Page 28 of Getting Off

Brooklyn glanced at him and saw him staring at his phone.“Anything important?”

“Dr.Gibson.Probably another request to meet about a platinum-tier donation.”He glanced at her.“One question I’ve meant to follow up on.Wouldn’t funding your hospital ER directly accomplish basically the same result as a new trauma center?I mean, if ER had all the tools and personnel it needed.That’s where you and Dylan met, correct?”

“That’s right,” Brooklyn said.She turned sideways in the passenger seat so she could look back at him.“When Dylan came in with a tagged injury—someone who had experienced a situation that often results in a higher instance of head trauma—they called me, and I went to have a look.But realistically, that only happens when I’m on duty or another specialist is available.If there was an actual center, it would become part of the emergency room protocol.Everyone who had a tagged injury would have immediate access to those specialist services and care.Statistics have shown this lowers the number of post-concussion syndrome cases and increases the number of patients who go on to have little to no long-term effects.”

Dylan tapped the steering wheel.“So, does this mean I’m past the danger point for head trauma?”

Brooklyn reached over and put a hand on his shoulder.“This means even a neurologist has to realize that patients have to live their own lives.I just… I don’t want any other family to go through what my family did with Colin.Part of this center would be about education.I’m talking ads and having resources to visit schools and talk to kids.If someone had told me that it would be possible for my brother to justdieafter that crash when I thought Colin was fine, we might’ve told our parents about the accident.It’s education and not only treatment.”

This was truly a calling that touched very close to home for her.He couldn’t begin to imagine what she had gone through.Losing someone close was always traumatic.But a twin?Lucas had never had a brother, much less a twin.“I think it’s amazing that you’ve taken a personal disaster and tried to make the world a better place because of it.”

“That’s right,” Dylan said with a glance in the rearview mirror at Lucas.Then he turned and squeezed Brooklyn’s thigh affectionately.“I know I usually sound like an ass, but I’d be willing to be part of any educational efforts you want to make, Doctor Beautiful.I’d love it if you looked over our safety procedures and course materials at the club.”

“Really?”Brooklyn looked surprised and deeply pleased.Watching the eager gleam in her eyes really did something to him.

He had always intended to fund the trauma center, but now it had become a lot more personal.

He wanted to make this woman happy.

Brooklyn felt like her head was spinning.She hadn’t expected so much support.Especially since she knew she came off as so intense about the issue that she was usually forced to dial it back with a cool professional demeanor.

“I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re both taking this seriously.”

“This doesn’t mean I’m wearing a helmet when operating a regular motor vehicle,” Dylan quipped.“I have to put my foot down somewhere.”

Dylan pulled off the highway into a gravel parking lot before a lodge building that looked as if it had been here since miners and trappers had first settled the area.Brooklyn began teasing Dylan about all the safety equipment she was going to buy for him to model for her educational ad campaigns and the helmet she was going to make him wear in the shower, in case he slipped.Dylan seemed more than a little appalled at the thought.That made her laugh.

It seemed so surreal to think that they’d been casual and even nonexistent acquaintances two weeks ago.But it was Sunday evening again.They had to go back to the real world tomorrow.These stolen weekends when she didn’t work were magical.But the world of regular jobs and commitments and things that took them away from one another loomed on the horizon again.

“Enough about safety,” Dylan finally griped.“Let’s get some food.”

“Spoken like a man after my own heart,” Lucas agreed.

Both men grinned at each other, sharing one of those bro moments.Brooklyn watched the two of them and felt a warm glow of appreciation for these them both.They’d helped her melt a few layers of frost to discover her passion for life once again.She could never repay that favor.

A well of emotion bubbled up in her heart, and Brooklyn slipped her arm around Dylan’s waist and Lucas’s waist when they were out of the truck.It felt good to be between them.

The three of them headed for the building’s entrance.It was cool inside and smelled of the most incredible French fries and the kind of cheeseburgers with bacon that could bring a strong man to his knees.Her stomach growled.

“I don’t know if it’s just because I’m starving or what,” she said.“But it smells incredible.I might have to get my cholesterol checked tomorrow, but tonight will be worth it.”

“Tonight,” Dylan teased her, “we’re all going to work off a million calories.And that’s all I have to say about that.”

They were still laughing together when Brooklyn’s phone started ringing inside her little clutch purse.Ever mindful of the possibility of a patient needing her or a hospital emergency, Brooklyn politely excused herself and walked outside of the restaurant again.

She plugged her left ear and pressed the phone to her right to hear clearly.“This is Dr.Foster.”

“Foster, I want to know what in thehellI’m watching right now!”

The voice was familiar, but it took her a second to place it.She didn’t recognize Harvey Gibson’s voice until he had launched into a tirade about some video footage that had been sent to him by a “concerned colleague.”

“Mr.Gibson, I apologize, I don’t understand what you’re referring to,” Brooklyn said quickly.Had he seen something on the hospital security cameras that upset him?If so, what could it be?

“Let me make this clear!”Gibson was practically shouting into the phone.“I’m watching a viral video of you getting out of a truck after speeding your way across the desert!And then you got out—clearly you, Dr.Foster, clearlyyou—and you use blatant and offensive obscenities.”

The bottom dropped out of Brooklyn’s stomach.She didn’t know what to say, so she blurted the first thing that came to mind.“I was wearing a helmet and full safety gear, sir.As for swearing…” She tried to come up with an excuse and only got angry.What was this?A convent?She couldn’t use a little rough language like the boys?Only male doctors were allowed to curse?What kind of bullshit was this?

“It looks abominable,” Dr.Gibson snarled.“The whole thing is a PR disaster.I was told this filth has gone viral, embarrassing the hospital millions of times.”

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