‘What happened?’
Declan rubbed a hand across his forehead. ‘After I’d completed my general surgery training, I decided to go ahead and specialize in orthopaedics.’ His blue eyes shone for a moment. ‘On a good day when everything in the OR goes right and you know it’s your skill that’s enabling a patient to regain their mobility, their normal life, and in some instances their whole livelihood…it’s empowering and humbling all rolled into one.’
‘Yes, I imagine it is,’ Emma said, but she had the feeling he had hardly heard.
‘I was fortunate enough to be accepted at St Mary’s in Edinburgh.’
Emma’s eyes widened. ‘Their training programme is legendary. I believe they take only the brightest and best.’
‘I was lucky,’ he said modestly.
Hardly. Obviously, he was seriously gifted. Which fact made Declan O’Malley’s reasons for opting to come in as her partner in a country practice odd indeed, she thought, noticing he’d hadn’t touched his coffee. Instead, he’d spanned his fingers around the cup, holding on to it like some kind of lifeline.
‘After a long stint in Scotland, I’d decided to head back home. I was still finalizing dates when I had a call from an Aussie mate. He was coming over for a holiday in the UK, beginning in Scotland. I postponed my plans and Jack and I bought a couple of motorbikes.’
‘Fuel-wise cheaper than cars, I guess,’ was Emma’s only comment.
‘Jack and I found a couple of high-powered beauties for sale locally. Those bikes took us everywhere. Life was sweet—until we had the accident.’
Emma winced and she automatically put her hand to her heart. ‘How?’
He gave a grim smile. ‘A foggy afternoon, an unfamiliar road. A bit too much speed. And a truck that came out of nowhere. Jack received a broken leg. I was somewhat more compromised. I ended up with lumbar injuries.’ He expanded on the statement with technical language, ending with, ‘The outcome was partial paralysis in my left leg.’ He grimaced as if the memory was still fresh.
Emma gripped her hands tightly. He must have been sick with worry and conjecture. And fear. Her antagonism faded and her heart went out to him. ‘What was the result? I mean, you don’t appear to have any deficit in your movement.’
His eyes took on a dull bleakness. ‘I’ve regained most of it but my muscles are unpredictable, my toes still get numb from time to time. Added to that, I can’t stand for excessively long periods. And that’s what orthopaedic surgeons have to do. You need to have muscle strength, be in control. I can’t risk a patient’s life by breaking down in the middle of a long operation. So, career-wise, I’m stuffed.’
‘But you could do other kinds of surgery,’ Emma said hopefully.
‘I don’t even want to think about that. I want to do what I was trained to do—what I do—did best.’
But sometimes you had to compromise. Emma knew that better than most. ‘You could lecture, Declan.’
He made a disgusted sound. ‘Take up a chair in a hallowed hall somewhere? That’s not me. I’m a doer. I’d rather change direction entirely.’
‘In other words, come in as my partner—’ She broke off. ‘You might hate it.’
‘I don’t think so.’ Blue eyes challenged her although his mouth moved in the ghost of a wry smile. When she remained silent, he went on, ‘Emma, don’t you think it’s just possible Andrew considered he was acting in the best interests of both of us? He knew the extent of my injuries, the uncertain state of my career in medicine and he knew, without him, you were going to need a partner—someone you could trust. And you can trust me, Emma,’ he assured her sincerely.
Emma felt almost sick with vulnerability. Heaven knew there was no one else beating the door down to come and work with her. But this man? On the other hand, what choice did she have? He had all the power on his side and, she suspected, the determination that her father’s wishes would be carried out. There was really no get-out clause here. None at all. ‘How do we go about setting things in motion, then?’ Her voice was small and formal.
Declan breathed the greatest sigh of relief. They’d got to the trickiest hurdle and jumped it. ‘You’re overworked and under-capitalised. If we tackle the problems together, Kingsholme could be brought up to its potential again. Why don’t we give it six months? If we find we can’t work together, I’ll get out.’
‘And where will that leave me?’
‘Hopefully, with a fully functioning practice. You’d have no difficulty attracting a new partner and I’d recoup my investment. It would be a win-win situation for both of us.’
Emma knew the decision had already been made for her. She wanted to—needed to—keep Kingsholme. Declan O’Malley had been Dad’s choice of a suitable practice partner for her. She had to trust his judgement and go along with that. Otherwise, she was back to the mind-numbing uncertainty of the past weeks. ‘Have you come prepared to stay, then?’
‘I’ve brought enough gear to keep me going for a while.’ Declan kept his tone deliberately brisk. ‘If it suits you, I’ll continue at the surgery until Friday and then, on the weekend, we can go over what practical changes need to be made. I’d imagine you’d have a few ideas of your own about that?’
‘It depends on how much money you want to spend,’ Emma shot back with the faintest hint of cynicism.
He answered levelly, ‘There’ll be enough.’
On Friday afternoon, they held a quick consult after surgery. ‘What time do you want to begin tomorrow?’ Emma asked.
Declan lifted his medical case up on the counter. ‘I’m flexible. What suits you?’
‘I need to do an early hospital round. We could meet after that.’
‘Why can’t I come to the hospital with you?’
Emma looked uncertain. ‘It’s all pretty basic medicine we do here.’
‘And nothing I’d be interested in?’ Declan’s gaze clouded. ‘Emma, if we’re partners, we share duties. Right?’
She coloured slightly. ‘I was just pointing out there’ll be none of the drama associated with Theatres.’
‘So, it’ll be a change of pace. I can handle that.’
Could he, though? Emma wished she felt more certain. On the other hand, why not think positively? She’d already capitulated over him becoming her partner. It was time to just get on with things. ‘Hospital at eight o’clock, then? I’ll give you the tour.’
‘That’s what I want to hear,’ he drawled with his slow smile.
For a split second Emma registered a zinging awareness between them. Raw and immediate. Like the white-heat of an electric current. She repressed a gasp. Declan O’Malley exuded sex appeal in spades. He was about to step in as her practice partner. And they were going to be working very closely together for at least the next six months…
Emma
