The Doctor She Should Resist
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Amy Ruttan
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PROLOGUE
HAZEL REES WAS FURIOUS, but she was trying to keep it under control. This was not St. Raymond’s fault, rather it was the doing of a greedy board of directors.
She knew how they all worked.
When she and her best friend, Bria, had applied to open their birthing center across from St. Raymond’s hospital, the chief of staff, Dr. Victor Anderson, had been so supportive.
Then the city planning commission had slapped them with a whole bunch of red tape, which had delayed them.
And the reason?
St. Raymond’s board of directors had concerns about the Multnomah Falls Women’s Health Center even existing. Not the staff of the hospital, just the board, and Hazel knew that the new chairman of the board, Timothy Russell, had friends at city hall.
Politicians were corrupt, as far as she was concerned, but she and Bria had come too far now to let anyone stand in their way. This whole thing was ridiculous.
It was a complete waste of time, and now they were here at this tribunal to see if the city would even approve of them opening at all. Their reason was some idea about being in direct competition with the hospital, because it was apparent that the hospital’s bottom line was more important to the board of directors than providing great health care to Portland’s pregnant women.
As far as Hazel was concerned, why else would they be here?
All the work on their birthing center had just stopped, and they were forced to plead their case in front of the city commissioner.
Bria reached out and squeezed her hand, as if sensing she was angry.
Bria was far calmer than she was.
Which made sense.
Hazel’s father had always said she had rather a fiery temperament. She had never believed him, until now, sitting here, waiting for the hospital representative to come in and give their report.
On what, exactly, she didn’t know.
All she knew was that the hospital representative was late.
Which ticked her off all the more.
The door opened.
“Sorry I’m late,” a male voice said.
Hazel turned and was taken aback by the gorgeous, albeit frazzled-looking man who’d walked into the tribunal room.
He was probably the most handsome man Hazel had ever laid eyes on.
He had a mop of well-tamed dark brown curls, with a sexy bit of silver at the temples. The well-tailored and expensive suit he was wearing showed off an impressive set of broad shoulders. There was an air of dignity around him and she wasn’t quite sure what it was, but he made her heart go pitter-patter.
It had been some time since she was so instantly attracted to a man.
Not since Mark, in fact.
She thought she’d learned from that terrible mistake. She tried not to look at the man, but she couldn’t help herself.
What was wrong with her? She needed to focus.
Get ahold of yourself. You’re in a crucial meeting!
“I take it you’re the representative from the hospital?” the meditator inquired.
“Yes. I’m Dr. Caleb Norris, the head of obstetrics at St. Raymond’s.”
Bria glanced at Hazel and leaned over. “I thought Dr. Anderson was the head of obstetrics?” she whispered.
“No. He’s the chief of staff. The head of obstetrics wouldn’t speak to us before because he was too busy.”
So this was the man who had no time to speak to them, according to his secretary and his residents.
Seems he had found time to speak against them, though!
“And you are here on the hospital’s behalf, Dr. Norris?” the mediator asked again, for the record.
He nodded. “Yes. The board of directors said you required facts, and I have the data necessary for your inquiry relating to births in this area and in the state.”
“By all means, Dr. Norris,” the mediator said.
“Thank you.” Dr. Norris pulled out a chair and took a seat at the table, right across from Hazel.
Their gazes met; his blue-gray eyes pierced her to her very soul. It caused her stomach to do a flip, but she folded her hands carefully and straightened her spine, meeting his cool look with a lift of her eyebrow.
His eyes widened, as if surprised to see her. And there was suddenly a spark, a twinkle warming his gaze that made her cheeks heat and a zing of electricity flow through her. Like she had been struck by something.
Focus. Keep calm.
He looked away, clearing his throat as he shuffled papers.
“Dr. Norris?” the mediator asked.
“Yes. Sorry.” Caleb put down the papers. “I lost my train of thought there for a moment.”
Hazel smiled in satisfaction that he seemed to be a bit discombobulated by her.
Good.
It would bode well in their favor if he struggled to get his point across.
“My board of directors asked me to tell you the percentages of births, etcetera, that come through St. Raymond’s and why our hospital is vital to the area and can more than handle the needs of the community.”
“Our midwife clinic is also vital,” Hazel interrupted hotly.
Bria grabbed her wrist as if to silence her.
Dr. Norris’s eyes narrowed as he glared at her.
“Yes, I am already aware of your projected figures,” the mediator stated. “I am interested in Dr. Norris’s facts, his proven figures, if you please, Ms. Rees. Yours are not fact yet.”
Hazel subsided and nodded. “Of course. My apologies.”
“Dr. Norris, please continue,” the mediator said.
“Thank you.” Caleb stacked his papers. “Last year we had eight maternal deaths, two hundred and eleven infant deaths, and there were one hundred and thirty-eight neonatal births and one hundred and fifty fetal deaths. That is, of course, in the whole county, not just St. Raymond’s. Out of forty thousand births in the state, the county had nine hundred live births, and four thousand patients came through our doors. Multnomah is a large county. We do see the majority of the state’s births, but there are other hospitals and other midwives in this county.”
“Thank you, Dr. Norris,” the mediator said. “There’s a lot to consider and to take to city planning. We’ll adjourn and meet again in two weeks.”
Hazel was fuming, but she got up and left the tribunal room. Everything was going to be delayed again.
It was so frustrating.
She followed Bria outside.
“Why didn’t they bring in a midwife with an established clinic too?” Bria asked. “The mediator said our numbers weren’t fact yet, but an established midwife would have those proven numbers.”
“Why didn’t they ask a pregnant woman about her comfort of care either?” Hazel groused. “You and I both know there’s a huge demand in this area of the city. A lot of women don’t want a hospital birth.”
“Some women don’t have a choice,” a stern voice said behind her.
Bria took a step back to answer a phone call that came through, so Hazel was alone to fight this battle against Dr. Norris and she crossed her arms. “I’m well aware of that. Still, it would have been good to have had a pregnant woman’s perspective. As head of obstetrics, I would think you, of all people, would agree.”
“I do agree, as it happens, but the board of directors simply asked me to present the figures and I have done so.”
“Births are more than just data,” Hazel said, bristling.
His blue-gray eyes narrowed. “Look, I’m not your enemy.”
“No, but you represent people who wish to deny women access to having a choice in their health care. Not all women want a clinical birth. Some prefer a more holistic approach.”
“Hardly denying access.”
“Our center opening is being delayed, thus you’re denying access.”
“And as I’ve already explained to you, that isn’t my fault. I will not stand here and continue this discussion, Ms. Rees. I have patients to see. Good day.”
He turned to walk away.
Hazel scowled.
Why did the good-looking ones always have to be so stubborn and so prideful? So prickly.
She only hoped that when this all blew over, when their birthing center finally opened, she could work with Dr. Norris if she had to.
Right now, she wasn’t so sure she could.
That fiery temper her father always teased her about suddenly kicked in as she glared at his retreating figure. It took a lot for her to keep her cool, especially when she was so passionate about something and the center was her and Bria’s whole world.
She couldn’t let him walk away.
Hazel might regret it, but as they were opening their center across from St. Raymond’s, she planned on working with him in the future. Therefore, this discussion was far from over.
She marched after Dr. Norris and darted in front of him.
His eyes widened in shock again, as if no one had ever confronted him before.
“Madam, please...”
“No, I don’t think we’re quite done talking about this.”
“I beg to differ.”
Hazel cocked her eyebrow. “Do you now? Well, I beg to differ too.”
A small, brief smile quirked his lips and his eyes narrowed. “Is that so?”
“We’re going to have to work together.”
“Are we?” he asked. “I thought you were opening a birthing center not starting a job at St. Raymond’s.”
“You’re being a bit pedantic.” She was so infuriated with him, and she had to keep reminding herself that it was all for the benefit of the center, finally realizing Bria’s and her dream. She could deal with the likes of Dr. Caleb Norris for that.
Can you?
“I am being pedantic? I thought our discussion was over. As I said, I have patients to see. I’m a very busy man.”
“Yes, you made that very evident when Bria and I came to speak with you. Your secretary made it quite clear when you wouldn’t even deign to grace us with your presence.”
“As I have stated, I have a lot to do...” He tried to sidestep her, but she was having none of that.
“You’re not the only one who has better things to do, Dr. Norris. Do you have any concept of what you’ve done here today?”
He looked confused. “I presented the facts and figures that my hospital’s board of directors asked me to. What’s wrong with that?”
“They’re the ones who are trying to stop us from opening,” Hazel said, hoping she wouldn’t burst out crying, which was what she always did when she got as angry as she currently was.
“I don’t think that’s what happened here. Your center will open.”
“It’s being continually delayed. Your report today, your lack of willingness to confer with us so we could explain things to you has done irreparable damage. Do you even care about women’s health at all?”
There was a flash of pain across his face and Hazel flinched, cursing her temper under her breath. She didn’t mean to attack him like that, and she instantly regretted it.
“That was unfair,” she said. “I know that you do care...”
“Yes,” he said absently. He wasn’t looking at her, but she could see the hurt still etched in his face and the air of vulnerability that suddenly cloaked him, and she couldn’t help but wonder why he was so pained.
That’s not your business.
“Our birthing center will give women more choice, which can only be a good thing,” she said calmly.
“I understand.” His eyes were cold now, and he could barely look at her. “You do understand my information was not a personal attack on your center, don’t you? I was merely doing my job.”
“I get that,” she said with a sigh.
“You would do well to do the same, Ms. Rees. As you say, we’ll most likely have to work together in the future. Perhaps, for now, we should go our separate ways before we say anything else we might regret.”
“Agreed, but Bria and I could really use your support. It would be nice to know that you respect a woman’s right to choose her own health care.”
His lips pressed together in a firm line. “I always do respect that decision, but what I wonder is, will you accept that same choice?”
“What do you mean?”
“If a woman chooses to have a, as you put it, clinical birth, will you stand by her decision? Will you stand in the way of the hospital doing its job?”
Hazel crossed her arms. “I’m kind of insulted you are insinuating that, Dr. Norris.”
“Tit for tat, Ms. Rees. You assumed the same of me.”
Damn. He had a good point.
“No, I wouldn’t stand in the way. I meant what I said. I want us to be able to work together in the future.”
He smiled, slightly, but she could tell that his feathers were a bit ruffled still. “That remains to be seen. Good day, Ms. Rees. Again.”
This time she didn’t try to stop him. She stepped to the side and watched him walk away. She had overstepped her bounds a bit and she regretted it, but there was a lot at stake here.
She and Bria had worked so hard.
What she had to do now was swallow her own hurt pride, her temper, and just focus on the next steps to get their center approved and opened. She had to believe that the board of directors at St. Raymond’s wouldn’t keep trying to put a stop to it, even though there was a part of her that was worried they would.
But one could live in hope, right?
