The Doctor's Baby Secret

He’d worked hard for this. Focused hard to finally get to wear the uniform he’d always wanted. He’d snapped a quick pic to send to his mum and dad. That had been around fifteen minutes ago—by now, his mother would have printed out twenty copies to give to all her friends.

All the instructors were standing in front of them. Everyone in the room knew Frank was missing. He’d found a handwritten note from Corrine in his mailbox this morning saying Frank was doing as well as could be expected. His hand slipped into his pocket and he touched the piece of paper. She’d used a purple pen. It had made him smile. Kind of quirky.

Corrine looked tired this morning. She had dark circles under her eyes and he wondered if she’d stayed at the hospital all night with Frank. She was wearing her obligatory dark suit and a pale pink shirt. And because he was sitting in the front row the scent of her perfume was drifting towards him. It was light, but not quite floral, something more vanilla. The kind of scent that made you think something was good enough to eat.

Adam Bailey cleared his throat. ‘Guys, I’ve been where you are. I know how proud you all feel right now and I want you to know that we recognise your achievement of being selected. There were over six thousand applications for the Astronaut Candidate Programme this time around. It’s not an easy process to go through—we all appreciate that. But the time for celebration is over.’

He pressed his finger down on the desk in front of him. ‘Now is the time for hard work.’ He looked around the room. ‘Your Astronaut Candidate Training will include scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in International Space Station systems, Extravehicular Activity—EVA—robotics, physiological training, T-38 flight training, water and wilderness survival training and medical training. If you can’t already do it—you’ll have to learn to speak Russian. And your training will be in a variety of settings. You’ll be in Kazakhstan and in Russia. You’ll be in the Aquarius research station in Key Largo. You’ll be in the desert. You’ll be in the jungle. And you’ll log more hours in the neutral buoyancy lab than you’ll want to.’

He turned towards Corrine and the rest of her team. ‘You’ll already know which doctor has been allocated to you to work with you through your training. These people will get to know you better than you currently know yourself. Use them. Work with them.’ He turned back to the candidates. ‘While I’d love it if you all ended up in space, the simple fact is that some of you won’t. Medical issues can crop up. Life can get in the way. Your focus and commitment is essential to your success in this programme. I expect you all to do your utmost to fulfil your dreams.’

The person next to Austin started clapping. There were a few seconds of awkward silence before others joined in. The surge of pride went through him as he looked around. God willing, in a couple of years’ time he could be spending a few months in space with these people.

The ultimate goal.

He looked along the line of instructors. Three of them had been astronauts. Some were doctors. And others were experts in the types of technology they’d use aboard the space station. Every one of them had something to teach him.

So why did his eyes keep going back to the tired blonde on the platform?

CHAPTER FOUR

CORRINE SMILED AS she stood at the side of the training pool. She liked early mornings. It was her favourite time. Sipping her coffee as she watched the sunrise was always her favourite part of the day.

There was something so calming about watching the smudges of orange and yellow emerge from the distance. She lived only a few miles from the base in an old clapboard-style house with its own front porch. She’d even managed to find an old rocker for her porch and drank her coffee there every morning. It grounded her. The last eight years had been hard—all driving towards her goal of working at WSSA. Once qualified she’d worked as an emergency medicine specialist for a few years before studying Aerospace Medicine at Dayton, Ohio for two years. There had been no time for fun, no time for relationships and no time for socialising.

At least that was what she told anyone who asked. It seemed simpler.

She didn’t want pity. Her first experience had been with a guy much older who had treated her badly. She’d learned quickly—the hard way. She’d escaped with a promptly placed bottle to the back of his skull and vowed never to let herself seem vulnerable again. A few years of self-defence classes had taught her everything she needed to know. Everything had to be on her terms. And every relationship after that had been. Trouble was, most guys didn’t like that. And she’d never let herself get truly emotionally involved with any of them.

Now, she had the job of her dreams and the mortgage on a house to match. Who needed a guy? All she needed was a dog.

She folded her arms across her chest as she watched the candidates being briefed at the side of the pool. All candidates were required to complete military water survival before beginning their flying syllabus. They also had to become SCUBA qualified to prepare them for spacewalk training. It was surprising how many of the trainees didn’t realise a large percentage of astronaut training was carried out in water. Apart from the fact that they could land in water after their descent back to earth, working in water, timing their missions to coincide with oxygen supplies and learning about buoyancy were all crucial parts of the training.

This morning’s session was relatively simple. One of the other instructors was briefing them. She was only there to look after anyone that got into difficulties.

‘You’ll be required to swim three lengths of the twenty-five-metre pool without stopping, then swim three lengths dressed in your flight suit and tennis shoes. There’s no time limit but once you’ve completed that you’re required to tread water continuously for ten minutes wearing your flight suit.’

She saw the anxious glances. This test was pretty well known amongst the candidates—she’d be surprised if any of them hadn’t made special arrangements to practise in advance.

The instructor blew his whistle. Almost instantly all the candidates disappeared into the water. Some dives were better than others. Nearly all started in a fast crawl. It didn’t really surprise her that Austin Mitchell was right out there in front. Two others favoured the breaststroke. Austin’s fellow candidate, Michael, matched him stroke for stroke.

She smiled at the competitive edge. It was good. It kept them motivated and on point. They turned in unison and headed back down the pool.

She tried not to stare. A quick glance around told her no one was watching. It was too easy to see the defined muscles in his back and shoulders. The guy had to spend all his spare time in the gym. Which was good. He would need a defined programme for going to space. And it would be her that would design it for him. It was important that all astronaut candidates were at their peak of physical fitness before they left earth.

Space played havoc with the human body. Astronauts suffered from decreased immunity in space, vision changes, where the fine structures of the eye could be affected by the fluid changes in space, a decrease in bone density and a higher ratio of muscle wastage.

She was a doctor. She was employed to assess their physical fitness. So, why had standing at the side of the pool and watching Austin Mitchell walk from the changing rooms made her feel like some kind of voyeur?

He had the kind of sculpted stomach muscles that most men spent their life dreaming of. Did the guy even eat carbs? She’d need to check his diet with him.

Thank goodness he hadn’t been wearing Speedos. The shorts were bad enough.

There was a shout next to her as Austin and Michael emerged from the pool together. The water made his shorts cling to the tight muscles on his thighs and his backside. As he scrambled into his flight suit he glanced over his shoulder directly towards her.

Caught. Well and truly caught. The tiniest flicker of a smile hinted at his lips as he shoved his wet feet into the tennis shoes. The grin had reached from ear to ear before he dived straight back in.

She blew out a breath as the heat rushed into her cheeks. Darn it!

Her eyes swept the pool, checking on all the other candidates. Everyone seemed fine. Speed wasn’t really the issue—even though no one had told those two guys. Completion was the issue. Another instructor was logging times on a tablet near the edge of the pool.

The heat wasn’t abating. She fixed her eyes on another few candidates pulling themselves out of the pool and into their flight suits. She was the doctor. She was supposed to be looking at their bodies. She was supposed to be monitoring them for any difficulties. So why did she feel like a teenage girl caught spying on her hunky next-door neighbour?

She walked over to Bill, who was marking times on the tablet. ‘Quickest time ever—so far,’ he muttered under his breath.

She should be happy that the candidates were performing so well. But because it was Austin Mitchell with his cheeky grin and pert bum it just annoyed her. He and Michael were currently powering up the length of the pool as if they were dressed in just their swimmers. The flight suits and tennis shoes didn’t seem to be causing them any problems at all.

‘Let’s see how good they really are,’ she said quietly. She stepped a little closer to the edge of the pool just as Austin completed his third length one second ahead of Michael and punched the air.

They turned and swam away from the edge, ready to start their ten minutes of treading water. It had been a long time since Corrine had done anything like this. She’d had to tread water in pyjamas for a certificate in high school. Even now she could remember how heavy her legs had felt by the end.

Austin swam straight in front of her, his bright blue eyes reflected back from his blue suit and the surrounding water. With his tan and straight white teeth the guy should be in toothpaste commercials.

Why was it that everything about him drove her crazy?

He was just too much of a know-it-all by half. She glanced at Bill and shot him a conspiratorial smile. ‘You know, Bill, I’ve been thinking. Treading water is fine, but men aren’t always renowned for their multitasking skills—a vital component for an astronaut. I think we should add some brain strain into this assessment.’

Bill laughed. ‘Someone annoyed you today, Dr Carter? Or did they only give you one shot in your coffee this morning?’

Michael and Austin were both treading water in front of her. The guys looked as if they were taking a walk in the park. The flight suits and shoes weren’t hampering them at all.

She gave Bill a nod. ‘Let’s see if these guys can work their muscles and their brains.’

She turned to face the pool again. ‘I know you started reading your mountain’s worth of training manuals. Let’s see how much you’ve taken in.’

Michael shot Austin a look of panic. They’d only been here a few days and the training manuals would take around a year to master.

Austin’s eyes hadn’t moved from hers. This guy rarely seemed rattled.

‘Tell me about the primary robotics system used on the ISS.’

It was a shot in the dark. The majority of her work was purely clinical with a dash of research thrown in. She knew the basics of the other systems but not the details. That was their job, not hers. But it didn’t mean she couldn’t keep them on their toes.

‘We use the mobile servicing system. The Canadarm2. There’s a new one currently in development.’ That rich drawl sent an involuntary tremor down her spine—one she pointedly ignored. Austin was still treading away. There was a glimmer of something in his eyes. He knew he was annoying her. It was almost as if it was deliberate. Like a tiny bug getting under her skin.

‘Tell me about the maintenance required on ISS.’

‘We’ll need much longer than ten minutes,’ quipped Austin. ‘Have you got all night?’

She pressed her lips together. There was no way she was going to blush again. No way at all.

Michael was concentrating too hard to notice the flirtation right in front of him. ‘Inside or out?’ he asked. ‘And what system do you want to start with?’

She nodded towards him, pretending not to hear Bill laughing under his breath. ‘Life support systems,’ she said quickly.

Austin cut in. ‘The environmental control and life support system takes care of atmospheric pressure, fire detection and suppression, oxygen levels, waste management and water supply.’

‘And if your oxygen supply fails?’

‘There’s back-up in the solid fuel oxygen generation canisters. One canister can last a day.’

A few other candidates swam up next to them and started treading water. Austin glanced around and then back to Corrine; his cheeky grin seemed a permanent feature on his face this morning. ‘What? You’re not going to ask the rest questions too?’

It was a direct barb. He knew she’d been quizzing him because he’d annoyed her. Now she would look unprofessional if she didn’t subject the rest of the candidates to the same questions.

Bill threw her a sympathetic glance. ‘Let’s talk about the different modules.’

She breathed a sigh of relief. There were numerous modules, some pressurised, some not. This could take up valuable time.

She gave him a grateful smile and walked over, watching as he input some data on the tablet. Nearly all the candidates had completed their swim.

Everyone looked good. Some looked better than others. This was typical in a class. Her job was to try and ensure that everyone would be in their peak medical condition by the end of their training. She only had four candidates to design fitness programmes for. That would be her next task. How would Austin Mitchell take to being told what he could and couldn’t do?

She bit her lip as her stomach gave a low grumble. Maybe she was being a little cranky. Coffee was distinctly on her mind, anything to cut out the smell from the swimming pool, which would linger in her hair for the rest of the day. She was having strange cravings for a calorie-laden banana loaf. If she was lucky—there would be none in the canteen today. As soon as she got a whiff of one, she’d be sunk, in more ways than one.

‘Time!’ Bill’s voice cut through her thoughts and Austin and Michael high-fived each other in the water then swam to the side.

He could have got out of the pool anywhere. But no. Austin Mitchell, complete with flight suit and dorky tennis shoes, swam directly underneath her and pulled himself out right under her nose. Water streamed from him, running off the bright blue flight suit and pooling next to her shoes.

She should have chosen her footwear more carefully. This was one of her favourite pairs.

‘How’d I do?’ That drawl again. Right up close and personal. What was it about that voice? She’d worked with lots of guys from all over the States and a whole host of international guests. Some women loved Italian accents, some Irish. A few women around here had definite preferences for the Russian accent. One of her colleagues was in a long-distance relationship with a cosmonaut. She’d lived in California as a child where accents weren’t as noticeable. But Austin’s Texas drawl seemed to send a zing around her whole body, connecting with each tiny nerve and catapulting it into overtime.

She licked her lips and kept her voice steady. ‘I think you were pretty average.’

He raised one eyebrow. That darn smirk. It was almost as if he saved it for her especially because he knew it would make her crazy. ‘Average? I’m average?’

Oh, good. She’d hit a nerve. She liked that. Mr Top Gun was probably too used to being the best at everything. She’d hate it if he lost his competitive edge.

She waved her hand as she tried to keep the teasing tone from her voice. But it was so hard. ‘We all have different talents, Lieutenant Commander Mitchell. Maybe we’ve yet to discover yours.’

She walked away, still keeping her eyes on the rest of the candidates in the pool. She couldn’t leave until they were all officially finished. Now she was happy she’d worn her favourite heels. She could almost feel his eyes fixated on her swinging hips as she crossed over towards one of the other instructors.

Having a bad experience in the past hadn’t made her immune to flirtations or charms. She enjoyed them. She enjoyed meeting men who were happy to see her as an equal partner instead of a conquest. The twinkle in Austin’s eyes gave her more than a little buzz.

Blair looked up from his monitor. ‘You two are going to drive each other crazy,’ he said quietly. ‘This is going to be fun to watch.’

She straightened her back. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

Blair stared at her. ‘Ever thought about applying for the programme yourself? Fancy some time up in space?’ He shook his head as he turned the monitor towards her. ‘You and him in a confined space for three to six months.’ He laughed and blew into his fingertips. ‘Boom!’

She leaned forward to look at the results that had been shared from Bill’s tablet. ‘There’s absolutely nothing in it. He’s just a new guy trying his luck. They’re all overconfident to start with. He’ll settle down.’ Too bad she didn’t believe a single word she’d just said. ‘As for space—no way. I’m keeping my feet fixed firmly to the ground. They don’t sell Girl Scout cookies in space.’

Blair shook his head again. ‘If you say so, Corrine. I’m not the expert in chemistry. I’m just the payload specialist. But when you two are in the same room...’ His voice tailed off.

‘What?’ She couldn’t help the edge in her voice. It was bad enough trying to ignore the buzz in her body whenever he was around. The last thing she wanted was for anyone else to notice it too.

Blair gave her a huge grin. ‘Let’s just say it’s best not to have combustible materials in space.’ He pointed to the stats. ‘And it looks like this guy isn’t going to be flunking out.’

She sighed and folded her arms across her chest. Austin had aced it. Not only that—his was the fastest time of any candidate ever. Great. Once he knew that, he’d be even more unbearable. Blair gave a little shrug. ‘My guess is he’s in it for the long haul.’

She looked over at the pool. The rest of the candidates were just emerging from the water—their ten minutes of treading water over. Her stomach flip-flopped. They were right at the start of the process. How many of them would actually make it into space?

‘They’re all in it for the long haul,’ she said quietly. She reached over and pressed a hand on Blair’s shoulder. ‘I’ll see you later. The benefits of being a doctor mean I’ve got special permission to see Frank.’

‘Tell him I’ll visit tomorrow.’

She nodded. ‘I will.’ She had one last glance across the pool. All the candidates were now stripping out of their flight suits. She hated the fact that her eyes were drawn to one body.

She could tell even from here he was still mad. His jaw was set and he was barely making eye contact with the rest of his colleagues. For all his bravado it seemed that Austin Mitchell ran a little deeper than she’d first suspected. It didn’t matter that he and Michael had finished first out of his group of candidates. He’d no idea how previous candidates might have performed and it was obviously playing on his mind.

She couldn’t prevent a small smile from playing around her mouth. Finally, she knew which buttons to press with Austin Mitchell.

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