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Jack had ignored the phone number. It sat on his tiny kitchen counter taunting him as he stretched the fruit out over the following week. She was engaged to Sneed. His honor and pride kept him from getting involved with a woman spoken for, let alone spoken for by one of his colleagues. Sneed hated his guts. The last thing he needed was to give the stuck-up asswipe more reasons.
He was a simple man with simple needs. Each day he returned to the small one-bedroom apartment walking distance from the hospital to sleep and refresh. Occasionally Hetty would join him if there was a need to blow off steam after a shift. More often than not he would prepare a basic meal, have a drink, and then pass out on his full bed while watching Jerry Springer.
So when an invitation to the hospital’s annual charity fundraiser arrived, Jack was surprised. The Prof and Sneed would never have deigned to invite him. They saw his humble beginning as an EMT and military service as detriments to his ability, not the assets they actually were. Add in his recent dealings with the Fox family, attendance was not at the top of his priority list. Jack chucked the invitation into the large catchall bowl he kept entryway table and promptly forgot about it.
A week later, Prof stopped him on his way in for handoff.
“My boy!” Jack stopped dead, standing like a frightened deer as his chief approached him. He had the redness in his cheeks that made Jack wonder if he’d been at the bottle of McCallan’s that everyone knew was in his desk drawer.
“Yes sir,” Jack gritted out. “I’m sorry but I’m on my way to handoff right now.”
“Now now. They’ll wait for you. I was wondering why you hadn’t RSVPed to the charity ball on Saturday.” The Prof stumbled a bit as Jack tried to weave around him.
Jack tried to think fast. He wasn’t working, Reggie, the new resident was taking the shit. Fuck.
“Just wanted a quiet night in sir. Fancy parties aren’t really my thing.”
“Nonsense my boy. Nonsense. Jane Fox specifically asked me to ensure you’d be off that night. She’s expecting you to be there. And when the great Lady Jane Fox calls, you answer.”
Jack groaned inwardly. He’d have to see if his old Class As were still in good shape.
“Understood sir, and my apologies. I wasn’t aware that Lady Fox had invited me personally.”
The Prof clapped Jack on the back, forcing the air from his lungs.
“Good lad. Now get going. I can see Nurse Hetty is missing you at stand-up.”
Jack nodded before jogging off toward the huddle area and another night of mayhem.
**
He was thankful his uniform still fit. It saved the dishonor of renting an ill-fitting tux and worrying about colours. The pants were pressed perfectly and every ribbon he’d earned was positioned perfectly at his breast. That was nothing grand there. No purple heart or medal of valor, but the best he could hope for when most of your service had been black ops.
He’d forgone the hat though. The cap had never looked right on his riotous curls. Fagin had given him a lift to the event held at a swanky hotel. The valet had given them both the stink eye when Jack had let the boy know Fagin wasn’t staying. The man had whined as well about how it wasn’t fair his prized pupil was getting to hobnob with the rich and famous when he was going to work. Jack silently wished as he stood on the steps of the hotel that Fagin ran into a busload of incontinent ladies taking their prized cocks to fight.
The bouncer at the event had given him the once over as he pulled the invitation from his pocket. “What unit?”
Jack grumbled about SEALs and the man stepped aside with a small salute.
The ballroom was filled with people. A DJ booth sat against one call with a small stage. Against the opposite wall, a long table held food and a bar. Jack could also make out the silent auction going along the wall opposite the entrance. Hundreds of people filled the space. Some were chatting. Others danced sedately on the small dance floor. Everyone around him was dressed to the nines. Several others were in their Class As. He clocked two generals and a rear admiral, their soft belying their desk jobs.
He headed for the bar first ordering a much-needed whiskey. The smokey brown liquid gave him a bit of courage.
The Prof and Sneed were talking quietly at a standing table, both sipping on their own glasses of brown liquid. The Governor and his wife sat at a central table. The governor looked uncomfortable in his white tie ensemble. His wife, the power behind the man, held court in her trademark navy. The demure dress fit her in its understated elegance. The Attorney General’s grumpy look at her didn’t slip Jack’s notice either.
“Dr. Dawson. I’m so pleased you could make it this evening.” Belle was at his shoulder. She looked radiant in her burgundy cocktail dress. Her dirty blonde chair was wrapped around her head in a golden halo. Jack tried his best to ignore the fuzzy feeling in his gut as she smiled at him.
People like him and people like her never worked out. Sneed eyed him across the ballroom. The look told him to stay away. Belle was taken, even if it was by an underachieving brown noser.
“Thank your mother, ma’am. The Prof said she’d invited me personally.”
“Only at my instance. Prof is making noise about retiring again, and I thought all the senior attendings deserved a chance at Chief.”
“Then thank you, ma’am.” Jack bowed slightly to her.
“Care to dance? I find it easier to converse when my mother’s minions are busy handling the ashtray. So to speak.”
Jack bowed deeper, “Certainly. Though I must say the waltz is beyond me.”
Belle laughed. It was perhaps the most musical sound Jack had ever heard. He did his best to commit it to memory.
Jack offered Belle his head and they headed out to the dance floor. Belle placed her hands on his shoulders. Jack placed a hand carefully on her lower ribs. They swayed softly apart from the other dancers.
“I never got a chance to thank you for ordering that scan,” Belle said quietly.
“Just doing my job.” Jack grinned at her.
“Which is exactly why you should be in the running for Chief of Emergency Medicine.” Belle’s eyes were sparking with determination.
“I’m a physician, not a pen pusher.” Jack had no desire to be in administration. He was happy with how far he’d gotten in life. He just wanted to pay off his debts and live. Being Chief would mean endless meetings. It would mean managing the entire ED staff, half of whom hated him. It would mean even more paperwork and less time to just practice his craft.
“If you have any ambition then you have to fight for it. Sneed has been talking about more rigid protocols in the ED. Are you sure you want to work under those conditions?”
Belle turned them slowly, leading the dance, until Jack could see Prof and Sneed’s faces through the crowd. Sneed looked positively incensed.
“I would be turned around like a curiosity. The Prof and Sneed hate my background, hate the path I took to get here.”
He released his hold on hers stepping back.
“Then fight, fight like something you’ve earned is being stolen from you.”
“Why do you care? You’re a socialite. An engaged socialite. Shouldn’t you be backing your fiancé?” Jack stepped away. He wanted to leave, be away from this woman and the society he knew he’d never belong to.
Belle stared at him. “Sneed doesn’t approve of my interests. Says that they aren’t reasonable for a woman of my rank.”
Jack’s face must have communicated his confusion as Belle continued without waiting for his input. “I am working on my PhD in Medical Studies.”
“Not going for an MD?”
Belle’s face said it all. “My family considered medical school unnecessary for a woman of my station. My mother is old-fashioned in that regard. She believes that my goal in life should be to marry well and improve the family’s station. Sneed’s brother is an entrepreneur, a generous one. Apparently, he’s given Sneed a stake in his business. Sneed also has greater ambitions than Chief of Emergency Medicine at one hospital.”
Jack rolled his eyes. He’d heard Sneed bluster on about his desire for public office more than once. He thought the man was mad for thinking anyone would vote for him.
Belle grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the silent auction tables. The light glinted off of what he thought was a fairly tacky engagement right? It certainly didn’t align with what he knew of the woman in front of him. He vaguely remembered a conversation with Sneed when he was shopping for rings. He insisted on finding a stone that looked like a nutmeg seed to symbolize how his family had made their fortunes in the spice trade a hundred years ago.
They looked over the various things up to bid. Jack had never seen a charity auction before, but he assumed it was the usual items. Sports Memorabilia, expensive bottles of spirits, jewelry, and signs provided details of luxury vacations stared back at him. He had some money in savings he could use, but nothing was truly of interest.
“I was surprised that you never called,” Belle said pulling Jack’s attention away from an item offering a trip for two to London.
“You’re engaged. To a superior. Only someone truly insane would get entangled with you.” Jack said softly.
“And yet you asked me out for a drink.” Belle teased, face softening.
“Only because I didn’t know you were spoken for. Though I did find flirting to work with some patients when I was an EMT.” Jack grinned.
Belle gave an undignified snort. “Flit with a lot of elderly women?”
Jack chuckled. “What can I say, they just love me.”
“Dodger!” Jack turned toward the voice and paled. Of course, Oliver fucking Twist was here. Fucking asshole. The wettest of lettuce.
“Oliver.” He was probably overly curt, but he didn’t really care. There was no love lost between the pair, especially after Oliver had nearly jeopardized his enlistment.
“This is the last place I expected to see you. And with such a vivacious lady friend.” Oliver eyed Belle like she was a piece of meat.
“I was invited, by Mrs. Fox. For saving her daughter's life.” Jack said it a bit too quickly.
Oliver's face lit up. “I was just talking to the most ravishing Fanny Fox.” He bit into a pork belly slider from his small plate.
“Well, this was nice Oliver, but I really must be going.” Jack tried to get around the man, but Oliver rotated to follow him. It was like trying to dodge a great toad.
“But we just reconnected. You must tell me what's become of you since we last saw each other.”
“Another time Oliver. I have to let my dog out. Poor girls incontinent.” Oliver's face plated as he stepped aside. Jack thanked his lucky stars for the break. He beelined for the exit.
“Dr. Dawkins,” Belle said trying to keep up with him.
“Ms. Fox. I’m sorry I really must be going.” How could he get this infuriating woman to leave him alone? He didn’t want to offend her too much for fear of retaliation.
“How about that drink? I know a superb place just down the road.” She grabbed his arm pulling him to a stop just outside of the ballroom.
“No thank you. Isn’t your fiancé missing you?” Belle’s face fell a little at the mention of Sneed.
“Sneed probably doesn’t even realize I’m here,” Belle said her voice wavering. “And my mother won’t notice I’m gone. Not with Fanny desperate for a husband.”
“Would you ditch this party with me?” Belle’s gaze met his. Her eyes begged for him to whisk her away from whatever this was.
“Yes, milady,” Jack said offering her his hand.
She took his hand. He tried not to think about how her hand fit his perfectly. He led her out to the valet and requested a taxi.
When they climbed into the back the driver asked for their destination.
“The Cat and Bagpipes? 5th and Vine.”
Belle raised an eyebrow at Jack as the cabbie pulled away from the curb. He merely grinned and took her hand in his again.