played football. It was brilliant.’ He beamed at her. ‘And I drawed you a picture. Nanna made basghetti for tea. I helped stir the sauce.’
Serena ruffled his hair; the fact that her five-year-old still couldn’t quite say the name of his favourite food still made her heart melt. She looked up at her mother. ‘Thanks, Mum.’
‘I’ve made a huge panful, so you’re staying to tea tonight. Don’t argue,’ Carolyn said with a smile.
Serena smiled back, grateful that she wouldn’t have to cook dinner tonight. ‘You spoil me, Mum. Thank you.’
‘Can I help Granddad with his puzzle?’ Ethan asked.
‘Of course you can, gorgeous boy.’ Serena kissed him before releasing him, and the little boy sped away to join Serena’s father.
‘So how was your day, love?’ Carolyn asked, bustling around.
‘OK.’ Serena tried for brightness, not wanting her mother to know how ruffled her usual composure was.
‘How was it really?’ Carolyn asked.
Serena frowned. ‘How do you know it wasn’t OK?’
‘The same way that you know if Ethan’s had a tough day at school. Mother’s instinct,’ Carolyn said. ‘Except I’ve had a few more years to hone mine than you have. What happened?’
Serena went to the doorway to check that Ethan was busy with her father, then quietly shut the door so he wouldn’t accidentally overhear her conversation. ‘I was asked out on a date.’
‘That’s great. We’ll babysit,’ Carolyn said immediately.
Serena shook her head. ‘Not an evening. Lunch.’
‘So you don’t need a babysitter.’ Carolyn shrugged. ‘Well, lunch is still nice. And it means you won’t feel guilty about taking time you feel you ought to spend with Ethan.’
Guilt. Yes. That was exactly it. ‘I can’t do it, Mum.’
Carolyn looked puzzled. ‘Why not?’
‘He was my patient.’
‘Was?’ Carolyn asked.
‘His last treatment was today.’
‘Then, as he’s not actually your patient any more, there’s nothing to stop you seeing him, is there?’ Carolyn pointed out.
Serena bit her lip. ‘What about Ethan?’
‘If this man’s asked you out to lunch, then—assuming it isn’t a weekend—Ethan will be at school.’
‘No, I mean …’ She grimaced. ‘It feels wrong. Dating someone.’
‘Does he know about Ethan?’
Serena nodded.
‘And is it a problem for him?’
‘No. He was pretty sensitive about it,’ Serena admitted.
Carolyn gave her a hug. ‘Not all men are like Jason, you know.’
‘I know.’
‘And you haven’t dated in—well, since Jason.’
Seven years ago. That was the last time she’d been out with a man who wasn’t Jason. Jason had walked out on her almost two years after their first date; in the five years since then, she hadn’t dated at all. She sighed. ‘That’s half the problem, Mum. I don’t know how. I don’t know the rules of dating any more.’
‘I don’t think they’ve changed that much,’ Carolyn said gently. ‘Just be yourself and it’ll be fine.’
‘It won’t work, Mum.’
‘How do you know, if you don’t give it a chance?’
‘We’re from different worlds.’
Carolyn spread her hands. ‘And?’
‘I’m not really his type.’
‘He wouldn’t have asked you out if he didn’t like you for who you are,’ Carolyn pointed out. She stroked Serena’s hair away from her face. ‘Love, you give Ethan everything he needs and you’re a great mum. But you need to make some time for yourself as well. Between Ethan and work, there’s nothing left for you. And that isn’t healthy.’
Jess had said the same thing. Did her father and the rest of her colleagues think that, too? Serena wondered.
‘Do you like him?’ Carolyn asked.
That was the tough question. And Serena certainly wasn’t admitting that George made her heart miss a beat every time she saw him. Or that he’d completely melted her common sense with just one kiss. She could barely admit that to herself.
Carolyn smiled at her silence. ‘So you do like him. Otherwise you wouldn’t have mentioned a word about it to me.’
Serena had no answer to that. She knew it was true.
‘So I take it you’re going to have lunch with him, then?’
‘No. Yes. I don’t know.’ The whole idea of it had her lost in confusion.
‘What’s the worst that could happen?’ Carolyn asked.
That she’d fall in love with George and he’d let her down. That he’d break her heart, the way Jason had. That he’d walk out on her when she needed him most.
As if the whole thing had been perfectly readable on her face, Carolyn patted her hand. ‘The whole world won’t suddenly go down with the plague if you have lunch with a man, love.’
‘I guess not.’
‘You might discover that you don’t have anything in common and he’s really boring. Or you might discover that he’s actually really nice and you’d like to see a bit more of him. But the only way you’ll find out for sure is to go and have lunch with him.’
It was tempting. So very, very tempting.
And Serena had nearly a week to think about it. A week where George Somers and his beautiful mouth occupied every moment when she wasn’t busy with a patient or with her son. And even then she was guiltily aware of drifting off into a daydream when she was supposed to be concentrating on writing up her notes. Especially as it took her nearly a week to finish the chocolates, they were so rich—and every single one of them made her think of kissing him. Of the way he’d scrambled her brains.
But in the end, on the Monday morning, she chickened out. As much as she wanted to see George again, he was just too dangerous for her peace of mind. She texted him at the beginning of her shift. Thank you for the offer of lunch tomorrow, but I’m afraid I can’t make it. Serena.
She gave no excuses,
