as he hunched down again. ‘Hospital in Blenheim. You need an X-ray and an orthopaedic surgeon’s take on what that shows up.’
‘There goes my catwalk career.’ Was that a twinkle through the pain in her eyes?
Catwalk? Yep, come to think of it, those long, slim legs filling his view were made for modelling. Thinking’s not always wise, said his brain, while his eyes cruised the length of her. The rest of her body was A1 too, topped off with that glorious hair and a face that could tempt a eunuch. Which you pretty much are these days, boyo. Given the chance, Jenny Bostock could certainly change his mind on avoiding the female half of the population. So don’t give her a chance. He straightened up again, putting space between them. Hell, he was up and down like a yoyo.
Time to get practical. ‘I presume you’ve got a car parked up somewhere around here. It can go in my garage until you’re ready to drive again.’ It was the least he could do, considering who’d had put her out of action.
Her fingers slid into the hip pocket of snug-fitting, mid-thigh-length shorts and tugged a key ring free. ‘Red sports car, registration HGH 345, parked outside the woodcarver’s.’
He nearly missed the keys as his gaze remained fixed on that hip. Catching them at the last moment, her words finally registered. Sports car, yeah, right. ‘You’re very trusting.’ Which probably meant the vehicle was an old bomb in need of lots of repairs.
‘Dr Cameron Roberts, Havelock GP. Shouldn’t be too hard to track down. Anyway, I’m lying outside his front gate: 5C Rose Street.’
Far too observant. Just then he heard a siren. ‘They’re turning it on for you.’
‘All ambos like to play with their bells and whistles, don’t they? But I admit I’ll be glad of that nitrous oxide. This is doing my head in.’ A grimace tightened her mouth. She’d run out of smiles. Those bewitching eyes looked plain old tired now. Her attention to him and the boys had all been for show, something to take her mind off what was really happening.
‘Should’ve asked you this sooner. Is there someone I can call for you? Get them to meet you at the hospital?’
Those eyes went blank as she withdrew completely. ‘No, thanks.’
‘You’ll need to be picked up after the medical team has put you back together.’
‘I’ll sort it.’ She looked away, but not before he saw desolation glittering out at the world. Then, ‘Hi, guys. You come to get me? I hope you’ve brought lots of painkillers.’
Braden and his sidekick, Lyn, jogged over with a stretcher, a cardboard splint, their medical kit and the tank of gas Jenny was longing for.
Cam said, ‘Hi, guys. Meet Jenny Bostock.’ Guilt assailed him again, this time brought on by that desolation she was busy trying to hide, and knowing if it hadn’t been for his sons she wouldn’t be in whatever predicament she now found herself.
‘Dad, can we go to the shops?’
‘We saw Mum get out of a car at the end of the road.’
His heart crashed. They’d seen their mother? There was more likelihood of pigs flying by. Would this ever stop? As if it wasn’t enough that they’d broken this woman’s ankle, they thought they’d seen their selfish mother. When would the boys accept that that particular woman had no intention of ever returning? Even if she deigned to drop by because she’d had a rush of oxygen to the brain, she certainly would not want two eight-year-olds interfering with her career plans.
‘There isn’t time. You’re meant to be at the softball juniors’ Christmas party in an hour and you still have to clean your faces and put on decent clothes.’
The disappointment blinking out at him from two almost identical faces hurt as much as that broken ankle was hurting Jenny. Better he give it to them straight than have them walking up and down the short main street peering into every shop and café, looking for someone who was hundreds of k’s away in the North Island. He hated having to be the big bad ogre breaking their hearts by telling them that when it was their mother who’d caused their anguish.
He looked away, his gaze encountering Jenny’s as she drew in deep breaths of gas. This time he couldn’t read the expression in those green eyes at all. He didn’t try to guess because he wouldn’t be seeing her again. Whatever she was thinking didn’t matter.
Braden said, ‘We’ll be off as soon as we’ve got a splint on this here leg and loaded Jenny in the ambulance. You going to happy hour at the pub tonight?’
The fundraiser for the school swimming pool maintenance. ‘That depends on what time the boys’ Christmas do finishes and we get back here.’ He and the kids had become experts at socialising, being invited to just about every celebration happening in Havelock. Anything from a cat’s birthday to the theatre group’s finishing night was an excuse to have fun around here. Which was fine, except when someone took it into their head to arrange a function in Blenheim, a thirty-minute drive away. Not far except when appointments were stacking up or, like at this time of year, there were too many social engagements to attend.
‘Might see you later.’ Braden and Lyn shifted their patient onto the stretcher and rolled her across to the ambulance.
Cam followed, unable to walk away. ‘I hope all goes well for you at Wairau, Jenny. And once again, I’m sorry for my boys’ actions.’
Removing the gas inhaler from her mouth, she gave a semblance of a smile. ‘Accidents happen all the time. I should’ve been looking where I was going.’
This woman was very quick to forgive. Not many people would’ve said that. A genuine, good-hearted lady? Or was the laughing gas mellowing that despair that had been glittering out from those suck-him-in eyes?
Watching the ambulance pull away and head towards the intersection, he felt a tug of longing he hadn’t felt in years. Longing for what? Something about Jenny’s bravery had caused it, made him feel he should be following in his car, going to the ED with her. Holding her hand? Yeah, right. Holding a beautiful woman’s hand was so not on his agenda. He shrugged. Couldn’t deny feeling responsible for her.
If there’d been someone with her, or even meeting her at the other end, he wouldn’t be thinking like this. But it sounded like she was alone. So when she came out of hospital, where would she go? How would she get there? She hadn’t been carrying a bag, wasn’t wearing a jacket with pockets to hold money or credit cards. Or a phone. Just the keys she’d handed him to the car he had to retrieve and park at home. He swore, once, softly. He was going to have to deliver her bag to her.
He spied the boys carrying the cushions up the drive, flicking him worried looks from under their too-long hair, having obviously heard his bad language but not willing to tell him off as they normally did. At least they’d got the seriousness of the situation. He sighed. Time to get moving if they weren’t to be late for the party.
Oh, and note to self: arrange for two haircuts at the hair salon on Monday afternoon after school.
JENNY STARED AROUND the ED and shivered. ‘I want out of here. Like now.’
Not going to happen. The ED specialist
