‘Sure.’ This had to be the project Rhys had mentioned on Friday night after the quiz, she thought.
‘So how are you settling in?’ he asked, gesturing to her to take a seat.
‘Fine. Everyone’s been very welcoming. And I’m enjoying the work—it’s really good that we can work with the emergency department staff in the paediatric assessment unit.’
‘I’m glad. Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I’m working on another cross-departmental project to see how we can improve liaison between teams and give better patient care.’
‘Which sounds perfectly sensible to me,’ she said. ‘Having the PAU in the emergency department works well.’
‘And obviously we work closely with the maternity department.’
Where Daniel worked. Stephanie’s pulse leapt. Stupid. She forced herself to concentrate. This was work, and Daniel was purely a colleague. ‘Of course. We need to check the baby immediately after a complicated birth, and do the standard early postnatal checks, as well as following up any issues. Once the mum’s been signed off, then the baby would come to us if there’s a health problem.’
‘Exactly. I’d like you to be part of the team working with the maternity department. Apart from anything else, it means you’ll get to know a few more people a bit more quickly, too. Is that OK with you?’ Rhys asked.
‘That’s fine,’ she said with a smile. ‘Thanks for the opportunity.’
‘Good. I’ll give Theo a call, and whoever’s on his team can liaise with you.’
Stephanie was writing up her notes after a ward round when there was a knock on the open door of her office. She looked up to see Daniel.
Oh, help. Her stomach really wasn’t supposed to be filled with butterflies like this. Even if he did have the most amazing blue eyes and a smile that made the room feel as if it had just been lit up. He was her colleague—just her colleague—and she’d already told herself that enough times to know better. She knew that relationships didn’t work for her. How ridiculous was it to let herself react to him like this?
She took a deep breath and willed herself to calm down. ‘Hello, Dr Connor.’
‘Dan,’ he corrected her. ‘I can see you’re busy, but can I have a quick word? Maybe later, if you’re up to your eyes?’
‘Now’s fine. You know how it is with paperwork; it’s always going to be there. What can I do for you?’
‘I believe Rhys has talked to you about the team liaison project?’
‘Yes.’ Suddenly it all fell into place. ‘Does that mean you’re on the maternity team for the project?’
He nodded. ‘So it looks as if this one is down to you and me. Are you busy at lunchtime?’
Which was her let-out. She opened her mouth to say yes, but the wrong words came out. ‘If you call having a sandwich and going for a walk busy.’
‘How about we have a sandwich and a walk together?’ he suggested.
Oh, help. This was beginning to sound like a date. And she could feel the colour rising in her cheeks to betray her.
‘We can talk about the project and work out what we need to do.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘I know it’s a bit of a cheek, asking you to give up your lunch break for work.’
Work. Of course it was just work. She seized the excuse gratefully. ‘No, it’s fine. Otherwise we’re going to have to fit in a meeting between patients—and one of us is bound to be needed in the middle of it.’
‘Or just before a shift starts or after it ends, and we might not be rostered on at the same time. I thought we’d both be more likely to be around at lunchtime,’ Daniel said.
‘Good idea. OK. I’ll see you at lunchtime, then.’
‘Great. I’ll call for you.’ He smiled and was gone, leaving her to her paperwork.
Odd how that smile made her feel warm inside.
Stupid, too. This was about work, and nothing but work. They were having lunch together simply because it was the easiest way to fit in a meeting. And her common sense had better come back, pronto.
For once, the ward was quiet, so Daniel was able to call for Stephanie as they’d agreed. They picked up a meal from the hospital canteen; he noticed that she chose a healthy chicken salad wrap, fruit and water. Clearly she was someone who looked after herself, rather than a lot of the medics he knew, who grabbed a chocolate bar for quick energy because they didn’t have time for a proper break and a proper meal. Then they walked out to the park opposite the hospital and found a seat.
‘So how was your morning?’ she asked.
She really did have an amazing smile, he thought. Crazily, although they were outside and it was already sunny, the whole park felt brighter when she smiled. ‘Fine. Yours?’
‘Fine. Well, full of paperwork,’ she said ruefully. ‘And I guess this is going to be more of the same.’
Daniel found it hard to concentrate on talking to her about the roles of their departments and where they could work together to give their patients better care. He wanted to reach over and touch her dark hair, see if it was as soft as it looked. Which was insane; he never normally acted this way towards anyone.
But Stephanie looked so cute, all serious and thoughtful as she made notes on her mobile phone while they discussed the ins and outs of their respective departments.
For a mad moment, he itched to lean over and touch his mouth to hers. Just once. Just to see what it felt like.
‘Dan?’ she asked.
‘Uh.’ He felt the betraying heat crawling into his face. ‘Sorry, I was multi-tasking. I should know better. I don’t have enough X chromosomes to do that sort of thing.’
She laughed and the seriousness in her face vanished. She really was pretty, Daniel thought. He liked the way her green eyes crinkled at the corners, even at the same time as it scared him. He didn’t notice things like this about women. He didn’t think of women in terms of anything other than family, colleagues or patients. This woman could be seriously dangerous to his peace of mind.
‘Don’t do yourself down,’ she said. ‘Or do you normally hang around with totally sexist women?’
He laughed back. ‘Would a bossy little sister count?’
Her smile faded then, and he wondered what he’d said to change her mood.
Not that he could ask. There were suddenly barriers a mile high round her, and she kept the rest of their conversation on a totally businesslike footing. By the time they’d finished their lunch, she had enough notes for the basis of a report. ‘I’ll type it up and email it over to you, so you can see if I’ve missed anything.’
‘Thanks, that’d be good.’
And he couldn’t get the easiness back between them when they walked back to the hospital. He had no idea what he’d said to upset her, but he’d definitely rattled her cage.
‘Daddy, Ellie in my class is going to be a bridesmaid,’ Mia said, when Daniel had finished reading her bedtime story that evening.
‘That’s nice, darling,’ he said.
‘She’s going to have a really pretty dress. A purple one.’
Where was his daughter going with this? he wondered.
‘I’d like to be a bridesmaid.’ Her brown eyes were earnest.
Daniel relaxed and