Katie Ashley - The Pairing

He turned to Megan and tried clearing his throat of what felt like a wad of sawdust. He knew he should try to make polite conversation, but he was still so shell-shocked by the way Megan looked.

Finally, she took pity on him. “So, Emma tells me you’re a doctor.”

Pesh smiled politely. “Yes, I am.”

“What type of medicine?”

“Emergency Services.”

Megan’s face lit up. “Oh, how interesting. I’m about to finish nursing school, and I’ve asked for clinical placement in the ER.”

Pesh widened his eyes in surprise. Aidan had failed to mention that they had the medical profession in common. “Really?”

Megan nodded. “I’m hoping to get placed at Grady, even though my parents would die a thousand deaths.”

He cocked his brows at her. “I assume they’re afraid for your safety?”

“Yes. They can’t help worrying about the neighborhood. They sometimes forget I’m an adult, rather than a child.”

“What is it about Grady that attracts you?”

“Besides the fact that it’s nationally recognized for its ER?”

He smiled. “Yes, besides the accolades.”

Megan tilted her head in thought. “I guess it’s the fact I really want to feel like I’m making a difference and saving lives. I feel like at Grady I would be seeing some of the worst cases imaginable, and in turn some people who really don’t have a lot of hope.”

He was taken aback by her words and the passion with which she delivered them. While she possessed a beautiful exterior, she certainly seemed to have a greater depth of character than he had originally expected. He didn’t often meet someone like her. Most of the women at the hospital who threw themselves at him possessed only surface beauty. He didn’t have to be with them very long to perceive their true shallowness and self-centeredness. To them, he was a prize to be won. He couldn’t ever imagine Megan feeling that way. She wasn’t the type of woman to care about a trophy man on her arm—she wanted to make her own way in the world.

“It is so good to hear someone speak with such passion about nursing.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “We desperately need more people like you. I know I would love to work alongside someone who had your passion.”

She smiled at his compliments. He couldn’t help noticing what a nice smile she had. The way it framed her heart shaped face made her appear much less like Jade than he had originally thought. “Thank you. Maybe we’ll end up together.” She licked her lips before adding, “You know, at the same hospital.”

“I would like that. But I’m afraid that Wellstar pales in comparison to Grady.”

“Surely the suburbs offer some interesting cases?”

“They do. I’ve been there since my residency, so I can’t imagine working anywhere else. After all, I wouldn’t be standing here today with you if it weren’t for Wellstar and your grandfather.”

“That’s true.” Tilting her head, she gave him a very alluring smile. “And what a pity that would be if our paths hadn’t crossed.”

He sucked in a breath at the directness of her statement. Could she really be interested in him? Sure, it was common knowledge that Aidan and others wanted them to get together, but he had imagined that she had not known their intentions. And while originally he had been turned off by Aidan’s suggestion of fixing them up, he couldn’t help but be intrigued now. There was something so refreshingly different about Megan, despite her physical similarities to Jade.

“Mommy!” a small voice cried. Pesh glanced over Megan’s shoulder where a fair-haired toddler came bounding over. He wrapped his arms around Megan’s thigh.

She gave him an apologetic look before bending over. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”

He grinned up at her. “Miss you.”

With a smile, she bent over and picked him up. When he sat on her hip, she turned her attention back to Pesh. “This is my son, Mason.”

Pesh couldn’t help noticing how Megan searched his face to see if there was any judgment or even disgust at her having a son. He felt neither of those emotions. He had to admit he was a little surprised. Aidan had failed to mention that fact as well. Not to mention, she seemed young to be a mother, considering she was just finishing her clinicals. “It’s nice to meet you, Mason.”

“Can you tell Pesh hi?” Megan urged.

“Hi, Esh,” Mason said, with a grin.

Pesh couldn’t help laughing, and he was thankful that Megan giggled as well. “How old are you?”

Mason held up two fingers to which Megan shook her head. “He’s seventeen months.”

Pesh smiled. “You must be very proud of him.”

“I am.” She snuggled Mason against her chest. “He’s the sweetest and best boy I could ever hope for.”

“You’re very blessed.”

“Thank you.”

They were interrupted by Aidan’s sister, Angie, who Pesh had met earlier. “Looks like it’s time to start. Come on Mason. Mommy has to go be Noah’s godmother now.”

Mason reluctantly went to his grandmother. “Be good for Grammy,” Megan instructed.

After Angie walked off with Mason, the other family members began filing out of the room. Pesh turned to Megan and gave her a sheepish smile. “I must admit that even though I attended a class with Emma, I’m a little unsure of what I’m supposed to do.”

“It’s okay. Just follow my lead, and you’ll be fine.”

“Thank you.”

Once it was only the two of them and Aidan and Emma in the room, Aidan motioned for them. A priest in decorated golden robes appeared at the door with a gleaming crucifix in his hands. Pesh tried not to feel intimidated as the odd man out in the situation. Music struck up on the organ, and the priest motioned for them to follow.

Before they went out the door, Emma glanced down at Noah. “ Please, please , do not scream in there and act like a demon baby. Be the angel I know you can be.” He acknowledged her request by sticking his tongue out and flailing his fists.

Aidan chuckled at Emma’s plea. “Relax, babe. If he feels you getting all tense, he’s going to get fussy.”

Emma sighed. “He’s already fussy. He was fine until I put him in the gown.”

“I guess he feels that wearing a dress is insulting to his manhood,” Aidan reasoned with a smile.

When Emma shot Aidan a death glare, Megan and Pesh couldn’t help laughing at the two of them. Aidan winked at Emma before starting out the door. At Megan’s side, Pesh walked up the aisle. When they reached the baptismal font, the music ended, and the priest began speaking. He informed the crowd of what was about to take place and the significance of all the religious rites Noah was about to receive.

Aidan and Emma made the sign of the cross on Noah’s forehead before Megan leaned in to do the same. When Megan elbowed him, Pesh reached over to clumsily follow their lead. After he finished, he glanced at Megan. She smiled and mouthed, “Good job.”

He returned her smile. He followed through the rest of the proceedings as Aidan and Emma pledged to raise Noah in the faith. Then it came time for him and Megan to agree to stand by Noah as godparents. The priest took a fussing Noah from Emma’s arms. When the first trickles of water hit the base of Noah’s head, he cooed and kicked his arms and legs. Emma appeared relieved at how Noah wasn’t behaving like a possessed baby as she had feared.

“Thank God he loves his baths,” Aidan muttered beside Pesh.

Once the baptism part was finished, the priest made a final talk, and then it was over. Just as Pesh sighed with relief and was looking forward to making a quick exit, Aidan grabbed his arm. “Don’t go anywhere. We have to do pictures.”