RJ Nolan: L.A. Metro

L.A. Metro

By

RJ Nolan

L.A. Metro

Lesbian Fiction: Romance

Copyright © 2011 by RJ Nolan

All rights reserved.

eBook ISBN: 978-1-934889-88-6

Printed ISBN: 978-1-934889-89-3

Audio eBook ISBN: 978-1-934889-87-9

(Audio sold only at http://L-Book.com)

First Edition

eBook, Print, Audio Format

Published: September 2011

This book is Published by

L-Book ePublisher, LLC

La Quinta, Ca. USA

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Editor: Judy Underwood

Cover Design by Sheri

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This work is copyrighted and is licensed only for use by the original purchaser and can be copied to the original purchaser's electronic device and its memory card for your personal use. Modifying or making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, without limit, including by email, CD, DVD, memory cards, file transfer, paper printout or any other method, constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Acknowledgments

Writing may be a solitary pursuit but without the support of some very special people this novel would not have come to fruition.

First and foremost to ETJ. Your love and support means the world to me and so do you. A special thank you for all the extra things you do to make it possible for me to spend hours glued to my computer screen.

Once again, a huge thank you to Pam. You are truly a beta-reader extortionate and a great friend. It would not feel like a complete novel without your support and very able assistance.

A big thank-you goes to Jae, my critique partner. Your support and patience is greatly appreciated. You've been a great teacher. And a very good friend.

Thanks to Sheri for creating another wonderful cover.

Thanks go to Judy for copy editing.

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Dedication

For Eleanore. You are everything a mom should be — and so much more. Happy 80 th.

L.A. Metro

CHAPTER 1

ATHICK BROWN haze shrouded the upper reaches of LA Metropolitan Hospital. Heat shimmered off the asphalt of the parking lot. As Dr. Kimberly Donovan stepped from her car, the thick air burned her nose and the heat hit her like a wave. Ah, August in LA. The wonder of smog alerts. She pushed damp blond hair off her face. Despite the weather and the circumstances that had led to her being here, Kim was happy to be back in California. She was more than ready for a fresh start.

Kim made her way up to psych on the fourth floor. She smiled when she spotted the nameplate outside the door: Dr. Philip Alerman, Chairman of Psychiatry. Seems moving to a new hospital worked out well for him. Hope it'll work for me too.

As Kim reached for the door handle, the door swung open.

"Hey, Kim. Welcome to LA Metro. Ready to go to work?" Philip asked.

Kim smiled warmly and shook hands with Philip. "Yes. I'm looking forward to it." His curly brown hair was thinner than Kim remembered when they worked together during her psych residency, but his tall frame was still trim and he wore the same round wire rim glasses. "Thanks for getting my packet expedited with the Credentials Committee. I'm glad there wasn't any problem with the paperwork from Memorial."

Philip shook his head. "After what happened, I don't think Dr. Pruitt would have dared try to hold up your paperwork."

Kim scowled as a surge of anger at her former boss filled her. You don't know him like I do. I wouldn't put it past him. She sighed, pushing away the unproductive emotion. "You're right. The sooner I was gone and forgotten, the better he liked it I'm sure."

Philip reached out and squeezed Kim's shoulder. "Don't let it bother you. It's their loss. As I told you on the phone, we're short-staffed and need the help of a competent psychiatrist."

Some of her tension eased and Kim smiled. "Thanks, Philip. I appreciate the support."

"You're welcome," Philip said. He glanced at his watch. "Morning chart review should be just about finished. Let's head for the staff lounge and I'll introduce you around."

Philip led her to a set of double doors that opened into the psych ward. He stopped to enter a code into a keypad next to the door, then turned back to Kim. "The ward clerk will provide you with all the door codes, as well as issue you a pager."

Kim followed Philip down the hall, past a central nurses' station, to the staff lounge. Several people were sitting at a large round table that was covered in charts.

"Good morning." Philip strode over to the table. "I've brought us some much needed help." He turned and motioned Kim to his side. "This is Dr. Kim Donovan. She's our newest staff psychiatrist." Everyone at the table offered a wave or a smile. "Kim, let me introduce you to some of the crew."

Pointing to each person in turn, Philip made the introductions. There were two psychiatrists and three nurses. "Now that you've met everyone why don't we —" Philip's pager sounded. "Excuse me." He flipped open the pager and glanced down at the display. "I'm sorry, Kim. I need to take care of this. Why don't you hang out here for a bit and familiarize yourself with the unit. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

Kim spared a fleeting glance at Philip's retreating back before turning to face her new colleagues. She felt a moment's trepidation, then firmly pushed it away. Time to see what things are really going to be like around here. Kim knew from previous experience she was more likely to hear the inside scoop on the department now that the chairman of the department wasn't present.

As the door swung shut behind Phillip, Trent, one of the nurses, pulled out the chair next to him. "Have a seat, Dr. Donovan," he offered with a friendly smile.

The staff filled her in on the department procedures and the different rotations. Kim winced internally when talk eventually turned to the ER. Mention of the ER immediately turned her thoughts to her former lover, who headed the ER at Memorial. Things had not ended well between them.

"Most of the rotations aren't too bad," Dr. Roberts said. The short, stocky man with dishwater blond hair was one of the staff psychiatrists. "But watch your step when you cover the ER psych consults. The ER chief can be a real hard-ass."

Kim mentally rolled her eyes. Great. Just what I need.I haven't even been here a day yet and I'm already hearing about the ER Chief.

"That's not quite fair, Dr. Roberts," Trent piped up. "Okay, she does act like a hard-ass, but you have to admit she's a gorgeous hard-ass."

Trent and Dr. Roberts shared a laugh. The two female nurses at the table shared a perturbed look.

While Kim was interested in hearing about the woman she would be working with, she also curiously watched the interaction of her new colleagues.

Dr. Kapoor, a fellow psychiatrist, cleared his throat. "I'm sure, Dr. Donovan is quite capable of forming her own opinion of our ER chief." He stared pointedly at Dr. Roberts. "Maybe she would find a rundown of the responsibilities while covering the ER more helpful than a personal critique of Dr. McKenna's shortcomings."