No Regrets With You

Prologue

15 Years Earlier

The teen-aged boy walked confidently along with the television crew like he’d attended dozens of Hollywood award shows throughout his life. However, he was also easily distracted by whispers of ‘there’s so and so’ all around him. Reluctantly he pulled his attention away from the action to concentrate on where he was going. The cameramen, lighting people and various other crew members were moving at a fast clip. They had to in order to keep up with the tall, trim woman in the lead. Her red gown, hair and make-up were all perfect, and she’d have it no other way. The teen knew that he too better keep up, or this privileged outing would be his first and last.

The group finally halted and quickly began setting up equipment. The goal was to set up quickly and get ready to work. The group the teen was with worked for a local television station in the city. As a smaller media their place wasn’t actually on the red carpet but rather to the side a ways. However, the reporter heading this broadcast never let that stop her from getting up close with some of the big names. She usually managed to snag an interview with a few big names in the business.

The teen stood off to the side while the crew continued to set up the equipment. As soon as the live broadcast started though he inched his way forward to get a better view of what was going on. He later thought how differently things might have been if he’d remained where he was. The proverbial red carpet was approximately a dozen feet away from their broadcast location. The surrounding area was noisy with people talking and the whir of equipment and cameras flashing. He noted the reporter had managed to stop a popular female starlet and was engaged in a brief interview before the woman moved on. If his attention hadn’t been focused on this exchange the teen might’ve noticed the young blonde man approaching their group from the side. The only thing he did note was an unfamiliar sound, more of a ‘pop’ that was repeated several times. In what seemed like a millisecond later he saw the reporter’s body lurch backwards, almost as if she had been forcibly pushed. He leaped forward to try and catch her before she hit the ground, but at that moment a searing, burning pain pierced his body. Confused, he looked down and saw liquid flooding his suit jacket. As if in a tunnel, he heard screams all around him. The footsteps of people running away echoed in the night. His last conscious thought was he hoped the reporter was okay. Everything went black as he slipped away.

The area was soon surrounded by emergency response vehicles and personnel. It was chaos as they tried to figure out who was injured and needed attention. People were sitting on the ground and sidewalk areas, alone or huddled together, some sobbing while others appeared to be in shock. Security personnel had managed to subdue and capture the one responsible. They had quickly handcuffed him and he was placed in the back of a police cruiser. People later commented to the authorities that he seemed eerily calm, almost relieved that someone had him in custody and was taking him away.

Ambulance personnel loaded four bodies onto stretchers and sped off into the night. Paramedics hit the emergency room doors a few minutes later and were met by waiting trauma staff. As stretchers were wheeled in, nurses gave orders and directions as to who needed to go where. One paramedic reported the patient he was transporting was a young white male with two know, GSWs to the thorax and chest, BP falling en route and now at seventy-five over thirty-two, pulse forty-three beats per minute and irregular, IV of Lactated Ringers started and running wide open, possible pneumothorax in progress, oxygen by nasal cannula in place. As they wheeled the gurney into Trauma Room Two the paramedic looked at the charge nurse and said, This kid’s bad, hope he makes it. Right now he’s hangin’ by a thread.

"Important encounters are planned by the souls

long before the bodies see each other."

-Paulo Coelhs

Chapter One

The Emergency and Trauma Department at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center ran like an oiled machine, most of the time. Like all units of its kind the normal here wasn’t the normal for most places. It was a unique world all in itself. It functioned exactly like it should as a highly maintained unit with modern medical equipment and technology. The odds of survival for the patients who came through the doors were even better with the highly trained staff that worked the unit twenty-four hours a day, seven days per week.

The most excitement the unit had seen so far today was a fifty-eight year old male who’d experienced chest pain while commuting into the city for work. Fortunately for him he was able to pull his car over onto the shoulder of the road and call for help. He was stabilized here then sent up to the catheterization lab. The final report was a triple bypass procedure, but the prognosis was good. It was the outcome everyone hoped for but unfortunately didn’t always get in this line of work.

Reid Brandt certainly knew enough about hospitals to recognize the quiet for what it possibly was. He knew it was a rare happening, and odds were in favor of it not lasting long. St. Elizabeth’s was typically busy and, after all, that was one of the reasons he was here. As he and members of his production staff entered the unit, he noticed it was busy but not rushed at the moment. The staff, identifiable by the blue scrubs they wore, were moving in and out of the patient treatment areas at a fast pace. They were focused on their immediate task whether it was calling for x-ray, speaking with an anxious family member or obtaining supplies to facilitate their patient’s care. With his keen eye for detail, Reid observed all the activity around him taking mental notes as he walked. His team was going to be filming here, so he needed a clear understanding of how it worked and who made it work. What better way to achieve that than to walk through and see it for yourself? He knew organization and good leadership were both important keys to making a department like this work to the fullest and most productive potential. And productive potential meant saving as many lives as possible. Part of his job was to figure out the best way to capture that productivity on film. At the same time he had to make sure it was entertaining enough to capture and hold the attention of an audience.

Reid had both his administrative assistant, Beth Mills, and his lead production assistant, Josh Butler with him for this meeting today. As the executive producer of the project Reid was anxious to get this meeting underway. They were meeting with some of the staff members today and he knew this was one of the most important aspects in getting to know the unit.

Reid had spent last week here in St. Louis and most of that time here at the hospital in meetings with the hospital’s CEO and the public relations director. They’d met for what seemed like endless hours as Reid presented the concept for the project and they hammered out the finer details. He’d also spent a great deal of time with the hospital’s Legal and Risk Management teams. He’d been duly impressed with the team and had to give credit where it was due. They’d obviously done their homework before he arrived. They were adamant in their concerns regarding due diligence and the protection of their patient’s rights.

Prior to his trip to St. Louis, Reid had spent numerous working hours preparing for his meetings here. His Los Angeles office had seemed more like home than his own apartment since he’d spent far more time there the last several weeks. However, he knew the extra time and effort had paid off, and he’d left his meetings here last week with a positive feeling about things at this stage. It had made him even more anxious to get started. Reid’s meticulous attention to detail was one of the factors that had helped boost his career to the position he now held as Executive Producer. This was his second project since receiving that title and he wanted to make damned sure this one went as smoothly as his first one had.

The project at St. Elizabeth’s was significant for Reid because he’d been allowed to branch out, as in out of California. This stint in the Midwest was important as the company he worked for wanted to spread their wings so to speak and try new venues in other parts of the country. Reid’s boss and closest friend, Russell Prescott, had sought his input on this project during the development stages before the EP position had even been discussed. During these development stages Reid had been assigned the position of EP for another broadcast event being done in Los Angeles. With the success of that project under his belt, Reid was then brought in to work full time on the Midwest project and had eventually been assigned the position as Executive Producer. Reid was extremely happy when the news had come down. Being recognized for his hard work and talent was a source of pride that he apologized to no one for.

Reid had gone to work for the production company soon after college graduation and had been there ever since. His best friend Russ had joined his father, and owner, in running the production company after his college graduation. It was a given that Russ would step in and step up within the management realm. The company had, after all been started by his dad over thirty years ago and had experienced wide success in the small-media market. Russ had taken over as head of the company two years ago as a result of his dad’s declining health. Reid liked to think he’d been a help to his friend during that difficult transition period.

Reid had met Russ in college; they were actually fraternity brothers and had hit it off immediately. They of course shared a common interest in media production and Reid still remained thankful for the night he’d met Russ and struck up a friendship. At the time Reid hadn’t realized Russ’s ties to his dad’s company. He simply hadn’t made the connection. As time went by Russ had confided in him who he was but Reid had never used their friendship as a stepping stone for his career. He’d actually declined an internship there, not wanting Russ or his dad to feel any obligation to him based on their friendship. After Reid graduated Russ had contacted him and all but threatened him if he didn’t come to work for them.

Reid’s friendship with Russ had turned out to be the real deal as they say. Russ was the one friend Reid knew he could count on no matter what, and Russ felt the same about him. Russ knew about, and understood, Reid’s need for control and what drove his single minded quest for success. In turn Reid understood Russ’s need to prove to his dad, the company board of directors and himself that he was capable of maintaining the same level of quality productions the company had always been known for. Reid respected Russ for his ambition and worked hard to help his friend in any way to guarantee his success.

Reid and his co-workers made their way down a hall that led to the emergency department. This was Reid’s first actual visit to the ED having only looked at photos provided by the hospital before he left Los Angeles. He knew the department was constructed in a rectangle formation with the central area housing the nurse’s station. Patient treatment bays were along the walls on three sides with a conference room and the elevator bank located at the rear of the area. The treatment rooms were enclosed with glass fronts and curtains to afford privacy. The trauma rooms were adjacent to each other on one side, three large rooms that housed the equipment and supplies needed to treat basically anything that came through the doors. Being a Level II trauma center meant being prepared for whatever was thrown your way at any given time.

As they approached the nurse’s station, Reid looked around seeking out the person in charge. His reputation for being all business also meant he had very little patience with delays. Several people were behind the desk doing various activities as they walked up. A short distance away Reid noticed a young black man in scrubs who was laughing at something a tall, slim woman dressed the same was saying. The woman had her back to the visitors but Reid quickly registered that if she looked that good from the back in scrubs he couldn’t help but wonder what she looked like from the front. It appeared he might get the chance to find out when she turned to answer a ringing telephone. Unfortunately her position still didn’t allow him to see her face.

Reid took in a lot of information with one sweep from head to toe. Her black hair was swept up into a messy knot at the back of her head so he really couldn’t tell the exact length but guessed it was probably long and certainly thick. Her skin was bronze toned and looked natural, not acquired at the local tanning salon. Reid studied her profile while she was on the phone. For one crazy moment he silently willed her to turn around so he could see her face.

Finally pulling his attention back to business, Reid approached the young woman sitting behind the desk. About the time he said, Excuse me… she looked up and broke into a dazzling smile then said, Well, hello. May I help you? Reid’s good looks, along with the way he filled out the cut of his black Italian suit, certainly were not lost on her.

Yes, my name is Reid Brandt, and I’m with REP Productions out of Los Angeles. My colleagues and I have an appointment with Merideth Foster the unit Nursing Director. Could you tell me where I might find her?

Oh! exclaimed the young woman. Jumping up from her chair she looked at Reid as she held up one finger. Wait one moment and I’ll ring her office and let her know you’re here. Picking up the phone she quickly punched in a series of numbers and waited for someone to answer. When they did she spoke in a low voice into the receiver, Merideth, the people from California are here to see you.

The people from California? Reid wasn’t sure about the description she’d assigned to them. He didn’t know whether to be insulted or amused. He decided to go with amused at the moment. The young woman replaced the receiver and then turning to Reid said, Ms. Foster will be right with you. If you’d like to follow me I’ll show you to the conference room.

Thank you, Reid answered as he looked at Josh and Beth and indicated for them to follow. The group made a right turn at the corner and followed the young woman to the rear of the unit. Opening a door she showed them into a standard conference room equipped with a long table and chairs all around it. Shortly after they were seated the door opened and a woman carrying a leather binder entered the room. The woman appeared to be in her mid-fifties with short, stylish blonde hair. She immediately introduced herself as Merideth Foster and quickly followed with an apology for keeping them waiting.

Shaking hands with Reid, Merideth smiled and said, So, you’re the infamous Reid Brandt I’ve heard so much about. I’ve been looking forward to this meeting and I’m anxious to hear your ideas.

After Merideth took a sea, Reid introduced his colleagues and assumed they were ready to get down to business. As he opened his leather case, Merideth looked at him and said, I have a few staff members who will be joining us. I feel it’s important for them to be in on the ground floor, so to speak, of what this project is and what it will entail.

Reid was surprised at this news but kept the emotion from his features. Glancing at Beth and Josh he then shrugged and said, That’s fine with us. I understand your need for their complete cooperation and understanding if this is going to be a successful venture.

Reid glanced up as the door opened and an attractive petite young woman slipped into the room. Her long curly hair was artfully styled to maximize the natural curl, and as a Californian born and raised Reid recognized natural blonde when he saw it. She took a seat to Merideth’s right and was introduced as Melanie Dupree the unit’s Social Worker. Melanie looked at Reid and the others with a friendly, open expression on her face then said cheerfully,

Hi, welcome to St. Elizabeth’s. I’m really looking forward to working with you all on this.

Reid was briefly surprised at the very southern accent that was evident in her voice. Returning her smile Reid replied, Thank you. My entire staff and I are anxious to get started as well. Turning to Merideth he continued, Speaking of which, are we ready to begin?

As he finished speaking Reid heard the turn of the doorknob and a man’s voice floated in. Stepping in was a tall, thin middle-age man dressed in scrubs and white coat. He had a cup of coffee in one hand and what looked like a patient chart in the other. It was evident from all he was trying to carry why he entered first. The person following him had obviously had to open the door for him. Laughing, the man turned back and said, I don’t know what we’d do without you around here. Reid heard a feminine laugh and a reply but couldn’t make out the response.

However, when Reid realized who was following the man the response was no longer important. His attention was simply on her alone. The very attractive woman in scrubs he’d seen earlier was entering the room. And the first thing Reid noted, despite himself, was the fact that she did look even better from the front than she had from the back, blue scrubs aside. Of that he was certain. The one thing he was confused about though was who exactly she was and why would she be in this meeting?

Oh crap! Those were the first two words that entered Carli Santos’ mind as she walked into the conference room. A quick mental inventory only confirmed, unfortunately, what she already knew. Hair in a messy knot……check. Unattractive and shapeless blue scrubs……check. Glasses instead of contacts thanks to a tear in her last set this morning……check. No, it wasn’t a pretty picture but too late now. Those thoughts were whizzing through her mind when suddenly she stopped. One of the most attractive guys she’d seen in a long, long time was sitting at the conference table and his gaze was pinned on her. Of all days to look like this!

As she rounded the corner of the table she could still feel said attractive guy’s gaze on her. It was almost like he was tracking every step she took until she sat down next to Melanie. Glancing over she gave Mel a quick smile. Mel returned the smile with a little raised eyebrow thing going on and Carli gave her a return eye roll. Both women then turned their attention back to Merideth.

Looking around, Merideth turned to Reid. Great, I think that’s everyone. Why don’t I introduce my staff and then you can do likewise Mr. Brandt.

Reid shifted in his chair and looked at Merideth replying, That would be fine. And please, call me Reid. We’re going to be working closely together for the next few weeks. Formalities tend to get in the way after that length of time.

Merideth acknowledged his request with a small nod then began her introductions. Of course you’ve already met Melanie. The clinical Social Worker’s primary focus area is Trauma and Emergency; however Melanie also works closely with the critical care unit as well. A lot of our patients obviously end up there, so we feel it’s important for that continuity of care to follow both the patient and their family members to their next destination.

As Merideth was speaking Carli noticed the woman sitting next to Reid was taking copious notes. When she glanced at Reid his attention was entirely focused on Merideth and what she was saying. Intense would be the word she would use to describe how Reid looked. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was that intense no matter what he was doing.

Reid glanced at Beth to make sure she was taking notes as he’d instructed her to do. He liked to focus all his attention on the speaker and couldn’t do that if he was busy writing. Merideth was continuing her introductions and moved onto the gentleman sitting at the end of the table. The white lab coat set him apart of course, so Reid wasn’t really surprised when she introduced him as a physician.

This is our unit medical director, Dr. Terry Burk, continued Merideth. Dr. Burk has held that position for the past five years. He is certified in trauma and emergency medicine and came to us from New York City. We have certainly felt like their loss was our gain.

Dr. Burk smiled at their guests and gave a little two finger salute to the table at large. Evidently he felt he needed to say something so with a smile he said, Welcome to St. Elizabeth’s. If you need anything don’t hesitate to contact me, unless of course I’m catching a nap then don’t bother me! Everyone at the table laughed, but Reid knew he was probably more serious than he let on.

Reid gave a mental sigh of relief that the doctor wasn’t one to drone on about himself. Reid was anxious for Merideth to move on to the last staff member at the table. Call it curiosity or whatever; he wanted to know who this woman was.

And last, but certainly not least, is Carli Santos one of our unit nurse coordinators. Carli is an RN of course, and she too is certified in trauma and emergency intervention care. Carli practices direct patient care on the unit; however, on her shift she’s the lead trauma nurse. She’s the go to person that you and your staff will be working closely with. That also holds true for the other lead nurses on the each shift, explained Merideth.

Carli held her breath as Reid Brandt pinned her with that intense gaze. She had a feeling that he was not a man typically known for going to anyone else. She strongly suspected he assumed that everyone would come to him. We’ll see how that works out. If she were being perfectly honest, Carli wasn’t sure how she really felt about this project the hospital was involved in. Of course her opinion really didn’t matter to anyone who made these decisions, but she felt like she was entitled to her own thoughts and feelings.

Carli was a little apprehensive about the whole aspect of additional people, strangers at that, being in the trauma rooms while treatment was going on. She could only assume there would be cameras and other equipment involved to actually film the activity going on. Carli took her work in trauma very seriously and didn’t welcome anything that had the potential to hinder that work. Realistically Carli knew that a big production company from Los Angeles would have this down to a science. After all, they were professionals in their field. She really was trying to get excited about the whole thing, but still wasn’t convinced it was a distraction they all needed. Now that she’d gotten a look at Mr. Gorgeous and Sexy sitting there she realized she definitely didn’t need the distraction of him!

"Though we adore men individually,

we agree that as a group they’re rather stupid."

-Mary Poppins

Chapter Two

Reid now knew the mystery woman’s name and job title along with a job duty description. He could also tell by the rather dubious look on her face she wasn’t sure how impressed she was so far. Reid decided to ignore the look and continue with business however, he discovered that was a little more difficult than normal. Every time Reid glanced her way she was still looking at him with those big brown eyes. Those same eyes that were framed with incredibly long lashes, eyebrows that were perfectly arched and a mouth with full lips that a man could think about for a long time. Clearing his throat, Reid finally broke eye contact and then began his own introductions.

I’d first like to thank Ms. Foster and the staff for meeting with us today. I know your time is extremely valuable, and I’ll try to keep this first meeting brief but informative.

Carli sat in her chair and realized she hadn’t taken her eyes off Reid Brandt since Merideth had introduced her. Then at the moment Mr. Gorgeous opened his mouth to speak, she groaned silently. He sounded almost as good as he looked! His voice was smooth and articulate but not too deep and when he spoke she caught a glimpse of even white teeth. She noticed his skin was tanned with a healthy glow like someone who spent time outdoors, but didn’t overdo. His hair was dark brown and untraditionally long for a guy who wore a suit and tie so well. There were lighter strands of brown and gold, but she could tell they were natural and not salon placed like some men were doing these days. He had the whole messy effect going on that made him look more like a GQ model than the business executive he was.

Carli tore her gaze away from him but not before he looked directly at her again. It was almost as if he knew she was sizing him up, and then daring her to find him lacking in any way. Holding their mutual look for another moment, she had this overwhelming urge to say something, anything, to him that would break this weird connection they had going on. Those eyes! They were the most amazing shade of blue, a combination of blue and green that reminded her of the color of the ocean water off some of the islands she’d visited.

Carli shifted in her chair and finally dropped her gaze. She silently berated herself for getting caught up in whatever little eye game they’d had going on. Sure, she liked to look at men just like any normal woman, and she appreciated a hot guy when she saw one. However, for the past year all she’d allowed herself to do was look. In her mind gorgeous and hot usually equaled arrogant and demanding. Those were two things she definitely wasn’t interested in!

Reid was still trying to figure out what was going on with Carli Santos. He didn’t want to draw attention to that fact in front of everyone but when his eyes had met hers across the table he saw something, but wasn’t sure what. Adding in the fact that she’d continued to look at him like she didn’t trust his next move had him curious as to what she was really thinking.

Of course it was also a little difficult to concentrate on much when you were also looking at her. Reid had been taken in by the raw beauty he saw. And just as he’d thought at the nurse’s station earlier, this woman was worth waiting for a look at. Reid was from LA, the land where gorgeous starlets and sophisticated women abound. He’d dated women like that but couldn’t remember a single one at this moment who’d held his attention like Carli did.

As he’d noticed earlier, her hair was so dark it was closer to black than brown. Even in the sexy, messy knot it was pulled back in he could tell it was thick and probably long. The color of her skin was a natural bronze that he attributed to some heritage he couldn’t easily guess. Combined with the dark eyes and hair, he was guessing she was of Latin descent. She had that dark, exotic look that all added up to one gorgeous woman. The stylish brown tortoise frame glasses she wore just added to the overall sexy package. Reid couldn’t recall the last time he’d been this instantly attracted to a woman and realized that now was not the time to explore those thoughts.

Clearing his throat, he knew he needed to move this meeting forward. My name is Reid Brandt and I’m with REP Productions in Los Angeles. I’m the executive producer for the project we’ll be working on here at St. Elizabeth’s. I’m sure you’ve heard some talk by now about this project, but I want to explain in more detail exactly what our focus will be.

After introducing his two staff members Reid asked Beth to pass around the copies of the project profile he’d prepared for everyone. Reid quietly observed each person as they scanned through the material. After giving them a few minutes Reid continued with his presentation.

As you can see, the objective of this project is to develop a documentary type production focusing on emergency medical trauma. There have been several productions like this on the market in the past. However, due to controversy over patient’s rights, confidentiality issues and obtaining patient informed consent the actual filming of patient treatment in the ER has virtually stopped. Of course REP Productions is complying with all laws and mandates. We’ve already had extensive discussions with the hospital’s legal team, Risk Management and Public Relations departments.

Glancing around the table Reid got the impression Ms. Santos already had questions and was biding her time to ask them. Reid decided to make her wait just a little longer. He went on to explain the project in more detail before taking questions.

"First, I’d like to explain the concept behind this project and why we chose St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. Unlike shows in the past, which focused on direct patient care, our focus will be on what makes a trauma unit tick and who makes it work. So basically our focus will be more on the staff than the actual patients themselves. Very little, if any, actual footage will include shots of the patients. Of course the anatomy of why the patient is in the trauma unit, the type of injuries they’ve sustained and the treatment modalities will be explained. However, we’ll be zeroing in on how you, the staff, work to achieve the best possible outcome for your patients."

Reid paused to give his audience a moment to absorb some of what he’d said. He was detecting a shift in the dynamics around the table. He knew immediately what the issue was and had actually been expecting it. The staff had probably just assumed this was going to be about the patient’s themselves, similar to shows broadcasted in the past. He also knew that people in general either liked the attention focused on them or they wanted nothing to do with it. It was always interesting to see who fell into which category. In this case he was really curious to see which camp Ms. Santos aligned with. He gave them a few more moments and then continued with his general presentation. Afterwards he planned to open the discussion to questions or general comments.

In the past, most reality based or documentary type shows of this nature were filmed in larger cities, specifically bicoastal, such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Philadelphia to name a few. We want to bring the focus inward a bit and concentrate on trauma care in the Midwest. We’re targeting the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Houston and of course, St. Louis. We may add a few others, but those are our focus sites at this time.

Pausing, Reid noted he still had their undivided attention. He took that as a positive sign and continued. We feel that the Midwestern cities haven’t been adequately recognized in this area of health care. The general public fails to realize that not all crime and other trauma related injuries only happen in the major cities we hear so much about already. At this point Reid felt he’d talked enough and decided it was time to invite the staff into the discussion and get their input.

I’d like to open the floor at this time for any questions, discussion, comments, concerns or general observations you might have. We know this is a lot to process hearing it for the first time. My staff and I have been working on this from the preliminary stages for over a year so we don’t want to fail in recognizing any concerns you might have at this time.

There was silence around the table as everyone gathered their thoughts. Reid knew they were probably forming questions and diving in was usually the most difficult part. Merideth picked up the profile sheets again and glanced at some of the notes she’d jotted down while Reid was speaking. Pointing to the paper she said, As the unit coordinator I do have a few questions and yes, some concerns. Why St. Elizabeth’s? What was the reasoning behind choosing our facility over the other trauma units in the area? I’m curious as to how the selection process was carried out.

Reid wanted to provide as much useful information as he could to the people sitting around this table. He knew their input and ultimate support was vital to the success of it all. Leaning forward, he folded his hands and rested them on the table in front of him.

When this concept was first born we immediately started narrowing down the demographics starting with cities first, which I’ve already expounded on. Once that list was compiled we then broke our research down into which hospitals within the city housed trauma units. Of course this is where the selection process gets more stringent. We looked at each trauma unit in depth. We broke the process down to include the number of staff, the number of cases seen per year and the patient outcomes including morbidity rates. We also researched environmental factors such as where the hospital was located within the city and crime rates for that area based on public police records. We took into consideration major highways in proximity to the hospital and the total number of motor vehicle accidents along those highways based on accident reports.

Looking at Merideth he gave her a smile that probably blindsided most women. To be honest Merideth, I could probably bore you all with at least a dozen more analytic aspects of this selection process in general. But to answer your more specific question, we chose St. Elizabeth’s because it was a perfect fit. Your numbers are more than adequate, your outcomes are good and your morbidity rates are lower than the national average for your size and case load. Crime and traffic report results were convincing with numbers showing above average incidents to support your unit.

Looking around the table at her staff Merideth gave them an appraising look. Well, I must admit I’ve never quite looked at it in that light before. I think I’m certainly speaking for everyone when I say that we can see your company has certainly done its homework. I’m impressed.

Thank you, acknowledged Reid. We pride ourselves on conducting a thorough research process before we submit the idea and concept for any project. I’ve found in business that if people don’t understand why you’re doing something they’re not as likely to jump on board with it.

Looking around the table Reid politely addressed the others. Does anyone else have any questions they’d like to ask?

Carli waited a moment giving Melanie and Dr. Burk the opportunity to ask any questions they might have. When they made no move to say anything Carli decided to jump in with both feet.

I have a question Mr. Brandt.

Please, call me Reid.

"Okay, Reid. You said this project focuses more on the staff working in the trauma unit than the patients. May I ask what exactly it is you’re hoping to learn or find from those who agree to participate. And I am assuming that staff members will have a choice as to whether they want to participate in this project of yours." Carli realized her tone sounded a little condescending perhaps. However, it just didn’t bode well with her that these people could just walk in their trauma unit, insinuate themselves in everything and expect everyone to fall at their feet to accommodate them.

As she was delivering her little spiel she did notice that Mr. Brandt had visibly drawn up into somewhat of a defensive posture! She had to hide the little smirk of satisfaction she got from knowing she’d put him on edge. She knew it was probably petty on her part, but it did irk her that Mr. Gorgeous thought he could just waltz in here and have everyone bleeding gratitude that he was here. Of course he was probably accustomed to people falling at his feet and any other body part he suggested to them, particularly women!

Reid valiantly tried to not let his annoyance show in any shape, form or fashion as he returned Carli’s challenging look. Leaning back in his chair he deliberately relaxed his shoulders and rested both hands in his lap in a casual pose. He could see Josh and Beth both fidgeting nervously in his peripheral vision. Yes, they knew their boss well enough to know just how much he truly loved a challenge when it came to his work.

Well, Ms. Santos is it I believe? he asked pleasantly.

"Carli, by all means Reid, please call me Carli," was the syrupy sweet reply he received.

Reid heard Josh’s attempt to cover a laugh with a cough and failing miserably. Reid gave a passing thought that he needed to deal with him later too.

Carli it is then. I’ll try and answer your question first. I’d like to begin by explaining that one of the things we hope to gain from the staff that choose to participate is a better understanding of what being involved in trauma care means to them. Things like what makes them tick, what led them to work in this particular area of the medical field? It’s a known fact that not everyone is cut out for this type of work. The stress level can be off the chart and the rate of job burnout can be fairly high in some units. Our goal is to give the public an inside view of the people who spend their careers committed to this level of dedication.

After delivering his explanation Reid then leaned forward and rested his folded hands on the table. With a smug smile directed at Carli he said, "Just to clarify though, Carli, everyone has a choice as to whether they want to be a team player and participate. That is unless of course you have some dark, lurking secrets that you’d rather not have come out." Still smiling, he sat back in his chair again and waited to see how Ms. Santos took that bit of information. It didn’t take long to find out.

Seriously! Did this egotistical asno just say that to her? Fuming, she glanced at Merideth only to see a very surprised expression on her face too. Without thinking Carli leveled her gaze at Reid and grated out, "I assure you Mr. Brandt that I don’t have any secrets, lurking or otherwise, that you need to concern yourself with at all! Rising from her chair Carli headed toward the conference room door. Now, if you’ll excuse me I need to return to the unit to finish a transfer to ortho." With that parting information she walked out and closed the door a little too loudly behind her.

The room was completely silent for several moments as everyone digested the little confrontation they’d just witnessed. Merideth finally looked at Reid and said smoothly, Well, I believe that just about wraps up our time. Unless of course Reid you have any other information you need to share with us today.

Smiling, Reid looked at the others around the table. No, actually I think this meeting was very productive. We’ll schedule a date and time to meet again soon. In the interim though please take time to think over any other questions you might have. We can certainly address those the next time we meet.

That sounds fine. Please, let me show you all out. Just follow me, offered Merideth.

The others stood and exited the conference room. As they walked down the hall Reid looked around the unit trying to catch a glimpse of Carli. He’d rather enjoyed their little sparring match although he wasn’t entirely sure if there’d actually been a winner. It had certainly been a long time since Reid had even felt remotely challenged by a woman. Most of the women he associated with knew the score which meant they didn’t initiate any problems and kept the status quo. He definitely hadn’t met anyone like Carli Santos in a very long time.

As they passed the nurse’s station Reid detected an increased interest from the staff milling around. He caught more than one sideways glance in their direction so he could only assume word had gotten out they were here and on the unit. He also assumed Merideth Foster would soon be holding staff meetings to get everyone up to speed on what was going on. The staff certainly needed to know about and understand what would be happening in the next few weeks.

Reid and his co-workers said good-bye to Merideth and then headed toward the main lobby to leave. As they reached the door Reid realized he’d forgotten to drop off a project cost analysis with the financial office. That department was housed in the administrative suite so he’d have to backtrack to get there. He knew he could’ve asked Beth or Josh to run the errand, but instead he asked them to wait in the front lobby for him.

Good naturedly Josh said to Reid, Are you sure you want to stay here any longer today? I think there might be one nurse who’d like to catch you in a deserted hallway and do bodily harm!

Reid shot a bemused look over his shoulder at Josh and Beth. Well, we’ll see how that works out for her. With that parting remark he continued down the hallway. As he walked along Reid was having thoughts about Carli Santos that involved bodily contact, but no harm was involved. He decided that yes, he wouldn’t mind getting up close and personal with the gorgeous nurse. However, after their meeting just now he wasn’t sure if that would happen. It was probably just as well anyway. Reid’s sole focus was on work and he didn’t need any distractions, especially of the sexy and female variety.

Despite his owns words of advice, Reid deviated from the route to the administrative suite. In a spur of the moment decision he decided to swing by the ED again just to see if said nurse was anywhere around. It might be interesting to see just how she’d react if they just happened to run into each other. As he walked up the hall toward the nurse’s station, he heard what sounded like several people talking and laughing together. His footsteps slowed as he suddenly realized who they were most likely discussing from the way it sounded.

Oh.My.Gosh. I wish you could’ve seen the look on Carli’s face! It was priceless. She informed him in no uncertain terms that she had no dark secrets he needed to worry about…

A voice this time which was male, could be heard interjecting and overriding the other person talking. "Whoa! I don’t know what happened in there but girlfriend, our little chica come outta that room like her pretty little tail was on fire! She was all up and mad and mutterin’ something about arrogant men. Then, she started speaking in Spanish, and I think she was cursing! I couldn’t make it all out because she rounded the corner of the desk and was gone!"

A third voice, which sounded like a more mature woman joined the conversation. Carli was mad? And she was cursing, in Spanish? Who in the world did this, because I’d like to find him and hug his neck then say thank you!

The first female speaker, who he now recognized as Melanie added, Well, he sure managed to get a rise out of her that’s for sure. The sparks were flyin’ like fireworks at the county fair and it was actually kinda hot!

The second female spoke again. Sparks were flying were they? I was beginning to fear Carli might not have a spark left to ignite. The poor darling girl, after you know who finished with her I was so afraid we’d never see that fire in her again. Oh, this is positively exciting! But, we mustn’t let on like anything’s amiss. You know how she is. If she suspects we’re finding this at all interesting she’ll clam up and send us all packing! Laughter followed her words, but everyone agreed with whoever had made the last statement.

Reid turned and retraced his steps. He certainly didn’t want anyone from the ED to catch sight of him now as they’d know for sure he’d overheard their conversation. He was very curious as to who the third voice, the older woman, had belonged to. It sounded like she obviously knew Carli quite well too. He also wondered who this mystery you know who was she’d spoken of and exactly what he’d done. It hadn’t sounded good from the tone of voice the woman had used.

Hot, huh? With a little smile, Reid continued to the elevator to finish his errand.

Life will always throw you curves, just keep fowling them off….

The right pitch will come, but when it does, be prepared to run the bases.

-Rick Maksian

Chapter Three

Reid spent the next few days after his meeting with the ED staff in meetings with other hospital personnel. Unfortunately his business hadn’t taken him back down to the Emergency Department. He reluctantly had to admit that not one of his additional meetings this week had held quite the spark as the one on Monday had. He’d sent Josh to the emergency department on an errand on Tuesday, but only because he simply couldn’t get away at the time. When Josh had returned he’d fought the urge to ask him anything about who he’d seen while down there. He knew Josh would have a field day. And besides, he