Jessa James - Dr. Hottie

She’d been energized on sheer adrenaline yesterday, but now reality started to sink in. Addy texted both Dawn and Kenzie, though Kenzie was just down the hall and wasn’t scheduled for her shift until lunch.

I can’t make it in today , she wrote. Not feeling well. Dawn, can you handle all the opening tasks? Kenzie, please get there early if you can.

Addy pushed the phone away and pulled the pillow over her head. She’d never called in sick for work in her life.

When the Uber had dropped her off at her car in the deserted Dusty’s parking lot, she didn’t even say goodbye to Jack. She’d just climbed into her car, dog-tired, and drove home. She was mostly thankful that her dad was already passed out and Kenzie was nowhere to be seen.

She heard the buzz of a text but couldn’t bear to look.

They’ll just have to handle it one day on their own, she thought as she crawled out of bed to fill a water bottle from her en suite bathroom.

Addy fell back asleep until noon. When she finally awoke, she was acutely aware of the awkward weight on her ring finger.

She couldn’t believe that she had gotten drunk enough to get married the night before. She was always so on top of everything, so prepared. And of all the people to pick, she had chosen Jack, a veritable stranger. What had she been thinking?

Sure, he was handsome. Beyond handsome. And he paid attention to her. She remembered him calling her beautiful at the bar, remembered how hard she’d blushed.

But now she had to extract herself from a marriage. The thought of taking off the ring, of the fact that it would mean that she’d be invisible once more, hit her hard.

I have set myself up to fail, it looks like.

As she pulled on a clean pair of denim shorts, she pried off the band and put it in her pocket.

You’ll have to deal with Jack and the whole annulment thing today one way or another, she thought. No point waiting around.

It was barely noon, and already she was soaked in guilt. From calling in sick to putting off tackling the Jack marriage situation head-on, this was the most procrastination she’d ever indulged in. It didn’t feel good.

You can do this, she thought. If you can handle Mom’s death, Dad’s alcoholism, the restaurant … you can handle this.

There was just one problem. She realized she didn’t even have Jack’s number or know where he lived. But you do know where he works.

It was hard to miss the sparkly new hospital located right off the interstate. It was the first new building in that part of town in years, and she’d been blinded by the shine of sunlight off its glass walls for weeks.

After she showered, she started to blow out her hair for the first time in months. Even as she spent extra time grooming, swiping on her good mascara and digging out Kenzie’s old MAC lipstick she’d borrowed last month, she tried not to think about why she was trying so hard.

What are you supposed to wear for an occasion like this? she thought. There weren’t any tips in Cosmo about proper attire for an annulment discussion with a total stranger.

She popped an ibuprofen from the glove box as she drove to the hospital. This was, by far, the worst hangover of her life. Addy just wasn’t sure how much of it was pure hangover and how much of it was shame.

As she walked through the doors, she scanned the area for Jack. Several people she vaguely knew, all locals, said hello and looked at her speculatively.

Do they know, or am I being paranoid? Does the whole town know?

“Addison! How are you doing, baby?” A short, squat woman rushed toward her.

“Mrs. Koppel, hi. I’m alright.”

“How’s your father doing?” Addy had placed her as the former librarian from her own elementary school days, but she hadn’t seen Mrs. Koppel since she was a kid.

“He’s alright.”

“That’s good to hear.” Mrs. Koppel glanced down to Addy’s ring finger. Although it was bare, she instinctively shoved her hands in her pockets. Her fingers felt the brush of the metal at her fingertips.

“Can I help you?” She was thankful for the low voice and an excuse to turn away from the old woman’s prying eyes. A young nurse stood before her. “Are you looking for someone?”

“Hi, yeah. Is Jack working today? Jack … Stratton? I think?”

He glanced at Mrs. Koppel. “Dr. Stratton’s in the ER. Just head down the hall there and to the right. You’ll see the sign. Mrs. Koppel, you’re still here? Is there something else you need?”

“Thanks.” She gave him a grateful smile and rushed down the hall.

As she stepped into the ER, she was immediately engulfed in the trauma. Through the separate glass doors of the ER entrance, she saw Jack astride a patient on a gurney. His baby blue scrubs were wrinkled and stained, and he leaned over the patient, doing chest compressions. Jack barked orders she couldn’t comprehend to the people who buzzed around him.

Addy pressed herself against the wall as the entire affair rode by her. Suddenly their little situation didn’t seem so dire. The massive waiting room of the ER was filled with people whose eyes brimmed with fear and pain.

Somewhere in the opposite corner, a woman sobbed, the animalistic noises becoming a soundtrack for the room.

Jack caught her eye as he passed. For a second, he faltered and she felt an electric fire between them. It was over in a second, but left her breathless.

“Move!” Addy jumped at the sound.

From the opposite direction, a stunning blonde in purple scrubs rushed past her and Addy again flattened against the wall. The blonde doctor bent down over a boy with an obviously broken leg. His father screamed over him.

Addy caught a glimpse of bone, snow white and glistening, that protruded from the boy’s calf. Although the boy’s cheeks were streaked with tears, he no longer cried. He simply sat in shock.

Jack was gone, but as Addy swept her gaze across the room, she saw a familiar face. Philip headed toward the blonde and the young boy, who was being lifted onto a bed in a small curtained area.

Geez, he’s gorgeous, too. Is being insanely hot a requirement for employment here? Stop it, Addy. You’re already married.

She shook her head and walked toward Philip.

“—get the splint started. Mr. Holton, if you’ll follow Nurse Bostian here, he’ll get the paperwork—Addy. Hi!” he said as he saw her approach.

His face lit up as the nurse ushered the father away. “It’s good to see you survived the wedding night.”

She could have sworn the blonde doctor shot her a look, but she wasn’t certain. After all, it seemed like the whole town had their eyes on her.

“Er, yeah—”

“Jack said you hadn’t got out of bed yet. He’ll be glad you’re up and about.”

“He did? He will? How did he …”

Philip looked at her oddly. “Uh, yeah. Everyone around here has been dying to meet the woman who ensnared Dr. Stratton. He’s a hot commodity, you know. Handsome young doctor, small town. Well, actually they weren’t dying since nobody really knows him around here. But then after he charmed them all with some stories from your wedding night, and bam! You hooked him, alright.”

“That’s me,” Addy said awkwardly. “I’m magic.”

The blonde stood up straight and squared off with Addy, though she kept a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“Addy, you’ll be glad to meet someone from Jack’s past. This is Rosalie Crane. Rose, meet Mrs. Stratton! Also known as Addison.”

Before either woman could react, Philip reached out and gently pushed her toward Rosalie.

“Hi,” Addy said and held out a hand. “I’m, um … how do you know Jack again?”