‘Actually, there’s nothing ready for your arrival on Monday because we had no idea that you were coming,’ she said bluntly, unable to stop her frustration coating her words. ‘In fact, we’d never even heard of you until five minutes before you turned up, and we certainly didn’t know that you’d been appointed head of department.’
To say that he looked taken aback was putting it mildly, Leah thought, and, in spite of her own feelings of disappointment, she suddenly found herself having to fight laughter. Was it hysteria? Perhaps. But it certainly wasn’t a good example of professional courtesy, especially when she was going to have to work with the man.
‘Of course, the patients’ notes are completely up to date,’ she assured him with a touch of justifiable pride. He obviously didn’t think so and she could hardly blame him, given the fact that there were piles of files dotted around as a result of her ongoing reorganisation. ‘And the computer system the hospital uses is very quick to master so you shouldn’t have any trouble accessing any other details you may need.’
‘I see.’ He was silent for a nerve-stretching moment as his eyes roved the apparent chaos surrounding them, the dubious expression on his face saying everything. ‘And will you have any time free this morning?’
There was something in the tone of his voice that she couldn’t put her finger on, but it made Leah feel uncomfortable. She had no idea whether he was pleased to hear that all the paperwork was in order or whether he seriously doubted it and was wondering how soon he could find a way to replace her.
Just the thought of having to leave her beloved department was enough to send a chill down her spine and she instantly resolved to be less prickly. After all, she may have applied for the post but she hadn’t got it. It certainly wasn’t the first disappointment she’d suffered. Life went on.
She slid back behind the desk, leaning forward to press a combination of keys on the computer keyboard until the relevant diary page flashed up onto the screen. She always arrived at least an hour before she was due to start and she may as well get their initial meeting over as soon as possible. The situation wasn’t going to change even if she put him off until the end of the day, and she’d have it hanging over her, too.
‘I’m free for the next three-quarters of an hour,’ she began briskly, then realised that she’d automatically treated the room as her own domain, sitting at the desk as if it was her right. ‘That is, I’ll be free as soon as I’ve had time to take my belongings out of your room…although where I’ll be able to put them…’ she finished under her breath, completely unable to think of anywhere in the department that she could set up as her own space. She’d been doing so much of the day-to-day running of the department for so long that there was very little in the room to remind her that it had actually been her former head of department’s office.
‘That’s not important for the moment,’ he said dismissively. ‘We’ll just have to share the office if there isn’t anywhere else.’
Leah nearly choked at the impossibility of the idea. The room was far too small for a second desk to be shoehorned into the cramped space and they certainly couldn’t share the existing one. What was he proposing? That she should sit on his lap?
‘The important thing,’ he continued while she fought to rid her brain of that seductive image, ‘is that I need to be up to speed before I start work properly on Monday. Where we do it or whose name is on the door is immaterial.’
‘So, what do you think of him?’ Kelly demanded eagerly, her coat over her arm, at the end of her shift.
‘Who?’ Leah asked weakly, knowing it was a forlorn hope that the topic of conversation would be anything other than their new head of department.
‘David ffrench, of course,’ Kelly said impatiently, almost as though she doubted Leah’s sanity. ‘Remember? The man you’ve spent ages closeted with in that cosy little office, you lucky girl.’
‘He’s very different to Donald,’ Leah said blandly, hoping that Kelly hadn’t picked up on the fact that her heart had just performed a sudden jig at the mention of his name. It had been bad enough when he’d been standing in the office doorway and she’d been able to put the width of the desk between them, but sitting side by side with their elbows and knees in almost constant contact had quickly become torture. She’d never been this aware of any man, not even…
‘Duh!’ Kelly mocked, halting that particular train of thought before it could hit the buffers. ‘Tell me something I haven’t noticed! David ffrench is absolutely nothing like Donald, thank God. Tell me…while you were in here, what have you managed to find out about his private life? Is he married, engaged, living with a significant other or is he gloriously, wonderfully free to fall instantly in love with yours truly?’
‘I haven’t got a clue,’ Leah replied honestly, but felt the tide of warmth seeping up her face with the silent admission that for the first time in a long time she’d actually found herself thinking exactly the same questions. ‘All I can tell you is that he doesn’t wear a ring—not that that is any indication of anything these days, especially for a surgeon.’
‘Ah, so you were looking!’ Kelly pounced.
‘Not really, but I couldn’t help noticing as we were working our way through the current case files.’ And couldn’t help noticing what nice hands he had either. They were all lean and long fingered and looked as if they had the sort of sinewy strength that any surgeon needed, combined with the delicacy of touch and fine control that was essential for their exacting specialty.
‘So, do you think he’ll be good for the department?’ Kelly asked, suddenly reverting to a more serious frame of mind. ‘Do you think you’ll be able to work with him?’
‘Time will tell,’ Leah said noncommittally. ‘He certainly seems to know his stuff.’
‘And the fact that he’s so easy on the eyes is a big help, too,’ Kelly joked archly. ‘Not that he seems very interested in playing the flirting game. I think nearly every female in the entire obs and gyn section perked up as he’s gone by, but he didn’t even seem to notice. Oh!’ She gasped as a sudden thought struck her. ‘You don’t think he’s…you know, batting for the other team?’
‘You mean, homosexual?’ Leah fought a grin, determined to at least appear to take the suggestion seriously. ‘I suppose he could be. Once again, though, only time will tell.’
She was grinning openly as a scowling Kelly made her way out of the unit, muttering darkly that all the good-looking men were either married or gay, absolutely certain in her own mind that, married or not, David ffrench was a hundred per cent pure functioning male.
‘Hey, big brother! How did it go today? Did you get a chance to look around your new domain?’
‘Hi, Moggy! How are you doing?’ David felt a wide smile spread over his face at the sound of his sister’s voice at the other end of the phone, grateful for the chance to stop unpacking boxes. He lowered himself into his borrowed armchair and suddenly realised why it had been so eagerly donated when it nearly swallowed him whole. He might have to call for help just to escape from its smothering clutches. ‘Is that new husband of yours treating you right?’
‘Like a fragile piece of priceless china,’ she grumbled, but he could hear the happiness underlying the complaint. It was so good to know that she’d finally found what she’d always wanted—a man who loved her every bit as much as she loved him—and if it left him feeling pea green
