“Thanks, Doctor.”
“Welcome.”
Gen followed him out. “Dr. Ward, I think—”
He whipped around and jabbed a finger at her. “I don’t care what you think. Do your damn job and stop wasting hospital resources on ridiculous tests for patients with no insurance. Another incident like that and I’ll throw you out of my ER. Understood?”
He marched off. Frustration shot through her. Dammit, in a way she didn’t blame him. In another way, her gut was screaming that there was something bigger going on, and if she sent Susan away she’d regret it.
In medical school, there was so much information to absorb her brain was constantly on overload. But she’d always felt she had good instincts. If she listened and looked beyond the surface facts, letting the individual and the body guide her, she discovered things that routine exams or logic didn’t. She used to pride herself on such an ability until David. Over the past two years, he had showed her to trust the evidence only. The tests were God; the facts were survival. Gut instincts in a surgeon only led to chaos, and death.
So she’d changed. Smothered the voices and primitive instincts that she used to respect.
Today she made a different choice.
She swallowed hard and went back to her patient. “Susan, if you don’t mind, there’s just one test I’d like to run before we release you. I think it’s important.”
“Oh, okay. It’s probably more restful here than at home anyway.”
“Thanks. I’ll have a nurse come by shortly.”
Her hands barely shook as she ordered the cardiac enzymes test from the lab. “I need a signature on this one,” Ted said gruffly.
She didn’t miss a beat. “David—er, Dr. Riscetti approved.” Ted let out an annoyed huff and punched out the number. He spoke briefly, then looked up. “He wants to know if you asked Dr. Ward.”
The lie fell easily from her lips. “Of course, but he’s busy right now.” Ted repeated her words, nodded, and clicked off. “We’ll run it.”
“Thanks. Can you put a rush on it? We need the space.”
Her heart pounded, but for the first time in a long while, she felt like she’d done the right thing. Gen ran back to her other patients, checking the time and hoping she’d get the results back before things blew up. But maybe she’d get lucky. Maybe Ward was so crazed he’d miss the extra test she ordered and things would work out. Maybe—
“Why the hell is bed three still not empty?”
She ducked her head and pretended to be busy doing something vitally important so she couldn’t respond. “She’s almost ready, sir.”
“She was ready twenty minutes ago. What’s going on?”
Sweat dampened her brow. Crap, this was bad. “Umm, I’m just running one more test, which should be done shortly.”
He blocked her path. Fury rumbled from him. “What test?”
“The cardiac enzymes, sir.”
His voice dropped. “I told you to release her. Who signed off on the test?”
She paused and wished she could lie. “Dr. Riscetti.”
Ward gritted his teeth. “I don’t care if you’re screwing him on your personal time, but don’t think you can run my show here.” He grabbed his phone and pounded out numbers. “David, why the hell did you give approval on the tro-ponins when I specifically denied it?”
Gen closed her eyes. It was over.
“I see. Yes. You better get down here now.”
Ward narrowed his gaze. “Go wait in the conference area for your boss. And get out of my ER.”
She didn’t respond. Why did she suddenly feel like she was living out an episode of Grey’s Anatomy? Except on the show the residents got to do crazy-ass things and never got kicked out or in real trouble. She knew she’d stepped over the line, but she’d do it again no matter what the results. Did that make her a bad doctor? Or a good one?
David walked through. His burnished hair was mussed, and his eyes looked tired. She’d heard he was doing double shifts, trying to drown his sorrows in work, while the bitch that she was looked healthier than she’d been in a while. No wonder everyone hated her. In only one week, she’d eaten, slept better, and laughed more than she had in the past year.
“What are you trying to prove, Genevieve?”
She tried not to be defensive, but old habits die hard. She kept her voice smooth and professional. “I’m sorry. Dr. Ward wasn’t listening to my concerns regarding a patient I believe is having cardiac difficulties. Women are misdiagnosed many times for indigestion and I wanted to run this last test. He refused.”
“He refused for a reason. Because it’s indigestion and Dr. Ward said she’s uninsured. You gonna pay for it?”
She tightened her lips. “If I have to.”
“How superior you are. Think you’re smarter than Ward?”
“No.”
“Think you’re smarter than me?”
She glared. “No. I went with my instincts. Something’s wrong and I couldn’t live with myself if it was my fault and I sent her out of here. She’s still my patient.”
“Instincts, huh? The same one that told you to escape from me outside a church window?”
Gen flinched. “This has nothing to do with us.”
“It has everything to do with us.” He pushed his hand through his hair and closed the distance. “I miss you, Genevieve.”