Tempted By The Single Doc

‘Of all the people I’ve done that procedure for I’d never have thought Anna would break up about it. She’s been so pragmatic.’ Olivia echoed Hugo’s sigh. ‘Is her husband with her?’

‘Yes, and looking lost. She keeps yelling at him to go away. He doesn’t know how to help her either.’

And I can? She had to try. She’d told Anna she’d be there for her throughout this difficult time, and she had meant it. ‘I’ll come over now.’ She dropped her phone into her handbag and turned to face everyone. ‘Thanks for the catch-up, guys. I’ve got to go.’

Maxine stepped up to give her a hug. ‘Don’t take so long next time. I want to hear all the details about your trip to Fiji.’

‘There won’t be any. I’m not going.’ She tried to free herself from Maxine’s arms and failed.

‘Go. It would be good for you.’

Maxine dropped her arms to her sides and Olivia stepped back.

‘You might be surprised.’

Olivia couldn’t help herself: she glanced across at the man in question. His familiar face snatched at her heart. Talking animatedly with the others, he appeared relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. Then he looked over at her and winked. Caught. He’d been aware of her scrutiny all along. Like they were in tune with each other, which was nonsense. They’d never been like that. Except when it came to sex. But there was nothing sexual about that wink. It had been more a ‘Hey, girl’ gesture. Friendly and caring, not deep and loving or hot and demanding. But it had been …? Nice? Yes, nice.

Turning back to Maxine, she said, ‘I’d better run. A patient needs me.’

‘You have to be somewhere in a hurry?’ Zac strode alongside her as she raced for the lobby and the elevators, keen to get away before anyone else brought up the subject of that trip away with Zac.

‘The hospital. I did a double mastectomy and implant yesterday morning and apparently my patient is losing it big time this morning.’

‘That’s a biggie for any woman to deal with.’

‘She’s been so brave all the way through discussions about the operation and what size implants she’d like. She’s dealt with her family’s history of breast cancer matter-of-factly, and accepted she didn’t have a lot of choice if she wanted longevity. Guess it had to catch up with her some time.’

‘Has she got good support from her family?’ Zac asked as he pressed the up button for the elevator.

‘Yes, very good.’ Olivia drew a breath. Only yesterday she’d been saying to the Theatre staff how Anna’s husband was a hero in her book. Yep, and she’d had thoughts about the man next to her being a hero too.

‘You want me to get your car out of the basement? Save you some minutes?’

She stared at Zac. ‘I forgot. I need to order a taxi. My car’s in the hospital car park with a flat battery. I didn’t have time to phone a service man yesterday.’ She made to head for the concierge only to be stopped by Zac’s hand on her arm.

‘I’ll be waiting in my car out the front when you’re ready.’ He nudged her forward into the elevator. ‘It’ll only take a couple of minutes to get it.’

But I don’t want to sit in a car with you, breathing your smell, feeling your heat, wishing I could go away with you. ‘A taxi will be fine.’ She was talking to the closing doors, Zac already halfway across the lobby. She’d lost that round. There’d been determination in the set of his shoulders and the length of his quick strides taking him out of the hotel. He’d be ready for her the moment she emerged from the revolving door of the hotel.

Nice.

Leaning back against the wall, Olivia smiled despite her misgivings. She’d have to come up with a better word than ‘nice’. Zac was more than nice, and his gestures were kind and caring. All good, all sounding bland for a man who was anything but. ‘Hot’ used to be her word for him and, yes, he was still that.

But now? Now he was a mixed bag of emotions and characteristics she hadn’t taken the time to notice before. This Zac was intriguing. She wanted to know more about him. Hell, she wanted to know everything.

As the elevator pinged at her floor she knew she had to walk away from him, because the more she learned about Zac the harder it became to remain aloof. Her emotions were getting involved, putting her heart in turmoil, and that was a no-go zone.

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘I AM SO SORRY.’ Anna Seddon sniffed, and snatched up a handful of tissues to blow her nose. ‘I know it’s your weekend off. Hugo shouldn’t have called you.’

Olivia sat on the edge of the bed and shook her head at her patient. ‘It’s not a problem. I’d have been annoyed if he hadn’t. What started this off? What’s distressed you this morning?’

‘I took a look under the gown and saw where my breasts used to be. It’s horrible there. The new ones don’t look right even wrapped in bandages. I know you said to wait, but I had to see.’ Anna slashed at fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. ‘Nothing looks normal. The implants are different, ugly, not me, and the scars are bright red. I shouldn’t have done this. I should’ve taken a chance I wouldn’t get cancer.’

Olivia waited until Anna ran out of steam, then took her hand. ‘You’ve had a shock. No amount of explaining could’ve prepared you.’ Which was why she asked patients to wait until she was there before they looked at the results of their surgery. ‘Remember, I said that your breast implants were going to look and feel strange. They’re not natural, like your real breasts were, and we have yet to bring them up to full size. This will take time as we can’t pump them full of saline instantly. It’s a gradual process, giving your skin time to stretch and accommodate the implants.’

‘You told me that, but I saw them and freaked out,’ Anna whispered. ‘You must think I’m a total head case.’

‘Not at all. You’ve just had your breasts removed when as far as we know there’s nothing wrong with them. You’re not dealing with the fear of knowing you’ve already got cancer. Instead, breast cancer is a real possibility for you, so you’re working ahead of things. Of course it’s a shock and very different from other situations.’

‘I know you went over this more than once. I thought I understood how I’d feel, and that the fact I was doing it to be there for my kids and Duncan would override every other emotion. I was wrong.’ At the mention of her husband tears began pouring down her face again.

‘You’re a woman, first and foremost. Our breasts help define us. When we’re young we can’t wait for them to start growing and then it’s what size will they be? Will they be sexy? They’re also about nurturing our babies. You’ve done something very brave. Don’t ever think you’re not as feminine as you were before yesterday because you are. You’ve got a lovely figure, a pretty face and a heart of gold. Not to mention a family who adores you. Especially that husband of yours.’

A shadow of a smile lightened Anna’s mouth through the deluge of tears. ‘Duncan’s something, isn’t he?’

‘He’s a hero.’ There, she’d said it again. What was it with her that she kept coming up with that word? It wasn’t as though she believed in heroes. But you want to. You want one of your own.

‘You think?’ Anna asked, a twinkle slowly lightening her sad eyes and easing her tears.

‘I know.’ She stood up. ‘In fact, there’s a hero out in the waiting room. I’ll go tell him you’re busting to see him.’

‘What will he say when he sees my false breasts?’ There was a hitch in Anna’s voice and fear in her eyes.

‘I bet he tells you he loves you.’ Lucky woman. What was it like to have a man to love you, to say those precious three words to you? Olivia had never known and wondered if she ever would. It must be the most precious thing—love, unconditional and everlasting. When she walked into the waiting room she found Zac talking rugby to Anna Seddon’s husband as though he’d known him for ever.

Her heart did a funny little jig. Zac. Sexy Zac was doing nothing more than yakking to a stranger who was trying to cope with his wife’s unenviable situation, and yet he looked … like everything she’d thought she might want in a man, in her man. Her hero.

Get out of here. Where had that come from? Yeah, sure, yesterday when she’d called Duncan a hero it had been Zac’s face flitting across her mind, but Zac? Hero? Why would she even think that? What had he done for her to think so?

She’d dumped him and he’d sent her beautiful flowers.

He’d driven her here this morning and taken her keys to get her car battery sorted.

He’d turned up to help yesterday afternoon when everything had been turning to custard.

He’d never once been rude to her, or made fun of her need to keep herself to herself, or told her to stop being so much in control of just about everything she touched.

Did any or all of those things make a man a hero? Didn’t heroes slay dragons? She still had dragons, but Zac didn’t know about them because she’d never shown that weakness to him. It wasn’t as though he could make everything right for her, even if he was aware of her screwed-up family life.

‘CC, you’re daydreaming.’ Zac was smiling at her, his head at an angle that suggested he wanted to know exactly what was on her mind.

Thank goodness she wasn’t the type to blush. The absolute last thing Zac needed to know was what she’d been thinking. ‘I don’t daydream.’

‘Then you’re missing out on a lot of fun.’

‘How’s Anna?’ There was a load of worry in Duncan’s short question.

‘Wanting to see her man.’ Olivia moved closer. ‘She’s got past that little meltdown but, Duncan, you need to be prepared for more episodes. I’m not saying Anna’s going to fall apart on you long term, but she’s facing reality now, whereas before surgery it was still an unknown. It’s scary for her.’ She continued, ‘She’s afraid you won’t be able to cope when you see her breasts. It’s natural to feel that way, but it’s how you handle the situation that’s going to make the difference.’

‘I’ll tell you this for nothing. I don’t care about scars and a change in her shape. I love that woman and think she’s the bravest person I’ve ever met.’ Duncan touched the corner of one eye with a forefinger.

‘I think Anna’s a lucky woman.’ Olivia swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. ‘Go tell her exactly what you just said.’

‘She’s not going to throw her water bottle at me or tell me to go away for ever?’ Duncan was deadly serious.

‘I doubt it, unless it’s because you’ve taken so long to get along to her room since I said I was coming to find you.’ Anna shouldn’t have thrown anything—it would hurt her wounds and might pull some stitches. Something to check up on when she examined her later. She hadn’t wanted to have Anna expose herself for an exam when she’d been so upset, and had figured that as all the obs were fine it didn’t matter if they waited before doing that.

Dropping into the seat Duncan had vacated, she stared at the toes of her boots. And yawned.

Zac chuckled. ‘Want to grab a coffee while we wait for the battery man? He’s about twenty minutes away and we could both do with something to keep us awake.’

‘Hospital coffee will be a comedown after that fabulous brunch.’

‘Nothing like a reality check.’

Reality. Of course. ‘You don’t need to hang around. You’ve got a perfectly good vehicle downstairs. I can visit patients while I wait.’

‘You don’t want to share crap coffee with me?’ His grin set butterflies flapping in her tummy. ‘Anyway, the guy’s got my number, not yours.’

‘I hate it when you gloat.’ She laughed tiredly. ‘Disgusting coffee it is.’ Along with great company. All in all, not a bad way to continue her morning.

Olivia’s bubble burst quickly.

Zac directed her to a corner table as far away as possible from the few staff and visitors using the cafeteria, ordered long blacks for them both, and dropped onto the chair opposite her. ‘I’ve talked to my practice manager so she can arrange for my days off when we go to Fiji. The hospital roster is easy to fix, with Paul offering to cover for me.’

The man didn’t muck about. He must’ve been on the phone the moment she’d clambered out of his four-wheel drive in the hospital garage; ordering a battery, sorting his week off.

She sighed. ‘I thought I said I wasn’t going.’ He had to be deaf as well as organised.

‘You did.’

‘So you are planning on going alone.’

‘Nope.’ Zac leaned back as a girl placed two overfull coffee cups on the table and took away their order number. ‘I want you to come with me.’

So do I. ‘No.’

Those eyes that matched the coffee in colour locked onto her. ‘Are you telling me no? Or yourself, Olivia?’

‘We’d probably end up hating each other.’

‘Somehow I don’t think so.’ Shock widened his eyes. So he hadn’t thought it through. ‘But we won’t know if we don’t try.’

What was this about? Zac had made it clear he’d only been interested in sex last time round. Her hands were back in her lap, her fingers aching with the tightness of her grip. ‘Is this so you can then walk away with no regrets? Did I finish it too soon last time?’

Now his gaze dropped away. He leaned far back and draped one arm over the top of the chair next to him. His eyes cruised the cafeteria before returning to her, a guarded expression covering his face. ‘I’ve learned more about you in the last twenty-four hours than I ever did in those eight weeks last year.’

‘Then you’re probably up to speed and there’s nothing more to find out.’

Zac stared at her. ‘You’re selling yourself short.’

To hell with the coffee. Pushing up from the table, she aimed for a moderate tone. ‘No, I am not. What you see is what you get, and as for Fiji, you get nothing. I’m not going.’ But I want to. Really, really want to.

Of course he followed her. He was persistent if nothing else. Unlike last time. ‘Rethink that, Olivia. We don’t have to live in each other’s pockets while we’re there, but it would be fun to lie in the sun together, to share a meal under the stars.’

The problem was that if she lay on the beach in her bikini beside Zac in his swimming shorts they would end up having sex. Not that doing so didn’t appeal. Of course it did. Her mouth watered, thinking about it. But she’d made up her mind the day she’d walked out on him that they weren’t going anywhere with their relationship because she couldn’t afford to get her heart broken. Neither had she wanted to break his—if it was even up for grabs.

Zac pulled his phone from his pocket and read a message. ‘Your battery’s nearly here.’

‘Good. Thanks for arranging it.’ She didn’t know why she felt small and mean, only knew she was floundering, fighting between going with him on that trip and staying away from temptation. She was looking out for herself, something she’d always done. Her mother had never put her daughter before herself, never would. She gasped. That meant she was the same as her mother. Putting her determination to remain alone before anyone, anything else. But … But I’m doing it for a good reason. Dad left Mum because she’d worn him down, tossed his love back in his face again and again. I’m not doing that to a man I might fall in love with.

A hand on her elbow directed her to the elevator. Seemed that Zac was always taking her to the lift. ‘Five days of sunshine and no patients. Sounds wonderful to me.’

Ain’t that the truth?

At least Olivia hadn’t questioned why he was so adamant they should go to Fiji together. He should be grateful she was refusing to go, but the thought of being alone when he should be celebrating with his family grated. A distraction was needed and Olivia would certainly be that.

But, more than that, it was time to start changing from being reactive to his family’s attitude to becoming proactive in sorting out what he wanted for his future—starting with taking time off from his heavy work schedule to have some fun. Hell. When was the last time he’d done that? Nothing came to mind except the hours he’d snatched to be with Olivia eighteen months ago.

The sound of squealing tyres filled the basement garage as they exited the elevator on the way to the outside car park. The smell of burning rubber filled his nostrils. ‘What the hell?’

A nearly new, upmarket car raced past them. At the end of the lane it spun left, the rear wheels sliding out of control. Just when impact with parked vehicles seemed imminent the driver got the car under control.

Zac pushed Olivia back against the now closed elevator doors, tugged his phone from his pocket to call Security, and cursed. There was no signal down here. ‘The driver looked very young. How’d he get in?’

The garage and car park were reserved for medical personnel and accessed with a swipe card. The car flew past them again as Zac looked around for a wall phone. Spying one by the stairwell door, he changed direction, only to spin around when he heard an almighty thump, followed by a metallic crashing sound. Then ominous silence.

‘He’s hit someone and then slammed into a vehicle!’ Olivia began running in the direction of the crashed car.

Zac raced alongside her. ‘We need someone down here, taking charge of that kid.’ A boy looking about fifteen staggered out of the car, looking shocked and bewildered.

‘Where did she come from?’ he squawked as they reached him.

Zac’s hands clenched as he saw a woman in blue scrubs sprawled across the concrete, a pool of blood already beginning to form by her head. ‘What the hell were you doing?’ Zac shouted at the kid as he dropped down to his knees beside the unmoving woman.

‘Hey, steady.’ Olivia reached across from the other side of the woman to grip his arm. Shaking her head at him, she said, ‘This nurse needs our undivided attention.’

‘You’re right,’ he ground through gritted teeth. ‘Kid, get on that phone by the elevator and get help down here fast.’

Without a word the youth was gone, and Zac could only hope he was running for the phone.

Zac felt for a pulse, and sighed with relief.

Olivia was carefully feeling the nurse’s head. ‘Amelia, can you hear me?’

A low groan was the only answer she got.

‘Amelia, you’ve been in an accident. There are two doctors with you and we’re going to check your injuries.’

‘How much do you think she’s heard?’ Zac wondered aloud.

Olivia shrugged. ‘We can’t be sure anything we say registers.’

‘You know her?’ Zac noted the odd angle of the nurse’s legs and checked for bleeding in case a blood vessel had been torn. ‘No major swelling indicating internal bleeding.’

‘I can read,’ Olivia muttered.

The name badge. Duh. Left his brain behind this morning, had he? With gentle movements he began assessing her hips and thighs for fractures. ‘Broken femur for starters. This knee has taken a thump too.’ His fingers worked over the kneecap. ‘Smashed, I’d say.’

Their patient groaned again and lifted an arm a small way off the ground.

Zac quickly caught her, and gently pressed her arm down by her side. ‘Amelia, try not to move.’

One eye opened, shut again.

‘At least she’s responding,’ he said.

‘Oh, my God. What’s happened?’ A man loomed over them.

Zac told him, ‘An out-of-control car hit her.’

The newcomer said, ‘I’m in Admin, but I can get help if you tell me what you need.’

‘Get us the emergency equipment and a bed. I told the driver to ring upstairs but you’re part of this hospital, you’ll know exactly who to speak to,’ Zac told him. Who knew if the boy had done as he’d said or taken a hike before everyone turned up and started pointing fingers?

Olivia was speaking quietly. ‘We’ve got a soft cranial injury, probably from impacting with the concrete. Left ear’s torn.’

Zac added to the list of injuries. ‘At least her chest appears to have dodged a bullet.’ His fingers were gently working over Amelia’s ribs. ‘The car would’ve hit her in the lower body.’ What had that kid been thinking, doing wheelies in here? He hadn’t looked old enough to know how to drive. Who are you to ask? You were eighteen and still got it wrong.

‘On my way.’ The admin man nodded at the vehicle parked with its nose caught in the side panel of a sedan. ‘That the car? It’s Maxine Sutherland’s.’

Olivia’s head shot up, horror in her eyes, but all she said was, ‘Can you run? This woman needs urgent help.’

With the man gone, Zac said, ‘Maxine must’ve left the car unlocked, unless …’ Had it been Maxine and Brent’s son driving? Shock rocked through Zac. No parent ever wanted to deal with something like this. He knew. He’d done it to his brother and parents, with dire consequences. They’d never forgiven him, blaming him for not looking out for his younger brother. Like they’d ever been there for either of their sons. But every time Zac saw his brother and that blasted wheelchair the guilt crunched his insides. Zac’s remorse would never go away, and was stronger than anything anyone else could lay on him.

‘Zac? You okay?’ A gentle hand touched his cheek.

His chest rose as he dragged in a lungful of air. ‘Yes.’ No. Now wasn’t the time to explain. If ever there was a right time. He tried to straighten Amelia’s right leg. ‘Her knee is also dislocated.’ He had to know. ‘Do you think the kid is Maxine and Brent’s boy?’

Distress blinked out at him from Olivia’s hyacinth eyes. ‘No. Couldn’t be.’ Her bottom lip trembled even as the truth pushed aside her automatic denial. ‘How dreadful for them if he is.’

‘He was in here, and only card holders have access.’

They were interrupted by the sound of people running and an emergency trolley laden with everything they needed being pushed at a fast pace between the cars. Guess the kid had fronted up for help.

As Olivia explained to the ED staff what had happened and her assessment of Amelia’s injuries, the anger Zac had put on the back burner roared to life. ‘That boy really has made a mess of things for her.’ Zac was equally worried for the lad. His life had changed for ever. ‘Where is he, anyway?’

‘Probably safer away from you.’ Olivia came to stand beside him and reached for his hand. ‘Calm down, Zac. You’re not helping an already tricky situation. I know he’s done wrong but let’s leave that to others while we help with the medical side of things.’

The last thing Zac wanted was Olivia telling him what to do. It took a moment for it to register in the red haze of his brain that he had an excuse to put distance between them. ‘The battery guy. I’ll go and wait for him at the gate.’ He needed to get away from what had happened before he blew a gasket. Amelia was getting all the attention she needed from Olivia and the ED doctor, while his attitude wasn’t helping anyone. He stomped off before Olivia could say anything more.

But not before he saw the shock in those beautiful eyes. Yes, he had his secrets, just as he suspected she had hers. Secrets neither of them wanted to share. His definitely held him back from having a complete and fulfilling life. Was it the same with Olivia? Could that be why she’d walked out on their affair? She hadn’t wanted to keep going in case they grew close?

There was nothing for it. They had to take that trip. Time together, talking, relaxing, getting to know each other on a whole new level, was becoming imperative.

Which really meant he should sign up for every orthopaedic surgery coming up at his clinic for the next six months.

CHAPTER EIGHT

OLIVIA POURED BOILING water over the tea leaves. Earl Grey Blue Star. ‘Bliss.’ She sniffed the air.

Every bone in her body ached with weariness. Her head pounded, her muscles drooped, and it felt as if there was grit in her eyes. The long soak in a very hot shower probably hadn’t woken her up at all. Seven o’clock on Saturday night and she couldn’t wait to crawl into bed. How pathetic could she get?

Her stomach was crying out to be fed. She hadn’t eaten since brunch—the incident in the hospital garage and the resulting investigation by the traffic police had taken up a lot of the day. The pizza she’d ordered would arrive at the front door within the hour. She licked her lips in anticipation and tasted tea.