she had no idea how Flynn might feel if she did.
‘He’s going to phone me, but I might need to see someone and I don’t want to talk to a man. It would be embarrassing. I’d prefer it’s you.’
‘That’s okay.’ Ally scribbled her cell number on a scrap of paper. ‘Here, call me. Leave a message if I don’t answer and I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m free. Okay?’
‘Thanks.’ Sniff. ‘I didn’t sleep all night, hoping Dr Reynolds would tell me I’d got it wrong, that I wasn’t having a baby. But I used up all my pocket money on testing kits and every one of them gave me the same answer so I was just being dumb.’
‘Chrissie, listen to me. You are not dumb. Many women I’ve been midwife to have told me the same thing. Some of them because they couldn’t believe their luck, others because, just like you, they were crossing their fingers and toes they’d got it wrong.’ Ally drew a long breath. ‘Chrissie, I have to ask, have you considered an abortion? Or adoption?’
The girl’s head shot up, defiance spitting out of her eyes. ‘No. Never.’ Her hands went to her belly. ‘This is my baby. No one else’s. I might be young and dependent on Mum, but I am keeping it.’
In that moment Ally loved Chrissie. She reached over to hug her. ‘Attagirl. You’re awesome.’ It would be the hardest thing Chrissie ever did, and right now she had no idea what she’d let herself in for, but that baby would love her for it.
‘Have you ever had a baby?’ Chrissie pulled back, flushing pink. ‘Sorry, I guess I’m not supposed to want to know.’
‘Of course it’s all right to ask. The answer’s no, I haven’t.’
An image of a blue-eyed youngster bent over double and giggling like his life depended on it flicked up in her mind. Go away, Adam. You’ve got a mother, and anyway I’d be a bad substitute.
‘So while I will tell you lots of things over the weeks I’m here, I only know them from working with other mums-to-be and not from any first-hand experience.’ She would never have that accreditation on her CV. She would not raise a child on her own, and she wouldn’t be trusting any man to hang around long enough to see a baby grow to adulthood with her.
Flynn appeared in the doorway so fast after Chrissie left that she wondered if he’d been lurking. She said, ‘She’s only fifteen and is terrified, and yet she’s coping amazingly well, given the shock of it all.’
‘You must’ve cheered her up a little at least. I got the glimmer of a smile when she came out of here.’ He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe. ‘I meant what I said about her mother. Angela is going to be gutted, but she’ll stand by Chrissie all the way. From what I’ve been told, Angela’s always been strong, and refused to marry Chrissie’s dad just because people thought it was the done thing. Her father supported them all the way.’
Another baby with only one parent. But one decent parent was a hundred percent better than none. ‘Aren’t you jumping the gun? Chrissie didn’t mention the father of her baby, but that could be because she’s protecting him. They might want to stick together.’
‘They might.’ Flynn nodded, his eyes fixed on her. Again.
When he did that, her stomach tightened in a very needy way. Heat sizzled along her veins, warming every cell of her body. Damn him. Why does he have to be married?
‘Right, I’d better see my first patient. First booked-in one, that is. I told Chrissie I’ll talk to her later today. Is that all right with you?’
‘Go for it. As long as she’s talking with someone, I’m happy. You did well with her.’ There was something like admiration in his voice.
She didn’t know whether to be pleased, or annoyed that he might be surprised. ‘Just doing my job.’
‘Sure.’
The way he enunciated that one word had her wondering if he had issues with Kat and her work. But that didn’t make sense after he’d been fighting the other woman’s corner about using her holiday time. ‘Being a filler-in person, I don’t have the luxury of knowing the patients I see. Neither do I have a lot of time with them so I work hard to put them at ease with me as quickly as possible.’
‘So why aren’t you employed at a medical practice on a permanent basis? Wouldn’t you prefer getting to know your mums, rather than moving on all the time?’
If he hadn’t sounded so genuinely interested she’d have made a joke about being a wandering witch in a previous life and ignored the real question. But for some inexplicable reason she couldn’t go past that sincerity. ‘I get offers all the time from my bosses to base myself back at the midwifery unit, but I don’t do settled in one spot very well. Yes, I miss out on seeing mothers going the distance. I’m only ever there for the beginning of some babies and the arrival of others, but I like it that way. Keeps me on my toes.’
‘Fly in, do the job and fly out.’ Was that a dash of hope in his eyes? Did he think she might be footloose and fancy-free enough to have a quick fling with him and then move on? Because she’d seen the same sizzle in his eyes that buzzed along her veins.
Then reality hit. Cold water being tipped over her wouldn’t have chilled her as much. Sorry, buster, but you’re married and, worse, you’re not even ashamed to show it.
She spun around to stare at the screen in front of her. What was the name of her next patient?
‘Ally, I’ve upset you.’
Of course he had. He only had to look at her to upset her—her hormones anyway. Flicking him a brief smile, she continued staring at the computer. ‘Holly Sargent, thirty-five weeks. Anything I need to know about her that’s not on here?’
When Flynn didn’t answer, she had to lift her head and seek him out. That steady blue gaze was firmly fixed on her. It held far too many questions, and she didn’t answer other people’s enquiries about anything personal. ‘Flynn? Holly Sargent?’
‘Third pregnancy, the last two were straightforward. She’s had the usual colds and flu, a broken wrist and stitches in her brow from when she walked through a closed glass slider. Full-time mum.’
Ally looked at her patient list. ‘Brenda Lewis?’
‘First pregnancy, took six months to conceive, family history of hypertension but so far she’s shown no signs of it, twenty-five years old, runs a local day care centre for under-fives.’
Her anger deflated and laughter bubbled up to spill between them as she stared at this man who had her all in a dither with very little effort. ‘That’s amazing. Do you know all your patients as thoroughly?’
‘How long have you got?’ He grinned. ‘Makes for scintillating conversations.’
Deliberately rolling her eyes at him, she said, ‘Remind me not to get stuck with you at the workplace Friday night drinkies.’
‘Shucks, and I was about to ask you on a date,’ he quipped, in a tone that said he meant no such thing.
So he was as confused as she was. That didn’t stop a quick shiver running down her spine. She’d love to go out with this man. But hello. If that
