Playing Doctor: A Central West End Story Read Free Page B

glanced over at her and nodded hello. Smiling back, she noticed he was plugged into his iPod like her, rather than listening to the morning news shows. News programs seemed to focus on the bad side of living in a large city: the murders, robberies, and other crimes. For once, Annie would like to hear about the kids' club who cleaned up the park last weekend or the quilt show coming up at the fairgrounds. Two months into big city life and a part of her was already yearning for home. Or at least something smaller than this. She shook her head. Winter doldrums, that’s all it was.
    In a few weeks she’d be out on the miles of running paths in St. Louis’s Forest Park. Circling the duck pond, or the zoo, or even jogging the hill to the art museum, she craved the diversity the park offered. Honestly, the location of the hospital to the park across the street was a major factor in why she chose to accept this job offer rather than the one from a competing hospital. The other offer had been a little more money and she would have been assigned a department immediately. But in the end, the proximity of the park had won her over. Then to find an apartment this close to the hospital and the park? Now that was luck that she could believe in.
    Even if it did mean she had to share it with Troy. She smiled as she ran. Some would tell her living with a hot doctor made her lucky too. However, sometimes, like right now, it just made her sweat. His sister thought the guy walked on water. She glanced over at Troy. He was hot enough to make her rethink her plan to stay away from men, at least for another three years until she finished her advanced degree. Almost. She punched up the speed on the machine. She could run off her frustrations. It had always worked in the past.
    The timer on the treadmill beeped. Thirty minutes done. Annie glanced around the gym but besides the hot Greek god running next to her, no one was in the room or waiting for her machine. She punched another thirty minutes into the timer and focused on the Broadway songs blaring in her ear. She didn’t have to report to her new boss until nine, so she had plenty of time.
    Ten minutes later, Annie was lost in thought when a burst of air hit her face. The large floor fan was rotating and Troy was doing his best to move it away from her. Pausing the treadmill, she hopped off to help.
    “The button’s right here.” Annie crouched down beside him, and stopped the fan’s rotation. 
    “Sorry for interrupting you.” Troy stood back, watching her with the fan. 
    “No worries. I have some time before I have to report today. I finally got my permanent assignment.” Annie frowned; why was she telling him this?
    “Cool. Where will you be working?” Troy pulled the ear buds out of his ears and walked back to his treadmill.
    She was just about to answer when Gretchen popped her head into the room. “My two newest and favorite residents.”
    “Gretchen, so nice to see you. How’s your day starting?” Troy turned up the speed, obviously not concerned about Gretchen’s answer.
    “Not as energetic as the two of you.” Gretchen watched Annie start up her treadmill again. “Everything working out with the apartment?”
    “Fine and dandy. All we have to do is not kill each other for ninety days.” Troy flashed Annie a smile. 
    Gretchen’s eyes widened and she took a quick glance at Annie. She saw Gretchen drop her shoulders in relief when she realized Troy was kidding her.
    “Everything’s fine, Gretchen,” Annie called out. 
    “Let me know if you need anything,” Gretchen called back as she skittered out of the room. 
    “She probably lives under the assumption that if she didn’t hear anything, it’s not real.”
    Annie shook her finger at the man running next to her. “You almost gave the poor lady a heart attack. I don’t think Gretchen knows funny.”
    “That’s what makes it even funnier.” 
    “Did you get the pile of marketing brochures to give our