Benson Michael K. DA - Orthopaedics: the principles and practice of musculoskeletal surgery and fractures

Fracture

Written by:

KL Hughes

Copyright 2013 KL Hughes

Original Source by KL Hughes

Kindle Edition Build 4/15/2013

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a newspaper, magazine, or journal.

This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, brands, names, and events portrayed, referenced, or mentioned here are products of the authors imagination and/or are used fictitiously.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to those who love through diversity, who love through opposition, who love through pain, and who love through oppression. Love is a precious gift, a gift that knows no definition and does not discriminate. Love is beyond race, nationality, political affiliation, religious affiliation, age, and gender. Love is free, as are those who love freely.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

The day was dragging horribly, every hour creeping by like a century. The slow tapping of the tip of her pen against the black metal and glass desk easily managed to lull Leigh into a hypnotic daydream of rhythmic tapping and the steady swooshing sound of the printers on the 8 floor. She stared blankly up at the black and red rectangular clock on the wall, mentally willing it to jump ahead six hours so that she could fly out the door, hit the coffee shop on 16, down a delicious vanilla mocha latte with a blissful shot of caramel, and be walking through the crimson sliding door to her loft within minutes. She hadnt slept in what felt like a year, but really had only been around 32 hours. Shed tried to sleep the night before, but there was no bargaining with her overly active brain, which insisted she finish the last seven chapters of her latest not-so-masterful masterpiece. It would undoubtedly need a lot of work, but still, she couldnt help the flutter of pride in her gut for finally having finished the manuscript that had tormented her for three years now. The swooshing sound of the printers suddenly somehow lost their perfect timing with one another and the upset in rhythm broke Leighs trance just enough to pull her eyes away from the clock.

Jesus, does anyone here ever stop printing? She groaned to herself, leaning her plush office chair back as far as it would tilt, rubbing a quick hand down her face before sliding it through her long, heavy, light brown locks, and cracking her neck to both sides in an attempt to wake herself up.

Well, it is a publishing company, Leigh. What do you expect? the familiar voice answered her loudly, which literally surprised Leigh enough to cause her to push back too far on her already tilted chair, sending her tumbling backward and crashing into the floor, legs flying into the air with reckless abandon.

Fuck! She let out a loud expletive as she tried to pull herself out of the awkward bundle of limbs that the fall had twisted her into. The loud, boisterous laughing from the doorway was enough to piss her off and amuse her all at the same time. She pulled herself back up to her desk, grabbed her stress ball, and chunked it at her friends head before bubbling over into a laughing fit all her own.

You are such an ass, J, Leigh exclaimed as she walked over to the open doorway of her office and pulled her friend into a tight embrace. The 6-foot-3, slim yet muscle-bound figure of Jared Patel met her embrace with a tight squeeze before leaning back and planting an affectionate kiss on her lips.

Yes, I know this, but thats the only reason were friends, now isnt it? J countered with another laugh. He sauntered past her to take the seat in front of her desk, setting a large, steaming coffee cup that she hadnt noticed him holding before, down on her desk.

Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you, Leigh groaned out as she greedily grabbed the coffee, planting another kiss on Js cheek before making her way around the desk, picking up her surprisingly unbroken office chair, and carefully settling herself into it. She cradled her gloriously caffeinated coffee to her chin, inhaling the scent, before nursing out a few heavenly sips. Mmm, vanilla mocha latte with a shot of caramel, she thought as the familiar flavors delightfully assaulted her tongue. J knew her almost better than she knew herself.

You should, sweetie, said J, because you are not going to believe what else I got you. He arched a perfectly tweezed eyebrow at her, trying his hardest not to let the slow upward curl at the corners of his mouth give away the surprise. Leigh stared at him curiously for a moment, before their pinpoint silent communication kicked in, sending her jaw slamming into her chest as realization took over.

No, you didnt! Shut up, you didnt! She exclaimed, any ounce of exhaustion she may have had oozing out of her as she put her hands up to cover her mouth in shock, suddenly wide awake. When? How? What did he say?

Girl, yes I did, J answered, his grin finally breaking across his lips as he momentarily shoved aside his signature air of class and elegance for a sheer diva moment that this particular occasion was incredibly deserving of. We had a morning mandatory yesterday to go over the tour dates for Westins new thriller series, and afterwards, I approached Brad about your manuscript. I simply told him that I had a brilliant new work from a new author that I thought was worth taking the time to check out. I thought he was going to shut me down at first. You know how he hates taking on breakouts, and he had that horribly sour look on his face, but then I reminded him of the favor he owed me for hooking him up with Janice at last years Christmas party, so he agreed to look it over.

Wow, Janice mustve really rocked his world, Leigh teased with a brilliantly wide, sparkling white smile.

Girl, you know she did. She may be poised in person, but shes a freak in the sheets, at least, according to the many late-night conversations weve had in the office, he responded with a snorting laugh.

Oh my god, J, Leigh sighed out, her heart thumping excitedly in her chest. I cant believe Brad is actually going to read my manuscript.

Correction, J chimed in. Brad has already read your manuscript.

What? You said you just gave it to him yesterday!

I know what I said! And Im telling you again, hes already read it. He apparently read it last night.

That book is over 500 pages long!

Thats what I said when he told me, but then I noticed the entirely unflattering black circles eating at his already wrinkled eyelids, and asked if hed slept. He said he was up all night reading your manuscript. Couldnt put it down.

Leigh could feel the tears stinging at the back of her eyes as her skin tickled and itched all over. Excitement and anxiety flushed her ivory flesh, painting the exposed portion of her chest a tender pink that rose up her neck to her cheeks and ears. J leveled his gaze with hers, the tears in his own eyes bubbling to the surface. Their glassy stares locked on each other as he nodded his head.

He wants to sign you, J said, his voice cracking a bit as the tears crested and rolled over his eyelids at the same time as Leighs broke free. They both jumped up from their positions and locked into another powerful embrace. J danced Leigh around in their embrace, both of them crying and laughing and practically shouting their excitement. This was really happening.

Leigh had finished that manuscript six years ago, before she ever even got her job at Capner Publishing Company. Shed sent it to several publishing houses in the past and had received more rejection letters than the corkboard in her studio apartment had room for. After a while, she put her beloved manuscript on the shelf where it sat untouched, collecting dust. A year later, shed gotten an entry level job at CPC, and within two years had worked her way up to an executive office position, making six figures a year. It had been incredible really, and now, surreal, to have suddenly gone from slumming it in the city in sweatpants to stomping the sidewalk in four-inch heels and thousand-dollar suits. At that point, she knew she most likely could have gotten someone at CPC to read her manuscript and maybe even publish it, but she knew that when she finally did get it published, she didnt want anyone to think that shed gotten there through favoritism within her own company.