Love Contractually

Chapter One

I should have been sectioned. It was crazy to accept this offer. I don't know why I agreed. I mean sure there are perks but this is ridiculous. I can't believe I let this happen again. It's times like this when I wish I believed in a higher power.

This all started two years ago. Everything was simpler back then, even with twenty-four-hour shifts...

***

There's nothing like a borderline expired sandwich and a vending machine coffee to get you through hour sixteen of my fourth whole day shift. With two charts under my arm, I walk to my spot, my room here next to the pharmacy stores.

Through a narrow, unlocked door to a small unused overflow room. There are some collapsed cardboard boxes at the back and three chairs I fixed with some tape. This little room has become my sanctuary, I think it has something to do with the warm lighting, compared to the cold florescent lighting of the rest of the hospital.

"Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes and I'll give you to Linda, so you get charged straight away when I hand you back in." I tell my pager as I walk into the room, gasping as I see someone sat on one of my chairs, his suit-clad leg on another. "Sorry, no one is ever in here." I say as the man stands quickly.

"Who are you?" He asks, straightening his suit jacket out. I frown and take a sip of my burnt coffee.

"You're the one without an ID badge." I frown in response. He cracks a tiny smile, and as the strong taste of coffee wakes me up I focus more on the man in front of me. His hazel eyes are piercing and stoic, but they are warm and inviting when you take the time to look. He is very clean shaven; his skin barely has a shadow, but I can see a grey hair or two in his wavy pushed back hair, cutting the cool toned chocolate colour in a kind of entrancing way.

"Dr Thomas Bridgers." He says and holds out his hand. I frown again, shuffling my arm so I can hold onto the charts and all the rest before I shake his warm hand.

"You don't look like a doctor." I tell him, putting my charts down on the chair he just had his calf on.

"No?" He asks, amused.

"It's staff only down here. Do you have ID?" I ask, getting my pager ready to get security. He chuckles and pulls out the ID badge from his breast pocket. I have to narrow my eyes to read it, but it is there, his credentials are correct, and the issue date... today. "You're new."

"Just finished orientation, first shift is Wednesday." He nods happily. "I'm your new consultant cardiac surgeon." He says. "Is this your hide out?" He asks and leans forward, reading my badge, letting me smell his subtle yet intoxicating cologne. "Dr Hannah Gibbs." He says, my name floating out of his mouth.

"It has been since I started here." I nod. "It's where I come to relax." I say, showing him my packet sandwich.

"Please." He says, showing me the extra chair. I sit down and start eating. I used to hate eating in front of people, but I am too hungry to care. "So, how come I don't look like a doctor?" He asks.

"No eye bags, you're wearing a tie, you look healthy." I tell him.

"I've been working in private for a while." He says.

"That explains it." I say and frown gently. "No Tories in my sanctuary, no matter if they out rank me." I say and smile, making him laugh.

"You're safe with me, Hannah." He says with a small smile, but there's an undeniable seriousness in his tone. "What's the problem with the tie?" He asks. "I'm not seeing any patients today so it's not an infection risk."