Wishing for the Girl Next Door (Piney Brook Wishes Book 3)

19. Karlee

“You’re in early again,” Mona says when I walk onto the floor Wednesday.

“Yep,” I say, refusing to give her any more information. I don’t even know what I’d say. Oh, yeah. Evan is cheating on me, and now I have to live across from him until my lease is up, or until he leaves to start a new life with her. Nope, I don’t think that would go over well. I shudder to think how quickly that gossip would make its way around town. No thanks.

“Okay,” she says, rolling the med cart into a room. “I’m here if you want to talk.”

I go sit behind the nurse’s station and lay my head on my arms. I’ve not slept well since my shift Monday when we lost the patient. I’d thought that shift was terrible... then I came home to see a woman leaving Evan’s apartment. I’ve been avoiding him. He’s sent me several texts wanting to talk, but I just can’t. Not yet. I’m not strong enough yet. I need more time to detach. How is he buried so deep already?

I was less hurt when I found out Patrick had cheated on me with my best friend, for Pete’s sake. Then I was mostly mad that my dreams were going up in flames and there was nothing I could do about it. Losing Patrick was an afterthought. The idea of losing Evan makes my heart feel like it’s cracked in two.

“Karlee, I’m so glad you’re here. They are short staffed in the ER and could use some help.”

I lift my head off my arms. “Can someone else do it? I’m not in a good space to work in the ER.”

Amanda looks at me pointedly. “This floor has three on tonight, and we can manage with two, but neither of the other two have any emergency experience. It’s you, Karlee.”

I sigh and gather my things. “Okay,” I say gruffly. “See you later.”

I make my way down to the ER. The very last place I’d like to be right now. Looking around, I spot the charge nurse and head in his direction. “Hey, Amanda sent me down here to cover.”

“Great,” he says, relief evident in his voice. “If you could work up room one right now, that would be amazing.”

I nod and head in that direction. Setting my stuff behind the nurse’s station out of the way, I grab the tablet and head into room one. I knock softly before opening the door, reading the tablet as I step inside. A few minutes later, I’m back at the nurse’s station when I see her. The woman I saw sneaking out of Evan’s apartment. She’s walking in with a little boy who looks miserable. You have got to be kidding me.

I duck my head and try not to be noticed.

The charge nurse stops and leans his hip on the counter. “Six-year-old boy, possible concussion,” he says, nodding his head in the direction of the room they went into. “I’ve got it for now, but I may need you to take over. I might be getting called into surgery in a few minutes.”

I’m beginning to think if it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. I don’t have time to respond before he walks away. Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen.

I look over the orders that came in for my patient and stand. I grab the antibiotics the doctor ordered and head to the room. Maybe this patient will keep me busy enough I won’t have time to take over.

Stepping back into the hallway, I bump into someone.

“Hello, I don’t think I’ve seen you in the emergency room before,” a deep voice says from beside me. “I’m Dr. Sullivan.”

Finally, I get to meet the doctor who has captured more than one nurse’s attention at Piney Brook General. “Karlee,” I say, holding out my name tag. “I’m filling in for the night.”

He nods. His dark, almost black, hair is cropped close on the sides and a bit longer on the top. Eyes the color of moss have little wrinkle lines beside them. He looks tired. Dr. Sullivan is handsome, and I can see why he’s captured the female attention. But there’s no spark. He doesn’t make me feel warm and tingly, like Evan does.

Tears burn the back of my eyes, and I blink rapidly to hold them off. I’m at work. I will not cry over a man at work. No matter how I might feel about him.

“I’m glad for the help. We have a nurse out with the flu tonight.”

“Happy to help,” I say, even though I’d rather be anywhere than here.

He points to room three. “What’s happening?”

I shrug. “Not sure,” I say, hoping I don’t sound rattled. “Derick was working that room up, but I think it was a little boy with a possible concussion.”

Dr. Sullivan nods. “I think he’s busy right now. Care to assist?”

“Uh, sure,” I stammer.

“Let’s go in and check it out.”

He opens the door wide and steps inside, holding it open for me to slip through as well. Surprise makes my eyebrows shoot up when I notice the woman standing with a very handsome man, who is very clearly not Evan. He’s got his arm around her and she’s leaning into him for support. His blond curly hair matches the young boy’s, and I’d bet money he’s the father.

I shake my head and get focused on my job. It doesn’t matter that Evan had a strange woman in his apartment early in the morning, that she has a child, or that she’s cuddled up with some other man. I have to be professional.

“I’m Dr. Sullivan,” the doctor says, introducing himself. Thankfully, he jumps right in asking questions and evaluating the little boy.

“So, what happened?” Dr. Sullivan asks the woman, pushing up his sleeves and washing his hands.

“He was jumping around pretending he was Spiderman and went over the back of the chair in the living room. Landed right on his head.”

“Ouch, that sounds like it hurt, Spidey.”

The little boy nods.

“Any vomiting, dizziness?” Dr. Sullivan asks.

“He threw up right after it happened, which is why I brought him in. He’s done crazier things than this, but he’s never thrown up.” She sounds worried, and I can’t help but feel for her. I can’t imagine how it must feel when your child hurts themselves.

I stand quietly in the corner entering the information into the system, thankful that she doesn’t recognize me.

“What’s your name, little guy?”

The young boy looks at his mother and she nods. “Brody,” he says, sniffling.

“Nice to meet you, Brody. My name is Dr. Sully.” He grabs a glove from the box on the counter and blows it up, tying it off at the bottom creating a weird hand balloon. “What happened tonight?” He hands the boy the balloon and starts his exam.

“I was being Spidey, and I falled of the chair and hit my head. I don’t feel so good.” He wiggles back into his mom, who is holding him tight.

She seems like a great mother. Ugh. I don’t want to find things I like about her. Not when she’s the reason my relationship with Evan is over already.

He said he wants to be exclusive, and then I find another woman leaving his apartment in the morning. I didn’t think he’d do something like that, but the proof is in the pudding. Or the landing, as it were.

“Uh, oh. You have to be super careful when you’re doing superhero work,” Dr. Sullivan says, smiling. “All right, Mom, I think he has a mild concussion, but we are going to get a CT scan to rule out anything more serious.”

She nods. “Thank you.”

“Where’s Brody?” A familiar voice rings out in the hallway.

Evan? I quickly look at the man standing at the bedside. He doesn’t seem the least bit concerned. I panic, looking around the room for some secret exit or portal that will get me out of this ridiculous situation.

“In here,” the woman calls.

I stare at her in shock. Isn’t she worried that their paths will cross? They seem too familiar to have been divorced. At least my parents never held each other like that after their divorce, and before Dad just disappeared from our lives.

Evan steps through the door and stops. “Karlee?”

I give him a small wave, unsure what to do. This is bad. Nervous laughter bubbles past my lips and I slap a hand over my mouth to stop it.

“I didn’t realize you worked on this floor, too.”

“I don’t, usually. They were short-staffed tonight. I’m just filling in.”

He nods.

Dr. Sullivan reaches out his hand. “Nice to meet you…”

“This is my brother, Evan,” the woman says as Evan shakes the doctor’s hand.

Brother? Did she say her brother?I look at Evan who is now sitting next to Brody on the bed. Oh boy.

“Are you still feeling like you might throw up?” Dr. Sullivan asks Brody, cutting through my fog.

Brody nods his head and closes his eyes.

“Your head still hurting?” he asks.

Brody nods again, keeping his eyes shut, and his head pressed against his mother for comfort.

“All right, Ms. Karlee will get you something to help your tummy and the ouchies too, okay?”

Brody mumbles something I’m guessing is “okay,” and turns, wrapping his arms around his mom.

“We’ll be back soon,” Dr. Sullivan says, motioning for me to leave the room first.

“Go ahead and order scans. I think he will be okay, but I’d rather rule out anything serious before we let him go home. I’ll put in a prescription for the nausea medicine and some Motrin.” He types something into the computer. “Page me if anything happens, or when we get results.”

“Will do.” I take a deep breath, and then another. I’ve got some apologizing to do.

I slide into an empty linen closet and take a deep breath. What is my life coming to? I feel awful for jumping to conclusions. And for essentially ghosting Evan. I should have talked to him, not assumed he was just like Patrick. I’d thought I’d lost him, but I hadn’t.

After a few minutes of deep breathing, the phone rings in the nurses’ station reminding me I can’t stay inside this closet forever. I smooth down my scrubs, refasten my hair in a bun, and head back onto the floor. I finish checking on the other rooms I’ve been assigned while I wait for the orders to go through. Grabbing the nausea medicine and Motrin, I head back into room three.

“Here we are,” I say, opening the door. I make my way to where Brody is now running a toy car back and forth on the bed in front of him.

“Hey, little guy, I’ve got some medicine for you.” He nods and reaches out his little hand for the medicine cup. “The doctor is giving him some Motrin and some medicine for the upset stomach.”

The woman nods.

I hand Brody the little cup and he tips it up and drinks it like a pro. “Thanks,” he says, handing it back. Evan pats his leg and smiles at me.

“I’d like to introduce myself,” Evan’s sister says, stepping forward. “I’m Tracey. I’ve heard so much about you.”

I glance at Evan who is watching this interaction with a huge smile on his face.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, too.”

Tracey pulls me in for a hug. “I’m so glad I finally got to meet you. Though I wish it was under other circumstances. I wanted to introduce myself the other day when I was borrowing Evan’s washer and dryer, but I never saw you,” she says.

“I...” I start and stop. “That would have been nice,” I say.

“This is my husband, Lawrence,” she says, pointing to the guy who looks like an older carbon copy of Brody.

“Nice to meet you,” he says, and nods.

“You too,” I say. “I’ll go check on the CT results.” I smile at everyone and step into the hallway.

I page Dr. Sullivan and let him know Brody’s results are in. A few minutes later, he steps behind the nurses’ desk and pulls them up.

“Perfect,” he says, making some notes on the computer. “I’ll go give them the news, and then you can do the discharge paperwork.”

I nod. “Of course.”

I take a few minutes to print the papers he noted, and prepare myself before heading into the room.

“You get to go home now,” I say, smiling at Brody. “Here is the discharge paperwork.” I hand the stack to Tracey. “You don’t have to wake him up through the night anymore, but do keep an eye on him. If his symptoms get worse, come back to the ER right away.”

She nods. “Thank you, Karlee.”

“You’re welcome. I noted the time we gave him the Motrin so you’ll know when he can have more.”

She smiles at me and takes the paperwork.

I hand her a pen and show her where to sign. My eyes are drawn to Evan, who is laughing and playing with Brody.

“Uncle Evan,” Brody says sweetly. “Can you get me some ice cream?”

“I think your mom would be mad if I gave you sugar tonight, but how about we have a bros day soon?” Evan ruffles Brody’s hair.

Brody grins and nods. “Yeah!”

“Since when have you ever listened to me?” Tracey asks.

“Come on, Tracey. You know I at least try to follow the rules. It’s not easy being the favorite uncle when your sister won’t let you bribe the kids with cookies and ice cream.” Evan winks at me.

“It was nice to meet you, all,” I say to Tracey, Lawrence, and Brody. “Y’all have a good night. No more flipping over chairs, Spidey.”

I grab for the door, but Evan stops me. “I know you’re working, and you’re busy, but can we talk when you get home? I feel like you’re avoiding me, and I don’t like it.”

I smile. “We can talk then,” I say, stepping out the door. I glance at the clock. I have six hours to figure out how to explain myself. Piece of cake.