He handed her the chart. "Making calls
to doctors when there's a question about an order or a patient's condition is
standard procedure."
The girl nodded. "Yes, sir."
"By Monday you won't have to worry
about Mrs. Forbes' rules. The new nurse manager will be here."
"If she stays. Mrs. Forbes says no one
else wants the job."
Jeff frowned. Was Delores planning to
blindside her replacement? Even if she succeeded, he'd see she wasn't given the
position. He wheeled and left the unit. In the hall, he collided with his
daughter.
"More gray hairs, Dad. You look ready
to go on a rampage."
"Don't ask. Megan, why didn't you take
the position as nurse manager on my unit?"
When she laughed her golden curls bounced.
"Bad enough my big brother can order me around, but my father . . . .
Please. So what happened?"
"Another incident, and this time it
could have been serious."
"Your handwriting, I bet."
He shook his head. "No matter what it
looks like, I didn't write the order."
"Why don't you print?"
"Don't be a smart mouth. Never learned
how."
She put her hand on his arm.
"Computers will solve the problem. You know most of the units are already
using them? This one should be next."
"I don't have time to learn how to
work one."
"That's right, you're ancient.
Fifty-one in December." Her blue eyes sparkled with laughter.
"They're simple. Just think, you could type your orders, and no one would
complain. You wouldn't have to dictate reports or scrawl progress notes only
you can read."
He shook his head. "Not sure
handwriting's totally at fault. Why would a nurse manager forbid her staff to
make outside calls?"
"To keep them from making personal
calls on hospital time."
"Even to a doctor? One would have
prevented the latest incident."
She frowned. "What are you
saying?"
He shrugged. "Not sure yet. See you at
dinner."
"Won't be there. The gang's helping
Liz move in."
"Who's Liz?"
"The woman who's going to solve all
your problems."The gleam in her eyes alarmed him.
"Megan."
"Dad, she's the new nurse manager.
We're helping her move into Laurel's
house."
"Why Laurel bought that house still puzzles
me."
"To prove a point to my thick-headed
brother." She turned. "Don't you remember Liz? She's one of the
Grantley gang. You talked to her at Laurel's
housewarming."
Jeff frowned. He'd brought ice cream.
There'd been a tall woman with long dark hair. They'd spoken for a few minutes.
She'd seemed shy. "Was she at the wedding?"
Megan shook her head. "She had to
work. Trust Laurel
not to give her friends much lead time."
Suspicions leaped into his thoughts.
"Is this woman married?"
"She's a single mother with
nine-year-old twin sons. She was the oldest member of our group."
"I'll pass on the festivities."
He met her gaze. Spare me from a matchmaking daughter. He refused to be her
next victim. He'd spent eleven years running from women with marriage on their
minds. He didn't need another wife. The one he'd had had been perfect.
"Your choice." Megan backed away.
"I'll give her time to settle
in."
Megan laughed. "So you won't confront
her 'til Monday afternoon." She turned to leave. "You're not the most
patient of men. Just make sure you don't put your foot in your mouth."
He stared after her. What did she mean by
that?
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