Chapter Two

Jason's first instinct was to laugh, but the sound stuck in his throat when he looked up to meet the icy stare of Vincent Maloney.

There was no mistaking the anger in Vincent’s piercing blue eyes. Jason muttered under his breath, “Oh, hell! Of all the people in the hospital to have a mishap with, it just had to be Vincent. He had privately nicknamed him Doctor Cold, a reflection of both his cold demeanor and Jason's own exhibition for immature humor.

“Shit, sorry! Jason blurted, rushing to help. He extended a hand, but Vincent ignored the gesture, pushing himself off the ground with a scowl.

“Are you okay?” Jason asked, his tone wavering between genuine concern and an attempt to stifle another laugh.

Vincent’s response came as a growl. “You’re a train wreck, Miller.”

In the eleven months they had worked together, Vincent had never once called Jason by his first name. Jason doubted he even knew it, despite the ID badge clipped to his scrubs. Vincent snatched the frosting-streaked plates off the ground, throwing them into Jason’s hands with barely concealed disdain.

Jason grimaced as he surveyed the damage. Vincent’s lab coat was the major casualty, now sporting a purple frosting stain, but his light blue shirt and black tie hadn’t been spared. He watched as Vincent impatiently tossed his dark hair out of his eyes, a stark contrast to his controlled persona.

Vincent balled up the ruined lab coat, his tone sharp as he snapped, “Watch where you’re going next time. What if you ran into a patient?

Jason bit back the urge to point out that they were in an employee-only section of the hospital. Instead, he offered a quick, “You’re right. I am sorry. It was safer to play nice, even if every fiber of his being wanted to remind Vincent that he had not been watching where he was going either.

For a brief moment, Vincent’s gaze dropped, lingering just below Jason’s mouth. The moment was fleeting, but Jason saw it. Before he could understand the meaning, Vincent stepped around him to retrieve his tablet from the floor, his movements stiff with irritation.

Jason glanced down at his own hands, now smeared with frosting. Great. As if he didn’t already look like enough of a fool, now he was coated in evidence of his foolishness. By the time he looked up, Vincent was already walking down the hallway, his ruined lab coat held at arm’s length as if it were radioactive.

Jason hurried to the nearest restroom, his embarrassment only intensifying as he tossed the ruined plates into the trash. Standing in front of the mirror, he took record of the situation. Purple frosting smeared across his short beard made him look like some deranged birthday party guest. Grabbing a handful of paper towels, he scrubbed at his face with a groan.

The man in the mirror stared back, looking every bit of thirty and then some. There were faint lines around his brown eyes and a weariness in his expression he didn’t want to examine too closely. Running a hand through his very messy black hair, Jason sighed. He wasn’t about to let one incident, or one grumpy doctor ruin his day.

After freshening up, he returned to the break room, determined to salvage what was left of his shift. The pediatrics floor had undergone a festive transformation during his brief absence. Lights twinkled along the nurse’s station, and a tiny artificial Christmas tree stood proudly at the counter’s edge, its colorful ornaments were a cheerful contrast to the otherwise clinical setting.

Jason had barely begun reviewing patient notes when Vincent reappeared like a storm cloud on the horizon. His new lab coat and scrub top made him look no less imposing, and his expression was as cold as ever.

“Have we gotten the lab results back for room 12?” Vincent demanded, his voice sharp.

Jason suppressed an eyeroll. “Let me check.” He tapped at the keyboard, avoiding Vincent’s piercing gaze. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the faint stain of frosting on the edge of Vincent’s scrubs, a small victory in an otherwise miserable interaction.

“When you get the bill for your shirt , Jason said lightly, “let me know. I’ll cover it.”

“It’s not necessary,” Vincent replied curtly.

“It’s the least I can do,” Jason insisted.

“I said it’s not necessary,” Vincent repeated, his tone edged on irritation.

Jason opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. Instead, he reported, “The lab results aren’t back yet.”

Vincent’s scowl deepened. “Why not? I put an urgent order on them.”

“I can follow up—”

“Do that,” Vincent interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. With that, he turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Jason to glare after him.

Back at the nurse’s station, Bella came up beside Jason, her face a picture of exaggerated sympathy. “Doctor Maloney strikes again?

Jason snorted. “He’s a real ray of sunshine.

“Have you ever seen him smile? Bella asked, clearly amused.

“Not once. I’m convinced he’s partly a robot.”

Bella laughed, then nudged Jason with her elbow. “You should write a manual: How to Survive the Ice King. You would make a fortune.

Jason chuckled, the tension easing slightly. But as he headed toward the lab to track down the test results, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Vincent Maloney than the cold exterior he so carefully maintained.

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Author’s Note:

What do you think Vincent is hiding behind his icy demeanor? Share your thoughts below.