Cora’s Belgian sheepdog. Muscles he hadn’t been aware he’d contracted released all at once. “Can you tell me later, gorgeous? I’m working right now.”
“Oh, okay. Sorry, Uncle Luke. Are you coming for dinner tonight?”
“I wouldn’t miss it, sweetheart.” He smiled, unable to resist the pleading note in her voice. “What are we having?”
“Prawns!”
Cora’s birth was what had propelled him to change his career path from plastic surgery to midwifery. The lure of a glamorous life filled with beautiful women had faded away in a moment when Felix’s wife had gone into labor unexpectedly. Lucas had delivered his own niece in the living room of his brother’s home. As he’d stared down at the tiny creature nestled in his hands, Cora had blinked against the light and given a sharp wail of protest that had melted his heart. Seven years later, she still had the power to turn him into a soppy puddle of goo, especially since he and Felix were now the only family she had left.
He needed to get off the phone, but the ward was quiet—none of his patients were laboring at the moment. He cradled the device closer to his ear. “Prawns, eh? What’s the occasion?”
She giggled. “Just because.”
“You’re going to spoil me.” His chest tightened at how happy she sounded. He’d take this over those other phone calls any day.
“Oh,” his niece said, “make sure you bring some briquettes for the barbie. Daddy forgot them at the store.”
Felix had forgotten quite a few things lately. But at least he seemed to be pulling out of his current well of depression.
Footsteps sounded somewhere behind him, so he moved to end the conversation.
“Okay, Cora, I will. Looking forward to tonight.”
“Me too. Love you bunches.”
“Love you even more, sweetheart. Bye.” He ended the call, only to have the very person he’d been hoping not to encounter stalk past him, throwing an icy glare his way.
Lucas sighed. The woman did seem to pop up at just the wrong time. He slid the phone into his pocket and decided to go after her. He had no idea why, but he liked trying to get a rise out of her. Within five steps he’d caught up with her. Matching her pace, he glanced to the side.
Not good. The obstetrician’s lips were pressed together into a thin line, her expression stony.
He pushed forward anyway, throwing her what he hoped was a charming smile. “Were you looking for me?”
Her expression didn’t budge. “I was, but I can see you’re busy.”
“Just taking a short breather between patients. What was it you wanted?”
She glanced at him, her eyes meeting his for a mere second. “Is Isla scheduled to see you this week?”
Isla Delamere was one of his colleagues as well as a friend.
“Yes, did you want to be there for her appointment?”
Her chin edged up in a way he was coming to recognize. “I’d planned to be. She’s my patient as well.”
Okay, he’d gotten a rise out of her, but not quite the kind he’d been hoping for.
He moved ahead of her and planted himself in her path before she could reach the door to the staff lounge. Why he was bothering he had no idea, but something in him wanted to knock down a block or two of that icy wall she surrounded herself with. “Listen, Dr. Green—Darcie—I know we got off on the wrong foot somehow, but can we hit the reset button? We have three weeks of our rotation left. I’d like to make them pleasant ones, if at all possible. What do you say?”
The tight lines in her face held firm for another moment, and he wondered if she was going to strike him dead for daring to use her first name. Then her eyes closed, and she took a deep breath. “I think I might be able to manage that.” The corners of her mouth edged up, creating cute little crinkles at the outer edges of her eyes. “If we both try very hard.”
Something in Lucas’s chest shifted, and a tightening sensation speared through his gut. Had he ever seen the woman smile? Not that he could remember, and certainly never at him. The transformation in her face was…
Incredible.
He swallowed. That was something he was better off not thinking about.
Three weeks. He just had to get through the rest of this rotation. From what he understood, Dr. Green had only been seconded to MMU for a year, then she’d head back to England. He did some quick calculations. She had, what…three months left? Once their rotation was over she’d be down to two, which meant it was doubtful they’d be paired together again. He gave an internal fist pump, trying to put his whole heart into it. It came off as less than enthusiastic.
Because you still have these three weeks to get through.
He gave her another smile. “I think I can manage it as well.”
“Well, good. Now that that’s settled, when is Isla’s appointment?”
He checked his schedule. “Next Wednesday at two.”
Darcie pulled her phone out and scrolled through a couple of screens before punching some buttons. “I don’t have anyone scheduled at that time, so I’ll be there.” She gave him another smile—a bit wider this time—and the wobble in his chest returned. And this time he noticed the crinkles framed eyes that were green. A rich velvety color. Sparkling with life.
Her lips were softer too than they had been earlier. Pink, delicate, and with just a hint of shine.
The tightening sensation spread lower, edging beneath his waistband.
What the hell? Time to get out of here.
“Great. See you later.” He turned and started back the way he had come, only to have her voice interrupt him.
“Don’t forget to call for a consult if anything unusual comes up.”
He stiffened at the prim tone. “Yes, I know the protocol, thank you.”
When she didn’t respond, he turned around and caught something…hurt?…in the depths of those green eyes, and maybe even a hint of uncertainty. In a flash, though, it winked out, taking with it any trace of her earlier smile and, very possibly, their newborn peace accord.
While that bothered him on a professional level, it was what he’d seen in her expression in that unguarded moment that made him want to cross over to her and try to understand what was going on in her head. He didn’t. Instead, he chose to reiterate his comment in a less defensive way. “I’ll ring if I need you.”
Then he walked away. Without looking back. Praying the next weeks sped by without him having to make that call.
That man should wear a lab coat. A long one.
Darcie tried not to stare at
