Grace Under Pressure

Chapter Two

As I sat in the hospital cafeteria, I decided to be nice to J.D. and bring up his leave request with Jordan... mostly because it would divert her attention away from the truly grotesque story she was telling about her passionate weekend with some Arab sheik when she was in college.

"J.D. asked me to talk to you about his leave request because the board meets tomorrow." I interrupted her graphic description of a sexual position that, as a doctor, I wasn't even sure was humanly possible.

"The little man already asked me." Jordan waved her hand dismissively. "I told him I'd take care of it but that he and Barbie owe me their first born child."

The scariest part of this was... I wasn't totally sure if she was joking or not.

Jordan eyed me over her sad, dressing-less salad that looked like it belonged in a rabbit cage. "J.D. also said that Perry told you not to ask me... that's why he did it himself."

"And?" I asked as I took a bite of meatloaf that I'm pretty sure didn't contain any actual meat and grimaced.

"None of the other residents would dare go against Perry." Jordan shook her head.

Why was the older woman looking at me like I was an interesting patient case study?

"J.D. was asking me for a personal favor. Dr. Cox has no control over what I do in my personal life." I shrugged as I grabbed my Coke to wash down whatever the bloody hell I had just eaten. I had no clue what a human corpse tasted like (because I'm not insane) but I'm pretty sure I had the aftertaste in my mouth.

"Maybe he should," Jordan said as casually as if she were discussing the weather as I spit my soda at her.

"Sorry," I said passing her a napkin to dry off with. "What the hell are you on about?" I asked as she wiped the sticky concoction from her way too made up and botoxed face.

"Perry NEEDS a woman in his life so that he's less of a miserable asshole." Jordan rolled her eyes. "But he can't be with just any woman. He needs a strong woman who won't put up with his crap... and, you know, won't cheat on him. I never mastered that last one." She shook her head like her infidelity was no big deal. "You totally fit the bill."

"You're completely nutters." I laughed. "He's my boss... and I doubt very much that he's interested in me like that." This was the strangest lunch date that I had ever shared with a friend. Trying to set me up with her ex-husband, really?

"There's no policy against doctors dating residents and you have brown hair, brown eyes, and little something going on up top." She stared pointedly at my chest that I suddenly felt the need to cover with my arms even though I was fully clothed.

"Just because I fall into the general category of his type, that doesn't mean anything," I scoffed.

"He's not overtly cruel to you, he actually listens to your medical opinion, and he calls you 'Gracie Face', a nickname that, while childish, isn't downright insulting." Jordan ticked off on her fingers. "Does he treat any of the other interns or residents like that?"

I slowly shook my head as I realized that Jordan was right. Even J.D., Dr. Cox's protege didn't get treated as kindly as I did.

Jordan smirked before snapping her fingers. "Oh!" she said as though she had just remembered. "There's another reason why I think Perry's attracted you..."

"Which is?" I asked against my better judgement.

"He told me that he was and asked me to fix you guys up."

If I had been drinking anything in that moment, my beverage would probably be decorating the far right wall of the cafeteria. Dr. Mad McHottie (my secret nickname for my boss) fancied me.

"And I noticed that you didn't once in that little argument deny that you are attracted to Perry."

Her grin was pure evil in that moment. How did I get myself into this situation? I groaned and let my head fall to the table to rest on my red plastic tray.