‘Good point. I’m sorry for everything. Absolutely everything I did, and pretty much everything I didn’t do too… The fact that the Tooth Fairy isn’t real, the extinction of the dinosaurs, and mostly for The Birdie Song.’
Her eyes twinkled at that and she started to laugh. Which made him notice her even more.
She put her hand up, signalling that he’d said enough. ‘Okay. Don’t get carried away. But…oh, my poor heart…the Tooth Fairy? Not real?’
‘I know. I took it hard too. For God’s sake, don’t tell my daughter; she’d never forgive me.’
‘My lips are sealed.’ She did a zipping action with her forefinger and thumb across her mouth. Pouting it a little. It was a nice mouth. Full lips. The kind of smile that made you feel as if you had a pool of light in your chest. Seemed it wasn’t just his head but his heart noticed her too. Something in his blood started to fizz.
It had no right fizzing. He cleared his throat. ‘So, let’s start again. I’m Joe Thompson. The patients know me as Dr Joe. Maxine calls me Joey. But I also answer to hey you, oi and a whole lot of things I can’t say in polite company…and that you’ve probably muttered under your breath more than once today.’
A wry lift of her eyebrow. ‘I stopped counting when I got to fifty-seven.’
‘That bad, eh? I’m sorry and even though I didn’t show it I’m very grateful you’re here, particularly today.’
‘You’re forgiven, but only just, and you’re now on a caution.’ She nodded, satisfied. The smile stayed in place, hinting he was on the right track with being civil. ‘Any more of that grumpy nonsense and you’ll be in a lot of trouble. Life’s too short to be a huge pain in the ars—’
‘Indeed.’ As he knew, well enough. But he’d been stewing in his bad mood for five years and he’d thought he might be stuck there.
‘Anyway, I’m Rose McIntyre. Locum nurse extraordinaire.’ She stuck out her hand, long feminine fingers.
Which he took and shook, trying to ignore more fizzing, this time over his skin as her fingers slipped from his. He caught her gaze and wondered whether she’d felt it too.
No. No hint of any kind of fizzing on her side. Why on earth would she? He dragged his eyes from hers and tried to be more professional. ‘So, from somewhere down south, judging by the accent?’
She nodded and two small dots of pink bloomed on her cheeks. ‘Born and bred in London.’
‘But…?’
‘But what?’ The pink intensified.
‘There must be a but if you’ve moved away from your home to little old Oakdale in the middle of nowhere.’
‘It’s so beautiful here.’ But her demeanour changed, the openness in her eyes shuttered down. ‘I just needed…wanted a change.’
‘Bright lights and big city getting too much?’
‘Something like that.’ Her gaze slid away from him and she picked up her handbag, signalling the conversation about her was over. She wasn’t going to tell him anything personal, that was for sure. He didn’t even know why he wanted to know. They’d had other locums and he’d never asked about their reasons for coming here. She shook her head as if brushing off a thought and the smile was back on her face. ‘So, anyway, how were the pancakes? Laced with arsenic? No? Too bad.’
‘I wouldn’t blame you if you slipped some into my sandwiches tomorrow. I’ll make sure I don’t label them so you won’t know which are mine.’ He laughed. Actually laughed. It felt strange, muscles working in his belly that were usually only taxed by exercise. ‘No pancakes today. I made her eat porridge, but I was bribed to do pancakes tomorrow. Don’t be surprised if I come in covered in batter. That happens.’
She smiled. ‘Bribery or batter?’
‘Both. Too often.’
‘Kids, eh?’ The way she said it gave him pause. Wistful? Sad? There was a gentle raise of her eyebrows, a shrug. That’s life. But she’d already closed down enough at the remotest hint of a conversation about anything too personal, so he left it.
Suddenly serious, she closed down the computer and stood up. ‘Hey, did you check on Maxine? Have you heard how she’s doing? I mean… I know I’m not a relative or anything and I barely know her, so I hope you don’t think I’m prying, but—’
‘But you probably saved her life and for that I can’t thank you enough.’ If Rose hadn’t been here God knew what might have happened. ‘I just spoke with the cardiologist at Lancaster; she’s comfortable enough and they confirmed a myocardial infarction. She’s going to be in for a while.’
‘Next time you speak to her, give her my regards, please.’
‘I’m going over to the hospital tonight, so will do.’ He checked his watch. Time was marching. He really shouldn’t be standing here doing this, no matter how much he was enjoying trying to make amends. Thank God the rain had stopped a few hours ago. The roads would be dry and clear so…he steered his mind from where it usually went when he thought about rain and driving, and reframed things…so it wouldn’t take too long to get there and back. An easy drive of fifty minutes each way.
She frowned at her watch. ‘Really? All that way? It’s getting late.’
‘I’ll take Katy, my daughter; we’ll just pop in for a quick visit.’ It would have to be a very quick visit if he didn’t move soon. But his mouth started to run away on a different tangent. ‘You enjoyed your walk this morning? Except the part where a bad-tempered bloke bawled you out?’
She brushed her hand along her hair, smoothing some wayward wisps, and nodded, an ironic smile at the memory. ‘Well, yes, apart from grumpy men commenting on my inappropriate, but very lovely, cardigan it is beautiful up there. I can see why you live in that house—the view’s amazing and it’s such a quaint cottage.’
Pippa had loved it too, the second she’d set foot on the land. More than enough bedrooms, the perfect garden, a kitchen with the best view in the county. He’d bought it for her, for their future and the big family they were going to have…
And just like that his dead wife slipped so easily back into his brain. A familiar tight ache settled under his ribcage. Maybe he hadn’t moved on as much as he’d thought. ‘Yes. On a clear day you can see as far as Morecambe.’ His voice was tighter, as if his throat had been rubbed with sandpaper.
If Rose noticed she didn’t make it obvious. ‘Someone told me you could see all the way to Ireland, but I think they were pulling my leg. I only walked up to Craggy Gill and back this morning. Just a quick stretch of my legs before I came in here.’
Fifteen minutes from his house. ‘I should have asked you where you were headed then. Lesson learnt.’ But the thought of Pippa reminded him of everything he should be doing instead of standing here trying to make a pretty woman smile. ‘Right. I have to go.’
He didn’t want to. Something about her made him want to hang around and chat. But… Katy. Maxine. Pip. Sweet Pip. The hollow in his chest expanded.
Was he moving on? Could he? There was that panic again, deep inside.
Rose headed towards the door. ‘Great, I’ll come with you.’
‘No.’ He had to get his head sorted. And collect his daughter, then drive to Lancaster Hospital.
‘Just outside. That’s all.’ Rose blinked. Twice. ‘I don’t know how to lock up.’ She wiggled her fingers. ‘No keys?’
‘Right. Yes.’ What had he been thinking? That she’d somehow want to come with him? Home? To the hospital? Anywhere? What a ridiculous idea. Almost as ridiculous as wanting to make her smile, instead of reminding himself how futile