Amy Ruttan - Melting the Ice Queen's Heart

“I would love to have you assist, Gavin.” Virginia stepped on the bar under the sink and began to scrub.

Gavin grinned, his eyes twinkling in the dim light of the scrub room. “Liar.”

“Pardon?”

“You don’t want me in your OR. I think you’ve had enough of me.”

“That’s true. You’ve been a thorn in my side since I hired you.”

He laughed. “I know.”

Virginia shook her hands and then grabbed some paper towel. “I would like to see you work, though. I haven’t had the chance to observe you, and the nurses tell me you’re a brilliant surgeon.”

He raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t think the nurses cared much for me.”

“They don’t.” She smirked. “You really need to work on remembering their names.”

“Not at the top of my priority.”

Virginia shook her head and moved towards the sliding door that separated the suite from the scrub room. “Make it a priority, Gavin. You’ll find things run a lot smoother if you do. Are you joining me?”

“I think I’ll pass, Dr. Potter. I may be needed in Trauma.”

“Virginia.” She shot him a smug smile and headed into surgery, both relieved and disappointed that he wasn’t joining her.

I should’ve gone into surgery with her .

Gavin was beating himself up over not taking the opportunity to sit in on a surgery with Virginia, the ice queen, even if it had been a routine one.

Emergency had been quiet. Eerily so. He’d resorted to charting, though secretly he was trying to learn the nurses’ names but couldn’t.

He could remember the most complicated procedure, but when it came to mundane, everyday things like dry-cleaning or remembering a name he couldn’t.

What was wrong with him?

Something was definitely wrong with him, because he’d turned down the chance to get to know Virginia by operating with her. She’d been so uptight every time they’d spoken, but this time there had been something different about her.

She was more relaxed, more receptive to gentle teasing.

He’d enjoyed his verbal repartee with her, even if it’d only been for a moment. Gavin had seen the twinkle in her eyes before she’d entered the operating room, that glint of humor, and he’d liked it.

And it had scared him.

He had no time to be thinking about women. The girls were his top priority.

“I won’t say what you’re thinking, because if I say it we’ll be bombarded with a bunch of trauma.”

Gavin looked up from his chart to see Dr. Rogerson leaning over the desk, grinning at him. Moira Rogerson was another trauma surgeon, but only a fellow as she’d just passed her boards.

“Pardon?” Gavin asked.

“You know, like how actors don’t say ‘Macbeth’ in the theater.”

“Oh, I get what you mean.”

ER physicians never remarked on a slow day. If they did it was bad juju and they’d have an influx of patients. Gavin returned to his charting, dismissing Moira.

At least he hoped it gave her the hint. The woman had been pursuing him like a lioness hunting a wounded wildebeest since he’d first set foot in the hospital.

“I was wondering if you’d like to grab a bite to eat with me after work?”

The lioness obviously couldn’t take a hint. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with her, she was pretty, intelligent and a brilliant surgeon, but he wasn’t interested in her.

He didn’t like to be pursued and he wasn’t interested in starting a relationship with anyone at the moment.

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

Gavin sighed in frustration. “I just can’t.”

“I know you’re new to this city. What can you possibly have to do?”

Gavin slammed the binder shut and stood up, perhaps a bit abruptly. “Things.” He set the chart down and headed towards the cafeteria. Maybe grabbing some lunch would clear his head.

Moira, thankfully, didn’t follow.

Sure, he’d been harsh with her and, yeah, he had an itch that needed to be scratched, but since the girls had come into his life he had to be more responsible.

A year ago he would’ve taken Moira up on her offer and then some. As long as she hadn’t wanted anything serious.

She was attractive.

Now that he had his nieces, he just couldn’t be that playboy any more. His dating life could be summed up in two words. Cold. Showers.

In the cafeteria he grabbed a ready-made sandwich and a bottle of water. He was planning to take them outside and get some fresh air when he spotted Virginia on the far side of the cafeteria. It surprised him, as he never saw her in here.

She was sitting in the corner of the cafeteria at a table for two, but she sat alone. She was reading some kind of medical journal as she picked at a salad.

The cafeteria was full of other doctors, nurses, interns, but Virginia sat by herself.

She’s the chief of surgery. The boss .

The ice queen.

No one would want to sit with their boss at lunch. They wouldn’t feel comfortable, and he felt sorry for her. She was so young and she didn’t have it easy.

Just like me .

He crossed the cafeteria and stopped in front of her. “May I join you, Virginia?”

She looked startled and glanced up at him. “Of—of course, Dr. Potter. I mean Gavin.”

Gavin took the seat across from her. “How was your choly?”

“Routine.” She smiled and his pulse quickened. He liked the way she smiled and especially when it was directed at him, which wasn’t often. “How was the ER?”

“I think you can guess.”

“I know. I won’t say it.”

“I’m trying to work on interpersonal skills, but I’m having a hard time putting faces to names.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t seem to have that problem with patients.”

He nodded. “This is true.”

“You’re agreeing with me? Amazing.” The twinkle of humor appeared again.

“You’re mocking me now, aren’t you?”

Virginia stabbed a cherry tomato. “So what’s the difference between the nurses and the patients?”

“The patients aren’t all wearing the same kitten patterned scrubs.”

Virginia chuckled. “Not all the nurses wear kitten scrubs.”

“Well pink, then.” Gavin snorted. “Always pink.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing.” Gavin didn’t want to talk about his nieces. His private life was just that. It was his and private.

“What did you do in Africa? How did you remember names there?”

“It was easy. There were only ten of us at the most at any given time.”

“It’s a number thing, then.”

Gavin swallowed the water he had taken a swig of. “There are so many nurses. I think they’re multiplying and replicating in the back somewhere.”

Virginia laughed. It was a nice one, which made him smile. “Please, don’t tell them you think they’re cloning themselves. You’re a good surgeon, Gavin, and I’d hate to lose you to a pyre they’d light under the spit they’d tie you to.”

Gavin winked. “I’m trying.”

“Good.” She leaned forward and he caught the scent of vanilla, warm and homey like a bakery. He loved that smell. Gavin fought the sudden urge to bury his face in her neck and drink the scent in. “I have a secret.”

“Do tell.”

“They wear nametags.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “Ha-ha. Very funny.”

Virginia just laughed to herself as she ate her salad. “So, do you have any plans for the weekend?”

He cringed inwardly and then picked at the label on his bottle of water. “Nothing in particular. Are you off this weekend?”

“Yes, surprisingly.”

“And do you have plans?”

“I do.”

Gavin waited. “Not going to tell me?”

“Why should I? You don’t divulge aspects of your personal life.”