you. Oh … where is it?’
Scraps of lacy underwear like nothing Kate had ever worn were tossed aside. Long black boots with heels that could double as lethal weapons followed. A battered teddy bear was snatched up, cuddled and then deposited tenderly on the bed to nestle between snowy-white, frilled pillowcases.
‘Good grief … you still have that bear?’
‘Are you kidding? You gave him to me. I couldn’t sleep without Red Ted.’
Within the space of sixty seconds the room looked like a bomb site, with clothing, cosmetics and even books strewn about. And then Bella triumphantly held up a small package, exquisitely wrapped in primrose-yellow tissue paper, with a ribbon that matched the tiny bouquet of dried wild flowers it held in place.
Kate’s chest felt tight as she accepted the gift. This was pure Bella. Disorganised, irresponsible and unbelievably messy, but amongst the chaos were moments that were simply perfect. The kind you stored in your memory bank for when you needed to remember that life was worth living.
‘Go on, open it, Kate.’ Bella was hugging herself with excitement.
Inside the lovingly wrapped package was a photograph in a beaten, silver frame. A small girl and a young woman sitting together on a swing seat, their arms around each other. They weren’t looking at the camera because they were smiling at each other.
‘D’you remember this? I found it in an old album and Dad said I could have it copied and framed.’
‘Oh …’ The tight feeling in Kate’s chest was making it difficult to draw in a breath. Her smile felt wobbly. ‘How old were you then?’
‘Dunno. Eight or nine? That tree blew down in a storm last year, did Dad tell you?’
‘No. That’s sad.’
Bella shrugged. ‘It was getting too big, anyway. It blocked half our sun. What is it with you and Dad and trees? You’re practically buried in a forest here. Doesn’t it feel like you’re walled off from the world or something?’
Kate mirrored the shrug. Maybe the world was walled off from her and that was the way she liked it.
‘It’s a gorgeous photo. Thank you. You shouldn’t be spending your money on me, though. I thought you were saving up to go overseas.’
‘I am. That’s why I’m here. Nurses get paid better in the big smoke.’ Bella did a little twirl. ‘I’ve got a job at St Pat’s. How cool is that?’
Kate’s jaw dropped. ‘A job?’
‘Yep. Not where I want to be to start with, mind you. I have to do a three-month rotation in Theatre and then in Geriatrics.’ Bella grimaced. ‘But if I can stand it, I get to be in my favourite place after that. With all the babies in Paeds.’
‘So this is a permanent position?’
Bella laughed. ‘Permanent? Me? Are you kidding? No. I just want to save enough to get offshore. A year or maybe six months if I save hard.’ She grinned. ‘And if my lovely, kind auntie will let me live with her.’
Kate still hadn’t closed her mouth. The whirlwind that was Bella was a joy in small doses but for the next six months to a year? Could she cope? Her head was still spinning. No, her whole world seemed to be spinning. Bella was the flip side of her own personality. Impulsive where she was cautious. Ready to drop anything for a better offer where Kate hated to change routines. Prepared to take risks to shake the maximum amount of joy out of life where Kate retreated to safety every time.
Inexplicably, the image of Connor Matthews came to mind. As if he was in the room with them, watching her. Comparing her with Kate. Nodding, as if to say, Yeah … here’s a woman who has a life.
‘Can I stay? Please, please, please?’
‘Of … course you can.’
‘I won’t be any trouble, honest. I’ll help with the cooking and cleaning and everything. And I’ll probably be out heaps. You won’t even notice I’m here.’
Kate’s gaze took in the wild array of possessions scattered around the guest bedroom. She knew exactly what the kitchen would look like if Bella took a turn at cooking. Yes, she’d go out a lot because her niece was never without friends for long, but she’d be coming in at two or three a.m. Or not coming in at all and she would be left lying awake wondering where Bella was and whether she was safe. Yes, there were times when there was a definite downside of the vicarious living that could be done by being around Bella, but there was also an attraction. A buzz. Life became much more colourful. Fun.
She couldn’t banish that image of Connor from her head. She could imagine him smiling now. Approvingly but with an edge of smugness.
A smile that said, Watch and learn, Dr Graham.
Birds of a feather, her niece and the maverick surgeon? No. Bella didn’t set out to break rules. She either didn’t notice they were there or thought she could get away with anything by using a combination of contrition and charm. And it usually worked. If it didn’t, she sucked up any punishment because she had brought it on herself. Which was probably why she was unrepentant about the broken hearts she’d been leaving in her wake for years now. That was a game that had to be played according to Bella’s rules and she was always upfront about her plans for her future. She wasn’t going to consider a permanent relationship until she was thirty and then she was going to choose the perfect man and settle down to have a dozen kids.
Another facet of the flip side. Watching Bella grow up was the closest Kate would ever get to having a child of her own.
‘I’m starving,’ Bella announced. ‘Ooh … I’ve got a bottle of wine for you in my handbag. A red. The man in the shop said it was a very good one.’
Kate recognised the label. A nice New Zealand Shiraz. ‘Good choice. I’ve got lamb shanks in the slow cooker. Well done, you.’
Bella laughed. ‘Pure luck. I said it came in a bottle so it had to be good.’ She held the bottle aloft like a trophy. ‘Shall we? You can tell me all about St Pat’s while we eat. Like who the hottest doctors are.’
Kate was laughing as she led the way to her kitchen. She could be quite sure that Bella was more than capable of discovering that kind of information for herself in no time at all. In fact, she wouldn’t be at all surprised if her niece arrived home on the back of Connor’s motorbike within a fortnight.
The new nurse in Theatre was cute.
Tall and blonde. Blue-eyed and smiley. Just the way Connor Matthews liked his women. The absolute opposite of grim-faced, dark-haired, disapproving females who clearly had no fun in life at all.
So why hadn’t he been able to expunge the image of Kate Graham from his mind over the last few days?
Because he felt bad, that’s why. It had been a mean thing to say, telling her that she needed to get a life. Adding that her white coat looked ridiculous had been nothing more than childish. And also mean. Connor was not a mean person. The only justification for the way he’d attacked her was that he had been in the middle of a fairly devastating emotional experience.
Connor scrubbed harder at his
