Christmas Brides And Babies Collection. Rebecca Winters

      When Oliver had left the room and closed the door behind him, Georgie asked, ‘What’s with the special treatment? Are you two an item?’

      Not really, Ella thought. She wished they were, but it wasn’t going to happen because his parents would never accept her. So she couldn’t answer Georgie’s question honestly. ‘Oliver looks after all his team,’ she said. Which was true: sometimes she wondered what drove him to be so protective. ‘And I’m pregnant.’

      ‘Congratulations,’ Georgie asked. ‘When’s it due? That is, I take it you’re having just one and not quads?’

      Ella smiled. ‘No, just the one baby. It’s early days. The baby’s so tiny at the moment it looks like a little bean on the scan.’ She took her phone from her pocket and flicked through to the photograph she’d taken of the scan picture. ‘Look, that’s my little one.’

      ‘Your first?’

      Ella nodded. ‘And that’s scary enough. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be expecting quads.’

      ‘Really scary,’ Georgie said. ‘I never thought we’d be able to have children at all. It was a miracle that two embryos took—and even more of a miracle that both of them then became twins.’

      Her baby was a miracle, too, Ella thought. Not that she wanted to discuss that. ‘Two girls and two boys—and they’ll all grow up close. That’s nice.’

      ‘All the way through, I’ve been so scared that we’d lose one of them,’ Georgie said. ‘All the stories you see on the Internet.’

      ‘Which do nothing but make new mums worry,’ Ella said. ‘Ignore them.’

      ‘I had—but now with this twin-to-twin thing…’

      Ella took her hand. ‘Try not to worry. Oliver says Juliet’s the best and she’ll be able to keep your boys safe.’

      ‘I hope so,’ Georgie said.

      Oliver came in twice more that evening—the first to check that everything was fine, and the second to bring both Georgie and Ella a mug of hot chocolate.

      And then the penny dropped for Ella.

      Oliver was officially off duty right now and had been for a while, but he was still here at the hospital. Was he checking up on her? She pushed the thought away. Of course it wasn’t that he didn’t trust her. She’d made him aware of his bossy tendencies, so it was more likely that he was worried about her but he was trying not to make the sort of fuss that would annoy her.

      ‘Shouldn’t you be at home by now?’ she asked. She saw the flash of guilt in his eyes, and knew that her guess had been right.

      ‘I’m catching up on some paperwork, so I thought I’d take a break and keep you both company for a bit.’

      ‘Oliver, it’s ten o’clock and you’re on an early shift tomorrow.’

      His expression said very clearly, Yes, and you’ve been in all day.

      ‘Go home,’ she said gently, ‘and get some sleep.’

      ‘Are you sure you’re going to be all right here?’

      ‘I’m sure. And I’m on a late tomorrow, so I’m going to laze around all morning.’ She knew he’d pick up what she wasn’t saying in front of Georgie: don’t fuss. Though, at the same time, it warmed her that he was concerned and trying not to be overbearing about it.

      If only his family was different…

      But that wasn’t fair. It wasn’t his fault.

      ‘I’ll see you later, then,’ he said. ‘Call me if you need anything.’

      ‘I will,’ she promised.

      But he came in again on his way out of the department, this time carrying a blanket, which he proceeded to tuck round her. Georgie had fallen asleep, so he simply mouthed, ‘Call me,’ rested the backs of his fingers briefly against her cheek, and left the room as quietly as he could.

      Ella had to blink back the tears. This was the man she’d fallen for—kind, considerate and caring. But his parents would never accept her in his life. She couldn’t ask him to choose between them. Somehow, she’d have to find a way of backing off without either of them getting hurt.

      Except she had a nasty feeling it was already too late for that.

      She dozed in the chair next to Georgie’s bed, waking only when the agency midwife came in to check on them, until Leo arrived at the crack of dawn the next morning. Ella talked him through what was happening with the babies, drawing diagrams and labelling them to help him understand.

      ‘Sorry, my writing’s terrible,’ she said, wincing. At times like this, she really resented her dyslexia.

      ‘It’s because you’re a medic,’ Leo said with a smile. ‘All medics have terrible handwriting.’

      ‘I guess,’ she said.

      She stayed with Georgie and Leo until the midwife from the early shift took over.

      ‘Thank you for staying with me,’ Georgie said. ‘That was above and beyond the call of duty.’

      ‘Any time,’ Ella said, meaning it. ‘I’m going home for a nap now, but if you need me just ask one of the midwives to call me, OK?’

      ‘You’re the best, Ella,’ Leo said, giving her a hug. ‘Thank you.’

      ‘No problem. Sit and cuddle your wife,’ she said with a smile.