been allayed when he and the woman who had been at the scene of the crash had worked on him and he’d begun to breathe again.
That had been followed by him operating on the young man and he’d had no idea what lay ahead regarding that until he’d seen the X-rays, but as usual he’d been in top form and all was going to be well with the lad.
Then when he’d arrived back in Heatherdale he’d sought the Leonie person out to apologise for being bossy and abrupt and, totally out of character, when he’d discovered that she’d paid the garage for the removal of the motorcycle had invited her to dine with him and been refused, which had turned it into a very short reacquaintance.
He’d made a point of telling her why he wanted to take her for a meal and there’d been no finesse in the way he’d done it, so it was small wonder that she’d refused and come up with an excuse that could have been the result of some quick thinking.
Yet, if he was being honest with himself, hadn’t he issued the invitation because he’d seen her in different clothes, in a pretty blue dress with her chestnut hair down and the merest hint of make-up, so bringing a moment’s brightness to what had been a far from happy day? Or maybe was it because he’d been intrigued by the determination not to be told what to do by him that he’d seen in the green eyes looking into his.
But tomorrow was another day and he was going to let it make up for this one. He finished his drink and headed home. As he glanced towards the bridge that spanned the river between their two residences he heard laughter filtering over on the night air, saw a flash of blue, and wondered what had happened to the sick friend.
When he arrived at the apartment there was an email from his ex-wife, Shelley, to say that she was getting married again to her boss, hoped he would wish her well, and that they were going to live in Australia. He gazed at the screen for a few thoughtful moments and then switched the message off, wondering as he did so why he wasn’t surprised.
* * *
As Callum walked the length of the corridor that led to the orthopaedic unit on Monday morning his step was light. He was back on his own patch. Back amongst the young patients who came to him for treatment for the long-term or shorter illnesses that were blighting their lives.
It was a place where he’d performed miracles and his staff followed them up with excellent nursing, and nowhere was he happier than there.
The time in America had been rewarding and well spent, but on thinking of the persuasion that had been used to encourage him to join them he only needed to look around him at the familiar sights of Heatherdale Children’s Hospital to know that the Americans had never stood a chance.
Here he was and here he was going to stay. He hoped that there wouldn’t be any changes in the staff that he had left behind when he’d gone to the States, as they were a well-organised team.
He heard his name called and turned to see his friend Ryan Ferguson, head of the neuro unit, approaching from behind.
‘Welcome back, Callum. It’s great to have you on board again.’
It’s great to be back,’ Callum told him. ‘They wanted me to stay but this is where I belong.’
‘Me too,’ Ryan agreed, and followed it up by saying, ‘Melissa and I are having a belated garden party next Saturday afternoon and we would be really pleased if you could come. You remember how we had our two houses made into one? Well, it’s to celebrate that. So how are you fixed? Will you be able to join us?’
He smiled. ‘Yes, of course. Since Shelley left for a more interesting life my diary has been empty, just as when she was here it was always full. We never did find a happy medium.’
‘Do you ever hear from her?’ Ryan asked.
‘Yes, as a matter of fact. There was a message from her on Saturday night. She’s getting married again, to her boss, and going to live in Australia.
‘I don’t think there could be two people anywhere as incompatible as we were. I won’t make that mistake again, Ryan. Marriage is not for me, but I’m delighted that you and Melissa are so happy,’
Callum checked his watch. ‘I’d better get on. I’ll see you both on Saturday.’
CHAPTER TWO
LEONIE DIDN’T HAVE a car. She cycled to work each day through the centre of the beautiful old market town with its gracious Victorian buildings and famous spa that people came to from far and wide to take of its healing waters.
Once the town was left behind she pedalled into open country for a short distance until she came to the hospital, built from the same local stone as the rest of the buildings in Heatherdale.
It was Monday morning and she had arrived earlier than usual with a feeling that was a mixture of expectation and unease. She was worried about Callum’s reaction when he realised that they would be close colleagues.
She’d often heard his name spoken since coming to join the staff at the hospital as ward sister in the orthopaedic unit, but had taken little notice as she hadn’t known the man. He’d gone to America before she’d started there and therefore was of little interest, but after Saturday’s happenings all that had changed. He’d probably think her crazy for not mentioning at some time that she was a nurse at the Heatherdale Children’s Hospital, where he was head of Orthopaedics.
Yet there’d been nothing to stop him asking what branch of nursing she was involved in when she’d told him what her occupation was as they’d knelt beside the injured youth, but he’d been too high and mighty to ask such questions and probably wouldn’t have been interested if she’d told him, which meant that today he might have cause to regret asking her out in the evening when he’d arrived back from Manchester.
Prodded by a sense of duty, he had sought her out and amazed her by asking her to join him for a meal, an invitation that she’d refused with little graciousness.
Soon, very soon, when she’d fastened her bike up securely and taken off her outdoor clothes, they were going to be in each other’s company again, and considering that he’d been in her thoughts ever since Saturday night she supposed she ought to be relieved that the uncomfortable meeting would soon be over and then the less she saw of Callum Warrender the better. Though how she was going to manage that when they’d be required to work closely together, she didn’t know.
* * *
‘Good morning everyone,’ Callum announced as he strolled into the two-ward complex that was the hospital’s orthopaedic centre. He was greeted by happy voices while Leonie, in a uniform that was a darker blue than the rest, bent over the bed of a fretful toddler and kept her head down.
As his keen gaze swept over those present, Callum asked crisply, ‘Where’s Janet?’
‘She’s taken early retirement to look after her mother,’ one of the nurses told him with a glance in Leonie’s direction.
Well, there was no avoiding it now. Leonie straightened up and looked Callum in the eye.
‘I have been appointed ward sister in her place, Dr Warrender. I’m afraid that the opportunity to mention that didn’t present itself on Saturday when we met unexpectedly.’
Callum was dumbstruck. She had told him she
