and the United Network of Organ Sharing didn’t care who Kyle was. Placement on the list was prioritized on who got on the list first.
There were other people waiting for a heart and lung transplant. Kyle was at the top of two lists, one for the heart and one for the lungs. He had to have both at the same time from the same donor.
At least the left ventricular assist device would stabilize Kyle while they waited. By the time her kidney had failed, dialysis had no longer worked for her. At least kidneys could be donated by a living donor.
You could live with one kidney.
Flo always had.
Her stomach twisted as she thought of that, because her time was so uncertain. She’d had this kidney for fifteen years now. How much longer until she was on her sickbed? On dialysis and waiting for another transplant?
Another precious gift so she could go on living?
Which was why she had to continue to live life to the fullest.
“Going somewhere, Dr. Chiu?”
Drat.
She turned around to see that Nate had followed her out of Kyle’s suite. “I’m going to schedule our surgery.”
“I’m so glad you said ‘our’ surgery.”
Flo rolled her eyes and he fell into step beside her. “Really, I can handle this surgery on my own.”
“I know you can, but what would be the fun in that?” Nate asked, his scowl changing into a teasing smile.
“Trust me. It’s fun.” She grinned back at him and he chuckled. He had a gorgeous smile, perfect white teeth against that tanned face. There was a faint scar that ran through his eyebrow and another on his chin.
Definitely a jock.
“So where can I get set up with a pager and scrubs? I wouldn’t mind an office, either.”
“You’re not asking for much, are you?” Flo remarked.
“Well, if I’m going to be here a while I would like to continue my research.”
“Research? What’re you researching or is that a secret?”
“No. It’s no secret. I’ve published several papers on regenerative tissues as well as robotic and mechanical devices to prolong organs and life while waiting for transplants.”
Flo was impressed. She’d never read any of Nate’s papers, but the premise was interesting.
“Well, if you’re looking for a place to set up shop then you would have to talk to Freya Rothsberg, but she’s gone home for the evening.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to her in the morning. I don’t have to talk to her about getting a pair of scrubs, do I?”
Flo laughed. She couldn’t help it. The jerk was charming. She pointed to the OR charge desk, where a nurse sat behind her desk and was electronically entering patients’ details onto a vast surgical board. “No, just speak to that OR nurse and she’ll point you in the right direction.”
He smiled again, one that made her melt just slightly, before he headed off to get scrubs. She admired his well-defined backside as he strode away.
Don’t think about him like that.
Flo had no time for romantic inclinations, because the one time she had and Johnny had found out that she had a chronic kidney disease because of her time in NICU, he’d run in the opposite direction, breaking her heart. He had crushed her completely. It was easier to guard her heart than have it mangled by someone you thought you loved and who loved you back. She’d bared her most intimate side to Johnny, but the moment he’d seen her scar, the game had changed. Attraction had been replaced by disgust and fear. Even pity.
So Flo had given up on the notion of love. Which was probably why she was still a virgin at thirty.
She didn’t need it. Besides, if she involved someone else in her life they would tell her that her bucket list was crazy and no one was going to dictate to her how she was going to live her life. She’d been given a gift when she’d been given that kidney and she wasn’t going to spend the rest of her life like she’d spent her childhood, wrapped up in cotton wool by two well-meaning but overprotective parents.
No, she was going to live her life to the fullest, until her donor kidney failed and she’d go back on the list again. When she was waiting she’d have all these amazing memories to think about and not have any regrets if she died while on the list.
And no man was going to get in her way.
Not even the all-American hottie she had always pined for.
* * *
“Suction, please,” Flo said.
“With pleasure.” Nate suctioned around the area where Flo was working. Usually he was the one giving directions about suctioning or retracting, but instead he was the one on the other side of the table from the lead surgeon and it made him grind his teeth just a bit.
At least Flo had let him into her OR, because she was correct—she had every right to tell him to take off. She was the head of transplant surgery, he was just the patient’s doctor from out east. Nate was very aware that he was in Dr. Flo Chiu’s territory.
Scrub nurses and residents alike all respected and admired Dr. Chiu. Even though he should be bitter about the fact that she was working on his patient, he couldn’t help but admire her surgical skill. Her tiny, delicate hands handled the heart with precision as she carefully sutured in the device. A device that would allow Kyle to live a bit longer.
“It’s amazing how this can sustain his life,” Nate remarked.
“Yes. It is. Medical research such as yours, Dr. King, is definitely valuable.”
“You know, for a long time LVADs couldn’t be used on children or women.”
“I know, Dr. King.”
“I know you do, Dr. Chiu, but maybe some of your residents in this room can tell me why LVADs couldn’t be used on women and children in the past.”
Flo shot him a look. “There are no residents here. The Hollywood Hills Clinic isn’t a teaching hospital. All these surgeons are transplant fellows.”
“Well, a fellow still has to learn under a seasoned surgeon.” Nate glanced around the room. “Come on, someone has to know the answer.”
“Would someone answer Dr. King, please? And maybe after this Dr. King would stop subjecting us to his pub quiz on cardiothoracic surgery.”
There was laughter and Nate had to laugh to himself, as well.
Oh, she’s feisty.
He liked that in a woman. Strong and not afraid to stand up for herself.
Flo wasn’t afraid of much.
“The LVAD device was too large for the chests of women and children, that’s why it couldn’t be used on them in the past,” a surgeon finally said.
“Right, thank you.” Nate turned back to Flo. “See, this is why I’m doing my research and maybe this young doctor here would like to assist me while I continue with my research here in Los Angeles.”
“Thank you, Dr. King,” the surgeon said, stunned.
Flo shot him another look that said, Are you kidding me?
“I never questioned why you were doing your research, Dr. King. I admire it, but since Mr. Francis here will be stabilized, albeit bound to this hospital with his LVAD, maybe you could return to New York. I’ll let you know when UNOS has a heart and lung ready for Mr. Francis.” Flo continued with her work.
“Ah, but that’s the thing. They won’t be calling you, Dr. Chiu. UNOS will call me. I’m the one who put Mr. Francis on the transplant