“That wasn’t nice,” Reed said as he stood next to Erika, watching the crew disappear over the side of the mountain.

She shrugged, looking far too pleased—whether with her performance or having won the battle of wills with him, Reed wasn’t sure. “Hurts less when they don’t expect it.”

* * *

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, unexpected nostalgia overwhelmed Erika as she entered the hospital’s emergency room. Sure, she worked in a similar environment every day, but this place was special, embedded deep in her psyche. Even the smell of the iodoform awakened memories of visits to see her father when he’d worked here years before.

Her love of medicine had started the first time she’d walked into Wild River Community Hospital. At six years old, she’d felt the energy and excitement of the fast-paced emergency room, enjoyed the quiet, comfortable silence of the nursery and sensed the passion and dedication of the doctors and nurses. Every day after school, she’d beg her mother to drop her off at the hospital to do her homework in the doctor’s lounge, and she’d take every opportunity to annoy the doctors with her thousands of questions whenever they’d come in for a break. They marveled over her interest and her ability to retain what they taught her.

Most children hated hospitals, but she loved her afternoons there. The best part was when her father would let her go on his rounds with him. How he was with his patients and the way they looked at him with admiration and respect had made her feel such pride, even at a young age. Back then he was a real-life superhero.

She’d wanted to be just like him.

Maybe she should have waited in the search and rescue van.

“Are you the doctor who set the shoulder?” a young physician asked her as they approached the triage desk.

She nodded. “The fractured clavicle—yes.”

The doctor, whose name tag read Ford, checked the chart he held. “Right. I just have some paperwork for you to sign.”

“Paperwork?”

“Releasing the hospital from any complications that could arise based on you setting the shoulder on the mountain instead of waiting for the patient to come here.”

There wouldn’t be any. She could have set that clavicle anywhere, but she understood. She reached for the clipboard.

Reed frowned next to her. “Wait. The patient authorized her to do it and he was a lot better off for it.”

The young doctor shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. I’m sure it’s fine, but it’s procedure. I’m sure you can appreciate that, Dr. Sheraton.”

He recognized her?

Wasn’t a complete surprise. She had given several presentations to the Anchorage Hospital Association regarding the new antirejection drug the year before. And her father’s reputation as a top surgeon in Alaska had a way of shining light on her and her career, as well.

“It’s no problem. I’ll sign it.” Truth was, she hadn’t really been thinking about procedure on the mountain...or the search and rescue’s policies and standard operating. While she’d done what she thought was best for the skier in the moment, she’d overstepped.