her mind she could still see him striding away. Tall. Straight-backed. Determined. A man on a mission. He didn’t seem the type to bond over a chocolate biscuit. Not with normal civilians, anyway. She wondered what he was like with his patients. Warm and fuzzy?
I don’t think so.
‘Absolutely. You don’t know the man until you’ve shared your deep and darkest secrets over a good brew.’
She sighed. ‘He doesn’t seem the type to do that. He seems quite standoffish to me. At least on duty, anyway.’
‘It’s hard for him.’
Brooke looked at her friend sharply. ‘It’s hard for us all.’
‘He’s stepped into his wife’s shoes. Taken her post. And he knows that we all knew her, that we all lost her, and most of all I think he’s frightened of you.’
‘Me? Why?’
‘You were her best friend. Everyone here knows how close you two got. And when Jen did get a call from him, from the deepest darkest jungle that Costa Rica could offer, and got to tell him about her day...she talked about you.’
‘She did?’
‘Of course she did. Jen loved you very much. She loved us all, but you the most. And he knows that of all the people in the world, you had a special place in his wife’s heart. Apart from him, you were the one who comforted her, who gave her a soft place to fall when he could not. Who looked after her as she carried his child.’ Kelly smiled. ‘You’re different to the rest of us mere mortals. He doesn’t know how to be with you yet.’
‘He doesn’t have to be afraid of me. We both loved her.’ All the sweet things Kelly had said had caused a lump to appear in her throat.
‘He’ll call you, Brooke. When he’s ready.’
‘He’s keeping me at a distance on purpose?’
Kelly nodded, then grinned. ‘Perhaps he needs to.’
Brooke gave her friend a questioning look. She was being ridiculous! She was no threat to anyone. Never had been, never would be. Men didn’t need to worry about her. They never had. Not her father, not Eric, not anyone.
Major Matt Galloway was the least likely man she would want to get too close to. He was abrupt and controlling and...and...
And she’d sworn never to have another man control her ever again. Not after the way Eric had become. That had been bad.
‘Do you need to wear make-up?’
‘Why have you put on perfume?’
‘I really don’t think you should wear that dress.’
‘Cover up more.’
‘Were you flirting with that guy?’
She shuddered just thinking about him.
No. Brooke was never going to get involved with another man again. They were too much trouble. Look at Eric! Look at her father! Every man there had ever been in her life had let her down. Walked away when she needed them the most.
It had made her self-sufficient. Taught her that she could stand on her own two feet. Getting pregnant with Morgan and becoming a single mother had taught her that she could do anything, but most of all it had shown her that she didn’t need anyone else.
And most definitely—most importantly—she knew that she did not need, or want, the approval or attention of her new boss Major Matt Galloway.
‘Well, he has nothing to fear from me. My heart most definitely has a “Do Not Enter” sign.’
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