style="font-size:15px;"> He shook his head. ‘You have it right. I took some time out to travel and see the world before I decided what I wanted to do. My parents were happy enough for me to do that, and I found temporary work wherever I could to support myself through it. Then, when I came back to the UK, I worked for a while in a hospital, on the administrative side. I just wanted to get a feel for things, to see if I’d be suited to the life.’
‘And you obviously decided to go with it in the end. So medicine wins!’ She grinned at him, and they did a high-five, their hands meeting in a spontaneous action that came out of nowhere. Ben was still smiling, gazing around, when Lucy entered the room a second or two later, looking a bit frazzled.
Even frazzled, Lucy was stunning to look at, there was no doubt about it. With flowing golden hair and intensely blue eyes, she was a picture to behold. Her bone structure was perfect, her lips full and red, and her figure was absolutely perfect.
Jade glanced at Ben, curious to see what his reaction would be to her best friend. Most men did a double take and almost fell over themselves trying to get to know her.
Ben simply waited patiently to be introduced.
‘Hello,’ Lucy said, suddenly cottoning on to the fact that Jade wasn’t alone. ‘I don’t think we’ve met, have we?’
‘This is Ben,’ Jade said. ‘He’s a friend of Matt’s, a foundation-year doctor on placement with me. We met up today, and I was just going to offer him coffee.’
‘Good idea.’ Lucy held out her hand to him. ‘It’s great to meet you, Ben. I’m afraid Matt isn’t here right now. He’s gone to the all-night store to see if he can grab some pasties for supper.’ She winced, and even that didn’t mar her beauty. ‘I forgot to get any food in, but …’ she turned to look at Jade ‘… I’ll do a full shop tomorrow, I promise.’
‘That’s okay. I managed to get something to eat at the café.’ Jade frowned. ‘I suppose you’re still struggling with the cardiology project your consultant gave you?’
‘Oh, that wretched thing! Tell me about it! I could almost wish Mr Sheldon hadn’t decided I was to be his protégée. It’s almost more work than I can handle. Along with the fact that I’m still trying to find someone to fill Caroline’s boots.’
‘The girl who left?’ From his expression, it was clear Ben’s interest had been tweaked. ‘Are you looking for someone else to move in here?’
Lucy nodded. ‘That’s right. I have to try and keep the rooms fully occupied. It’s my father’s house and he likes to keep things on a business footing.’
Ben smiled. ‘Would I do as a tenant? It just so happens that I’m looking to move. I’ve been renting a place across the river for the last six months, but the lease is up, and now that I’m based at the hospital over here, I’d rather be close by.’
‘Oh … really? Well, I’m certainly looking for someone, and you are a friend of Matt’s after all …’ Lucy was thinking, talking to herself, but Jade could see that she was taken with the idea. ‘You’d need to supply references.’
‘That’s not a problem.’
Lucy brightened, and it was as if the sun had come out. ‘Perhaps I should show you around?’ she suggested, heading towards the door. ‘Each room’s pretty much self-contained, with a toilet and wash-basin, and there are a couple of bathrooms, which we have to share. You’ll also find that there’s a table and chair in your room so that you’ll be able to study in peace whenever you like.’
‘That sounds like just what I’m looking for.’ Ben half turned and glanced at Jade, and she guessed he was uncomfortable at following Lucy out of the room and leaving her alone.
‘It’s okay, you go ahead,’ Jade murmured. ‘I’ll make the coffee.’
‘If you’re sure?’
‘I am.’
She gazed at the door for a while after they had gone. She frowned. It was disturbing to think that he might very soon be coming here to live with them. It wasn’t at all what she had expected, and somehow it troubled her. It was one thing to be working alongside him, but having him stay here in such close proximity was quite another. The very idea had knocked her off balance, and now all of her defences were suddenly on standby.
CHAPTER TWO
‘HE’S not bad at all, is he?’ Lucy dropped hot crumpets onto a plate and began to toast another batch.
‘Um—who’s this we’re talking about?’ Jade dragged her attention away from the magazine she was reading, and was rewarded with a sharp hiss of breath and a shake of the head.
‘Ben, of course. Our soon-to-be housemate.’ Lucy frowned at her. ‘You haven’t been listening to a word I’ve said, have you?’
‘I have …’ Jade pulled herself up with a guilty start. ‘You were talking about him moving in here.’ She tried to recall what Lucy had said. ‘He won’t be making the move straight away because he has a few loose ends to tie up … and he needs a day or two to pack up his bits and pieces, especially his new leather reclining chair that he absolutely won’t do without and a desk with drawers that are crammed full of his paperwork.’ Her brows knitted together. Obviously, he wasn’t a great believer in saving the trees.
‘That was ten minutes ago,’ Lucy said crossly. ‘I’ve moved on since then.’ She jabbed a finger at the plate. ‘And these crumpets are meant to be eaten while they’re hot.’ She looked over Jade’s shoulder at the magazine. ‘What’s that you’re reading, anyway? It seems to be keeping you pretty well absorbed.’
‘It’s the student paper.’ Jade put the magazine to one side and started to butter crumpets. She passed a couple of them to Matt, who was sitting across the other side of the table, checking web pages.
‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘I didn’t know the new edition had come out yet.’
She smiled. ‘I got it hot off the press from a friend who works in the print room. Guess who’s editing the mag now that the union rep has stepped down?’
‘Who?’
‘Your friend, Ben.’
She passed the magazine to him. ‘He’s introduced a new cartoon feature in there—it has his signature on it, so I guess he designed it himself. He’s called the series Med-life Crises—I’m sure it’s based on the goings on of some of the fifth-year medical students. This month’s storyline is very like something that happened in lectures a few weeks ago … only he’s made it seem much funnier somehow.’
Matt turned the page, and Lucy abandoned the crumpets to lean over and read the cartoon with him. She began to laugh. ‘Oh, that’s clever. I like that!’ She shot a glance at Jade. ‘He has a wicked sense of humour. I remember those lectures.’
‘The tutors roped in volunteers from around the medical school,’ Jade explained to Matt, ‘and were trying to teach us about patient-doctor communication skills through role playing. One of the students told her patient he needed to go on a fitness regime and lose some weight. He wasn’t too pleased, and she found out later that he’s her new consultant.’
