Page 8 of Heartbeat Harmony (Hearts in Hawthorne #2)

Chapter

Four

A utumn swallowed nervously as the door opened.

It wouldn’t be Nancy Nichols, the administrative assistant who had greeted her and given her a bottled water, seating her in this conference room not five minutes ago.

No, it would be Dr. Eli Carson, the man she had spent time with yesterday after their auto accident.

The man who would decide if she lived and worked in Hawthorne. Or not.

He paused in the doorway a second, maintaining his composure. She would have expected nothing less.

After their encounter yesterday, Autumn had Googled Dr. Carson and learned that he had run the largest ER in Houston for several years. No one did that kind of job and became rattled, even with the odd situation they found themselves in.

She rose and extended her hand. “Dr. Carson. We meet again.”

He took it. Once more, Autumn felt her heart flutter at the contact, angry that it did so. She couldn’t be attracted to the man who potentially would be her new boss. She wasn’t even divorced yet and had no intention or interest in seeing anyone after it was finalized, casually or otherwise.

And definitely not her boss.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get your name yesterday,” he said lightly, shaking and releasing her hand, then taking a seat at the head of the table.

She had thought that would be where he would sit because a file folder had been placed in front of the chair, along with a bottle of water.

She had taken the seat to the left of his chair and took it again.

“I apologize for not offering it. I think I was more rattled by the wreck and the airbag releasing than I first thought. We both were concerned about our cars and how to proceed. If you recall, you didn’t introduce yourself either.

” She paused. “You did give me your card. When I saw the familiar name, I should have said something right away. Things moved quickly, though. I made my calls. You made yours. Then you figured out I was having trouble with the dust released from the airbag and rushed me into the ER.”

Autumn hesitated. “By then, it almost seemed too late to tell you who I was and that we had an appointment scheduled together this morning.”

“Is that why you didn’t let me drive you down to DFW to pick up a new rental?”

“Yes. I wanted everything to remain professional between us. Frankly, I didn’t want to be beholden to you for such a huge favor, even though it was incredibly kind of you to offer to do so.

I’m sorry the accident happened, and I’d like to put it behind us so that we can proceed with this interview. ”

She gazed directly into his eyes. “I am very interested in the position, Dr. Carson. Usually, I am excellent in a crisis. I supplied the names of three references when I applied for the job, and they will tell you that I handle situations in a professional manner and think quickly on my feet, pivoting when I need to.” She hesitated.

“I’m sorry you saw a very bad side of me yesterday.

I raised my voice to you. I didn’t treat you with the kindness I normally do others.

That was wrong of me. I want you to know that’s not who I am, the out-of-control woman you saw yesterday. I hope we can start fresh now.”

Autumn watched him processing what she had to say.

Obviously, this man already knew too much about her, and it wasn’t from her resumé.

She had admitted to him her husband had cheated on her, something she was terribly embarrassed about.

She’d also lost her temper, something she rarely did.

Other than yesterday, she couldn’t recall the last time she had raised her voice, much less reacted in anger.

“I think we can do that, Ms. Ferris.” He opened the folder and began skimming it.

“Would you please address me as Ms. Sutherland? Or even Autumn?” She felt the blush heat her cheeks.

“You already know I’ll be granted a divorce next week.

I plan to petition the court and go back to using my maiden name.

I want to be known as Autumn Sutherland at my next job, whether it’s with Hogan Health or at another hospital. ”

“I see.”

He continued to look through the file, and she recognized her resumé and transcripts, as well as recommendation letters she had requested be emailed to Dr. Carson when she had applied for the job.

She was afraid to look directly at him, so she surreptitiously studied his long, tanned fingers as he turned the pages.

He remained silent as he perused everything, and she wondered how many others had applied for this particular job.

Then he closed the file and gazed directly at her. “Tell me why you would be a good fit a Triple H.”

She frowned a moment, and he added, “That’s what I’m calling the place. Hogan Health Hawthorne seems like a mouthful. It’s my little nickname.”

Autumn smiled at the admission. “I like it. It’s catchy.

People in Hawthorne will like it, too. They are more than ready to have a medical facility in town.

I know because I’m originally from Hawthorne.

I graduated from Hawthorne High School—Go, Hawks—and my parents still live here.

Mom is the head librarian at the public library, and Dad is the superintendent of Hawthorne ISD, so my roots run deep within the community. ”

She paused, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been on the Hogan Health site to familiarize myself with the corporation’s policies and how they run their healthcare network.

” Autumn smiled ruefully. “That’s why I was in the parking lot yesterday when we literally ran into each other.

I wanted to go inside and check out one of Hogan’s hospitals in person.

Little did I know I would experience it from the ER as a patient. ”

Dr. Carson looked perplexed for a moment, and then he burst out in laughter. She joined in, feeling much more at ease now.

“I’ll be honest, Ms. Sutherland. I’ve been going through a lot of applications in the two months since I was hired on as the medical director.

I’m trying to put a top-notch staff into place, and yours stood out.

I had already decided to offer you a position before you walked through that door.

Your credentials are exceptional, and when I made a few phone calls to confirm my opinion of you, I was a little envious of how your past co-workers showered you with praise. ”

He paused a moment. “But I want to go by the book. Why should I hire you? What’s not in this paperwork that I don’t know about you?”

Confidence filled her now. “First, I’ve held the position of charge nurse at a large hospital in Houston.

I would need no training in that regard.

I know how to manage a nursing staff and coordinate patient care and oversee the day-to-day operations of a department so that both workers and patients are in a safe environment.

I’m excellent when it comes to delegating, and I read people well, so I can evaluate a person’s strengths and weaknesses.

Based upon my impressions and experience, I know how to get the best work performance out of a fellow professional. ”

Now, she was on a roll. “I like employing a personal touch—a hallmark of Hogan Health—so not only do I oversee admissions and discharges of patients, but I make certain I rotate with other nursing staff to provide bedside care and get to know our patients and help guide their progress. Many charge nurses are more about the paperwork. I’m efficient and organized and can do that while also seeing to direct patient care. ”

By now, she had his full attention, and he studied her with interest. “Keep going.”

“Because of my people skills, I am able to make critical decisions on everything from resource allocation to patient assignments. I have an innate sense for how a unit should operate. I’m the point person, so I collaborate with physicians, first and foremost, but also with other department leaders and staff.

I fight for my staff, making certain there’s adequate staffing in my unit and a good nurse-to-patient ratio—another hallmark of Hogan Health.

I’m familiar with designing a schedule and rotate it so no one gets stuck with multiple shifts they don’t enjoy. ”

“Hogan Health looks for employees, especially in this type of leadership position, who are flexible,” he said.

“That describes me,” she said enthusiastically.

“I’ve been in the trenches long enough to know how fast-paced a hospital environment is, Dr. Carson.

As a charge nurse, I have to be a problem solver and have excellent decision-making skills.

A situation can turn critical in seconds, whether it’s a patient’s health taking a turn for the worse or a conflict between staff members.

I exercise good judgment and stay on top of things. ”

She smiled. “And despite flying off the handle yesterday, I can keep my composure in a crisis. I believe I’m open and fair-minded and staff members will come to me if they need something or see a need that I can do something about.

Hogan Health is known for implementing evidence-based protocols to ensure the best patient outcomes.

They also promote a culture which values collaboration and communication.

They value proactive employees. I would be a valuable, contributing member to the Triple H team, and I hope you will give me your full consideration. ”

Dr. Carson had already told Autumn he wanted to hire her. With everything she had just related to him, her gut told her that she was guaranteed to land this charge nurse position. She wondered if she might be given a choice as to the unit she would work with.

He set down the pen he’d been holding, one which he hadn’t used to take a single note. Having read about him and learned how quickly he had finished his schooling and medical training, she wondered if he had an eidetic memory.

“You have your heart set on being a charge nurse?” he asked.