The Aries Libra Connection (Opposites In Love Book 1) (9 page)

* * *

Eric let the stairwell door close. She’d responded to his kiss. She’d listened and understood. She’d agreed to come to dinner.

Why did he feel restless instead of elated? Would she continue to flow through his life like an elusive summer breeze? He didn’t want that, but he wasn’t sure how much of himself he could give her. Years of building barriers weren’t leveled in an instant.

The inner discontent sent him back to the car. Maybe Sam could take a break and they could talk. His mind seemed fragmented. Jenessa. The hospital. Bishop and Sandra.

At the Cove, he strode down the hall and paused outside Sam’s office door. Light shone through the frosted glass and he saw someone’s shadow. He opened the door.

Sandra turned. “If you’re looking for Sam, he and Jim are discussing business.”

“And you?”

“Waiting for Jim. Do you have a problem with that?”

“Should I?”

She shrugged.

He crossed to the desk. From the inner office, he heard voices raised in anger. What was going on? Eric lifted the box.

“Does Sam know you’re taking that?” Sandra asked.

“I left it earlier.”

“When you took off after Jenessa?” She smiled. “She’s using you. A foolish mistake if you let it happen. One has to cover their backside.”

“How do you know I’m not?”

She tapped the box with her long, blood-red fingernails. “Choosing the wrong side is stupid.”

Eric’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat?”

“Merely an observation. Maybe your choice doesn’t matter.”

“What does that mean?”

“How long will you keep your position if you keep fighting the man in control?”

Eric opened the door. “He’s only one Board member.”

“But the most influential one.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

When he reached the car, Eric slid the box on the floor in front of the front passenger’s seat. A compromise was needed. If he could convince both sides to find a fair solution, the hospital would win. He shifted into reverse.

Sandra’s warning roiled in his thoughts. When he’d arrived at Eastlake Community, he’d seen the potential for change. He thought of the programs he wanted to implement. Would he have a chance here? Maybe he should seek another hospital before Bishop pushed the Board to fire him.

* * *

The apartment door banged against the wall. Jenessa’s pen skidded across the yellow pad of paper. “Megan, is that you?”

“Who else?” Megan strolled into the kitchen. “You’re the heroine of the day. Why did you disappear? Everyone wanted to talk to you.”

“Would you believe I’m modest?”

“Not for a minute.” As she shook her head, Megan’s blonde curls bounced. “Why is your car still at the Cove?”

“I have a flat tire. Eric brought me home.”

Megan sat on one of the chairs. “Great strategy. The two of you must have settled your differences. What did Bishop say to you?”

“That he’d ordered Eric to date me.”

“And you believed that?” Megan shook her head. “Everyone can see the sparks between you and Eric. What’s Bishop’s problem?”

“He’s a power freak.”

“Is he ever. He and Sam argued about money. Did you know he has an interest in the Cove?”

“Not to mention the bank, the News, the radio station and about every business in town. I bet he was pressuring Sam to vote his way.”

Megan’s eyes widened. “I bet you’re right. Simone is on the negotiating committee. Do you trust her?”

“Yes.”

Megan grabbed the notepad. “What’s this?”

“Slogans for informational picketing. Friday evening from five to seven. Care to join us?”

“Sure, except how late will we be? I’m heading to the city for the evening. Shame you’re working the weekend.”

“Enjoy.”

“I will. So when are you doing these signs?”

“Tomorrow. Keep this quiet. You’re the fifth person to hear. We plan to give the Board a shock.”

* * *

The next morning, Simone arrived at a little after eleven. Jenessa put her friend’s dripping umbrella in the sink. Simone set a bag on the table. “Lunch. Shrimp, crab and lobster. Sure hope it doesn’t rain Friday.”

“Me, too.” Jenessa poured two cups of coffee. “Are you and Sam okay? Megan said Bishop was pushing.”

“We’re fine. Don’t worry about me defecting.”

“If you’d rather not picket…”

Simone crossed her arms on her chest. “No way. I’d like to bash Bishop with one of the signs. He wants Sam to persuade me to vote Claire’s way. And he wants Sam to vote to oust Eric. Guess Bishop’s learned he can’t push our new Director around.”

“Will Sam?”

“Never.” Simone rose. “Let’s get started on these signs. There are some things I’d like to say, but we’ll keep them mellow. What about our other plans?”

“The ad goes in the Thursday paper. The attorney said every member of the hospital Board will receive a registered letter next Monday stating that we’ve petitioned the Labor Board.”

“Maybe Bishop will have a stroke.”

Jenessa groaned. “With my luck, he’d be my patient.”

Chapter 7

Eric sat in his office and made a list of questions he wanted the answers for. Who was Bishop acting for? What did they hope to gain? When had the scheme begun? Where did Sandra figure in the picture? Why was a strike by the nurses so important?

The relationship between Bishop and Sandra spoke of the familiarity of years, not the few months she’d been at Eastlake. Tonight, he planned to stay late and search her office for clues to her past.

When the door opened, he shoved his notebook in his inner jacket pocket. Bishop lumbered into the room. Sandra followed and closed the door. Her black suit and red blouse shouted power. Her angry look warned of coming trouble.

Bishop thrust a newspaper in Eric’s face. “Look what those fool girls have done. Do they think this buzzing like a nest of hornets is going to serve their case? Don’t deny your knowledge about this. You’re practically living in Jenessa’s clothes.”

“What are you talking about?” Eric met the older man’s glare.

“You should know. Spooning and making nicey-nicey doesn’t keep a business running.” He rattled the paper. “Read.”

Eric glanced at Sandra. Her smug smile nettled. He read the full page spread while Bishop stabbed the paper with a fleshy finger. Laughter threatened to explode, but Eric had no desire to further agitate the Board president. The man looked as though he were about to stroke out. His neck veins pulsed and his face bore a dusky hue. Eric couldn’t think of a way to calm the older man—short of a surrender of his own ideals.

“Well!” Bishop said.

“Not the work of the pick-up team you named them.”

“My call exactly. No bunch of little girls know how to play hard ball. You helping them?”

“Hardly.” Eric rested his elbows on the desk. “Didn’t you say you’d like to hire Jenessa? You’d never consider that unless you thought she was savvy.”

Sandra put her over-stuffed briefcase on Eric’s desk. She leaned forward. “Did you read the second paragraph? How can they say we’re not acting in good faith?”

“Why can’t they? They presented what they want in a contract and have been ignored. Sounds like bad faith to me. By the way, where is the contract?”

“Who knows,” Sandra said.

“I pitched it,” Bishop said.

Eric looked at the dark-haired woman. “I understand you kept a copy.”

“Did I?”

He knew what Sam had said. Had his friend been mistaken? “You know, I have the impression some of the Board members aren’t interested in negotiations. If I think that way, how do you imagine the nurses feel?”

“Does it matter?” Sandra snapped. “Why all this concern about their demands? You’re supposed to protect the hospital’s interests.”

Eric pushed his chair back. “I’m a liaison between the Board and the nurses. I believe I was hired because I understood both sides and knew where compromises are possible.”

“Who said anything about compromises?” Bishop said. “That would set them girls sniffing like they found a bottle of French perfume. Look at how many have quit already.”

Eric’s eyebrows lifted. “They might have stayed if conditions hadn’t been made impossible to tolerate. I’ve conducted a study and have found a correlation between staffing patterns and resignations.” He turned to Sandra. “How do you explain that?”

She shrugged. “Better offers? A desire for new horizons? Who knows why they quit.”

“Are you sure you don’t have a copy of the contract?” he asked.

She clutched her briefcase. “Are you accusing me of lying?”

He shook his head. What was she hiding? Was the information he needed tucked in her briefcase? The way she clung to the brown envelope made him think of Jenessa’s remark. ‘Bag lady’.

Bishop cleared his throat. “What are you going to do about this mess?”

“Very little unless bargaining sessions begin.”

The older man stalked to the door. “Stop sitting on both sides of the fence. Choose the right one or you might be looking for another place to sit.” He wheeled and left the room.

Sandra tucked her briefcase under her arm. “I suggest you listen.”

Eric stared into the hall. Had his lapse at the Board meeting created this mess? He believed in negotiating. With a few compromises from both sides, the problem would be settled. Except, Bishop had set up roadblocks.

Once again, he questioned his sanity. He took out the letter from University Hospital that had arrived the day before.

“You’re invited to submit your resume as a candidate for the position as Director of Nursing.”

Would he? University Hospital had a reputation for innovative nursing. The position was a prestigious one and called for an idea person. He had ideas but the city setting and the power politics were a minus. He felt torn between a desire for prestige and the challenge of making changes here.

He reached for a sheet of paper and jotted ideas for a letter of resignation. Why did this decision make him feel uncomfortable? He nodded. How could he leave when the problems he’d come to solve remained? He crumpled the paper and tossed it in the wastebasket.

* * *

Jenessa entered the break room and took her lunch from the refrigerator. Pam looked up from the paper. “I didn’t know we were taking an ad.”

“We wanted it to be a surprise.” Jenessa opened her sandwich.

Pam grinned. “Try an electric shock. Did you guys consider who’d be receiving the shock?”

“Sure did. We need a prod to goad the Board.”

“What else have you planned?”

Jenessa shrugged. “This and that.”

“Hey, I’m not prying. I think you’re doing a great job.” Pam rose. “You should have seen Claire’s face blanch when she saw the paper. How did you keep this quiet?”

“She missed the meeting.”

Pam laughed. “That’s one way. See you later.”

Jenessa read the paper while she ate. When she finished, she headed to the desk and the ever present paperwork She heard Eric’s voice and her body hummed. She half-rose. If anyone knew how Bishop had reacted to the ad, he would. When she saw Sandra and Bev follow him into the nurse manager’s office, she sank back in the chair.

“Mrs. Robertson.” The nasal voice of the unit clerk caught Jenessa’s attention.

“Yes.”

“Admitting just called. You have to move a patient to make room for one that just arrived in the Emergency Room.”

“None of mine.”

Mrs. Sikes turned in her chair. “You’re wrong. Just this morning, Dr. Carter said there was nothing more to be done for the Greene boy. I’m sure you heard him. I’ll let Admitting know.”

“You’ll do what?” Jenessa pressed her hands against the counter. “There’s no transfer order.”

“So get one.”

“I have meds to give.” She rose.

“Do it now. They’re in a hurry.”

The tone of the woman’s voice made Jenessa grind her teeth. “Make the call and transfer it to the med room.”

“His nurse will yell about interrupting his office schedule.”

“Then have Bev call.” Jenessa paused in the med room doorway forcing the heavy-set woman to swivel her chair.

“She’s in a meeting. I can’t disturb her.”

“Then do your job and stop wasting my time.” Jenessa closed the med room door. The woman’s refusal to cooperate was becoming a problem—one for which there was no answer. Not as long as her niece was nurse manager of the unit.