six when she left the building and still dark, so she didn’t linger as she walked the short distance from the main part of the hospital to the staff accommodation wing. She keyed the entry code into the security lock then glanced round when she heard footsteps and saw Nick hurrying up the path. He grinned as she held the door open for him.
‘Thanks. You just saved me a journey. I forgot to ask the porter for the entry code,’ he explained as he followed her into the foyer.
‘Three-nine-seven-nine,’ Katie told him helpfully.
‘I’d better jot that down before I forget it.’ He took a ballpoint pen out of his pocket and quickly wrote the numbers on the back of his hand. ‘I’ll need to unload my car later and it would help if I didn’t have to go waking people up by ringing the doorbell.’
‘You wouldn’t be very popular if you did,’ she agreed lightly, heading for the stairs. ‘Most of the folk staying here at the moment are on nights and they’ll be keen to get some sleep. Anyone who’s off duty will have gone home to their families for Christmas.’
‘Probably best not to get a reputation for being a pesky neighbour so early in the day,’ he conceded as they reached the first landing.
Katie stopped when he hesitated. ‘Which room are you in?’
‘Number twenty-nine. Fortunately, the porters had a spare set of keys otherwise I’d have ended up sleeping in the residents’ lounge. The admin office doesn’t reopen until after Boxing Day, apparently.’
‘Lucky for you,’ she agreed, pointing towards the next flight of stairs. ‘You’re on the next floor, halfway along on the right. The doors are all numbered so you shouldn’t have a problem finding your room.’
‘Thanks.’ He turned towards the stairs then suddenly stopped and looked back. ‘Do you know if the staff canteen is open today? I meant to stock up on a few essentials after I’d got here but I never had the chance with one thing and another.’
‘That’s my fault,’ Katie said guiltily. ‘If I hadn’t pressganged you into playing Santa you could have done your shopping.’
‘It was just one of those things so don’t worry about it. So long as I can get my daily fix of caffeine I’ll survive, and I’m sure someone will lend me a teabag or a spoonful of coffee if I ask them nicely.’
‘You’ll need something a bit more substantial than coffee to keep you going!’
‘Yes, Sister,’ he replied with a grin that brought a rush of colour to her cheeks.
‘Sorry. I must try to curb my bossy tendencies,’ she murmured.
‘Don’t do so on my account, Katie. I like a woman who knows her own mind.’
Katie wasn’t sure what to make of that and turned away, making a great production of finding her keys so he couldn’t see how confused she felt. Nick had sounded as though he’d meant it as a compliment yet she was afraid to take it as such because she still didn’t quite trust him. In the end she decided it would be best to ignore it and answer the question he’d asked her instead.
‘The canteen is open today so there shouldn’t be a problem about getting something to eat. They’re serving a full Christmas dinner at one o’clock and a lot of the staff will be there. It might be a good way to introduce yourself to everyone.’
‘Good idea. If I’m awake I’ll go and join them.’ He grimaced. ‘Mind you, I could murder a cup of tea at the moment. I don’t suppose I could beg a teabag and a drop of milk off you, could I? I don’t think I can last out until lunchtime.’
‘Of course you can! Better still, I’ve got a spare box of teabags and a jar of coffee in my room so they’ll tide you over until you can get to the shops.’
‘Oh, no, really, I can’t take all your stuff,’ he began, but Katie shook her head.
‘Don’t be silly. They’re just sitting there so you may as well make use of them.’ She briskly led the way to her room and unlocked the door. Nick followed her inside, glancing round as she switched on the lamp.
‘Mmm, this is very cosy. And I mean cosy as in warm and snug rather than as estate-agent talk for small and cramped.’
‘Sounds as though you may have come a cropper when you’ve been flat hunting,’ she observed, opening the cupboard and taking out the teabags and the jar of coffee.
‘More times than I care to admit.’ Nick propped himself against the doorjamb and grinned at her. ‘I lived in London for a while and finding a place to live there was a nightmare. I’ve seen shoe boxes bigger than some of the “apartments” I viewed!’
‘Is that why you decided to move north?’ she asked curiously, handing him the tea and coffee.
‘Not really. I was more interested in the fact that Dalverston has such a marvellous reputation. It’s one of the top ten obstetric units in the country.’
‘I suppose it’s good to be able to put it on your CV,’ she suggested, but Nick shrugged.
‘That’s less important than the experience I’ll gain here.’ He glanced at the items she’d given him, giving her no chance to question him further. ‘Can I be really cheeky and ask if you can spare some sugar as well? I can drink my tea and coffee black but I can’t bear to drink it without any sugar.’
‘I don’t take sugar but there should be some in the kitchen,’ Katie told him.
She led the way from the room, wishing that she’d had the time to find out what he’d meant by that remark. In her experience, most registrars were more concerned about the prestige to be gained from working at Dalverston, and the positive effect it could have on their careers. However, Nick seemed less concerned with that aspect of the job than the experience it would afford him. She would have loved to delve deeper but there was no way she could think of to switch the conversation back so she found the sugar and poured some into a cup then took the spare carton of milk she’d bought out of the fridge and gave that to him as well.
‘Is there anything else you need? Biscuits? Some bread? Maybe some eggs?’
‘No, this is great. I’ll be able to eat in the canteen so I’ve got everything I need right here, thanks. Obviously, I’ll pay you back as soon as the shops are open again.’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ she assured him. ‘A few tea-bags aren’t going to break the bank.’
‘Maybe not, but I don’t want you thinking I’m freeloading off you.’
‘I don’t. Really!’
‘Good.’ He grinned at her and Katie felt her heart give that odd little spasm again that it had done before and quickly turned away.
‘I’d better get to bed,’ she said, leading the way into the corridor. Maybe Nick did have an odd effect on her but it would be foolish to read too much into it when she was so tired.
Nick glanced at his watch as he followed her out of the kitchen and groaned. ‘Is that really the time? You must be cursing me for keeping you chatting when you want to get to sleep. Thanks again, Katie. You’re a real life-saver.’
