A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love (Women's Fiction) Read Online Free Page A

care for Mom now appeared quite dull in the harsh light of reality.
    Still, she and Pam mustered the tact to stand and shake the investors’ hands and thank them for coming. After they left, Valerie sank back into her chair. “Now what?”
    A tinny version of Pink Floyd’s “Money” rang out from Eric’s cell phone. He glanced at the caller ID. “I’ve gotta take this. Back in a minute.” He left the women alone in the conference room.
    Pam crossed her arms and leaned against the table. “We gave it our best shot.”
    Valerie brought her fingertips together like a steeple. “I wonder if we have any other options.”
    “I thought the angel investors were our last, best hope.”
    “Yes, that’s what Eric said.”
    Eric burst back into the room looking eager as a puppy. “You won’t believe this.” His pupils were huge.
    “What?”
    “You know Jack Stenberg? Stenberg Enterprises?”
    Valerie nodded. “I’ve heard of him, sure.”
    “He just called from China. He’s putting together a big deal over there, and that’s why he couldn’t be here today. Anyway, he read your proposal and he loves it. He’s willing to provide seventy-five percent of the financing if you can come up with the other twenty-five, and he also wants a seat on the board. It’s a great offer. I don’t think you should pass it up.”
    Valerie’s mind raced. “I can supply the other twenty-five percent myself.” She didn’t love the idea of having Stenberg on the board, but Eric had warned them that angel investors often liked to play some role in the management of the companies they funded. If that was the only way to get Stenberg’s backing, she preferred the risk of having a nettlesome director over chucking the concept entirely. She stood, squared her shoulders, and looked Eric directly in the eye. “We’ll take it.”
    Eric beamed. “Awesome.” He shook her hand. “I’ll get going on the paperwork right away.”
    Valerie turned to Pam, who seemed stunned. Valerie’s own heart had gone into overdrive. “We’re really gonna do this, Tonto.” They both started laughing, then did a handshake that turned into a hug.
    “Oh, my God.” Valerie shook her head. “I thought we were totally screwed. Let’s go have a three-chocolate-martini lunch to celebrate.”
    “Better make it two. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
    Valerie grinned. “That’s right. We’ve got some hunks to hire!”
    Valerie and Pam launched their hunt for hunks right after the investors’ meeting, thinking their offer of higher-than-typical pay and flexible hours would prove irresistible. But after four weeks of advertising, they still were attracting more skunks than hunks.
    The young man now seated before them in Valerie’s office typified the candidate pool. Smack-dab in the middle of his shirt, he had a stain that resembled an upside-down SUV and almost certainly originated from something deep-fried. Did he honestly think they wouldn’t notice?
    Valerie wrapped up the interview and thanked him for coming in.
    After he left, Pam said, “I don’t know why, but I’ve got this incredible craving for fried chicken.”
    Valerie groaned. “Did that gross you out as much as it did me?”
    “I suppose if we were hiring a chef, it would have been fine. But I have this crazy notion that nurses are supposed to care about cleanliness.”
    Valerie sighed as she leaned back in her office chair, rubbing her temples. “I can’t believe some of these losers. I’m not sure I’d let them scoop my litter pan, let alone draw my blood.”
    “I know. It’s pretty discouraging.”
    Valerie felt a tightening in her chest, but she ordered herself to ignore it. “Well, we found an excellent nurse manager, and we’ll find our Triple-H men, too. We just have to be patient. Who’s next?”
    Pam opened the folder on her lap and took out an application. “Thomas Fontana.”
    “Another nurse?”
    “Yeah. Thomas is an LPN with two years’ experience at