Had she really managed to say that without turning beetroot red?
‘I’m sorry I haven’t done your interview yet, Lexi.’ Ethan had the good grace to look a little shame-faced. ‘It’s just not really my thing. I prefer to stay out of the spotlight. I am happy to support the charity work, though.’
He was staring at the paper on her desk—the one with the details of Olivia Fairchild’s charity. And he was looking at it with such ferocity that she knew something else was going on entirely. She wouldn’t like to be in Leo Hunter’s shoes right now.
She decided to give him an out. ‘I spent three weeks chasing you for an interview, Ethan—I can take a hint. Iain gave in after two. I think we’ll be able to use his interview for some very effective publicity. I finished the edits on it last night and we’re ready to release it online in a few days. So I think I can release you from your obligation.’
She saw a little tension sag out of his shoulders and he stood up from the chair. ‘Lexi, just to let you know. We had news yesterday of some other big-name clients. Sheikh Abdullah’s wife, Lydia Jones the newscaster and Violet Ingram the equestrian who fell in the recent Games, to name a few. They’re all coming here for surgery. I don’t know what you’ve been doing out there—but it’s obviously working.’
His dark hazel eyes were full of sincerity. ‘Thanks, Lexi. This will make a world of difference for us, particularly around our charity work.’
‘That’s why you pay me, Ethan. I’m just happy you think I’m doing a good job.’ She watched as he walked to the door, his limp still visible.
This was the longest conversation she’d ever had with Ethan Hunter. She didn’t know if he’d always been this quiet or if it was since his return from his tour of duty in Afghanistan. It was obvious he’d been injured in the field. But she wasn’t entirely sure what those injuries were. Just that while it was obvious he wasn’t back to full fitness yet, it was equally obvious that he wasn’t really ready to accept that.
She just hoped she hadn’t stoked some still-smouldering fire between the brothers by telling Ethan about the Fair Go charity.
It seemed ridiculous. A number of other members of the clinic knew about Fair Go. Any one of them could have told Ethan about it.
So why was she hoping against hope that he wouldn’t tell Leo it had been her?
‘Time for coffee?’
The voice at the door startled her and she smiled as Carrie, one of the receptionists, appeared. Truth was, she didn’t really have time to breathe let alone have coffee but she needed a break. And she needed some fresh air. She nodded. ‘How about the coffee house at the end of the street? I could do with a walk.’
Carrie nodded and waved the purse she was holding in her hand. ‘I was hoping you might say that. Let’s go.’
They walked down the street swiftly. Lexi never did anything slowly and she was trying her best not to glance at her watch.
‘So where have you been? I’ve hardly seen you these last few weeks.’
‘I know. I’ve been rushed off my feet with the publicity campaign for the clinic and the charities.’ She counted off on her fingers. ‘In the last fourteen days I’ve been to Spain, Switzerland, Dubai and Belgium. I’m frazzled. And I’m due to launch the video interview of Iain in the next few days.’
Carrie nodded. She was smiling but Lexi could tell she wasn’t really taking in everything she said.
She pushed open the door to the coffee house at the end of the street and grabbed the only free table. Neither of them needed to look at the menu. Lexi smiled at the waitress. ‘Usual coffee—skinny latte with sugar-free caramel and …’ she smiled over at the cake counter ‘… I’ll have the raspberry and cream sponge, please.’
‘And I’ll have a cappuccino and a piece of the carrot cake, please.’
Lexi smiled as Carrie adjusted herself in the chair. ‘Ooh, you’re eating today. You never normally eat mid-morning.’
Carrie fumbled in her bag and pulled a white envelope out and pushed it across the table with a nervous smile.
Lexi felt her stomach flip over. Keep smiling, she told herself. She already knew what would be in the envelope. This had happened to her too many times already.
She went onto automatic pilot. She pulled the scan image from the envelope and let out a little gasp of surprise, trying the whole time not to think about how this moment would never be hers. She placed the black and white print out down, easily seeing the shape of the little baby with its curved spine, larger than average head and little limbs pointing upwards. She leaned over the table. ‘Congratulations, Carrie, I’m delighted for you. When is your due date?’
Carrie’s face flushed with pleasure. ‘Tenth of September. I had my scan last week when I was twelve weeks.’
‘And are you keeping okay?’
Carrie shrugged. ‘I can’t eat first thing in the morning because I feel really lousy. But by now—mid-morning—I’m ravenous.’
‘So that’s why the change in eating habits.’
The waitress appeared and put the coffees and cakes on the table, and Carrie didn’t waste any time in digging in.
Lexi pressed her lips together. She was happy for her friend. She really was. And she’d been through this a dozen times before. She’d resigned herself years before to the fact she wouldn’t have kids naturally. She kept close ties with the orphanages—adoption would be her way to a future family. And she was looking forward to it—when the time was right.
But something had happened in the last two weeks, since she’d sat in that kitchen with Iain and looked into his eyes as he’d told her about losing his wife and twins. Her heart had broken for him. It truly had.
But something else had happened.
Her confidence and inner strength now had a tiny chip in the armour.
Iain and his wife had obviously wanted to have a family. Which meant that Iain had wanted a family of his own. Logic told her that even though his wife was gone, eventually his brain would go down that path again. That path of wanting to share his life with a woman who could have his children.
A path it wasn’t possible for her to go down.
Carrie was guzzling her cake and coffee. And she did look different. Lexi wondered why she hadn’t noticed. Carrie had a little glow about her, her hair was thick and glossy and there was added sparkle in her eyes.
Carrie looked up. ‘I wanted to tell you first before I tell anyone else. I know they will be fine about maternity leave and everything, but I just wanted to talk to you first.’
Lexi reached across the table and squeezed her hand. ‘Thank you. I’m delighted for you—really I am.’ Even though there were a million tiny butterflies taking flight in her stomach. The raspberry and cream sponge was beautiful but she could barely touch it.
She hated herself right now. She’d never felt more than a fleeting pang before when a friend had told her they were pregnant.
But
