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6 p.m.
Just one more hour, and you can finally shower and laze in bed with food and a romance book. The usual. The best usual.
You groan to yourself as you finish supplying the crash cart at the clinic. Shit..did I forget to grab some leads?
“Y/N! Where are you?”, Dr. Anderson comes in, a smile on her face. Ella Anderson. Ella’s a great doctor, young, like you, and one of the first people Maria introduced you to when you stumbled upon Jackson 2 years ago.
“Hey, Ella. What’s up?”, you say as you finish stocking up the cart, and stand, reminding yourself to grab some leads.
“You know you’re my favorite nurse, right?”, Ella grins…too widely. Too…suspicious. You narrow your eyes at her, “Of course, I am. I’m the only nurse who works here. What do you want. Just ask me already”, you huff in fake annoyance, knowing her play.
Ella sighs, “Fine, okay. Do you mind taking a house call? One of the guys got hurt out on patrol. He only needs stitches and some antibiotics. I have a bunch of appointments tonight, and I can't make it over there in time”.
You sigh. “Ella…I was just about to head home, and read about one of my book boyfriends”. Ella laughs, “I promise they will still be there when you go home. Please, Y/N?”. You give in. Only because I love her annoying self. Rhys, you’ll just have to wait for me.
“Just one house call, right?”, you ask. Ella nods, “Just the one. I promise. And I’ll buy you a coffee when you come to work on Wednesday. I swear”. You look at Ella and point at her, “Make that an extra large coffee. With a donut”. Ella nods and grins. “Done. Thanks Y/N. You’re my favorite nurse. Did I say that already?”, Ella grins and hugs you, and you sigh and laugh, shooing her away, “Yeah, yeah, yeah”.
15 minutes later, you’re walking in the warm summer night, supplies in your bag, headed to the patient's house.
Arriving at the modest home, you go up the steps and knock on the door. The door opens to a young girl. I know her. Ellie.
You’ve seen her around, helping out the townspeople, hanging with the other kids in town. She’s even helped you at the clinic one time. Maria had put her and a girl named Dina to work supplying the clinic.
Smiling, you greet Ellie as she lets you in the house. “Hey, Ellie. Dr. Anderson told me someone was hurt here?”, you look around for the person in question. Ellie nods. “Joel!”, she shouts. “The hot doctor is here!”, Ellie grins widely.
You raise a brow. “The hot…uh what?”, you look up and watch as an older, handsome man, limps from the other room, eyes narrowed at Ellie.
I've seen him before. With Ellie. And wow. He’s…you shake your head. Not now, brain. Not now.
Ellie smirks and then goes up to you, “Y/N, this is Joel. Joel, this is..”. Joel gruffs out, “I know who that is Ellie. Thank you. You best be leaving now”, he stares Ellie down who doesnt falter under his icy look. Ellie grins mischievously and nods, “Oh. Yeah, sure thing, old man. See you later. Or maybe not”. Ellie winks at Joel and waves at you, before heading out the door.
You squint your eyes in confusion. What in the world was that?
Looking over at Joel, you see that he’d taken a seat on the couch, groaning as he puts a hand to his forehead, whispering to himself, “Little menace”.
What is going on? You shake your head, confused, and walk over to him, smiling.
“Hey. Uh, I’m Y/N, the nurse. Not…doctor. Dr. Anderson said you needed stitches?”. You look at him, only to find him avoiding your gaze as he nods. “On my left leg. Near my ankle. Things been hurtin’ like no tomorrow”.
You nod. “ Could you roll up your pants for me? I need to see what we are dealing with here”.
Joel rolls up his pant leg and reveals the nasty wound. Red, bloody, and deep. Yup. That needs stitches.
You nod to yourself and stand. “Alright. I’m going to wash my hands and set up my supplies, and then we'll get started”. “Whatever you wanna do, darlin’”, Joel says, still not meeting your gaze.
Did he just call me, Darlin’? Probably just a Southern thing… I think.
Coming back, you set up your supplies, put some gloves on, and kneel down to assess his wound. Looking up, you see him looking right at you. Intensely. Eyes fixated on where you are seated, before looking back up at your eyes. Finally. Some eye contact. Do I have something in my hair? Because why is he staring at me like….that?
You grin nervously at him “Uh, so I’m gonna go ahead and get started. It’s gonna hurt. We don’t have the luxury of lidocaine or anything now, so…yeah. Just, let me know when you want me to stop, ok?”, you look at him and his gaze freezes you in place.
That stare. Those eyes. “I won’t need you to stop, darlin’. Just do what you gotta do. I’ll be fine”. He nods at you and gestures for you to start. Grinning sheepishly, you grab your needle and begin to patch up the wound.
Focusing intensely, you precisely patch up the wound, your hands moving in a familiar manner. You are in the zone. Focus. Focus. You feel his gaze burning your head. He isn’t even making a peep. You glance up.
“Doing ok? Need me to stop?”, Joel shakes his head. Okay, silence it is then. Maybe he's shy? You continue patching him up. It’s too quiet...maybe I should talk.
“So, Joel. How did this happen?”. Was that really all I could think of saying?
“Was out on patrol in one of the buildings. Piece of glass cut me up”. You nod. “Ouch. You go on patrol a lot?”. Joel nods. “Most of the time. All I got to offer”, he shrugs and looks at you.
“Well, that's hard work. You’re doing this town a big favor. I don’t know what we’d do without you guys, you smile up at him. Joel looks at you, nods, and looks away. “Yeah. Guess so. Could say the same for you. Being a nurse and all. Must not be easy”.
You nod, finishing up the last section of the wound, “It’s…tough, yet rewarding work. I’m just glad I’m able to help the town. The people here are great, and I owe it to them”. He stares at you, eyes softening before looking away.
You tie up the last part of the stitch and then cover the wound with gauze and tape it off. Brushing off your pants, you stand and smile at him.
“All fixed up. You should be as good as new”, reaching over to your bag, you hand him the bottle of antibiotics. “This is from Dr. Anderson. Take it 2 times a day, and finish up the prescription. If you have any more pain, notice any swelling, or spike a fever, come down to the clinic right away, ok?”. You look at him, catching his gaze. Joel nods and stands.
“Thank you, darlin’. I will. I owe you for this”. Shaking your head, you laugh. “No, you don’t! It’s my job. It was no problem at all”.
Joel looks at you for a moment and sighs. “Well, thank you anyways”. He looks down and thinks for a moment. Shaking his head, he looks back up at you. “If I don’t ask you this, the kid will pester me all day and night long”.
You look at him, confused, your eyes glinting in the soft lighting of the room. “What is it?”. Joel looks like he’s having an internal battle in his head as he brushes his hands over his face, and looks at you.
“I was just wonderin’, if maybe you wanted to…god damn”, you watch as the tips of his ears turn pink and he shakes his head again.
“Damn it, I’m too old to be actin’ like this”, looking up at you, he sighs. “Darlin’, I was wonderin’ if you wanted to have dinner with me”.
Did he just ask me out? I think he just did.
You smile, “Like…a date?”, Joel’s ears turn a bright red, and he nods. “Yeah. Yeah. A date. Do you wanna go out on a date? With..uh…with me? I just..I’ve seen you around town. Seen you helping out the folks who live here. You’re a sweetheart”.
He clears his throat and looks at you, eyes searching yours for some kind of hint that maybe you do like his old self.
You giggle softly and smile at him. “Oh. well, thanks. And sure thing, cowboy. Just give me a time and a date, and I’m all yours”.
Joel’s cheeks turn rosy at that. So freaking handsome. Even when he’s flustered.
“Great. Ok. Yeah. Tomorrow. 8 pm. Meet me here? I..I’ll fix something up for us”.
You smile, “You cook?”. He sighs and chuckles. “Ah, well no. But..I’ll learn. With Ellie’s help. Or scratch that. I’ll ask Maria.”
You laugh. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow then”, you smile at him and grab your things as he walks you to the door. Smiling at you, he opens the door for you and you turn around, jumping when you see Ellie, ear to the door, and a guilty grin on her face.
“Ellie?”, you say as you hear Joel sigh next to you. “Come on. Get inside, kiddo. Just…get”, Joel, seeming exasperated with her antics.
Ellie nods and then looks at you and winks, “I knew he’d do it”, and walks inside the house. Joel groans softly and then looks at you. “Sorry, ‘bout that darlin’. Um..I’ll see you tomorrow then?”. You laugh softly and nod. “I’ll see you tomorrow, cowboy”, you wave at him and then walk down the stairs, and into the summer night.
As the door closes, you hear someone yelling and laughing loudly, “YOU GOT THE HOT DOCTOR!” and “Quit it kid! … she’s a nurse!”.
You laugh to yourself, walking home, excited for tomorrow.
Yeah…I am a hot nurse. And I got the hot cowboy.