There was something about the way she looked—Innocent? Angelic? Scared? She intrigued me. I decided to stand next to her pretending to buy cereal as well. She had no clue anyone was watching her even though I stood two feet away. Closer up, she was even more stunning.
What was wrong with me? I was staring at a stranger in the market at midnight. As drawn as I was to her I decided to go get my protein shake and come back later. It would give me some time to muster up the courage to ask for her number. It had been a few months since I’d been on a date. It’d be nice to meet someone new.
Walking past her, I noticed she had precariously stepped on the bottom shelf to reach for the Captain Crunch box located on the top shelf. I thought about getting it for her when she suddenly fell and knocked us down to the ground. She was embarrassed. I was grateful for the opportunity.
“I’m so sorry!” Her voice sounded almost as sweet as her face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Are you OK?” Hopefully, she had broken something so I could take her to the hospital.
“I think I’m OK. My ankle feels a little weird but I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Yes! Here was my chance. I would force her to go with me to the hospital regardless of how minor the injury might be.
“Do you want to try to get up?” I asked while holding her hand and helping her to her feet. Giddy, I felt like a boy holding a girl’s hand for the first time. Her fingers were soft.
“Ouch!” She almost fell back to the floor and I couldn’t believe my luck tonight. “I guess it hurts a bit more than I thought it might. It’s OK. I’ll be all right.” She pulled her fingers away while finishing her sentence and tried to walk down the aisle. I didn’t know where she thought she was going without me.
“Wait. Let me help you.” In two steps I reached her five hobbling steps. “Let me take you to my hospital just down the street and let’s x-ray your ankle.”
“No, that’s so not necessary. I’ll just go home and rest it. I knew I shouldn’t have been out here this late.” It was cute the way she was scolding herself. She was right, though. What was she thinking coming out here at this hour?
“Please, let me help you. By the way, my name is Jake, Jake Reid.”
“Hi, I’m Emily Logan.” Her lips curled up into the most beguiling smile, sucking me into her world. Where had this girl been all my life? Being a cardiac surgeon I knew a thing or two about hearts but I couldn’t explain what was going on in my own. My pulse beat faster, my blood rushed, and my excitement level shot through the roof. We’d barely spoken and I felt like this was the girl of my dreams—the one I would love the rest of my life. Perhaps I’d lost my mind.
Ignoring her scared look, I forced her to General Hospital and wheeled her into ER.
“Will you be OK waiting for me here while I get some paperwork filled out?”
She nodded yes like a young schoolgirl. Oddly, I sensed through her wide brown eyes that she trusted me to take care of her. My entire being felt this wonderful burden—a loving responsibility—to make sure that this Emily Logan would be OK. I had never felt such a strong desire to take care of someone like I did right now for his girl.
Practically waltzing into the front office, I had to figure out a plan to ask this girl to go out with me.
“Dr. Reid, what are you doing back? Aren’t you done for the night?” Linda, the head nurse, asked.
“Yeah. I came back in with a patient. She might have sprained her ankle.”
I saw all the residents heading my way.
“Who’s that hottie you just walked in with?” asked one of the residents.
“Who she is does not concern you. If any of you as much as talk to her, I will make sure you’re doing midnight shifts in ER the rest of your stay here at our hospital.”
“Oooh! You’re so scary, Dr. Reid.” Jeffery, our youngest intern, at age twenty, attempted a joke. I gave him a be scared of me look and he backed off.
“I’m going to go back out and stay with her. Take your time calling her in. Treat her like any other patient who comes into this ER. I don’t want to be out of here any time soon.” I gave them all my most serious doctor look. I didn’t think any of them bought it. Laughter erupted behind me, and I followed suit.
“What’s so funny?” she asked with curious enthusiasm.
“Um…those residents were harassing me.” I smiled at my inside joke. Placing myself as close to Emily as possible, I gingerly elevated her legs and hoped for hours of uninterrupted conversation.
“Do you work here?” Her trusting eyes made me want to tell her my whole life story. “Are you a doctor or a nurse?”
I guess I had forgotten to explain to her who I was. “I’m a doctor here. I work up in the cardiac department.”
“Are you working right now? If you’re busy, I can stay here by myself. Please don’t let me keep you from your job.”
I thought to myself, are you kidding me? You would need a crowbar to pry me away from you right now.