Chapter 1 Dr. Luke Sanders
Eve's POV
Dr. Luke Sanders. They call him the cold-hearted- doctor. Kinda ironic for a heart surgeon. The guy is a genius and built the hospital from the ground up.
He is the youngest heart surgeon in history, well as far as New York is concerned. He flew through school and graduated early. He's got about a million awards somewhere, but he never shows them off... I wonder if he tossed them in the trash? I only know about them because I've looked him up when contemplating murder charges...
They also say his pregnant wife, Julia Sanders, was in a car accident about 2 years ago. That was before I started working here. He tried everything he could, but he just couldn't save them.
I wonder what it would be like to love a man like him? I shouldn't be thinking thoughts like this, but it's always been there in the back of my mind. Not that I ever could. Or ever would love him... It's not professional. But just know if I said he wasn't hot as hell, I'd be lying.
They say he went through a dark phase. (If he still isn't in that phase, I don't want to know how bad he was back then!) Since then he pushes everyone away.
His parents try to stop by and see him. I see them from time to time, and he tells them every time, he doesn't have time to see them. I feel bad for them. They still love him, and yet...
Not my business. I just have to work for him. I'm one of the many nurses he tends to order around. And, well, he's the boss, so we all just tend to let him pretend he rules the universe.
No, that's not right. I tend to yell at him, but follow his instructions anyway. The head nurse thinks I'm nuts and warns me that I might lose my job... She doesn't know that would be preferable to working for a bastard. I am sick and tired of getting yelled at for things that aren't my fault! I'm this close to quitting!
Except lately it seems he's been taking everything out on me personally. Why the hell is he doing this to me? It's not like I've been anything but professional... sort of. I suppose it's not really professional to yell at your boss in front of patients... But he deserves it sometimes!
Like last week he came and found me. I was just doing my rounds like normal, when he came up to me like a man on a mission. His face was tight with restrained fury and his fists were tight, clutching a folder that he thrust into my hands.
"Evelyn, your paperwork on Jones case last week was sloppy. Go back and fix it!" He demanded.
So, Samantha Jones is a sweet girl who had been kidnapped by her crazy ex... or something like that. He never actually raped her, but somehow her brother hacked our system and got some false results, claiming that she was pregnant... And I guess the possessive crazy big brother went all off on her. I actually do feel bad about that.
The thing is, that wasn't our fault! Some crazy chick came in here, dressed as a nurse, had access to our computers and messed with our records! Then Ares Beck came in here demanding to know why his fiance's labs came back pregnant when she was still a virgin!
Dr. Sanders should've been going off on the charge nurse for this, because she should've stopped anyone from accessing the computer files. But, no! He's blowing up at me! I was just the one assisting him, and taking his notes... and yelling at him for being a bastard in front of a patient!
Trust me, there was a whole damn investigation over this whole thing. The crazy chick was caught and went to jail for some sort of conspiracy, and Luke even apologized to Ares for the whole damn mess up... However, Ben, the hacker, was a whole other story!
I stood there in shock. Since when had I ever been sloppy? I pride myself on professionalism and I do everything perfectly! Even when he's being an ass, I still keep my cool! And never have I ever been sloppy in my paperwork! Especially with that case. I didn't need Ares Beck suing me for hurting his woman!
I wanted like hell to go off on him, reminding him that none of that was my fault, but he won't listen to me. Not when it's his hospital on the line. He would do everything to keep his reputation clean and the hospital running properly. It's the only thing he actually gives a damn about.
I seriously need to quit... Then I might move to Alaska to get away from the jerk! All I could do was give him a tight smile and say, "Yes, Doctor." Then I stomped away, knowing damn well my tantrum wouldn't do a damn thing!
And then, yesterday I was on my lunch break. I was flirting with Jeff, another nurse. He had just asked if I wanted to get coffee with him on our next day off and I was thrilled. I'd been kinda hoping he'd ask me out the last month, but I'm too shy to ask a guy out.
Jeff is a sweetheart and a little shy, but still braver than me. We went to school together, but never went out. Too busy with studying and our exams. The life of a nursing student is hard! Not only did we have the memorization and the studying for tests, but we had to learn the practical stuff too. I never had time to just breathe...
We did have 'study dates' together, if that counts... But they were with a bunch of the other nursing students. But somehow we both ended up working for Sanders Memorial! I was really happy to see a familiar face!
However, at that moment, Dr. Sanders stormed into the break room, looking absolutely furious. "Evelyn! Stop flirting with Jeffrey! It's not professional!" He snarled at me. "You shouldn't be going on dates anyway! You don't have time!"
Not sure when I gave him permission to micromanage my life outside of work... But it was starting to piss me off! Who the hell was he to say I didn't have time to date?
"Doctor, it's my fault. Evie was just-" Jeff started to interject. See how sweet he is? Trying to protect me from my stupid boss... But it won't work! He didn't even look at Jeff! His vision was laser focused on me!
"Was I talking to you? No. I was talking to Evelyn. I expect more from her!" He cut him off, glaring at me with those ice blue eyes that could freeze a lesser woman. Those eyes do something to me...
I wondered, absently, what they would look like if they were softer and sweeter... If his sharp jaw decided to relax into a smile... But that is a stupid thing to think about. It would never happen!
I'm not sure where the hell the thought floated in from, but it is utter nonsense! And I shove the feelings away behind a bolted door somewhere in the dark abyss of my mind. It's way too complicated and confusing. I have enough issues of my own, I don't need to add Luke Sanders to the list. He's already my damn boss!
Those eyes are so full of pain and fury, that no one has been able to reach through to his heart. We've talked about it and someone should probably suggest he goes to see a therapist... However, no one wants to die either. But it's not good to keep his feelings locked inside like this.
And why does he expect more from me? I'm just another RN! There are hundreds of us running around! Why the hell doesn't he go pick on someone else? Not that I'd really wish this on any of the other nurses. I just want him to stop picking on me.
I ground my teeth and crossed my arms over my chest to hold myself together. "I'm going to request a transfer, again, doctor Sanders. I'm serious! If you can't handle having me around, just send me to Silverlake Medical!"
"And I'm going to deny your request. Again, Eve! You aren't going anywhere!" He growled at me before turning around and marching out of the break room. "And who the hell says I can't handle keeping you around! That has nothing to do with it!"
So here I am, once again having to deal with Dr. Sanders and his temper. But I can be professional! I don't have to argue with him in front of the rest of the staff!
Only this time we are in the OR, which normally means I'm too focused on what I'm doing to worry about upsetting the doctor. Dr. Sanders is a heart surgeon, but he is also the on call doctor for tonight's shift. I swear the man is trying to work himself to death... And drag me down with him!
I look down at our patient. 16 year old Mason James. He was on his way home from basketball practice. He's got a gash across his head and a broken arm.
And once again, we are fixing some poor kid who got hit by a drunk driver. Dr. Sanders asks me for his instruments and I hand them over to him. He asks for suction, I give it to him. It's the same monotonous routine every time. If he asks for a coffee in the middle of surgery, I yell in his face... it's just the way it works.
Finally, the kid is all stitched up and I wheel him back to a recovery room. I'm glad I don't really have to deal with his parents. They looked so freaked out, but Dr. Sanders has a... straight forward approach.
No emotions, just facts. It does tend to snap the panic away, but it also annoys the hell outta me. He could really work on his bedside manner!
I'm busy filling out Mason's chart when Jeff comes up to me. I haven't seen him in a few hours, and he looks really excited to see me.
"Hey," he smiles, sidling up next to me. "Heard you had to put up with Sanders again," he smirks.
I huff in annoyance. "Yep. Well, someone's gotta keep him in his place. Besides, he's not actually that bad when he's in surgery," I chuckle, shaking my head at him.
"You are the only nurse I know who stands up to him! Everyone else is scared to death of him," he responds. "I don't know how you do it! You are damn brave."
"Yeah, well. They are all trying got keep their jobs. I'm trying to get him to let me go," I grumbled, thinking of my official request getting denied for the 4th time. "He's being an ass about it."
Jeff gives me a funny look.
"What?" I'm suddenly worried I've done something wrong.
"Nothing, it's just that... Jenny asked for a transfer last week and it went through," he shrugs. "She was already transferred to Silverlake."
"It went through?" I gasp. "No way! I've been trying to ask for months to get out of this ice box! Why did she get to leave?" I grumbled finishing off the chart. "Maybe I'll have to talk to Dr. Miller instead..."
"Not really sure. Maybe he just likes torturing you personally," he winks at me. "Can't say I'd blame him. You are fun to be around. And you're damn cute when you're frustrated and angry at him!"
I want to hit him over the head, but instead I just growl at him. I'm not trying to look cute! I want to be professional... How is he supposed to take me seriously otherwise?
"Anyway, I noticed you were off Tuesday. Did you want to get that coffee?" He suggests. "Sanders kinda interrupted us last time I was trying to talk to you."
That silly little flutter in my heart goes off. "Yeah, that sounds great!" I agree easily, just as Dr. Sanders rounds the corner. Seriously, what the hell? Do I have some sort of homing beacon on me or something?
The scowl on his face has another effect on me. "Get back to work," he growls, looking over the chart I'd just finished filling out. "And if I hear you flirting again, Jeff, I'm transferring you to the psych ward!"
Jeff paled and gulped. There is nothing wrong with the psych ward, he just doesn't like dealing with Luke.
"Get off his case, doctor. He wasn't doing anything wrong! And I've been working my ass off for hours! You know that!" I growl back.
"Good. Then you should be too tired to accept a coffee date while working!" he snarled back.
"What I do after hours is none of your business!" I hiss. I'm so tired of him trying to tell me what I can and cannot do! This is my life after all, not his! He's already ruined his! I don't want him doing the same thing with mine!
"But what you do at my hospital is! Go report to Judy!" he snarled and stomped away again. "And stay the fuck away from Jeff! He's not good enough for you!"
What the hell was that all about? Since when isn't Jeff good enough for me? And who is he to decide whether he is or he isn't? I'm so damn pissed off at him! I should just fucking quit right now!
Jeff and I watch as he storms into his office and slams the door. Then Jeff leans into me, "I'll text you later," he whispers, still looking at Luke's door like it might be listening to us.
I just nod my head and check in with the head nurse. I don't know why I feel so... dark inside right now. I have too many messed up emotions, and most of them have to do with Dr. Luke. The pain in my ass that is taking everything out on me.
"You okay, Eve?" Judy asks. I'm sure she heard the conversation, just like the rest of the staff that are pretending not to have heard the good doctor yelling at me about my personal life.
"Define okay. I'm a grown woman and Dr. Sanders is acting like I'm a delinquent child!" I grouch. "Why can't he just leave me alone and let me live my own life?"
Judy just chuckles. "You know, he wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, he was happy and very pleasant to be around." Then she made a sad sigh. "I don't know if he'll ever be that way again. And it really breaks my heart for the poor man. All he ever does now is work."
"Work and make everyone miserable," I grumbled, trying to push the thought of what he used to be out of my mind. I never knew him before, only after.
For some reason, my eyes wander down to Dr. Sanders door. Feeling sorry for him really wouldn't do any one any good, least of all him. But in all honestly, I do wish there was something that could break through that cold heart of his. It would change the whole atmosphere of his hospital.
I wonder what he does when he goes home to his big empty house. I wonder if he still cries over his lost family. I wonder if he gets drunk just to numb the pain. None of it is my business, because when he shows up at the hospital it's all orders and work. Not a place for softness. No time for kindness. Only work.
Sometimes I wonder if he could look at himself from the outside, would he know how to fix himself? Because I sure as hell don't.
