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She spun around to stare at the screen in front of her. What was the name of her next patient?
‘Ally, I’ve upset you.’
Of course he had. He only had to look at her to upset her—her hormones anyway. Flicking him a brief smile, she continued staring at the computer. ‘Holly Sargent, thirty-five weeks. Anything I need to know about her that’s not on here?’
When Flynn didn’t answer, she had to lift her head and seek him out. That steady blue gaze was firmly fixed on her. It held far too many questions, and she didn’t answer other people’s enquiries about anything personal. ‘Flynn? Holly Sargent?’
‘Third pregnancy, the last two were straightforward. She’s had the usual colds and flu, a broken wrist and stitches in her brow from when she walked through a closed glass slider. Full-time mum.’
Ally looked at her patient list. ‘Brenda Lewis?’
‘First pregnancy, took six months to conceive, family history of hypertension but so far she’s shown no signs of it, twenty-five years old, runs a local day care centre for under-fives.’
Her anger deflated and laughter bubbled up to spill between them as she stared at this man who had her all in a dither with very little effort. ‘That’s amazing. Do you know all your patients as thoroughly?’
‘How long have you got?’ He grinned. ‘Makes for scintillating conversations.’
Deliberately rolling her eyes at him, she said, ‘Remind me not to get stuck with you at the workplace Friday night drinkies.’
‘Shucks, and I was about to ask you on a date,’ he quipped, in a tone that said he meant no such thing.
So he was as confused as she was. That didn’t stop a quick shiver running down her spine. She’d love to go out with this man. But hello. If that isn’t a wedding ring, then what is it? He’s obviously a flagrant playboy. ‘Sorry, doing my hair that night.’
‘Me, too,’ he muttered, and left her to stare at his retreating back view.
A very delectable view at that. Those butt muscles moved smoothly under his trousers as he strode down the hall, those shoulders filled the top of his shirt to perfection. A sigh trickled over her bottom lip. He would’ve been the perfect candidate for her next affair. Flynn might be the one you can’t easily walk away from.
‘Get a grip, man,’ Flynn growled under his breath. How? Ally was hot. Certain parts of his anatomy might’ve been in hibernation for the past couple of years, but they weren’t dead. How did any sane, red-blooded male ignore Ally without going bonkers?
‘Flynn.’ Megan beckoned from the office. ‘Can you explain to this caller why she should have a flu jab?’
‘Can’t Toby do that?’ The practice nurse was more than capable of handling it.
‘Busy with a patient and…’ Megan put her hand over the phone’s mouthpiece ‘… this one won’t go away.’
‘Put her through.’ He spun around to head to his consulting room. See? You’re at work, not on the beach with nothing more important to think about than getting laid. Forget all things Alyssa. Alyssa. Such a pretty name, but it had been blatantly obvious no one was allowed to use it when talking to their temporary midwife.
‘Dr Reynolds.’ Mrs Augusta’s big voice boomed down the line, causing him to pull the phone away from his ear. ‘I’ve been told I have to have a flu injection. I don’t see why as I never get sick.’
Except for two hits with cancer that had nearly stolen her life. ‘Mrs Augusta, it’s your decision entirely but there are certain conditions whereby we recommend to a patient they have the vaccination. Your recent cancer puts you in the category for this. It’s a preventative measure, that’s all.’
‘Why didn’t Megan just tell me that?’
‘Because she’s our receptionist, not a qualified medical person. It’s not her role to advise patients.’
‘All right, can you put me back to her so I can book a time? Sorry to have been a nuisance.’ Mrs Augusta suddenly sounded deflated, all the boom and bluster gone.
‘Pat, is there something else that’s bothering you?’
‘No, I’m good as gold, Doctor. Don’t you go worrying about me.’
‘How about you make an appointment with me when you come for your jab?’
‘I don’t want to be a problem, Doctor.’
That exact attitude had almost cost her life. By the time the bowel cancer had been discovered it had nearly been too late and now she wore a bag permanently. ‘I’ll put you back to Megan and you make a time to see me.’ When he got the receptionist on the line he told her, ‘Book Mrs Augusta in with me at the first opening, and don’t let her talk you out of it.’
A glance at his watch on his way out to the waiting room told him he was now behind the ball as far as keeping on time with appointments. ‘Jane, come through.’ As he led the woman down the hall, laughter came from the midwife’s room. Sounded like Ally and Holly were getting along fine. A smile hovered on his mouth, gave him the warm fuzzies. Everyone got along with their temp midwife.
Jane limped into his room on her walking cane and sat down heavily. ‘I’m up the duff again, Flynn.’
Not even ten o’clock and his second pregnant patient of the morning. What had the council put in the water? ‘You’re sure?’ he asked with a smile. Nothing ever fazed this woman, certainly not her gammy leg, not a diabetic three-year-old, not a drunk for a husband.
‘Yep, got all the usual signs. Thought I’d better let you know so I can get registered with Kat.’
Now, there was something that did tend to wind Jane up. Kat’s attitude to her husband. Kat had tried to intervene one night at the pub when he’d been about to swing a fist at Jane. Something Flynn would’ve tried to prevent, too, if he’d been there. ‘Kat’s away at the moment so you’ll get to meet Ally.’ Of course, there were nine months to a pregnancy, and Kat was only away for one, but hopefully Ally could settle Jane into things so that she’d be happier with Kat this time round.
‘Is she nice?’ Jane’s eyes lit up.
More than. ‘You’ll get along great guns. Now, I’m surmising that we need to discuss your arthritis meds for the duration of your pregnancy.’
The light in those eyes faded. She accepted her painful condition without a complaint, but she knew how hard the next few months were going to be. ‘I’ve cut back already to what you’ve recommended before. There’s no way I’m risking hurting junior in there.’ Her hand did a circuit of her belly. ‘Can’t say I’m happy with the extra pain, but I want this wee one. Think I’ll make it the last, though. Get my bits chopped out afterwards.’
As he made a note to that effect in her computer file, Flynn tried not to smile. Her bits. He got to hear all sorts of names for vaginas and Fallopian tubes in this job. ‘How far along do you think you are?’
‘I’ve missed two periods. Should’ve come to see you sooner, I know, but that family of mine keeps me busy.’ Jane wasn’t mentioning the lack of money, but he knew about it. ‘Anyway, it’s not like I don’t know what to expect. They haven’t changed the way it’s done in the last three years, have they?’
‘Not that anyone’s told me.’
After writing out prescriptions, ordering blood tests, including an HCG for confirmation of the pregnancy, and taking Jane’s blood pressure, he took her along to meet Ally.
It wasn’t until he was returning to his room and he passed Faye, who rolled her eyes at him, that he realised he was walking with a bounce in his stride and a smile on his face. All due to a certain midwife.
What was it about her that had him sitting up and taking notice? It had happened instantly. Right from that moment when Sheba had knocked her down and he’d reached out a hand to haul the dog off, only to be sidetracked by the most startling pair of hazel eyes he’d ever seen.
Whatever it was, he’d better put a lid on the sizzle before anyone else in the clinic started noticing. That was the last thing he needed, and no doubt Ally felt the same.
CHAPTER THREE
‘FLYNN,’ MEGAN CALLED from her office as he was shrugging into his jacket. ‘The path lab’s on line one.’
‘Put them through.’ Damn, he’d just seen Ally head out the front door for home. He’d intended talking to her before she left, maybe even walk with her as far as Kat’s flat, then backtrack to home. Which, given he lived on the opposite side of town, showed how fried his brain had become in the last twenty-four hours.
For an instant he resented being a GP. There were never any moments just for him. Like it had been any different working as an emergency specialist. Yeah, but he’d chosen that career pathway, not had it forced on him. So he’d give up trying to raise Adam properly, hand him over to spend even more hours with day carers? No, he wouldn’t. The disgruntled feeling disappeared in a flash, replaced with love. His little guy meant everything to him.
‘Flynn?’ Megan yelled. ‘Get that, will you?’
He kicked the door shut and grabbed the persistently ringing phone from his desk. ‘Flynn Reynolds. How can I help?’ Could you hurry up? I’m on a mission.
‘Doctor, this is Andrew from the lab. I’m calling about some biochemistry results on William Foster.’
William Foster, fifty-six and heading down the overweight path through too much alcohol and fatty food since his wife had died twelve months back. He’d complained of shoulder pain and general malaise so he’d ordered urgent tests to check what his heart might be up to. ‘I’m listening.’
‘His troponin’s raised. As are his glucose and cholesterol. But it’s the troponin I’m ringing about.’
He took down details of the abnormal results, even though Andrew would email them through within the next five minutes. Finding William’s phone number, he was about to dial but thought better of it. Instead, he phoned Marie on the run. ‘I’m going to be late.’
‘I’ll feed Adam dinner, then.’
Flynn sighed. ‘I owe you. Again.’
Marie chuckled. ‘Get over yourself. I love having him.’
Yeah, she did, but that didn’t make everything right. For Adam. Or for him.
William lived ten minutes away and halfway there Flynn decided he should’ve rung first to make sure the man was at home and not at the club, enjoying a beer. William didn’t know it yet, but beer would be off the menu for a while.
William opened his front door on the third knock, and appeared taken aback to find Flynn on his doorstep after dark. ‘Doc, what’s up?’
‘Can I come in for a minute?’
William’s eyes shifted sideways. ‘What you want to tell me?’
The man was ominously pale. He hadn’t been like that earlier. ‘Let me in and we’ll discuss it.’ From the state of William’s breathing and speech, Flynn knew there’d be a bottle of whisky on the bench. That wouldn’t be helping the situation. ‘It’s important.’
With a sigh the older man stepped back, hauling the door wide at the same time. ‘I haven’t done the housework this week, Doc, so mind where you step.’
This week? Flynn tried not to breathe too deeply, and didn’t bother looking into the rooms they passed. It was all too obvious the man was living in squalor. He wasn’t coping with Edna’s passing, hadn’t since day one, and nothing Flynn or William’s daughter had done or said made the slightest bit of difference. The man had given up, hence Flynn’s visit. A phone call would never have worked. Besides, he needed to be with William as he absorbed the news.
In the kitchen William’s shaky hands fidgeted with an empty glass he’d lifted from the table. He didn’t look directly at Flynn, not even for a moment, but every few seconds his eyes darted sideways across the kitchen. Sure enough, an almost full whisky bottle was on the bench, as were three empty ones. How long had it taken for him to drink his way through those?
It would be too easy to tell the man some cold hard facts about his living conditions and his drinking, but Flynn couldn’t do it. He understood totally what it was like to lose the woman he loved more than life. He suspected if it hadn’t been for Adam and having to put on a brave face every single day, he might’ve made as big a mess of his own life after Anna had been killed. He still struggled with the sense of living a life mapped out by fate, one that held none of his choices.
Pulling out a chair, he indicated William should sit down. Then he straddled another one, not looking at the condition of the once beautiful brocade on the seat. ‘William, your test results have come back. They’re not good, I’m afraid.’
‘Figured that’d be why you’re here.’
‘The major concern is that you’ve had a cardiac incident. A heart attack, William.’
Rheumy eyes lifted to stare at him, but William said nothing, just shrugged.
‘You need to go to hospital tonight. They’ll run more tests and keep an eye on you until they find the cause of the attack.’
‘What else?’ William wheezed the question.
‘They’ll give you advice on diet and exercise.’ Things he’d have no inclination to follow. The same as with any advice he had given him.
‘I meant what other tests were bad?’
He was about to add to the man’s gloomy outlook, but couldn’t see a way around it. All he could hope for was that he shocked his patient into doing something about his lifestyle before it was too late. ‘Your cholesterol’s high, which probably explains your cardiac arrest. You’ve got diabetes and your liver’s not in good nick.’
‘I hit the jackpot, didn’t I?’ The sadness in William’s voice told how much he didn’t care any more. ‘I don’t suppose you went on a bender when you lost your wife, Doc.’
Yeah, he had. Just one huge bender, when he’d almost killed himself. Big enough and frightening enough to put him off ever doing it again. But he knew he still might’ve if it hadn’t been for Adam. ‘I couldn’t afford to, William.’
‘I get it. Your boy.’
‘You’ve got family who care about you, too.’ Flynn tried to think of something that might interest William in getting his act together, but nothing came to mind, apart from his daughter and grandkids. That had been tried before and William hadn’t run with it. ‘Now, don’t get upset, but I’ve ordered the ambulance to transfer you to hospital. It should be here any minute.’
‘I don’t need that. I can drive myself there.’
‘What if you have another heart attack and cause an accident that hurts someone?’
There was silence in the kitchen. Not a lot William could say to that. He was a decent man, unable to cope with a tragedy. He wasn’t reckless with other people.
‘I’ll wait here until you’re on your way. Want me to talk to your daughter?’ Working in the ED, he’d have phoned the cardiologist and had William wheeled to the ward, no argument. Patients were in the ED because someone recognised the urgency of their situation. Urgent meant urgent—not talking and cajoling. He missed that fast pace at times, but if he got William under way to getting well then he’d feel deep satisfaction.
‘After I’ve left. Don’t want her telling me off tonight.’ William stared around the kitchen, brought his gaze back to Flynn. ‘Don’t suppose I can have a whisky for the road.’
By the time Flynn finally made it home Adam was in his pyjamas and glued to the TV. ‘Hiya, Dad.’
‘Hello, my man.’ Tonight he couldn’t find it in him to make Adam stop watching—an Anna rule or not. Instead, he turned to Marie. ‘I appreciate you bringing him home.’
Marie was already buttoning up her coat, the gaps between the buttons splayed wide over her baby bulge. ‘Have you decided who’s going to look after Adam when my little one arrives?’ Marie was determined to look after Adam right up to the last minute. She’d also sorted through the numerous girls wanting to take her place until she was ready to take Adam back under her wing and had decided on two likely applicants.
‘Caught. I’ll get onto it.’ He pushed his fingers through his hair. ‘Tonight?’
‘Whenever.’ She laughed. ‘It’s not as though you’ll be left high and dry. Half the island would love to look after Dr Reynolds’s boy. Not just because he’s such a cute little blighter either. There’s a family likeness between father and son.’
‘Haven’t you got a husband waiting at home for his dinner?’ He wasn’t keen on dating any of the island’s females. Too close to home and work. Anyway, no one had caught his interest in the last two years. Not until Ally had got knocked over by Sheba, that was.
Ally wasn’t answering when he phoned after putting Adam to bed. She wasn’t answering her phone when he called at nine, after giving in to the tiredness dragging at his bones and sitting down to watch a crime programme on TV. She might’ve answered if he’d rung as he was going to bed at ten thirty, but he didn’t want her to think he was stalking her.
But she sure as hell stalked him right into bed. As he sprawled out under the covers he missed her not being there beside him, even though she’d never seen his bed, let alone lain in it. He stretched his legs wide to each side and got the same old empty spaces, only tonight they felt cold and lonely. Make that colder and lonelier. In his head, hot and sexy Ally with those brilliant hazel eyes was watching and laughing, teasing, playing with him. How was he supposed to remain aloof, for pity’s sake? He was only human—last time he looked.
Was this what happened when he hadn’t had sex for so long? Should he have been making an effort to find an obliging woman for a bit of relaxation and fun? He yawned.
Did Ally know she’d cranked up his libido? Yeah, it was quite possible she did, if the way the air crackled between them whenever they came within touching distance was any indication.
So follow up on it. Have some fun. Have sex. Have an affair with her. It would only be four weeks before Ally moved on. He wouldn’t disrupt Adam’s routine too much or for too long.
Flynn rolled over to punch his pillow and instead squashed his awakening reaction to the woman in his head. The air hissed out of his lungs as he grinned. That had to be a good sign for the future, didn’t it?
‘Morning, Ally,’ Megan called as she stepped through the front door of the clinic on Tuesday. ‘I see you’ve found the best coffee on the island already.’
‘First thing I do on any job.’ She sniffed the air appreciatively just to wind Megan up.
Scowling happily at her, Megan lifted her own container then asked, ‘What did you think of the movie?’
‘It was great. Nothing like a few vampires to fill in the evening.’ She’d bumped into the receptionist and her boyfriend as they’d been walking into the theatre. ‘Seeing you there made me feel I’d been living here for a while.’
Megan laughed. ‘Small towns are like that. Believe me, people around here will know what you had for dinner last night.’
‘Then they’ll be giving me lectures on healthy eating. Fried chicken and chips from Mrs Chook’s.’ It had been delicious, even if she should’ve been looking for a salad bar. In winter? Hey, being good about food could sometimes be highly overrated. Anyway, she’d wanted comfort food because when she had gone back to the flat after work she’d felt unusually out of sorts. Arrival day in a new place, yes, that was normal; every other day thereafter, never.
This nomadic life had been one of her goals ever since she’d left school and become independent of the welfare system. Those goals had been simple—earn the money to put herself through a nursing degree then support herself entirely with a job that she could give everything to but which wouldn’t tie her to one place. Along with that went to establish a life where she didn’t depend on anyone for anything, including friendship or love.
So far it had worked out fine. Sure, there were the days when she wondered if she could risk getting close to someone. She had no experience of being loved, unconditionally or any other way, so the risks would be huge for everyone involved. She had enough painful memories of being moved on from one family to the next to prove how unworthy of being loved she was. At unsettled moments like this those memories underlined why she never intended taking a chance on finding someone to trust with her heart. Sometimes she wondered if her heart really was only there to pump blood.
In the midwife’s room she dumped her bag and jacket, then wandered into the staffroom, surreptitiously on a mission to scope out Flynn, if he’d arrived. He must’ve, because suddenly her skin was warming up. Looking around the room, her eyes snagged with his where he sat on a chair balanced on two legs. She’d known he was there without seeing him. She’d felt an instant attraction before setting eyes on him. What was going on? Hadn’t she just been remembering why she wasn’t interested?
She took a gulp of coffee and spluttered as she burned her tongue. ‘That’s boiling.’
Concern replaced the heat in Flynn’s gaze and the front legs of the chair banged onto the tiled floor as he came up onto his feet. ‘You all right?’ He snatched a paper towel off the roll on the wall. ‘Here, spit it out.’
Taking the towel to wipe the dribble off her lips before he could, she muttered, ‘Too late, I swallowed it instantly.’ And could now feel it heating a track down her throat. ‘I forget to take the lid off every time.’ But usually she wasn’t distracted enough to forget to sip first. ‘Black coffee takes for ever to cool in these cardboard cups.’]
‘Slow learner, eh?’ That smile should be banned. Or bottled. Or kissed.
It sent waves of heat expanding throughout her body, unfurling a need so great she felt a tug of fear. What if she did give in to this almost overwhelming attraction? Could she walk away from it unscathed? Like she always did? This thing with Flynn didn’t feel the same as her usual trysts. There was something between them she couldn’t explain. But they wouldn’t be getting started. Staying remote would keep things on an even keel. You’re not lovable. Forget that and you’re toast.
‘I called you last night to ask how you felt about your first day here.’
So much for remote. He wasn’t supposed to play friendly after hours. ‘That explains one of two missed calls. I went to a movie and switched it off for the duration.’
Flynn looked awkward. ‘I rang twice.’
‘Did I miss something?’ Had one of her patients gone into labour? Or developed problems? Had Chrissie wanted to talk to her again? This wouldn’t look good for her if she had.
‘Relax. They were purely social calls.’
The way he drawled his words did everything but relax her. She managed through a dry mouth, ‘That’s all right, then.’ Highly intelligent conversation going on here, but she was incapable of much more right now. He shouldn’t be phoning her.
‘Ally, I was wondering—’
‘Morning, everyone.’ Jerome strolled in. ‘You came back for more, then, Ally?’
‘Yes.’ She shook her head to clear the heat haze. ‘Missed the ferry back to the mainland so thought I’d fill in my day looking after your pregnant patients,’ she joked pathetically.
Then Flynn asked, ‘How was Chrissie when you talked to her after school?’
She wondered what he’d been going to ask before Jerome had interrupted. ‘Resigned would best describe her attitude. But today might be a whole different story after a night thinking about it all.’ Ally dropped onto a chair and stared her coffee. ‘I hope she’s going to be all right.’ Chrissie still had to tell her mother. That’d be the toughest conversation of her young life.
‘Like I said, Angela will be very supportive.’ Flynn returned to his seat. ‘Marie was happy with her new midwife, by the way.’
Marie was happy with her boss and his boy, with the impending birth of her baby, with her husband, with the whole world. ‘I saw Adam for a few minutes when she came in. At least he’d stopped giggling.’
‘Ah, you missed the standing in the dog’s water bowl giggles, and the dollop of peanut butter on the floor right by Sheba’s nose giggles.’
She could picture Adam now, bent over, howling with laughter. ‘He’s one very happy little boy, isn’t he?’
Flynn’s smile slipped. Oops. What had she gone and done? Sadness filtered into his eyes and she wanted to apologise with a hug for whatever she’d managed to stir up, but she didn’t. Of course she didn’t. Hugging a man she’d only met two days ago and who was one of her bosses wasn’t the best idea she’d ever had. She sipped coffee instead—which perversely had turned lukewarm—and waited for the meeting to get under way.