Suddenly Single Sophie

Purely as a friend, of course.

As if sensing Sophie was watching him, Will glanced at her as he slowed, approaching a corner.

‘What’s up?’ he said, crinkling his brow in a frown.

Nothing that your amazing smile won’t fix.

‘I’m concerned about Brad.’ Which she had been before she’d become distracted by the enigmatic man sitting next to her. She continued. ‘What sort of life does he lead? What’s in store for him in the future?’ She paused to take a breath, aware she had Will’s full attention. ‘How can a fourteen-year-old shoulder the responsibility of being the primary carer for his mother? It should be the other way around.’

Will accelerated around the corner and Sophie recognised the street where the clinic was located. ‘All valid concerns.’ He sighed as if the weight of the whole world’s problems rested on his shoulders. ‘He seems to have shut the real world out and replaced it with a virtual one, I’m afraid. I’m at a loss as to how to help him.’

‘Would it be okay with you if I tried to talk to Brad?’ Sophie knew it was an impulsive offer, and any support she gave would be a drop in the ocean compared to the Farrises’ hardship, but the boy seemed so isolated and withdrawn. She wanted to do something positive for Brad and Bella.

‘You’d have nothing to lose because I’ve got little to offer him at the moment.’ Will looked almost as weary as Bella. ‘Maybe twelve or eighteen months down the track …’

His voice trailed off, as if he’d started a conversation he didn’t want to finish, but Sophie was interested.

‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s a long story.’

‘I’m not in a hurry.’

He rewarded her with another of those charismatic smiles, apparently surprised she was interested.

‘I’m in the process of trying to get a youth-focused community centre up and running.’ Will parked on the road, a block away from the clinic. ‘See, over there?’

Sophie looked in the direction he was pointing. On the far side of a sports field a building of about the same vintage as the clinic stood neglected at the end of a weedy driveway. Several windows were broken and the parts of a low front wall that weren’t hidden by metre-high weeds were covered in graffiti. It had a chain-link fence around it, displaying a ‘DANGER KEEP OUT’ sign.

‘Looks like it’s ready for demolition.’

Will’s scowl suggested he didn’t agree.

‘That’s exactly what the council wants, but they haven’t got the resources to replace it. Since they closed the place down about a year ago they took away the one place local kids, like Brad and his mates, could hang out without getting bored and up to mischief. But if it’s up to bureaucracy, it’s unlikely to happen.’

Will tapped his fingers on the steering-wheel and for the briefest moment he looked desolate. Why was finding the fate of a rundown old building so painful?

‘So what’s going to happen to it?’

‘I’m trying to save it.’

‘How?’ Will was a man who seemed to have an insatiable need to take on projects that most people would discard into the too-hard basket. Surely he had enough to do, looking after the health needs of Prevely Springs, without taking on their social problems.

Will revved the engine and pulled out onto the road.

‘The cost of renovating and refurbishing is much less than a new build, especially if the skills of local people could be utilised. I’ve submitted a plan to the council and …’ His sigh suggested he wasn’t overjoyed with their response. He focused his attention on traffic as he indicated to turn into the clinic.

‘And …?’

He parked and turned off the engine.

‘To cut a long story short, they wanted detailed plans and costing to present to the building committee and if they approve it goes to a general meeting. But—’

‘Go on.’

‘The wheels of local government turn slowly. It’s unbelievably frustrating. Three months down the track, I’m still waiting for approval. But what’s turning out to be a bigger problem is that the planning department tells me I’m going to have to show the community can raise funds for half the cost of renovating a very old building that the council think is only fit for demolition.’

‘Before they give approval?’

‘That’s right.’ The smile was gone and Will looked despondent.

‘So it’s not going to be a help for Brad and kids like him any time soon.’

‘No.’

Will reached into the back to get Sophie’s bag, a signal that the conversation was over. But Sophie wasn’t about to be put off.

‘How much?’

Will could no longer disguise his disillusionment.

‘An impossible amount.’

‘Nothing’s impossible.’ Sophie knew about fundraising for the sort of amounts that would be impossible if you depended on cake stalls and bring-and-buy sales. For some of her mother’s friends, raising large amounts of money for charity was a very acceptable occupation.

‘How much?’

‘Two hundred thousand dollars.’

‘Oh.’

‘An awful lot of money.’

‘Yes, I can understand the problem.’

But not impossible.

Sophie didn’t want to labour the point when she had nothing tangible to offer. In Sydney in the same situation all she’d have to do would be to ask her parents to help. Her father would pull strings and know all the right people to ask for financial backing. And her mother revelled in organising high-profile events for charity. It helped that it was fashionable to donate to philanthropic worthy causes in certain circles.

But Prevely Springs was nothing like the eastern suburbs of Sydney. She doubted the community would even be considered worthy, let alone high profile enough to get the desired publicity that usually went with large donations.

Someone she hoped she could help, though, was Brad.

‘Can I go with you on your next visit to Bella Farris and I’ll try to break the ice with her son.’ At least she could attempt to break down some barriers with the withdrawn teenager.

‘Sounds great,’ he said, and the expression on his face changed to one of appreciation. Sophie felt a real buzz in response to her boss’s approval. ‘No harm in trying, but don’t expect too much. You might end up disappointed.’

Then Will promptly changed the subject, ending their conversation about Bella and her son and the future of the derelict building on the next block.

‘You must be keen to see the flat.’

At the thought of a comfortable bed, Sophie felt sudden overwhelming tiredness.

‘I guess I am.’

‘It’s only a short drive to Sabiston. You can follow me.’

‘Okay.’

Sophie glanced across at Will, who was concentrating on changing stations on his car radio. His face was blank. What was going on in his head? What impression had her unconventional intrusion into his life made? Their lives were so different. He appeared to be a very private person, not bound to convention or what people expected of him.

She could live with that.

Then she thought of Bella and her introverted son and realised how small her problems were in the grand scheme of things. She felt humbled and even more determined to make a go of it.

CHAPTER THREE

SOPHIE followed in her own car as Will headed west towards the coast. The scenery transformed as soon as they crossed the railway line. Grey-slabbed roadside pavements and graffiti’d walls of grubby corner shops made way for expansive, grassed road verges, quiet streets lined with jacaranda trees and suburbs dotted with slick shopping malls.

Sophie hit the brake pedal as Will indicated to turn into the narrow driveway of a two-storey block of about a dozen art deco flats clustered around a neatly kept garden and a small brick-paved car park. The neighbourhood reeked of old money and good taste.

The surrounding residences were large and palatial without being ostentatious. The neighbouring property was a prime example—a rambling old house with an immaculately kept grassed tennis court and a garage nearly as big as Sophie’s old flat back home. It reminded her of her parents’ house in Manly.

She eased the car into the last remaining resident’s space as Will climbed out of his car and walked across to open her door.

‘I just need to collect the keys.’ He gestured in the general direction of the neighbouring house. ‘Do you want to meet your landlord?’

‘Okay.’

‘He’s a colleague of mine and we went through medical school together. Andrew Fletcher. He’s one of the top cardiologists around town.’

‘He must be doing well for himself,’ she said.

‘Yeah, I guess so.’

Sophie deduced they weren’t great friends. She couldn’t be sure but she thought there was a hint of bitterness in Will’s voice, though he didn’t seem the type to be jealous of those better off than him. They walked silently up the long drive to the front door. Sophie noticed the camera above them as Will rang the bell. A gravelly voice grated through the intercom. There was the sound of several other people talking and laughing in the background.

‘Will, I was expecting you earlier. We’re round the back by the pool. Let yourself in the side gate and come and join the party.’ The camera swivelled like a giant reptilian eye. ‘And great to see you’ve brought such a gorgeous-looking friend.’

‘Party?’ Sophie was confused.

‘I knew nothing about it. I just told him I’d call in to get the keys some time this afternoon.’

Will opened one side of a pair of heavy wooden gates and then he politely followed her through to the party where they were greeted by a man Sophie assumed to be Andrew Fletcher.

‘So you must be my new neighbour? How delightful to meet you.’ The bare-chested man still dripping from the pool briefly glanced at Will before holding out his hand to Sophie. His grip was a little too firm and he held her hand a little too long. ‘I’m Andrew Fletcher. Sorry—I didn’t catch your name.’

He had the lean, muscular build, dazzling blue eyes and classically honed features of a Hollywood movie star. Looks designed to catch any woman’s eye—and he knew it.

He was eerily like Jeremy in both looks and manner, and the similarities made Sophie feel uncomfortable. She glanced across at Will, hoping for some indication from him as to whether to take this larger-than-life show pony seriously. Will’s expression suggested he disapproved of the man’s blatant flirting as much as she did.

‘Sophie. Sophie Carmichael.’ She desperately tried to stop her voice trembling but didn’t quite succeed. To her surprise, Will responded to her uneasiness by moving close, grasping her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

‘Great to meet you. I hope …’ his fleeting look in Will’s direction barely acknowledged his presence ‘… you both will come and at least have a drink with me and my friends.’

Andrew’s manner tripped a switch for Sophie and she felt nauseous. She couldn’t control the sudden churning in her gut as his roving eyes played havoc with her emotions. She wanted to tell him to back off, but she didn’t want to offend Will or his friend.

‘The party’s only just starting to warm up,’ he said with a grin.

She liked the man less with each word he uttered.

This stranger was a double of Jeremy, and she had a sudden compulsion to leave before the nagging nausea in her gut got any worse.

It was then he must have noticed Will’s protective gesture. Obviously not used to being rebuffed, Andrew leaned close, his breath smelling of seafood and alcohol.

Without thinking what she was doing, Sophie shrank away from Andrew and snuggled a little closer to Will. His body felt warm, strong, secure … and sexy. He made her feel safe, cared for, protected … in a way Jeremy never had.

Whoa … What on earth had come over her? He was her boss. They’d known each other barely a couple of hours and were merely acting out a charade of being more than colleagues.

She pulled away and stole a quick look at Will’s face and saw a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

‘Sophie and I have other plans, haven’t we?’

He was rescuing her. It was as if he had read her mind and had decided to play the knight in shining armour.

‘I … er …’

‘Well, you are a dark horse, aren’t you, mate?’ Andrew winked and slapped Will on the back in a misguided gesture of friendship. He’d added his own interpretation to their show of intimacy.

Will also recoiled from the man, and his grip tightened on her hand in a subtle indication of new-found solidarity. Andrew prattled on, completely unaware of the undercurrents between the two of them.

‘I had no idea.’ Andrew’s attention firmly focused on Will, the look on his face bemused but curious. ‘How long have you two—?’

‘We met years back.’ Sophie interrupted, trying to think quickly and say something that wouldn’t exaggerate the untruths. ‘And Will has kindly offered me a job for a couple of months at a time when I need to get away from Sydney.’ She attempted a look, implying that was all the information she was prepared to give.

‘Ah. I see. Will’s playing the good Samaritan.’

Will’s free arm found its way onto Sophie’s shoulder and his facial expression turned into one of exaggerated concern. She was relieved when he finally spoke.

‘We appreciate the offer. Perhaps another time.’ He hesitated, sending Sophie a look. ‘So if we could just get the keys …?’

‘Okay, I’ll be five minutes,’ Andrew said as he loped off towards the house.

‘What was that all about? For a minute there I thought you were going to faint.’

Will dropped Sophie’s hand and stepped back from her, folding his arms across his chest. He looked as confused as she was. His tanned cheeks were flushed and the understanding in his eyes a moment ago had turned to bewilderment. She could already tell he was a man who liked his world to stay in a predictable orbit, but Sophie was as surprised as Will at her reaction to Andrew Fletcher.

‘It’s difficult to explain,’ she finally said.

‘I’d like you to try.’

‘It’s just …’

‘What?’

How could Sophie explain her reaction? Why she’d needed such a dramatic out from Andrew’s advances? He reminded her so much of Jeremy—charming, handsome, generous, rich, but not capable of fidelity—it was scary. In the end, Jeremy’s unfaithfulness had been their undoing.

When had he fallen out of love with her? The fact that he might never have loved her had left Sophie feeling totally gutted. She’d been used—put on display like an expensive accessory and then discarded when he’d become bored with her and traded in for a new model.

Andrew was cast in the same mould.

But all men weren’t animals … Not if her instinctive reaction to Will’s kindness was anything to go by. It made it even more difficult for her to explain her impulsive behaviour. She figured she had nothing to lose, though, by telling the truth.

‘He reminded me of my ex.’ She couldn’t help the grimace.

‘Oh.’ Will seemed uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was headed. Too much information? Too personal?

As Will dropped his arms to his sides Andrew walked through the French doors.

Grabbing Will’s hand again, Sophie said in a pleading voice, ‘Do you mind? He’s coming back.’

Will smiled, apparently with renewed understanding and what Sophie thought was a hint of empathy. ‘Just this once, but after we leave here—’

‘I know. I’m sorry. I owe you for this.’

Andrew returned at that moment, handed over the keys to Will and grinned.

‘I’ll let you two go off and get reacquainted, then.’

He waved them off, then added as his eyes did another quick but obvious head-to-toe appraisal of Sophie, ‘Remember I’m next door if you need anything.’

‘I’m sure she won’t,’ Will said brusquely as he put the keys in his pocket.

What on earth was it about Sophie Carmichael that had made him behave in a totally irrational manner? wondered Will.

They walked down the driveway of Andrew Fletcher’s house, Sophie’s hand still enfolded in Will’s protective grip. She offered no resistance and he was reluctant to release her cool, tense fingers. He knew he should. Sophie was probably thinking he was taking advantage of her vulnerability.

But it felt so natural, comfortable … and so sensual.

Oh, God.

What had happened to his well-ordered life?

Will had totally lost his bearings. His day had started out simply enough. Not surprisingly, he’d been tired. It had been a busy week and ‘tired’ seemed to be his default setting these days. The usual Saturday morning at the clinic, demanding work, but nothing he couldn’t handle, had been predictable.

It had been after morning surgery, when Sophie Carmichael had crunched, strode and then nudged herself into his life that his world had tilted on its axis.

In the space of a few short hours she’d roused the full spectrum of his emotions. He’d tumbled through frustration, amusement, impatience, confusion and … desire.

Desire? He’d almost forgotten it existed.

‘That went well,’ Sophie said as they reached the end of Andrew’s drive.

‘You think so?’

Will reluctantly released her hand and dragged his mind back from what was turning into a totally unachievable fantasy. Thank heaven she had no idea what he was thinking.

Sophie smiled. The comment was probably her way of saying how uncomfortable the encounter with Will’s colleague had been for both of them. Will already had an idea what made this fascinating woman tick. She was naturally intuitive, dangerously unpredictable, and seemed to act at times solely on impulse.

And he liked it, he grudgingly admitted.

She’d also shown good judgement in her reaction to his successful, good-looking colleague. Andrew normally had any pretty woman he set his charismatic sights on under his spell in less than five minutes.

But not Sophie.

‘You’ve obviously known Andrew for a long time but … and I might have got the vibes wrong … you don’t seem to be best mates.’

She was dead right. But what could he say? He could hardly burden her with the traumas of his past.

‘You’re pretty close to the mark. But I didn’t mean to—’

‘No need to apologise. If he’s anything like my exfiancé …’

The words stuck in her throat and her cheerfulness drained away as rapidly as the healthy colour in her cheeks.

Will felt totally at sea. Talking about problems on a personal level, especially with a woman, wasn’t something he did. At least, not outside his consulting room. What was the point? It wouldn’t make what had happened all those years ago go away.

But Sophie looked so dejected, as if she carried deep sadness inside. He couldn’t just jump into his car and drive away without showing he cared. And, much to his surprise, he did care. A lot.

‘Andrew and I haven’t got much in common now. Our career paths diverged years ago and I guess we’re both busy with all our commitments.’ He cleared his throat. ‘Er … what was it about Andrew that reminded you of your boyfriend?’

They were approaching Sophie’s flat and Will rummaged in his pocket for the keys. He stopped on the doorstep and waited for Sophie’s reply.

‘Um … it’s difficult to explain.’ Her eyes lost focus for a moment but then she continued. ‘I thought he loved me but it turned out …’ She swung her gaze back. The pain was there in her eyes, hot and cruel. ‘It turned out he was a first-class bastard.’

It only took a moment for a rampant blush to flood her face and she began to stutter. ‘N-not that … um … It’s not that I think your friend …’

There was no way Will would use the word ‘friendship’ in the same sentence as Andrew Fletcher after what he’d done. But Sophie didn’t need to know that. She had her own demons to deal with.

‘I mean, Andrew might be a nice guy … It was just a gut feeling … I’m sorry.’

Will felt awkward, not quite sure what to say. He wanted desperately to comfort her, offer reassurance, but he’d been out of the social scene for so long … Giving her a hug was probably totally inappropriate, and he certainly didn’t want her to think he was cast in the same mould as Andrew. He respected his women friends and had decided long ago if he ever embarked on a serious relationship again it would be for life. And that certainly wasn’t going to happen any time soon. The baggage he carried was too heavy to share.

To disguise his discomfort he unlocked the door, and the heaviness of Sophie’s mood lifted.

‘There you go,’ he said, stepping aside. ‘Furniture’s basic, but you should have everything you need. I’ve left some supplies that I hope will keep you going until you have a chance to go shopping. There’s a deli—you probably saw it as we turned in from the main road …’

He still stood on the threshold, but Sophie had waltzed in and in two short minutes claimed the place as her own. She’d opened the kitchen blind and exclaimed at the quaintness of the small private garden on her back doorstep. She’d sat on the couch and plumped the cushions before smelling the small spray of freesias he’d put in a sauce bottle on the tiny gate-leg table in the corner.

‘Did you do this?’ she exclaimed as she opened the cupboards and then the fridge.

Youth and happiness, untarnished by life’s encumbrances, glowed on her face. The mood was contagious and Will wanted the moment to go on for ever.

‘I guessed what you might need. Don’t worry about throwing things away. Just give the non-perishables back to me if they’re unwanted.’

‘No. Everything’s perfect. I love it.’

She was back in the doorway, reaching out for his hand again, but this time like an excited child. ‘What are you standing outside for? Come in. The least I can do is make coffee.’

Damn, he had a meeting with a builder.

‘No. I have to go. I—’

Her expression changed. Was it disappointment?

‘Oh, of course. You’re a busy man and you must have commitments on the weekends.’ Her eyes were questioning. He was sorry how quickly Sophie’s mood had changed. ‘I’m sorry to have taken up so much of your precious leisure time. I’m sure your family …’

What leisure time? What family?

Lately nearly all Will’s time away from the clinic had been consumed by his efforts to get his pet project off the ground. Any sort of social life was out of the question and he had no family demanding his attention. Will’s heart clenched shut at the memory of the family he’d once had.

The family he’d lost, the family he’d failed … the family he’d destroyed.

And now … The residents of the Springs had infiltrated his life to become his kin. He’d long been aware that the older generation who had known his grandparents kept a watchful eye on him. And the young—the children of his adopted extended family—were the driving force behind his desire to do everything he could to give them the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Could he ever repay his family?

He’d long ago realised the neighbourhood he’d been brought up in was the only place he felt truly at home. He’d be asking too much to expect Sophie to understand, her background being so different from his.

‘No need to worry about family commitments. I’m unattached—no rug rats keeping me awake at night.’ He feigned cheerfulness to disguise his loneliness.

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