Page 32 of Wedding Plans

Tyler shrugged and put two more donuts on his plate.

“I saw your fiancée. Gorgeous young woman.”

“Former fiancée. Where did you see her?” Tyler frowned, a nasty premonition crawling along his spinal cord. Why was Beverly still in the hospital?

“In a patient room on the sixth floor.”

“In rehab? What the hell for? She had an anaphylactic reaction to hazel nuts.”

“I know, but after you abandoned her in the ER room, she tried to run after you, fell, and twisted her ankle.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “She’s the one who told me to get out.”

“Dr. Carlysle had her admitted to rehab, and Dr. Omar Amr is monitoring her. They’re taking very good care of her,” he added with a knowing grin. “I just wanted to make sure my physicians weren’t going to jump at each other’s throats.”

“Not me. I’m not her doctor, and I’m not her fiancé anymore either.”

“Apparently, she still insists you’re the one she loves.”

“She’ll change her mind eventually.”

“As I said I don’t want drama in my hospital. Can’t you talk to her gently and convince her to forget you?”

“Dr. Thomason, I’m a pediatric cardiologist performing surgery on children. I don’t normally treat adults. In this case, it would be a strong conflict of interest considering our past history. Besides, to avoid any bloodshed, I’ll carefully avoid the sixth floor.”

“Would you notify Dr. Carlysle and Dr. Amr?”

“No, Dr. Thomason, you notify them if you want to. I’m on my way to my second surgery of the day. Thanks for the donuts. I’ll grab coffee to go.”

“You’re a difficult man to understand. You kept your beautiful fiancée away from this place for months, and now...” The sly man shook his head.

“Goodbye, Dr. Thomason.”

Coffee in hand, Tyler closed the boss’s door behind him and sighed. Apparently, he’d yet to rid himself of his ex.

The second surgery proceeded smoothly. Avoiding the crowded cafeteria at noon, he opted to do rounds in the children’s ward. At two o’clock, he ran downstairs to the buffet, grabbed a sandwich, a salad, and a coffee which he swallowed in a rush, before heading to the scrub room to prepare for his last surgery. Repairing a baby’s heart valve, a delicate procedure, kept him in the OR for four hours.

On his way back from surgery, he met Dr. Carlysle in the elevator.

“Tyler, I was looking for you.”

“I was in surgery most of the day. Another kid with heart disease?”

“Not exactly. It’s about Beverly.”

Tyler rolled his eyes. “Why hasn’t she been discharged?”

“We can’t let her go when she’s suffering so much.”

Anthony seemed to be the one in pain. The ER attending physician had a reputation for dating women from the hospital staff without any serious commitment, but it looked as if he’d fallen for Beverly—the way Tyler had a year ago. Helping Anthony might solve his problem.

“It’s my fault. I met her at City Hall as agreed, but got cold feet at the last minute. Even when I saw her crying, I couldn’t go back. I realized I value my freedom too much, which isn’t fair to her. She needs a man she can trust. Someone who’s not afraid of commitment.” Tyler grabbed his shoulder. “If you’re not serious about her, then leave her alone. Eventually, she’ll get over her bruised ego.”

Anthony narrowed his eyes. “Do I understand you won’t change your mind?”

“Absolutely not. I won’t approach her. Unless...”

“Unless what?” the besotted doctor blurted.

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