‘I’m sorry that my presence at the surgery has taken away your pleasure in coming home, Aaron,’ she said levelly. ‘When I knew that you were going to be Libby’s replacement, I must admit I thought about leaving, but decided that as I’d done nothing wrong, why should I? A truce while we’re working together would be most acceptable, and for the rest of the time our private lives will stay how they are meant to be, private.’
He didn’t take her up on that, just nodded, and keen to know if she already knew that Nathan was having thoughts about them working in pairs asked, ‘Did you know that Nathan is considering us working in twos, a doctor and a nurse working together?
‘At the moment we have four doctors and three nurses so he will probably leave Ruby working solo until she leaves to look after their little adopted child when it arrives. It would be better if we didn’t work so closely together.’
She almost groaned out loud and ignoring his last comment said, ‘No, I didn’t know. Maybe I can ask him not to do that before he decides who is with who, but of course he will want to know why and …’
‘What? You wouldn’t want him to find out that you are not as bright a star as he thinks you are? I will say one thing, Julianne, you have certainly got them all bedazzled, Nathan, Helena, the nice guy at the bakery, but of course they don’t know the sort of things you get up to, do they?’
On that discordant note he drove off and left her standing on the pavement with a lump in her throat, thinking miserably that no man would relish having to endure what had happened to him, and if she wanted no further hurt along the way she would need to tread carefully when he was around at the practice, which was going to be most of the time.
When Julianne arrived Aaron was already ensconced in the kitchen with some of the other staff, enjoying the early morning brew that the first to arrive always made for the rest of them, and when he saw her downcast expression Aaron felt a sharp pang of guilt. If they’d been handing out medals for arrogance he would have been top of the list.
On impulse he said to those gathered there, ‘I wonder if you folks would like to be my guests tonight at somewhere while I celebrate my return to the UK, which has brought with it the pleasure of meeting you all?’
With one exception, Julianne thought. There had been no joy for him in meeting up with her again. So what was the reason for his sudden invitation? Yet did it matter? Whatever it was, she wouldn’t be attending.
For one thing, he wouldn’t want her there, and for another it was her night for helping out at the hospice at the far side of the lake, and no matter how low she might be feeling she never arrived there without a smile on her face.
Nathan had just appeared and Aaron was asking him if he and Libby could get someone to mind the children for a couple of hours at such short notice.
After thinking for a moment, Nathan replied, ‘I’m sure that my father will do the honours as long as both Toby and Elsey are asleep when we leave them.’
With a glance at the other two doctors, Hugo Lawrence and his recently qualified young wife, Ruby, Aaron said, ‘And would you folks be free for a couple of hours?’
‘Yes, of course,’ Hugo replied, and to the rest of those gathered in the kitchen, ‘Where would you suggest? Aaron doesn’t know the night life in the area like we do. There’s The Mallard, of course, or a new restaurant that has just opened on the lakeside that we’ve had good reports of. You have a good social life, Julianne, where do you suggest?’
‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘We all have our likes and dislikes, and in any case I won’t be there, it’s the night I go to help out at the hospice, and I can’t let them down.’
So much for that, Aaron thought. He’d suggested the get-together mainly because he felt guilty for being so abrupt earlier, and was now realising that he needn’t have bothered extending an olive branch as she had other plans.
But he couldn’t go back on what he’d suggested and showing no disappointment at the thought of her absence he decided on the new restaurant. A decision that was met with approval from everyone except Julianne, who was just relieved to have a good reason for not being there and didn’t have to think up an excuse.
It was always very late when she arrived home on the nights she worked at the hospice. If there was an ambulance driver free, or any other member of the staff going her way with a car, they would give her a lift, otherwise she phoned for a taxi. She had a little runabout car, but was always so tired when she’d finished there after working at the practice all day that she daren’t risk using it in case she fell asleep at the wheel.
Tonight it was one of the doctors at the hospice who had brought her home and as he drove off, the surgery crowd appeared, strolling along the pavement on their way home from the impromptu party, all in high spirits after the unexpected get-together in a smart restaurant.
The last thing she wanted was to have to face Aaron again and she fumbled around in her bag for the door key, hoping to get inside before they drew level. The ones at the front didn’t pause, just called their goodnights and ambled on.
At the same second that her fingers closed around the key she could see Aaron looming up in the rear, chatting to Ruby and Hugo, and he’d seen her.
As the other two doctors wished her goodnight he stopped beside her. She turned the key quickly in the lock and as the door swung open stepped inside then swung round to face him.
She didn’t speak. If he had something to say, let him say it and be gone, she thought. Her evening had been spent mostly surrounded by the terminally ill with the sadness that such situations brought with them and now she just wanted to go to bed. She was tired in body and soul.
He did have something to say and it took her by surprise. ‘If they are looking for volunteers at the hospice I could give them a couple of nights, or weekends, on a regular basis. Just thought I’d mention it as I was passing.’ He turned to go. ‘At different times to yours, of course.’
Stung by the comment, she said, ‘But of course. It wouldn’t do for you to be mixing with a wrong ‘un. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I would like to go to bed.’
‘Sure. I’ll be on my way.’ And without further comment he went striding off in the direction of the lake, the waterfall and the cottage, and his last thought before he slept was about Julianne again. So far she hadn’t put a foot wrong. Either she was playing him up, or he’d got his wires crossed somewhere.
Maybe tomorrow he would ask her about Nadine—where she lived, how often they met and were their parents still around? Though perhaps not. He’d only been back a couple of days and was already showing an exaggerated interest in Julianne.
Both Aaron and Julianne were waiting for Nathan to mention the working-together-in-pairs arrangement and so far he hadn’t, but that omission was about to be dealt with late on Friday afternoon before the surgery closed for the weekend, when he said to them, ‘I’ve sorted out the new working arrangements.
‘I will pair with Helena. Hugo with Gina, who is going to extend her hours to match his now that her young ones are capable of being left for a short time after senior school, and the two of you will make up the third pair. I have every confidence that you will work well together, with Ruby being at hand if any of us doctors are not available for some reason, until such time as she becomes a stay-at-home mother like Libby with our young ones.’
The phone in his room was ringing and before they could say anything he’d gone to answer it. Aaron said in a low voice, ‘Maybe we should let it ride if we don’t want to be the objects of gossip.’
‘Yes, I suppose so,’ she agreed reluctantly, and without further comment went to make sure that the nurses’ room was immaculate before the surgery closed for the weekend.
Nathan shortly followed her into the room.