The Runaway Nurse. Dianne Drake

to the curb. Then one day, Grace showed up at my dorm room, walked right in and made me an offer. Get my act together, start taking pre-med classes to see if I liked medicine. If I did, she’d send me to medical school.” He didn’t talk about himself much. No reason to. People here either remembered him as a kid and held onto their prejudices or accepted what he’d become, or they’d come to know him as an adult only and based their opinion on what they saw. He did his job, raised his kid, kept to himself. That was his world, and that was all he wanted in his world. But something about Summer compelled him to be, well, a little more loquacious than he normally was. In fact, Summer was the first person he’d ever told about Grace making his medical education available to him. He wasn’t even sure Rafe and Jess knew, and didn’t feel inclined to mention it to them.

      “So, just like that, you changed your life?”

      He shook his head. “Not really. I gave it some thought. Didn’t like the idea of all the years of study I’d have ahead of me. I wasn’t very focused then so I turned her down. In due course, I grew up some, and got a little more serious about my studies … at least, enough so I wasn’t in imminent danger of getting myself kicked out. Then about a year later I went home on semester break and she offered me a one-week job at the hospital. Hard work, no pay, was what she said.” He chuckled. “I’d always had free access to the stables and the horses. She told me for that door to remain open during my holiday, I had to work that week at the hospital in exchange for my privileges. No hospital, no horses. So I took on the hospital. Did grunt work, nothing glamorous. It nearly broke my back. In fact, I was so tired I never rode once during that week. But after one particularly rough night, where I actually assisted in a resuscitation … I was the one to do the chest compressions that helped save the patient’s life … let’s say that my life changed. It was the first time I’d ever done anything I considered worthwhile, and I floated around on a high from that for weeks. I saved a life. The rest is history, and here I am. Thank God for Grace Corbett and her phenomenal insight into people.”

      “I wish I’d known her longer, but she …” Summer paused, drew in a ragged breath. “Taking care of her all those months when she was dying, it was never like I was really working. It was more like being part of something important. And she was so good to Alyssa … I didn’t know Grace as long as everybody else around here did, but I don’t think I’ve ever respected anybody more in my life.”

      “She was one of the truly good people.” He licked his ice-cream cone, then pointed to the blue melting down the side of Summer’s cone. “You’d better get after that blue stuff fast,” he said, handing her a napkin. “And in the meantime, while I’ve got you distracted, I’m going to make that offer again.”

      Summer shook her head. “No, Rick. Don’t do it, because I haven’t changed my mind. I like my working situation as it is. Being a temp nurse is … good.” Kept her largely unnoticed, off to the side, which was exactly where she wanted to be these days. She raised her daughter, she worked occasionally. It was enough. Although she did have to admit that she missed full-time involvement. Missed the financial security, too. Maybe again someday …

      “But it doesn’t pay you as much as you could earn coming on staff as a full-time RN, and you’re a damned good nurse, Summer. I wouldn’t be asking you to head the pediatric ward if I hadn’t already seen how you work. The hospital needs you and I think you need the hospital.”

      “See, that’s the thing. I don’t need the hospital. At least, not in the capacity you’re offering me. Coming in occasionally, working wherever I’m needed … that’s all I want to do.” She glanced over at Alyssa, then back at Rick. “I value my time with my daughter, and a full-time job would take too much of that away from me.”

      “Like my job as chief of staff takes too much time away from me. But I make it work, Summer. Sometimes I don’t like all the hours I have to put in, but at the end of the day, it works out.”

      “I’m glad it does. But I can’t do it.”

      This was the third time he’d offered her this position, and had been turned down that many times. Yet he still wanted her in that job. Hadn’t even considered looking for someone else yet. Summer was a good nurse. No, she was great. She had the right instincts as well as a natural gift with children. Maybe her greatest ability was the way she put people at ease. As far as he was concerned, she was the only person he wanted, and he wasn’t going to be deterred by what he was sure was going to be his next rejection. “Look, I don’t know what’s stopping you. If it’s someone reliable to look after Alyssa, bring her to my house. Mrs. Jenkins is there looking after Chris, and—”

      Summer thrust out her hand to stop him. “That’s not the point, Rick. I … I can’t get that involved right now. Not with anything.”

      “What if I sweetened the pot by telling you that we’re going to start a day-care program for employees’ children? Alyssa could be included in that program, and you’d get to be with her throughout the day. So, would that be enough to make you consider accepting?”

      She hesitated. Narrowed her eyes. Didn’t refuse right away, which gave him his first glimmer of hope.

      “It does make it more intriguing,” she admitted.

      Finally, he was making headway. Letting his hopes rise just a little bit.

      “But not enough to accept the offer. I’m sorry, Rick. I can’t do it.”

      Hopes dashed to pieces again. But he’d almost hooked her, which meant he wasn’t giving up. Summer was odd, though. Intriguing. Beautiful, with her long blonde hair, her ocean-blue eyes. And she was frustrating as hell. He wanted her, and the more she refused, the more he wanted her. “Well, I’m not giving up. You’re the right person for the position, and I’m pretty damned stubborn.”

      “So am I,” she said, smiling. “If you still want me to temp, and I hope you do, I’ll be glad to do that occasionally. But I don’t want … responsibility. Not the kind you’re offering me.”

      Yet when she stepped into a position, even a temporary one, she assumed the responsibility like nobody he’d ever seen. It was her nature. The people around her looked to her for leadership. Unfortunately, this was not an argument to wage today. There would be no giving up on her, though. There would be other days, other opportunities, other trips to Benson’s Ice Creamery, he hoped as he watched the children playing together. Watched with pride as his son stood right up for Alyssa, showed her the so-called ropes of Kiddieland.

      Summer saw the children’s relationship going on. In fact, she was paying more attention to the children than she was to him which was, admittedly, a little bit of a blow to the ego. Even though he wasn’t interested in Summer that way. But to get upstaged by the children? He could feel the slight sting of it. “Of course I still want you as a temp. But this isn’t over, Summer. Not by a long shot.” In fact, for a moment the thought of a real date with her passed before his eyes. He had to blink pretty hard to get rid of it, though. Because that wouldn’t work. He didn’t have time. He didn’t want the drama either, and one way or another those kinds of relationships always led to drama. For this part of his life, he was dad first, then doctor after that. That’s all. “So I’m warning you …”

      Summer laughed, but kept her eyes focused on the children. “You got your way with the blue goo. What more do you want?”

      What more did he want? The sun, the moon, and Summer Adair. His hospital needed her, and what was good for the hospital was good for him. So now all he had to do was find a way to convince Summer she needed what he wanted.

      As it had turned out, the evening had been nice. Rick was very good company in spite of how he’d pestered her again about the pediatric job. Alyssa had certainly enjoyed playing with Chris. Then, on top of all that, sprinkles became the most important thing in her daughter’s life. She’d asked if she could have them on her breakfast cereal in the morning and on her peanut-butter sandwich for tomorrow’s lunch.

      It was her daughter’s horizons broadening. Made Summer proud, scared her, too, as it changed