Read Online The Boss and Nurse Albright by Lynne Marshall - Free Book Online Page B

saw sincerity in his blue-flecked eyes. Ever since she’d noticed the distinction, his gray eyes would never be the same to her. That was the steroids thinking. They made her emotional. Logically, she knew theirs was purely a business relationship, but having him here in her kitchen, casually eating and talking around the table, she became aware of a longing she’d pushed away—a longing to connect with another human being.
    She had her daughter and her job, she thought as she took the last bite of omelet, and that would have to be enough.
     
    Monday morning Jason was glad to see Claire at his office door. The second floor had seemed dull and quiet without her, and he’d even admitted to missing the aromatherapy, but not enough to learn how to turn on the diffuser.
    Her being here meant she was back on the mend—the most important reason he was glad to see her.
    “Good morning,” she said, looking a bit pale, but far better than she had the last time he’d seen her.
    “How are you feeling?” He jumped up from his chair and joined her at the door.
    “Almost a hundred percent. I wanted to thank you again for helping me out.”
    Jason cupped her arm. “I was glad to do it.”
    He studied her warm hazel eyes and wondered what thoughts might be tumbling through her mind. Aware of the point of connection and how natural it felt to touch her, he removed his hand. Fortunately she’d worn a blouse with sleeves, though he did wonder how her skin might feel. A flash memory of his wife caused him to retreat to his desk.
    If Claire thought his action abrupt or odd, she gave no hint of it. A smile spread across her face, and she held up a paper. “I got your consult request.”
    “Maybe you can straighten Ms. Garcia out. I give up.”
    She laughed, and the sound made him think of a babbling brook. It became impossible to stay aloof.
    “It’s all about keeping a positive attitude, Jason,” she said as she wandered back to her office in a flowing gypsy skirt. She’d worn her hair up today and he liked the view of her slender neck above the white lab coat.
    His attitude toward Claire had changed over the last few weeks from annoying employee, to useful addition to the practice, to potential friend, and possible…The next thought made the hair on his arms stand on end.
    Then he remembered what tomorrow was. He didn’t need to look at the calendar to know that it was his daughter’s birthday.
    His nurse appeared in the doorway with a patient chart and, with the threat of purgatory bearing down on him tomorrow, he was grateful for the distraction of his job.
     
    Tuesday morning Claire arrived at work to find Jason’s office door closed. She knew he was therebecause she’d seen his Mercedes in the parking lot. Something told her not to bother him, and an hour later when they both exited exam rooms at the same time, one look at him and she knew she’d made the right decision.
    Jason looked as if he hadn’t slept all night. A shadow of his usual self, he hadn’t even bothered to shave and his appearance stopped just short of disheveled.
    His gaze fused with hers and she saw pain cutting through his stare. On reflex she wanted to reach out to him, to comfort him in some small way from the torment so apparent in his eyes, but the invisible barrier he wore was solid and impenetrable, and she instinctively knew to leave him alone.
    She nodded a respectful greeting, wishing she could do much more for him.
    He acknowledged her and retreated to his office.
     
    The next day, Claire was elbow-deep in patient surveys—each day brought in another fifty to a hundred of them—and she had high hopes of completing her first report in time for next week’s staff meeting. Every flat surface in her office was piled high with the envelopes.
    One of the surveys concerned her, and she needed to speak to Jason about his patient. When he walked right by her door and straight to his office without saying hello that morning, she hesitated.