Free Turn It Up by Inez Kelley Page B

“I’m sure they’re doing it just to irritate you. Why don’t you go down to the lab—?”
    “Did it.”
    “Go flirt with Suzanne then.”
    “Did it.” The skinny Pakistani man wheeled his chair to the counter, trying to peer at the laptop over Bastian’s shoulder. “What’re you doing?”
    “Trying to read. The show got a bunch of email hits last night, and I want to go through some before Charlie sees them. I, for one, am glad we’re slow. It’ll get busy enough soon.”
    Rav’s eyes narrowed in disgust. “I can’t believe you’re getting married again. Hell, Talbot, you and I were the last bachelors left in the ER. You’re leaving me hanging.”
    Fingers gliding over the mouse pad, Bastian shook his head with a grin. “You’ll adapt. Besides, in two weeks, I’m out of here anyway.”
    “And that, too. You’re abandoning me here. Mark my words, you’ll get bored in a month.”
    Bastian’s scoff was loud. The urgent care facility, a combination of doctors’ offices and emergency care, was his idea of perfect. Not the steady doldrums of nine to five but without all the hassles of emergency medicine. Major trauma would always go to the ER. But the UC would be the stop for those who needed help after business hours, but not life-threatening aid. High fevers, stitches in busted lips, a housewife’s accidental run-in with a paring knife. Diverse enough to engage his mind, calm enough to breathe. The thought of having people look to him as their doctor for more than a few hours appealed. He wanted to get to know his patients more, identify them by more than their injury. The UC offered him a chance to be a regular doctor without wasting his training.
    “No way. No more twelve-hour shifts that bleed into fifteen. No overnights. No schedules from hell. No more getting slammed on Friday nights when the bars close. No more fighting for lab reports or Radiology slots. Only on call one weekend a month, home every night by midnight, and I get to have regular practice hours twice a week. Real patients, Rav, the ones you see more than once.”
    “Like I said, boring.”
    His eyes slid to his eager friend. Rav Bushani had more energy than ten Energizer Bunnies. If he wasn’t chasing nurses, he was a damn fine doctor. If he wasn’t doctoring, he was a damn fine flirt. “Why don’t you move to a bigger city? Then you’ll never get bored.”
    Rav held out his hands. “What? And leave all this? Never.” Sparkling white teeth shone against his dark skin before he pointed to the computer screen. “So what’s the general public have to offer in your quest for the luscious Ms. Honey’s hand in matrimonial bliss?”
    “Some very strange ideas.” Bastian blew out a sigh. The plan seemed like a good one but despite the influx of advice, little was of any real use. “One woman suggested I just kidnap her, take her to the mountains and have my wicked way with her, destroying her reputation. She obviously doesn’t know Charlie at all.”
    “Hey, wicked ways are always a winner with me.” Rav laughed, pointing to the screen. “What’s that one marked ‘super hot’?”
    “That was directed at Charlie in her endeavors to seduce me. Let’s just say it involves handcuffs and hot wax. And I’m deleting that sucker before she sees it.”
    “Why? Could be fun.”
    Bastian spent a few minutes reading more suggestions, growing more frustrated by the minute. Although most were nice and romantic suggestions, they weren’t right. Nothing stood out as saying “you are my everything.” There were a few that made him grimace, a few to Charlie that made him blush and still others that made his stomach lurch in revulsion. Those he deleted, feeling dirty. People were twisted.
    The base station sitting on the counter toned twice and a hurried voice hailed the ER. Both Bastian and Rav swiveled their heads, as if looking at the speaker could relay the ambulance information faster. Overshadowing the deep voice were the