From hidden attraction…

To a lifetime of love!

Career-focused nurse Kami Clark knows better than to get caught up in Dr. Gabe Nelson’s whirlwind dating world. When Gabe asks her to help him by bidding for a date with him at a charity auction, she can’t say no. Kami cherishes their friendship, but his request ignites a mutual passion neither can resist… And now Gabe must convince her that he wants her in his life—forever!

JANICE LYNN has a Masters in Nursing from Vanderbilt University, and works as a nurse practitioner in a family practice. She lives in the southern United States with her husband, their four children, their Jack Russell—appropriately named Trouble—and a lot of unnamed dust bunnies that have moved in since she started her writing career. To find out more about Janice and her writing visit janicelynn.com.

Also by Janice Lynn

Flirting with the Doc of Her Dreams

New York Doc to Blushing Bride

Winter Wedding in Vegas

Sizzling Nights with Dr Off-Limits

It Started at Christmas…

The Nurse’s Baby Secret

The Doctor’s Secret Son

A Firefighter in Her Stocking

A Surgeon to Heal Her Heart

Heart Surgeon to Single Dad

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk.

Friend, Fling, Forever?

Janice Lynn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-08980-7

FRIEND, FLING, FOREVER?

© 2019 Janice Lynn

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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To Samantha Thompson,

who puts together the best fundraisers ever!

Thanks for your big heart and all you do for others.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

About the Publisher

CHAPTER ONE

“BUY ME AT the charity auction.”

Nurse Kami Clark didn’t look up from the computer screen where she keyed in vital signs on the patient in bay two of the Knoxville General Hospital’s emergency department.

Doing her best not to let her eyes veer in Dr. Gabriel Nelson’s direction, she made a nurse’s note on the normal results. “Not happening.”

Wearing his favorite blue scrubs, Gabe moved into her peripheral vision. She didn’t have to look to know the color paled in comparison to the brilliant hue of his eyes.

“You know you want me, Kam. Here’s your chance.”

“Right,” she snorted, keeping her voice flippant despite how his accusation almost sent her into a choking fit. “Keep dreaming, lover boy.”

Most straight women did want Gabe. Not that he typically encouraged their desire. He didn’t have to. Not with his looks, personality, and quick intelligence. The fact he was a successful emergency-room physician didn’t hurt. Women flocked to him.

But not Kami.

Oh, she thought he was all that and more. The man had the biggest heart of anyone she knew and seemed to always be able to make her laugh. But she knew better than to get caught up in his revolving-door love life that left a long line of broken hearts. She was immune to his love-’em-and-leave-’em charms. Mostly.

“More like I’m trying to escape a nightmare in the making.” He gave a frustrated sigh that was almost believable as he plopped down into the chair next to hers. “Debbie is planning to buy my date.”

Ah. Debbie. The latest ex-girlfriend who didn’t want to admit it was over and had been finished for a month or so.

No wonder Gabe was in such a tizzy. Debbie had stuck like glue even after he’d told her point-blank on several occasions that their relationship was finished. The poor woman must be hoping to rekindle a spark. Good luck with that.

Gabe never dated the same woman for more than a couple of months and never went back to the same one. Not once. He was a move-on-and-never-look-back kind of guy.

“You have to rescue me.”

“Says who? You got yourself into this mess,” she reminded him, fighting back a small smile at her friend’s overly dramatic tone. She could almost buy into his angst. “It’s only right for you to face the consequences.”

“I was roped into this charity fund-raiser and you know it. Not only do you know it—” he leaned close enough so that his words were just for her “—you’re the one who convinced me to say yes.”

“I meant the Debbie mess, not the auction,” she clarified, fighting the urge to look his way. Better not to look into Gabe’s eyes when he was trying to convince you to do something. Staring into those dazzling blues got women into trouble. Immune or not, she wasn’t taking any chances.

“Besides,” Kami continued, “even if you had to spend a week with your beautiful and persistent ex, if it raised money to help Beverly’s family and others like her, then so be it.”

Anything any of them could do to raise money for their coworker’s seriously ill infant daughter needed to be done. Although their medical insurance was covering many of the expenses, there were still co-pays and deductibles. Not to mention Beverly had been out of work since giving birth, as had her husband, most of it as unpaid leave of absence. Even after Lindsey got her heart transplant, months would pass prior to Beverly leaving her baby’s side to return to work. Their friend had enough worries without having to be concerned about how she and her husband were going to pay their bills.

“Easy for you to say,” Gabe pointed out. “You aren’t on the auction block.”

Yeah, as one of the fund-raiser’s organizers she’d dodged that bullet.

“I’ll be working the night of the auction, but not by being auctioned.” Thank goodness. Kami would have been a statue. Not her scene at all.

“Not the same,” he pointed out.

“You love the attention and you know it,” she accused, closing out the patient’s chart. Fun-loving Gabe would work the stage and have a blast.

She glanced at him for the first time since he’d barged into the nurses’ station located across from the patient bays.

Her incorrigible playboy friend actually looked a little frazzled.

“Fortunately for you, it’s not a week, just one night where you have to show Debbie—I mean, whoever wins your date—a good time.”

Okay, that was bad but she couldn’t resist teasing him. It was so rare to see him off his game. Actually, she couldn’t recall having ever seen him off his game. Not during any crisis that came through the ER doors. Given he was such a goofball at times, Gabe was one coolheaded dude.

Plus, she wasn’t buying his woe-is-me-buy-my-date-package-so-Debbie-can’t act.

“You’re real funny, Kam.”

“Come on. That was a good one.” Kami had thought so. He didn’t look convinced. “I’m sure you’ll manage one night with Debbie if needed.”

After all, he dealt with situations and people a lot more intense than the Z-list television actress he’d been involved with still obsessing over him. Debbie might be crazy over Gabe, but the woman didn’t have any real psychiatric problems.

“And risk encouraging her nonstop calls and texts continuing?” He winced. “Thanks anyway.”

Kami raked her gaze over his six-foot frame. “You’re not that bad, Gabe.” She patted his hand as if reassuring a small child. “There will be other bidders.” Faking a look of uncertainty, she shrugged. “Well, hopefully.”

One side of his mouth cocked upward. “Gee, thanks for the compliment, friend.”

“Anytime,” she assured him, her lips twitching. “What are friends for?”

Eyes sparkling, he gave a pointed look. “To rescue each other when one’s relentless ex plans to buy her way back into your social life.”

He had a point.

If Kami believed he was in real need, she’d probably empty her house-deposit fund to bail out his butt. Good thing he wasn’t because she’d been hoarding every spare penny for years, had a hefty down payment saved, and would hate to have to start over to make her dream of owning a home come true just as she finally had enough saved to actually start looking for the perfect house.

“Just because Debbie plans to bid doesn’t mean she’d be the winner,” she said on a more serious note. “Stop worrying.”

He didn’t look assured. “Debbie doesn’t like to lose.”

Kami gave a semi-shrug. “Who does?”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “Come on, Kam. Place the winning bid and I’ll show you the night of a lifetime.” He waggled his brows. “We’d have fun.”

Kami laughed. As if. “You must have me mixed up with one of the other women running around the hospital who actually wants you to show them a ‘night of a lifetime.’ I’ve better things to do than mess with the likes of you.”

Looking as if she’d said exactly what he’d expected her to say, he chuckled. “Or maybe I want you to buy my bid because I know I can ask this huge favor and not worry about you freaking out down the road when I break things off.”

Yeah, there was that. She wouldn’t freak out over a man. Never had. Never would. She’d watched her mother do that one time too many.

This time it was she who gave the pointed look.

“If I ever gave you the privilege of dating me—” she stared straight into his blue eyes, held her chin a little higher than normal “—who says it would be you to break things off?”

Although she adored his friendship, his arrogance irked. Then again, was it arrogance if it was true he’d been the one to end every relationship he’d had during the time he and Kami had worked together? Probably his whole life?

Gabe chuckled, then surprised her by tweaking his finger across the tip of her nose.“You might be right, Kam. Only a fool would break things off with you. Speaking of which, how is Baxter?”

Ha. Talk about turning the table.

“Our breakup was a mutual decision,” she reminded him, not that she hadn’t already told Gabe as much a dozen times previously. “We aren’t talking much these days, but he’s fine as far as I know.”

Just as she was. Baxter had been sweet, only she’d realized continuing their relationship was pointless. When he kissed her, she felt nothing. No sparks. No butterflies. Nothing.

Kami wasn’t so delusional she thought someone would come along, sweep her off her feet, and give her a fairy-tale romance. But she wasn’t going to settle for nothing, either.

Good friendship and sparks—it could happen.

Not that it had, but she was only twenty-seven. There was plenty of time for someone special to come into her life.

And, if not, she’d rather be alone than like her mother and with the wrong man over and over.

“Keep telling yourself that he’s fine. Dude was devastated last week when I bumped into him.”

Baxter hadn’t been devastated. When she’d broached the subject of their relationship not working, he’d seemed relieved. Obviously, he hadn’t felt any sparks, either. On paper they were a good match. In reality, there had been little chemistry beyond their initial attraction.

“When did you run into my ex?” Baxter, an accountant for a law firm, and the usually laid-back man in front of her didn’t exactly move in the same social circles.

“At the gym.”

Kami’s jaw dropped. “Baxter was at the gym?”

She shook her head to clear her hearing because she couldn’t have heard correctly. Not once during the time she’d known Baxter had he ever gone to the gym. To her knowledge, he’d not even had a membership.

“Pumping the iron in hopes of winning you back.” Gabe’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Too bad you aren’t up for grabs at the auction ’cause he could buy a night to remind you of all you’re missing out on. You, him, Debbie and me could go on a double date and reminisce about the good ole days.”

Kami rolled her eyes.

“Baxter is a great guy,” she defended the man she’d dated for over six months. He truly was. He’d been steady, quiet, dependable. She’d wanted to feel something, had tried to convince herself she did because he’d make a good husband and father someday, but nada.

“Just not the guy for you?”

“Exactly. Now, was there a reason you interrupted my work other than to whine about Debbie?”

“As if she isn’t enough of a reason.” He gave an overly dramatic sigh that should have put him up for an award or two. “I can’t believe you’re refusing to help, Kam. You know I’d do it for you.”

“I wouldn’t want you to.” She curled her nose and shuddered at the mere thought. “Can you imagine the rumors that would start around the hospital?” She gave a horrified look. “Uh-uh. No way. I can, however, put out word you’re hoping someone outbids Debbie at the auction. I’m sure there’ll be a few takers.”

He shook his head. “I’m disappointed in you, Kam. I was sure I could count on you to save me.”

“You have the wrong girl, but no worries. You’ll find someone over the next few weeks to outbid Debbie.”

* * *

Gabe disagreed. He had the right girl. The perfect girl.

Kami wouldn’t get happily-ever-after ideas. He always had fun when she was around. And, best of all, she already knew the real him. The him who had no intentions of settling down anytime in the near future.

But he changed the subject instead of pursuing the topic further. As she said, they had a few weeks before the fund-raiser. A lot could happen during that time.

Like his convincing Kami to buy him.

Not that he couldn’t deal with Debbie. He’d just rather not have to.

She was great, but had gotten too clingy too fast and he’d started feeling claustrophobic in their relationship by the end of the first month. At the end of the second, he’d been done. Too bad Debbie hadn’t been.

“How is Racine Mathers tonight?” he asked to change the subject.

Apparently, the fragile elderly woman had arrived by ambulance in hypercapnic respiratory failure earlier that day. Yet again. She’d been admitted to the medical floor, which neither Gabe nor Kami had anything to do with, but he knew Kami would have checked on the woman prior to clocking in for her shift. She cared about people and that big heart was one of the things he liked most about the perky little blonde who’d quickly become one of his closest friends.

At the mention of their patient, her green eyes filled with concern. “Her arterial blood gases are still jacked up. Her CO2 level remains in the upper fifties.”

“I was hoping once they got her on BiPAP her numbers would improve.” He logged in to the computer, began scanning messages in his inbox.

“That makes two of us, but apparently she hasn’t wanted to keep the mask on and the day-shift nurse caught her with it off several times.”

He shook his head. “Racine knows better than that.”

Kami nodded.

The woman did. This wasn’t her first respiratory failure rodeo. Then again, Gabe suspected the elderly woman was tiring of her inability to breathe and the medical community’s failure to do much more than Band-Aid her back together until the next episode.

“I’m going to swing by and see her. If I’m needed before I get back, page me.”

She arched a brow. “You think I wouldn’t?”

Gabe grinned. No, he never doubted that his favorite nurse would do the right thing and get him where he needed to be when he needed to be there. Kami was an excellent nurse. There was no one he’d rather spend his shift working with. Fortunately, their schedules were on the same rotation and he got to spend several nights a week in the emergency department with her.

Whether it was busy, slammed, or on the rare occasion slow, he was never bored. Not with Kami around to keep him entertained with her quick wit and sassy mouth.

Which was yet another reason she should be the one to rescue him from Debbie. Not only would Kami not get the wrong idea, but Gabe would truly enjoy their “date.” Not that they’d ever gone anywhere just the two of them, but when the work gang gathered, he gravitated toward Kami and they almost always ended up paired off.

There was just something about her that made him feel good on the inside.

She needed to buy his auction package and he intended to make sure she did.

* * *

“That is the most exciting thing I’ve heard in weeks.”

While dropping in a urinalysis order for bay one, Kami curled her nose at the woman who’d been her best friend since they’d bonded during nursing school. “You would say that.”

Mindy gave her a duh look. “The man is gorgeous and I saw that once-over you gave him. I think you should go for it.”

Kami shook her head. “You misunderstood. That once-over was a joke and Gabe doesn’t want me to buy his date so we can go on a real date. He wants me to save him from having to go on a date with someone else. Either way, no, thank you.”

Mindy leaned against the desk. “I’m just saying, the most eligible bachelor in the hospital asked you to buy him at the fund-raiser. I think you should see that as a sign and go for it.”

Go for it? Her friend had lost her mind.

“A sign of what?”

Mindy waggled her brows. “Your good fortune. Do you know how many women would kill for Gorgeous Gabe to ask them to buy his date package?”

Kami made a bleh motion with her tongue. “They can have him. He’s too stuck on himself for my taste.”

Mindy didn’t look convinced. “That’s not how I see him.”

Kami didn’t, either. Not really. Gabe was gorgeous, but he didn’t seem to get caught up in his looks other than that he took care of himself and worked out regularly. Nothing wrong with trying to stay healthy.

Gabe was the picture of good health.

Great health.

Health at its finest, even.

Yeah, yeah. The man was easy on the eyes. No big deal.

“He’s got a big heart and you know it,” Mindy continued, oblivious to Kami’s wayward thoughts—thank goodness. The last thing she needed was Mindy pushing her toward doing something she knew better than to do. She might be immune, but you didn’t rub your face in germs to tempt fate, either.

“He doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty. He’s the first to jump in and help when someone needs something. I’ve never known him to pull the doctor card.” Mindy gave a pointed look. “I’d be hard-pressed to name someone, male or female, who didn’t like him.”

“Since you’re a walking, talking advertisement of his virtues, you bid on him,” Kami suggested and wondered at the slight twinge in her belly at the thought of her friend buying Gabe’s date.

Her two friends getting together would be a good thing, right? Well, except that Gabe would eventually break Mindy’s heart and then Kami would have to bust his chops for hurting her bestie. That was what the issue was. She didn’t want to have to dislike him for breaking Mindy’s heart.

But Mindy’s eyes lit at Kami’s suggestion and a smile slid onto her face. “I might do that.”

Kami’s brow shot up. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t comment as Gabe came strolling back into the emergency department.

“What have I missed?”

“Not much. Been a slow one so far,” Mindy told him, all smiles and looks of all sorts of possibilities.

“Bite your tongue,” Kami and Gabe said at the same time.

“Listen at you two,” Mindy said, giving Kami a mischievous glance that said maybe her friend hadn’t really veered from her original mission after all. “So in sync.”

“Not wanting you to jinx our evening is common sense. Nothing in sync about that,” Kami corrected, hoping her friend caught her warning tone. “Now, Dr. Nelson.” She turned her attention to Gabe, ignoring his curious looks between her and Mindy. “Bay one is a urinary tract infection. Onset earlier today. Her urinalysis results are in her chart. Bay two is a fever and sore throat. I’ve swabbed for strep, but the results are pending. Both are pleasant, stable, and accompanied by their significant other. You want me to go with you while you examine them?”

Bay one was given an antibiotic, a bladder antispasmodic, a handout on the preventions of UTIs, and was sent on her way. The woman in bay two, however, looked worse than she had a few minutes before when Kami had last checked.

Her temp was just over one hundred and three, her throat beet red, and her conjunctivae injected. The woman was also now complaining of a severe headache, which she hadn’t mentioned during triage or when Kami had done her nursing assessment.

The woman shivered as if she were freezing and looked miserable.

“Can you get her a blanket or something?” her husband asked, looking frustrated that his wife was getting worse.

“She doesn’t need to cover up,” Kami reminded him. She’d intentionally not given the woman a blanket. She directed her next comment to her patient. “It’ll hold heat to your body and you’re already too warm. We have to get your fever under control before we can even consider giving a blanket or doing anything that might make you worse.”

Wincing with discomfort, the woman tightened her arms around her body. “I’m so cold.”

They had to get her fever down and stable. Once they did, then she could possibly have a lightweight blanket. Certainly not before.

“When did the headache start?” Kami asked.

“She had a headache when she got here. It’s just gotten a lot worse,” the husband clarified. “It wasn’t bad enough to mention.”

Apparently not even when Kami had directly asked about a headache. Ugh. She really didn’t like when patients said something completely opposite when the doctor was present than what they’d told her during their assessment. It happened almost nightly.

Gabe ran through a quick examination of the woman. “Some swelling in the cervical nodes and neck stiffness. I want a blood count and a comprehensive metabolic panel on her STAT, and has that strep finished running?”

“Should be. I’ll log in and check.” Kami signed in on the in-bay computer and the test result was back. “She’s negative for strep.”

“Ache all over,” the woman told them, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. “Cold.”

Gabe gave some orders, which Kami turned to do, but stopped when the woman said, “I’m going to throw up.” Then did exactly that.

Gabe was closer than Kami and got an emesis pan in front of Mrs. Arnold just in time.

“Give her an antiemetic IM now.” He named the one he wanted given and the dosage. “Then let’s get a saline lock on her.”

Kami drew up the medication and injected the solution. The woman was shaking and looked much worse than she had when they’d entered the bay.

“Do something,” the husband ordered, sounding worried, as he hovered next to his wife’s bed, gripping the woman’s pale hand.

Gabe sent Kami a concerned look. “Get phlebotomy to draw blood cultures times three and the previous labs I mentioned. It’s off season, but run an influenza test, just in case. Let’s get a CT of her head, too. I’m probably going to do a lumbar puncture.”

He was thinking a possibility of meningitis. Rightly so, given how rapidly her status was changing.

“Let’s put her in isolation. Just in case,” Gabe continued in full doctor mode.

The husband was talking, too. Kami didn’t want to ignore him, tried to answer his questions while she worked, but he continued to fret.

Gabe gave an order to get IV antibiotics started and told her which he wanted. Kami rushed around making things happen. Although she’d really not looked like more than a typical sore throat patient, Mrs. Arnold had gone downhill scarily fast. In case she continued on the decline, they needed to act fast to get an accurate diagnosis as quickly as possible.

* * *

Linda Arnold’s blood count came back showing a significantly elevated white blood cell count with a bacterial shift. Her headache and neck pain had continued to increase and the woman refused to even attempt to move her neck. Her strep and influenza were negative.

Lumbar punctures weren’t Gabe’s favorite things to do as there was always risk, but his concerns over meningitis were too high not to test her spinal fluid. As soon as he had the CT scan results back, he’d pull the fluid so long as the scan didn’t show any reason not to. He didn’t want to risk brain herniation by not following protocol.

From all indications, the woman had meningitis. Gabe needed to know the exact culprit.

He cleared out two other patients who’d come into the emergency department. Then, protective personal equipment in place, he went back to Mrs. Arnold.

The woman was now going in and out of consciousness and didn’t make a lot of sense when she was awake.

Also wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, Kami was at her bedside. She’d already gathered everything he’d need for a lumbar puncture. They needed to move fast.

Hopefully, the antibiotics infusing into her body via her IV line would be the right ones for whatever caused her infection, but if they weren’t, waiting around to see could mean the difference between life and death.

That wasn’t a chance he was willing to take.

“Dr. Nelson?” Mindy stopped him from entering the area where Mrs. Arnold was. “Dr. Reynolds just called with her CT results. He is concerned about meningitis and recommends proceeding with lumbar puncture.”

This was the call Gabe had been waiting for giving him the safe go-ahead.

Checking to make sure his respiratory mask was secure, Gabe nodded, then entered the area where Mrs. Arnold was isolated.

From behind her clear plastic glasses, Kami’s eyes were filled with worry when they met his.

“She has gaze palsy and mild extremity drift now,” she told him. “I thought you’d prefer her husband not be in here for this as he was getting agitated. I sent him to the private counseling room to wait for you to talk to him after we get this done.”

That was one of the things he loved about Kami. She was always one step ahead of him.

Except when it came to the auction.

On that one, he planned to outstep her. Not planned to—he would outstep her, because the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to go on that “date” with Kami.

CHAPTER TWO

“WHAT A NIGHT,” Kami mused at the end of her twelve-hour shift that had turned into over fourteen. She couldn’t wait to get home, shower, eat whatever she could find in the fridge, and crawl into bed to pass out until it was time to come back and do it all again for night two of her three in a row.

“You look tired.”

She glanced toward Gabe. “You don’t look like a bowl of cherries yourself.”

He laughed. “Not sure if that was meant to be an insult or not, but I’ll go on record saying I’m grateful I don’t look like a bowl of cherries.”

Kami shrugged. “Too bad. Cherries would be an improvement.”

“A cherry fan?”

“They’re my favorite,” she admitted with a quick sideways glance toward him.

“You one of those talented people who can knot the stem with your tongue?” he teased.

Kami had very few silly talents, but tying a cherry stem into a knot was in her repertoire. Rather than admit as much to Gabe, she shrugged again.

“I’ll never tell.”

“Because you prefer to show me?” he joked, not looking tired at all despite the fact he had to be exhausted.

It really had been a long night.

“Okay.” He gave a dramatic sigh. “I’m game. There’s a pancake house a few blocks from here where you can get whipped cream and cherries.”

She frowned. “You know this how?”

“A man has to know where he can get whipped cream and cherries twenty-four hours a day.”

Kami scrunched her nose. “Ew. Spare me the details because I don’t want to know.”

Looking intrigued, he chuckled. “Your mind went to the gutter, Kam. I’m surprised, but I think I like it.”

“Nothing to like about you grossing me out.”

His brow arched. “My liking whipped cream and cherries on top of my pancakes grosses you out?”

She ran her gaze over his broad chest, down his flat abs that his scrubs failed to disguise. “Yeah, I can tell you regularly chow down on pancakes with whipped cream and cherries.”

“You might be surprised.”

Not really. She’d seen him put away a lot of food during their shift breaks. The man could eat. Not that it showed. Whether because of good genetics or his time spent in the gym, Gabe truly was the picture of good health.

“Doubtful,” she tossed as she clocked out and grabbed her lunch bag. “Not much about you surprises me.”

His brow rose. “Oh? You know me that well?”

“As well as I want to.” She gave him a look that said she was well aware he had fallen into step beside her as she exited the emergency department. “Bye, Gabe.”

“You have to eat, Kam. Let me take you to breakfast before I hit the gym.”

Her brows knitted together. “You’re going to the gym this morning after working over and having to be back here this evening?”

His eyebrows lifted. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Kami stared at him as if he were the oddest anomaly. “Do you not need sleep?”

He grinned. “Not when I’m properly motivated.”

“You that excited at the prospect of running into Baxter again?” She glanced at her watch. “You should hurry or you may miss him. Wouldn’t want that to happen.”

Gabe burst out laughing. “Okay, I’ll take a hint and a rain check on the pancakes with whipped cream and cherries.”

* * *

That evening, Kami glanced at her cell phone and winced. Her mother. Should she answer? Guilt hit her that she considered not doing so. Her mother knew it was time for her to be at work. If she was calling, something must be wrong, right?

“Hi, Mom. I’m about to clock in at work, so I can’t talk but a second. What’s up?”

“I’m headed out of town,” her mother answered. Then a male voice spoke in the background and, muffling the phone, her mother said something back. Then she said into the phone, “Can you feed my cat while I’m gone?”

Why her mother had gotten the scruffy cat, Kami had no clue. Most days she couldn’t take care of herself, much less a pet. But at least she’d not left without making arrangements for the stray she’d taken in. Then again, her mother should have been an expert at taking in strays.

Fortunately, her mother didn’t make a habit of asking Kami to feed them. At least, not since Kami had moved out the moment she’d graduated from high school and escaped the constant chaos of Eugenia’s life.

“I’ll swing by in the morning and feed her.” Then she couldn’t hold back asking, “What’s his name?”

“Bubbles. You know that.”

“Not the cat. The guy.”

“Oh.” Her mother giggled and the person in the background said something else, which elicited another giggle. “Sammy. He’s a drummer in a band and so good.”

Her mother tended to be drawn to artistic types. Especially unemployed ones who needed a place to crash while they waited on their big break. Not that any of them ever stuck around long. They stayed. They used. They moved on. Another arrived to fill the vacancy. It was the story of Kami’s childhood and was still ongoing. Would her mother never learn?

“Okay, Mom,” she sighed, putting her lunch in the break-room refrigerator. “I’ll feed Bubbles. Any idea when you’ll be back?”

“A couple of days. I’ll text to let you know for sure. Don’t forget to love on Bubbles.”

“Right.” Because she wanted to stick around at her mother’s apartment longer than she absolutely had to. Not. “Well, I’m at work, so I need to go. Bye, Mom. I’ll feed Bubbles.”

She’d probably love on the scrappy cat, too. Goodness knew that if her mother had a new man in her life, the cat would be ignored until his departure.

Kami had a lot of empathy for Bubbles.

* * *

“I was disappointed I didn’t see Baxter this morning,” Gabe teased as Kami came over to where he sat reviewing chart notes. Gabe loved his job, loved being a doctor, and loved knowing that, if the need arose, he could do everything humanly possible to save someone’s life. Knowing he’d see Kami made the prospect of going to work all the sweeter. He never knew what was going to come out of that sassy mouth of hers.

“Maybe he’s already given up his exercise kick,” Kami mused, not looking as if she cared one way or the other.

Actually, she looked distracted and he wondered who she’d been on the phone with earlier. He’d been coming back into the department from the NICU, where Beverly and her husband had been sitting with their baby. He couldn’t imagine the stress they were going through as each day was a struggle for their tiny baby girl to live. He’d been thinking on the fund-raiser, hoping it raised enough money to cover the couple’s out-of-pocket medical expenses, not to mention all their day-to-day expenses that still had to be paid despite their being at the hospital instead of their jobs. Whomever Kami had been on the phone with, it hadn’t been a pleasant conversation.

“Doubtful.” Gabe leaned back in his chair and eyed the petite blonde nurse standing a few feet away. Were there problems with the fund-raiser? Or had the call been personal? “My guess is he was already there and gone by the time I got there. He’s determined to buff up for you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She didn’t sound impressed. “Someone should tell him I’m not into buff.”

Gabe arched a brow. “I thought all women were into buff.”

She rolled her eyes. “Men are into buff. Any intelligent woman would rather have a man of substance than bulgy muscles.”

“Can’t a man have both substance and muscles?”

Kami shrugged. “Apparently not.”

“You’re overlooking the obvious.”

Her forehead scrunched. “What’s that?”

He waggled his brows. “I’m substance and bulgy muscles.”

Giving him a critical once-over, she seemed to be debating his claim. “You’re not that gross. You don’t have that no-neck, bulgy-muscles look I can’t stand.”

Gabe wasn’t sure if she’d insulted or complimented him. “That means I don’t count?”

“You don’t count, anyway,” she said flippantly, handing him a piece of paper she’d jotted patient vitals on.

Ignoring the paper, he asked, “Why’s that?”

“We’re talking muscles and substance, remember?” she said matter-of-factly and gestured to the paper she’d handed him.

Gabe laughed. “Right. I forgot. Disqualified on all counts.”

“Exactly. Now, are you going to go see the poor lady in bay three? Her blood pressure is crazy high at two hundred and fifteen over one hundred and thirty-seven.”

“Slave driver,” he accused, glancing down at the numbers on the paper she’d handed him as he headed toward the bay. “But rightly so.”

* * *

Connie Guffrey’s EKG was normal, as were her cardiac enzymes. Fortunately, after Kami administered IV medication, her blood pressure decreased to closer to the normal range, but Gabe decided to admit her for overnight observation due to her having developed some shortness of breath and mild chest pain just prior to plans to discharge her home.

Kami agreed doing serial cardiac enzymes overnight was in Ms. Guffrey’s best interest and arranged the transfer to the medical floor.

“Don’t look now,” Mindy advised, “but you know who has been watching you all night. I think he really does want you to buy his date.”

Kami immediately turned toward where she’d last seen Gabe. He was busy talking to a respiratory therapist who’d just administered a breathing treatment on an asthma patient.

“I told you not to look,” Mindy reminded her.

“Doesn’t matter that I looked because you’re imagining things.”

“Not hardly. And you know what?” Mindy looked absolutely smug. “He’s not the only one who’s been staring.”

Realization dawning as to her friend’s meaning, Kami frowned. “I have not been staring.”

“Sure you haven’t.”

“The only time I’ve looked at the man is when we’re discussing a patient or treating a patient.” She scowled at her friend. “Don’t you have something better to fill your time than making up stories?”

“You just looked at him, Kami.”

She gave a duh look. “Because you told me not to.”

“Exactly, and you immediately seized the excuse to look at him.” Mindy bent forward and whispered, “I think you like him.”

“Of course I like him. He’s a nice guy who I work with. We’re friends.”

Mindy shook her head. “Not buying it. You should be more than friends.”

Kami’s gaze narrowed. “Says who?”

“Me.” Mindy leaned against the raised desk area that provided a divider for the nurses from the examination bays. “Apparently he thinks so, too, or he wouldn’t have asked you to buy his date.”

“The reason he asked me to buy his date is because we’re just friends and I wouldn’t get the wrong idea.”

“Which is?”

“That there could ever be something between him and me.” Kami outright glared at her friend. “This isn’t some television show where doctors fall for nurses and harbor secret feelings. This is reality and the reality is that he and I are just friends and that’s all we want to be. Don’t make this into something it’s not.”

“Maybe you should make it into something it’s not.”

“You sound like a broken record. Let it go,” she ordered, then, frowning, added, “Besides, I thought you planned to bid on him.”

Mindy crossed her arms, regarding Kami. “I should.”

“Good. Buy him. He’s taking his date to Gatlinburg for a fun-filled Saturday of visiting the aquarium, playing laser tag and putt-putt golf, riding go-karts, and topping the night off with a dinner show. You’d have a great time.”

“I should hire you as my press agent. My bid might break records.”

Kami jumped at Gabe’s interruption. “I didn’t hear you come up. I was…uh…telling Mindy she should bid on you.”

“I heard.” He grinned at Mindy. “She convince you?”

“I’m saving my pennies, Dr. Nelson.”

He laughed. “Good to know.”

Mindy looked back and forth between them, smiled as if she was in on a secret, and gave Kami a you-should-go-for-it look. “I hear the receptionist talking to someone. I’m off to see if it’s a new patient and they’re ready to be triaged.”

Kami frowned at her retreating friend. She hadn’t heard anyone registering. Her friend had purposely left her and Gabe alone. Mindy had a distinct lack of subtlety.

“Good to know that since you don’t plan to buy my package, you at least plan to save me by convincing others to bid.”

“What are friends for?”

He met her gaze. “I’ve already answered that question.”

“True.” Still feeling irked at Mindy’s comments, she gave him a tight smile. “And we’ve already established that I’m not bidding on you.”

“I’d spot you the money. Imagine—you’d get a fun-filled day in beautiful Gatlinburg, my company, and you wouldn’t even have to save your pennies.”

“You’re wasting your breath.”

“Talking to you is never wasted breath.”

“Don’t try sweet-talking me, Gabe. I know you better than to buy into that garbage.”

He held his hands up. “Hey, I was making a legitimate observation, not trying to woo you into bidding on me.”

“Right.”

He laughed. “Okay, you’re right. I was trying to woo you into winning my bid. Can you blame me?”

She gave him a look she hoped said she sure could.

“Fine,” he relented. “But I do enjoy our conversations, Kam. You make me smile.”

He made her smile, too, but she wasn’t convinced that was what he’d meant.

“How is Ms. Guffrey?” she asked to redirect the subject to work. “Any news of how her cardiac tests are holding?”

“She’s stable. We’re thinking she just panicked and that’s where the new symptoms came in. I sure didn’t want to send her home and her have an MI.”

“Agreed. I’m glad she’s doing okay.”

He glanced at his watch. “Only another hour until the end of our shift. You want to go for pancakes with me?”

Surprised at his repeated offer from the day before, Kami frowned. “Why would I do that?”

“Because you didn’t go yesterday and you have me curious.”

“About?”

“You know what.” He waggled his brows.

It took her only a second to realize what he referred to.

“Puh-leese. That’s what this is about? You want to know how talented I am with my mouth?”

As the words came out of her mouth, Kami realized how her comment could be interpreted. Her cheeks flushed hot.

“That’s not…” At his laughter, Kami’s face burned even hotter. “You know what I meant, Gabriel Nelson, and what I didn’t mean.”

“Do I?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You know you do.”

He crossed his arms and leaned against the desk. “Maybe, but saying I don’t might be a lot more fun. Why are your cheeks so red, Kam?”

Deciding that ignoring him was the best approach, Kami grabbed a brochure and fanned her face. “It is hot in here, isn’t it?”

Which was a joke if Kami ever heard one. The emergency department was notoriously cool—purposely so to help keep germs down.

But, for once, the area felt blazing.

“Not particularly.” His grin was still in place. “Even better than you going for pancakes with whipped cream and cherries with me would be if you did that and went to work out with me. That would send Baxter the message that he was wasting his time, for sure.”

“If I ate pancakes then tried to work out, I’d be sick, so, in that regard, you’re right about sending a message.”

He laughed. “We could have breakfast after we work out.”

She looked at him as if he was crazy. “Again, wrong girl, Gabe. I’m not a gym rat and I’m not a girl who would work out on an empty stomach.”

His gaze ran over her. “You look like you could be.”

“Is that a compliment?”

One corner of his mouth slid upward. “It wasn’t an insult.”

Kami fought to keep heat from flooding her face again. “Either way, I’m not going to the gym.”

“You don’t want to see the new and improved Baxter?”

Not that she could go anyway since she had to go feed Bubbles, but Kami pointed out, “You don’t even know he’ll be there this morning.”

“Then you do want to see him?” Gabe sounded surprised.

“No, I don’t want to see Baxter. That’s why I broke things off.”

Gabe immediately seized on her comment. “I thought your relationship ended due to a mutual decision.”

“It did. Mutual means I told him things weren’t working and he agreed.” She glared at Gabe. “Would you stop twisting what I’m saying?”

Feigning innocence, he put his hands up in front of him. “I’m doing nothing of the sort. I’m just trying to buy you breakfast. Quite friendly of me, I’d say.”

“You just want to harass me into buying your bid,” she countered, knowing it was true. Gabe was her friend, but he was a guy and guys had ulterior motives, right?

“Perhaps,” he agreed. “But I was serious about buying you breakfast. We could discuss the fund-raiser.”

“What about it?”

“I could help in ways besides the auction.”

“Uh-uh.” She shook her head. “You’re not getting out of the auction, Gabe. We’re auctioning off five men and five women and you’re the big-ticket item.”

Grinning, he asked, “You think so?”

Despite all her efforts to prevent the heat, her face went hot again.

“Women seem to think so.” At his pleased look, she added, “Especially Debbie.”

That ought to simmer his arrogance down. If not, the brilliant idea that hit her would.

“I’m thinking of asking if she’ll use her television connections for local publicity to raise awareness of the fund-raiser.”

Rather than look annoyed, he looked impressed. “That’s brilliant. You want me to check with her?”

A bit floored he’d be willing since he was making such a big deal of the woman planning to buy his date, Kami nodded. Garnering as much free publicity as possible was important and she should have thought of Gabe’s connection to the local television station sooner. “Would you?”

His eyes danced. “For you?”

“For Beverly and her baby,” she corrected.

“If it would help Beverly’s baby get a new heart, I’d talk to the devil himself.”

Kami didn’t recall Debbie being anywhere near that bad, but she’d only met the woman a couple of times when she’d shown up at the emergency department to bring Gabe a late dinner or a cup of his favorite coffee. On television, she smiled often as she made over homes in the Eastern Tennessee area and seemed nice enough.

“Great.” Kami rubbed her palms together. “Encourage her to pay plenty when she wins that Gatlinburg getaway. Sounds like fun.”

“Obviously not fun enough. I can’t convince you to bid.”

“Can I go without you?”

He gave an offended frown. “That appeals more than the total package?”

Rolling her eyes, she clicked her tongue. “You’re hardly the total package, Gabe.”

* * *

Later that morning, Kami hit the drive-through and ordered a coffee to keep her going long enough to get to her mother’s when all she really wanted was to go home and crash.

Within a few minutes, she was sitting on her mother’s sofa, Bubbles walking back and forth next to her while Kami stroked the cat from her head to the tip of her tail.

Silly cat. Often, Kami wondered if the cat was happier to see her during her short visits than her mother was. She glanced around the tiny, messy apartment. No family portraits lined the walls. No memorabilia from Kami’s childhood. Instead, the walls were bare except for a Red Hot Chili Peppers poster. If there had been a photo, Kami wouldn’t have expected it to be of herself, but of this latest guy.

Kami emptied the litter box, bagged her mother’s overflowing trash, put in a fresh bag, and picked up the empty food containers and drink cans scattered around the apartment.

Making sure the cat had food and water, Kami grabbed the trash and headed out of the apartment to go home. Sleep had her name all over it.

Only, when she got back to her place and finally crawled into bed, sleep refused to make an appearance.

Perhaps she should have skipped the coffee. She didn’t need anything interfering with her rest prior to going into the third night of her three-in-a-row work schedule.

Especially not thoughts of her mother, a silly cat who was home alone, and Gabe.

Why was Gabe even on the list of things running through her mind?

He was a friend. Nothing more.

Ugh. Sleep was not happening.

She reached over and grabbed her phone off her nightstand. Ten a.m. Still early enough that if she dozed off she’d get plenty of rest before going back to work. Not that sleep seemed anywhere near.

Maybe she should get up for an hour, then try again later to go to sleep.

Sometimes after the first night of her three-in-a-row, she struggled to get to sleep the next morning, but never after the second or third nights.

Ugh.

Gripping her phone, she hit the text emblem, then Gabe’s number from her contacts.

So, was he there?

Why she asked, she wasn’t sure. She didn’t care if Baxter had been at the gym or not. She just couldn’t sleep. It made no sense, but deep down she knew talking with Gabe—even via text—would take her mind off her mother and off Bubbles, whom she’d considered packing up and bringing home with her. She might have, had her apartment not had a restriction against pets.

Who?

You know who.

Ah, the ex. He was there. Looking better every day.

Good for him.

There was a long enough pause that Kami wondered if Gabe was going to respond again.

Come on, Gabe. I need you to take my mind to a better place so I can close my eyes and stop my brain from racing because I feel sorry for a cat who has my mother as a caregiver.

Want me to take a picture for you next time I

see him?

The idea of Gabe snapping a shot of Baxter working out had Kami laughing out loud.

People might get the wrong idea, think you had a man crush on him.

Yeah, well, I’m the kind of guy who would risk it to help a friend.

Good one. I’m still not bidding on you.

She lay back, head sinking into her pillow as she stared at her phone screen.

So you keep saying.

You think I will?

Hoping you will. Spoke to Debbie this morning. She’s talking to her producer about the fund-raiser, see what they can come up with to help.

He’d already talked to his ex about the fund-raiser? Then again, Gabe had said he would and she’d never known him not to follow through on something he’d said he’d do.

Awesome. Hope it wasn’t too painful. Thank you.

Thank you for all you’re doing to help Beverly and her baby girl. If it wasn’t for you and Mindy putting so much into this the fund-raiser wouldn’t even be happening.

Ha, I’m not sacrificing nearly as much as you. She was only doing what she thought needed to be done to help with the overwhelming expenses that come with having a seriously ill baby. I’m not the one being auctioned off.

So you admit you feel badly for me?

That you’re going to have women fighting over you with their wallets? Sure, I’m heartbroken. Poor, poor Gabe.

You’re a funny girl, Kam.

She could picture his smile.

Something like that.

Why aren’t you asleep? You were clamoring to get home to bed when I asked you to have pancakes with me.

Yeah, she had been. Too bad sleep continued to elude her.

I had errands to run. I may or may not have drunk coffee. Just saying.

It’s not too late for those pancakes.

Sure it is. I’m in bed.

Nothing wrong with breakfast in bed. You want syrup or cherries and whipped cream? I recommend the cherries and whipped cream, but I admit I’m biased.

Kami stared at her phone screen and shook her head. The man was incorrigible.

Good thing she knew better than to take him seriously.

A smile on her face, she snuggled into her covers and began typing a response worthy of his outrageous suggestion.

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