even ask? Sounds like you missed a great opportunity,’ Katrina said. ‘He might have been really nice.’ She shook her head. ‘You’re so picky. How are you ever going to meet someone if you never give them a chance?’
Madison grinned. ‘Says the woman who’s waiting for her prince to come and find her.’
‘I looked. I kissed some of them, even. And they turned into frogs.’ Katrina shrugged. ‘Anyway. I’m happy with my career.’
‘So am I,’ Madison said.
Katrina raised an eyebrow. ‘Honey, you’ve been broody for the last five years.’
‘Which is why I made such a huge mistake with Harry. I know.’ Madison shrugged. ‘Next time, I’ll get it right. Find myself the perfect man—gorgeous body, gorgeous mind, gorgeous heart.’
‘In that order?’
‘Colour me shallow.’ Madison laughed and spread her hands. ‘Actually, the order doesn’t matter, as long as they’re all present.’ Though she knew which ones were the most important. The two Harry had turned out not to possess.
‘I think you’re going to have to compromise somewhere,’ Katrina said.
Madison shook her head. ‘No compromising.’ Not any more. She’d compromised with Harry, and look where that had got her. Divorced and disillusioned at the age of twenty-six. Except now, at thirty, she had her bounce back again. ‘Look, our mums managed it, didn’t they?’
‘I’m not so sure our dads are perfect,’ Katrina said thoughtfully. ‘I love Dad and Uncle Bryan to bits, but they’re not perfect, Maddie. Nobody is. They’re only human.’
Madison was saved from having to agree by a soft knock on the door. ‘Kat, sorry to interrupt—I need you to come and have a look at Joseph. I’m not happy with his obs,’ the paediatric nurse said, looking worried.
‘On my way,’ Katrina said. ‘Sorry, Maddie.’
‘Hey. I only dropped in to give you your prizes. I’ll catch you later.’ Madison hugged her cousin, and left the ward.
But she still couldn’t get that kiss out of her head. It had been chaste and decorous—yet, at the same time, the hottest thing she’d ever experienced. Full of promise. If Ed hadn’t interrupted, who knew what could have happened?
‘Get a grip, Maddie. Real world,’ she informed herself. The ball was over. And she’d probably never see the stranger again, so what was the point in wondering what might have been?
ON MONDAY morning—the day before he was supposed to start—Theo Petrakis walked on to the maternity unit.
He liked what he saw. Everything was organised—well, as organised as you could get in a ward where babies decided to arrive earlier than expected, or made their parents wait around and worry before they finally made their appearance—and there were plenty of hand sanitation gel dispensers around, so clearly they were hot on hygiene here. And the warm, relaxed atmosphere he’d noticed at his interview was still present, to his relief. Before now he’d worked in a unit where the midwives and doctors had been practically ranged against each other instead of recognising that they were a team.
‘Can I help you?’ the midwife sitting at the reception desk asked.
He smiled at her and held out his hand. ‘I’m Theo Petrakis. Strictly speaking, I’m not supposed to be here until tomorrow, but I thought I’d drop in and say hello.’
‘Theo Petrakis—our new consultant, yes?’ She returned the smile. ‘I’m Iris Rutherford.’ The senior midwife, according to her name badge. She took his hand and shook it warmly. ‘Pleased to meet you. Especially as you’ve picked a nice quiet moment.’
‘As opposed to three in the morning, when all the babies decide it’s the perfect time to make their arrival?’ he asked wryly.
She laughed. ‘Too right! If you’ve got a few minutes spare, I can show you around and introduce you to everyone.’
‘Thanks. I’d like that.’
And by everyone, Theo discovered, she meant everyone, including the health-care assistants.
It had definitely been a good decision to take this temporary post, he thought. A six-month stint as a locum for the senior consultant, who was off on long-term sick leave. It would broaden his experience so he was ready to make the step up to a senior consultancy role. As it looked as if he’d be part of a team here that believed in working together, this job was going to be a real pleasure.
Then he noticed the slight frown on Iris’s face as they got back to her desk. ‘What’s up?’
‘I was hoping you’d get to meet our registrar, but she’s in one of the delivery rooms right now. She’s brilliant at her job, good with the mums and the babies. She’s going to make an excellent consultant in a couple of years.’
‘Ambitious?’ Theo asked, trying to read between the lines.
Iris smiled. ‘She certainly hasn’t met the man who’ll come between her and her career. But she won’t give you a hard time for taking over from Doug, if that’s what you’re asking.’
By the time Theo left the ward, the registrar still hadn’t emerged from the delivery room—and no way would he interrupt what was clearly already a difficult situation for a woman in labour—but he wasn’t particularly worried about not meeting her before he started. If she was anything like her colleagues, they’d get along just fine.
The following morning, again the registrar wasn’t there when he arrived because she was helping out with a difficult birth. But he was just making himself a mug of coffee when she walked into the ward’s kitchen.
‘Hello. You must be the new…’ She stopped dead, clearly recognising him.
Just as he recognised her.
Even without the mask, he knew her instantly. Those beautiful eyes. That mouth. The prickle of awareness that ran all the way down his spine.
Which was crazy.
Apart from the fact he never mixed work and relationships, it would be impossible here anyway. He was only here for six months, and she was involved. The best he could hope for was a good working relationship. Which meant defusing any embarrassment right from the start.
‘Doctor,’ he finished lightly. ‘Yes. I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself to you at the ball on Saturday. Theo Petrakis.’ He held out his hand.
‘Madison Gregory. Everyone calls me Maddie. Welcome to the ward.’ She took his hand.
Using her right hand. And he’d kissed her right wrist on Saturday night, touched his lips to the pulse point.
The impulse to do it again shocked him, it was so strong. He just about managed to shake her hand and then drop it again. ‘I was making coffee. The kettle’s hot.
