‘Her workplace, home and so on, and check their immunity.’ She saw the end of her working day slide further and further away.
‘I’ll do that.’
‘Are you saying I can’t do my job?’
Aiden frowned. Why was she so prickly? She looked pressured and he just wanted to help. ‘I’m merely suggesting you delegate. I have no patients booked for the rest of the day. Whereas, you’re needed elsewhere. You have children to collect from school, don’t you?’
Kate dipped her head. She couldn’t believe he’d remembered that small detail. And somehow, in ways she couldn’t explain, it made her feel vulnerable around him. ‘Take some jabs with you in case people’s immunity is in question,’ she reminded him.
‘Kate, I’ll handle it.’
Of course he would. She turned away, waiting for her computer to close down. ‘I just want Simone safely in isolation and under minute-by-minute observation.’
‘And thanks to your quick action, she’ll have that.’
‘It could still be too late …’
‘Don’t think like that.’ Aiden was firm. But they both knew the effects of the deadly virus. Circulation could fail in the body’s extremities—the fingers, toes even whole limbs. Amputations followed. And sometimes death. ‘And we don’t know for sure it is meningo.’
Kate knew. She’d seen enough cases in her time to be ninety-nine per cent certain. And now she just wanted to collect her kids and hug them to bits. Life was so precious.
Her eyes clouded. It had been an exacting first day and if she being honest she did feel drained, both physically and mentally, but that would pass as things both at work and home began settling into a rhythm …
What the hell was she still hanging around for? Aiden’s mouth compressed briefly. She seemed lost in thought, miles away. ‘Kate, there’s no more you can do here,’ he said. ‘Your children must be waiting for you.’
Kate pushed up from her desk. ‘They’re being well taken care of.’
Watching her face, Aiden saw her bottom lip pull into a tight little moue. What now? Did she think he was criticising her parenting? A muscle worked in his jaw. She’d wrong-footed him again. And he didn’t like the feeling one little bit.
Kate blinked uncertainly. Why was O’Connor staring at her like that—as if she’d grown an extra nose or something? She’d handed over to him and he should be gone. ‘Vicki will have Simone’s details.’
‘I’m on it. And I’ll brief Angelo and Brady. Want me to give you a call later and report my findings?’
‘If you wouldn’t mind.’ The doctors exchanged mobile numbers as a matter of course.
‘Why would I mind?’ He shrugged, the movement of his shoulders drawing attention to the interplay of muscles under his close-fitting shirt.
Kate looked down quickly, searching the bottom of her handbag for her keys. Locating them, she hitched up her medical case. ‘Thanks for your help.’
‘Yep.’ Their eyes met and he could see the wariness, the uncertain flicker in her gaze. He moved to the door with her. ‘Drive carefully.’
She gave him a taut smile. ‘Kids in the car. Always do’
Watching her departure, Aiden felt as though an invisible punch had landed in his solar plexus, robbing him not just of oxygen but of plain common sense as well. His gaze stayed riveted on the sassy swing of her hips, her slender waist, the toss of her dark head as she pulled open the outer door to the car park.
Yanking his eyes off her neat little backside, he pushed back the zing in his bloodstream. Have you entirely lost your marbles, O’Connor? he asked himself. He shook his head as if to clear it. He had far more urgent things to do than to stand ogling Kate Preston.
CHAPTER TWO
KATE stabbed the key into the ignition. The ebb and flow of her first day swirled around her. For a second she leaned her head back against the seat and took stock. She thought she’d fitted in successfully with the practice partners—except for Aiden. Why did she seem to be having these little run-ins with him? She prided herself on the fact she wasn’t difficult to work with. But with him she felt continuously put on her mettle. Off balance.
Well, she had no time to analyse it now. In a defiant little twist, she started the engine and eased out of her parking space. She couldn’t wait to see her kids.
The school provided care for the students both before and after school. And nowadays, with most families juggling work and family commitments, the facility had become a necessity.
Kate had been well pleased with the set-up and the supervising staff had seemed both pleasant and clued in to the needs of the children. Luke and Mia would be safe and well looked after and that was all she could hope for.
‘Mummy! Mummy!’ Mia ran across the room and threw herself against her mother’s legs.
Kate bent to her small daughter’s level and hugged her tightly. Then she leaned back and cupped Mia’s chin. ‘Did you have a good day at school, baby?’
Mia’s little shrug went almost to her ears. ‘‘S OK. I looked and looked for you after school.’
Kate felt a lump in her throat and a pang of sadness that circumstances wouldn’t allow her to be a full-time mother. It would have been wonderful, at least until Mia was a little older. ‘I had to stay later at work. Didn’t your teacher explain?’
The little one nodded slowly. ‘But I still looked and looked.’
Of course she had. Young things always looked for their mothers. Kate uncurled upright, keeping Mia closely at her side. ‘Shall we find Lukie now? Then we’ll all be able to go home.’
Home was a pleasant cottage Kate was leasing. On the whole, it was serving their needs, at least for the present. After high-rise apartment living in Sydney, she’d yearned for a sense of peace, that had alluded her since she’d become a widow and returned from the United States. Peace, light and the outdoors, she affirmed now as she eased her car into the garage at the side of the house.
Ten minutes later, Kate had shucked off the trappings of her professional life, showered and pulled on baggy shorts and T-shirt. Gathering up the children, she went next door to her neighbours’, Patrick and Eileen Kelly.
The Kellys were friends of her parents and it was they who had let Kate know of the cottage’s availability.
‘Do we have to?’ Luke moaned, as they made their way along the path at the side of the Kelly’s house towards the back garden.
‘Yes, we do,’ Kate said calmly, ignoring her son’s stubborn, determined look. ‘You have to say sorry to Mr Kelly for almost maiming one of his chickens with your soccer ball.’
‘Those bantams are stupid,’ Luke maintained with childish candour.
‘Not to Mr Kelly.’ Kate realised she could have let the incident pass. Patrick
