A December To Remember. Sue MacKay

she’d had, so why wasn’t he wanting to have his own family and make up for that? Had he ever fallen in love? Come close, even? Sad, but she suspected not.

      ‘Are you listening to me?’ Luca elbowed her, causing rice to drop off her fork.

      ‘Heard every word.’ I hope, or I’ll be asking questions about what he’s just told me tomorrow and then he’ll give me stick. ‘The clinic is full to bursting at the moment.’

      His grey eyes squinted at her. ‘I said there are four spare beds.’

      ‘You did not.’ She laughed, and even to her that sounded strained. She changed the subject and determined to concentrate on everything he said. ‘Who’s Baxter?’ She’d heard the kids talking about him when she was getting ready to come out with Luca.

      ‘The clinic’s pet pangolin.’ She must’ve looked bewildered because he explained further. ‘An anteater. They normally live in the trees. Apparently this one turned up one day with one leg half severed off. It was before my time. Aaron operated and now it slopes around minus a leg.’

      ‘So Baxter knew where to go for an amputation.’ This time her laughter was genuine.

      Luca smiled back. ‘The kids adopted him and he’s stayed, sometimes foraging for ants farther afield, but he never goes very far. You’ll see him soon enough.’

      He pushed their empty plates aside. ‘Feel up to a stroll beside the Mekong?’

      Not really. She’d like nothing more than to fall into bed and get some more sleep. Glancing at her watch, she saw it was only just after eight thirty. And here she’d thought they’d been in the bar for hours. It was too early to go back to her room, especially after having slept most of the day. An evening stroll with Luca would be the next best thing. Maybe even better, and she could walk off the effects of all that beer. What had she been thinking having so much? Hadn’t been thinking at all, that was what. Standing up, she slung her bag over her shoulder. ‘Sure.’

      Outside the air had cooled all of about two degrees. Ellie shook her head. ‘To think I was looking forward to the warmth after a particularly cold spring back home.’

      Luca caught her hand in his and swung their arms between them. ‘I still haven’t got used to the heat. Especially at night when I’m desperately tired and sleep’s evasive.’

      Ellie gently squeezed his hand, enjoying the strength of those firm fingers. This felt good. Being with someone who knew her and wouldn’t make up things about her, wouldn’t be sniggering behind her back, wouldn’t be breaking any vows.

      Neither of them talked as they strolled along a path lined with bars and nightclubs. Despite the noise from those buildings the sound of the river seeped into Ellie’s mind, a steady pouring of an unbelievable amount of water carrying debris and fish along its path. Where had that branch come from? A few kilometres farther north? Or from another country? China, even? ‘Amazing.’

      ‘What is?’

      ‘The river and all the countries it runs through.’ Ellie turned towards Luca and missed her footing on the uneven surface.

      He caught her waist, held her as she regained her balance. ‘Careful. Can’t have you breaking your ankle before you’ve even started working with us.’

      ‘That would make me very unpopular.’ Those hands were definitely showing their strength. And their heat. She could feel each finger distinctly from the others. A different kind of warmth than what the climate was producing caressed her feverish skin. Tipping her head back, she met Luca’s stunned look. Carefully taking a backwards step, she extricated herself from his hold and dropped her gaze. And instantly felt she’d lost something. Something important. But this was Luca. Not some hot guy she’d want to go to bed with.

      Really? Luca wasn’t hot? Yes, he was, but she’d never thought of him like that. That would be too— Too strange? Or too hot to handle? She peeked up at him, found him staring out at the river now, an inscrutable look on his face. When had he got so good at those? Not back when she’d last knew him, for sure. Back then he used to make jokes to divert unwanted interest. These days she also had a few of her own special expressions that hadn’t been around in those days.