can. You just won’t.’ Abby jumped as a plate and glass clattered down next to her, and turned to thank the waitress, who gave her a curt nod, obviously disapproving of the sound of discord at the bar. ‘Let’s go and sit at one of the tables. Look, there’s one free over there by the window.’
‘Perfect for bullying me in private.’ Nick grinned.
‘I do not bully people.’ If he only knew, he wouldn’t say such a thing. She slid down from her stool, balanced her plate and glass in one hand, grabbed her handbag with the other and walked over to the empty table. He could follow if he liked.
As she tried to manoeuvre her way into a seat, her hands full, she saw Nick’s arm reach around her, pulling the chair back so she could sink down into it. Lowering himself into the chair opposite, he smiled up at the waitress as she placed his drink in front of him. ‘Thanks. That’s kind of you.’
The waitress nodded and shot Abby a disapproving look. As well she might. Nick was handsome, charming and, oh, so obviously in need of a little looking after at the moment. Someone to carry his drink while he dealt with his crutches. Someone to plump his pillows and stare into his molten chocolate eyes.
‘If I sound as if I don’t appreciate everything you’ve done, Abby, that’s not the case.’ Nick had smiled and thanked the waitress, but now his attention was all on Abby.
‘But you’re just used to having things your own way.’
He grinned. ‘Maybe. But I value your input.’
He made it sound as if she’d made a few suggestions, which he’d decided whether to go along with or not. Abby guessed that was about right. ‘So, are you up for another piece of input?’
‘Go on.’
She ignored both the smile and the dimple. Particularly the dimple. ‘I think you’re just falling into the same way of doing things as before. Deciding what you’re going to do and then just going and doing it. I think you should wait until you can speak to your doctor and get his advice.’
‘What do you think Dr Patel is going to say, then?’
‘I don’t second-guess colleagues. Just ask him.’
‘I do have a compelling reason to get back into the water.’
Abby gave in. ‘All right, so what’s your compelling reason? Other than the desire to prove to yourself that you’re indestructible or die trying?’
The brief tilt of his head to one side told her that she’d hit on a home truth. ‘A group of us from the fire station is doing an open-water swim in five weeks’ time, up in the Lake District. Actually, six of them on consecutive days. I need to be fit for that.’
The audacity of the statement made Abby choke on her drink. ‘Six consecutive days? How long are these swims?’
‘Between two and six miles each.’
‘What? Are you completely mad, Nick? I’m all for encouraging people to exercise gently, but that’s gruelling enough for anyone who’s fit. It’s complete and utter madness with that knee.’
He shrugged. ‘I have to try. I’ll see what Dr Patel says, but perhaps I can strap the leg up so that it’s supported in the water.’
‘No. He’s going to tell you exactly what I am. You’re overdoing it, and asking for trouble.’ Abby couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
‘I thought you didn’t second-guess colleagues.’ His gaze was making her skin prickle.
‘I don’t, but I’m perfectly capable of seeing the obvious. What’s so important about these swims anyway? Can’t you postpone them or something? I know it’s late in the year, but next spring would be much more sensible.’
He shook his head. ‘It’s a big charity event. There are a dozen of us swimming and we have sponsorship.’
‘Well, you’ll just have to drop out, then.’
He gave her an amused look. ‘Are you telling me what to do?’
‘I’m telling you that in my considered opinion, and I do know something about this, you’ll do yourself a great deal of damage if you push yourself too hard. You’ll fail with the swims and you might well put yourself into a position where you’ll never get fit again. Do you want that?’
He shook his head slowly, his gaze dropping to the tabletop. ‘No. But I feel I have to try. I won’t push it.’
Yeah, right. Since when did Nick start anything that he didn’t finish? Abby swallowed the obvious answer. Their relationship was clearly an exception to that rule. ‘How much sponsorship do you have?’
‘It’s a hundred grand in total. I’m the only one doing all six swims and so a lot of the corporate sponsorship that we’ve raised depends on me. If I don’t swim, we lose thirty of that.’ His brow furrowed in thought. ‘Maybe the sponsors will allow me to do the swims over twelve days instead of six. A day’s rest in between.’
‘Oh, right, that’ll be okay, then. You can spend twelve days on wrecking your knee instead of six.’ Concern lent a biting edge to Abby’s sarcasm. She buried her face in her hands so he couldn’t see her confusion. She wasn’t usually this aggressive with people, but Nick was pushing all the wrong buttons with her.
His voice cut through her thoughts and she lifted her head wearily. ‘It’s a good cause, Abby. Maybe, when Dr Patel gives my leg the once-over, it will have improved—it already feels a lot better. I don’t know right now, but surely anything is worth trying?’
The look in his eyes said it all. He knew just as well as she did that this was madness but he’d made a commitment and it was killing him not to carry it through. So he was clutching at straws. Abby sighed. ‘What’s the charity?’
‘We’re doing it in conjunction with Answers Through Sport.’
‘I’ve heard of them. I learned to swim in one of their classes when I was a kid.’
‘Really?’ He was on the alert suddenly and Abby bit her lip. ‘I didn’t think they did general classes.’
They didn’t. Abby had been a beneficiary of their Fighting Back programme for bullied teenagers. But that was none of Nick’s business. ‘So how did you get involved with them?’
‘They helped me when I was recovering from my addiction to drugs.’ He shrugged. ‘Now I’m returning the favour and doing some fundraising for them. They have match funding, so they’ll get a grant for an amount equal to that which they raise for themselves.’
Abby’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. ‘So thirty grand becomes sixty.’
‘Yeah. Do you see now why I won’t give up without a fight? What would you do in my place?’
That was none of his business. She wasn’t in his place and he had no right to ask, particularly since the answer would only encourage him in this scheme of his. ‘Couldn’t you get someone to step in and do the swims for you?’
‘I thought of that, but we’ve already
