Page 29 of Doctor's Bossy Match
He lifts his head, surprise flickering across his face.
“I’m fine,” he says automatically, but his voice is hoarse.
“You don’t look fine.”
He gives a dry laugh and leans back in the chair.“Long week.”
“Sorry if I overstepped earlier.I just… I really wanted to help.”
“You did.”His eyes meet mine.“That’s the problem.”
“Why is that a problem?”
He smirks.“Because now I have to take you seriously.”
So he’s admitting that he has been dismissive of me, but now he’s forced to respect my clinical judgement.He says it like a joke, but something real lingers under it.Maybe admiration or something more dangerous.And… I think I might like it.
His phone goes off, and I stay quiet as he talks to them briefly.
When he hangs up, he turns to me.“Let’s go.”He stands and holds out his hand.I take it without thinking, letting him pull me up.I enjoy his warm palm in mine, and when we pull apart, the feeling lingers.He looks so drained, I don’t want to push him.
We walk down the corridor until we’re both standing at Shaina’s room when the lab results come in.
I hear Harrison’s breath catch just slightly as he reads the numbers on the screen.
“Lead levels are elevated,” he murmurs, almost to himself.“You were right.”
I feel relieved at the answer, but then it’s quickly replaced by anger for her.She’s been suffering from something in her own home.
“Let’s go inform Shaina and her mom.”
I follow him into the room and stay beside him while he delivers the news.
Shaina’s mom gasps.She grips the bed rail like it’s the only thing keeping her upright.“Lead?What does that mean for her?”
Harrison steps in, calm and steady now.“It means we have an answer.And a path forward.”
“Chelation therapy.I’ll give her a medicine that finds the harmful metals in her system, binds to them, and helps her body flush them out,” I say gently.“Then we’ll need to do follow-up scans and check her environment, like where she’s been spending time.You and your husband should be tested too—if Shaina was exposed at home, you both could be at risk.”I’ve seen fear like this before, so raw, so piercing, it makes my chest ache.And it never gets easier.
But when she reaches for my hand, tears shining in her eyes, I don’t pull away.
“Thank you,” she whispers.“Thank you both.”
Harrison doesn’t say anything until we’re out in the hallway.Just the two of us.
“Nice work.”
I glance at him, raising my eyebrow.“You doubted me.”
He gives a dry smile.“No.I’ll let your smug little victory dance speak for itself.”
“I did not do a victory dance.”
“You did,” he says, straight-faced.“In your eyes.A full pirouette.”
I laugh, and his eyes soften, like he’s letting me in.
Later, we walk side by side to our cars, the noise of the hospital fading behind us as the quiet of the parking lot settles around us like a pause we haven’t earned.My shoulder aches from the long day, and I shift my bag higher.
