. Finn. A.k.a. the guy who Lottie screwed a couple of weeks ago and has been texting on and off…is Nora’s godbrother.

“Oh great. Now I’m the fifth wheel to this thing.” Luca moans. I quickly pull out my phone and message Lottie.

Flo

You’re not going to believe who I am standing in front of rn

Lottie

Who

“Well shit. Henley is going to get a real kick out of this. He’s a huge Sharks fan.” Rome gives Finn’s hand a firm shake, an overeager smile on his face. He looks genuinely excited to meet Finn. But I see right through him. I see the tense way his shoulders have subtly bunched under his shirt. Before Finn was drafted into the NFL, he went to Harvard and studied business; he’s more than capable of running Deeter Group if that is on his cards. Worse, it’s a really great exit plan for him once his career is over. Anyone who thinks Rome is completely unbothered right now, doesn’t know Rome Venuccio.

“Thanks, man,” Finn replies.

I stare down at my phone, which is vibrating nonstop in my hand, to see a flurry of messages from Lottie. Oops. I totally left her hanging.

Flo

Oh right, sorry. Finn.

Lottie

I’m sorry fucking what?

I tuck my phone into my small clutch on the table as a waiter brings a chair and we all take our seats.

“So, Finn. I hear you have a thing for Charlotte Croft. I’ll have you know, her brothers will murder you if they find out.” Luca flashes Finn a dazzling smile and I slam my face into my palm. As if Lottie’s brothers aren’t enough of a cock block, it seems Luca has decided to take that role on too. I give him a swift kick to the shins under the table. Luca grunts and mouths, What? to me.

Focus , I mouth back. We have a job to do here: find out how serious Finn is about starting a new career, and who else is going to stand in our way.