Abby Simmons got hurt.
But that wasn’t the real issue; it was where she got hurt—way too awkward to talk about!
"Emily, how about we just head back? Honestly, I don't think it's that serious," Abby said, trying her best to not limp awkwardly. But just as they were about to step into the exam room, she panicked. "What if the doctor’s a guy? That’d be way too embarrassing!"
"It’s either a guy or a girl, Abby. That’s just how the world works. And come on, doctors are professionals. They’re not gonna think anything weird even if they have to look. You can’t just avoid getting checked out because you’re shy!" Emily snapped back.
"I’m fine, really. It’s just… I bumped into something, that’s all," Abby tried to downplay it, but let’s be honest—the specific spot where she got hurt wasn’t exactly dinner-table conversation material. And the thought of explaining to the doctor how it even happened? Yeah, no thanks. She could already picture the judgmental or confused looks they'd give her.
As her panic mounted, Abby swallowed hard and tried to back out of the room before it was too late. Emily Hart grabbed her firmly. "Abby, you're here already, and I’ve even booked the appointment. The one checking your injury today is the most famous surgeon in the city—a young professor! Did you see how many people were trying to get an appointment with him earlier? If it weren’t for my connections, there’s no way we’d even get a slot."
"So... you’re saying... the doctor is a man?" Abby Simmons' face was full of resistance.
"Does it matter if it’s a man or a woman? He’s just a doctor. He’ll check your injury, and then it’s over—you’ll never see him again. Why are you making it such a big deal? Oh, by the way, it was my grandma who insisted that you come. She strictly told me to make sure you get examined and show her the results. So, if you chicken out now, how am I supposed to face her later?"
Seeing her still hesitating, Emily hooked both arms around Abby's and half-dragged, half-pulled her towards the clinic's waiting area.
The nurse on duty there was a gentle-looking woman. Seeing that, Abby's nerves, which had been stretched thin, relaxed just slightly.
"Abby Simmons?" The nurse called out.
"That’s me," Abby replied.
"What seems to be the problem?" The nurse asked with a professional tone.
"Uh... I…" Abby hesitated, her lips tightening. "I injured myself."
"Where’s the injury?" the nurse pressed, patient but thorough.
"I... I…" Abby stammered, her throat tightening from embarrassment.
Emily, unable to tolerate her dithering anymore, stepped forward with a straight-to-the-point reply: "She hurt her inner thigh!"Abby Simmons felt her cheeks burning, biting her lip, unable to utter a single word to explain.
“That’s not our department. We’re neurosurgery. You’ve got the wrong appointment.”
As soon as she heard the nurse’s words, Abby felt like her brain might explode. She grabbed Emily Hart’s arm. “Forget it! Let’s just go home!”
“Come on! We’re already here! Legs have nerves too, you know. And hey, this is for that hotshot professor you kept talking about. If he doesn’t check it and something goes wrong later, that’s on you!” Emily stubbornly clung to Abby, refusing to let her bolt, while continuing to argue firmly with the nurse.
Abby wished she could vanish on the spot.
Oh, come on!
Could the earth just swallow her whole? She wasn’t going in!
“Let her in.”
Before the nurse could decide what to do, a strikingly pleasant male voice unexpectedly came from inside the room.
“Got it, Dr. Reid,” the nurse replied politely, standing up and motioning to Abby. “Please, come with me.”
It really was a male doctor!
Abby’s eyes widened in shock, and she spun around, ready to make a run for it.Emily Hart reacted quickly, shoving Abby Simmons straight into the exam room and shutting the door behind her with a decisive click.
The young male doctor, engrossed in examining a CT scan, casually pointed toward the inner room. “Lie down on the bed and show the area that hurts.”
Seriously?
Abby turned on her heels, considering making a run for it, but the door was firmly shut and Emily was guarding it like her life depended on it. There was no escape.
The doctor, still holding the CT scan high as he examined it carefully, didn’t look up. Abby couldn’t make out his face, but something about his calm, resonant voice felt oddly familiar. Yet, she couldn’t place where she’d heard it before.
Ugh, fine.
She was already here anyway. Might as well get it over with. At least this way Emily would stop nagging, and honestly, her leg was really starting to throb.
Emily was right—it was a one-time thing. Once her injury got checked out, they could all move on, no awkwardness required. Just suck it up, put on a brave face, and deal with it.
Abby took a deep, steadying breath, summoning all her courage like she was heading into battle. Striding into the exam area, she lay down on the bed, yanked her pants down just enough to expose the injured area, and immediately slapped a hand over her face.
She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her ears suddenly hyper-aware of every sound.
She heard someone step into the room, and her heartbeat instantly jumped into overdrive. "The rules say that a male doctor examining a female patient must have a third person present," the man's voice was steady and magnetic, even better than a late-night radio host's. But his words made Abby Simmons' heart tighten instantly.
A third person? Seriously?
No way. Was this going to be one of those drama-like scenarios where she’d open her eyes and see a group of interns crowding around her, all staring at "that place" and taking notes like it was a medical seminar?
The thought made her want to bolt again.
Before she could make a move, though, she felt a cold hand—gloved in rubber—touch the injured spot on her leg.
She flinched, hard.
It wasn't pain. It was more like a tingling shock that sent shivers all the way up to her scalp.
Great. Today, she’d been seen—and even touched—by some random male doctor.
Sure, there was a glove, but wasn’t this still kind of intimate?
Grinding her teeth, Abby tried to mentally talk herself down. It’s just a routine check-up, nothing more. Totally normal. No big deal!
"I know who you are. Legally speaking, there's no conflict of interest between us, so I didn’t bring anyone else in. I figured having a third person here would just make you more uncomfortable."
Wait—what? He knew her?Abby Simmons shivered again.
What did he mean by "no need to avoid suspicion legally"?
Wait a second!
Why did his voice sound so familiar, like she'd heard it before?
Her eyes widened in shock as her hands stayed glued to her face, peeking through the gaps between her fingers.
Dressed in a spotless white coat, he stood tall and straight. A white surgical mask hid most of his face. His sharp eyebrows gave him an air of confidence, and his deep, magnetic eyes drew attention immediately. His long, thick eyelashes hung down with a certain melancholic charm, and his gaze—oh Lord—his gaze was resting on her...
Then he touched her again.
Abby almost rolled off the examination bed!
Even though she'd only met him once before, even though his face was half-hidden, she recognized him instantly.
The man doing her checkup right now was none other than her flash-marriage husband—Alexander Reid!
