The difference of opinion concerning Amy’s dating of orthopaedic surgeon Nigel Wesley hadn’t been enough to seriously compromise their friendship. Yet. Amy’s spirits sank a little further. That was something that could well change after tonight, and Amy dreaded that possibility. Somehow she had to warn Jennifer of developments and ensure that their friendship wasn’t going to suffer irreparably. Persuading her to attend the party and then making sure she enjoyed herself was the only plan Amy had, so far, been able to concoct.
Perhaps she should just come straight out with it and tell Jennifer the truth. If she was really confident that she was doing the right thing, then it shouldn’t be a problem, but confidence was an emotion that Amy generally associated only with her professional abilities. Anything else was too risky to be confident about, but this was a risk she was happy enough to take. It was the right thing to do. It had to be. Time was running out in more ways than one.
Maybe the doubts that were troubling her were due to the sneaking suspicion that a friendship might have to be sacrificed. Not just any friendship either. The one and only really close relationship that Amy had ever had with another person. Nobody else had ever come close. Not her school friends and definitely not her parents. Not even Nigel. Maybe especially Nigel. Jen was the one person in the world who loved Amy for who she really was. Jen made her feel good about herself and had always supported her wholeheartedly. Well, almost always. At least until Nigel Wesley had surprisingly shown an interest in Senior Nurse Amy Brooks.
Gladys Benny was transferred to a ward half an hour later. Due to her patient’s reluctance to let go of her hand, Amy accompanied the bed as far as the lift. It was on her return that she spotted the man for the third time. He was now in the emergency observation area—a mini-ward, adjacent to Emergency, that could hold non-urgent patients for up to twenty-four hours until a decision was made regarding their need for admission. Amy didn’t give him the chance to look in her direction this time. She sped on and didn’t stop until she found Jennifer. She followed her friend into the sluice room.
‘Who is that man in the leather jacket?’ Amy demanded. ‘He’s been hanging around Emergency all day.’
‘So have I,’ Jennifer groaned. She dropped the container she was carrying into the infectious waste disposal unit and stripped off her gloves. ‘My feet hurt.’ She gave Amy a concerned glance. ‘How’s your leg?’
‘Fine.’ Amy wasn’t going to be distracted. ‘You must have noticed him,’ she persisted.
‘Why? Is he cute?’
‘I suppose,’ Amy admitted grudgingly. ‘He’s tall with straight black hair. Kind of spiky.’ She eyed Jennifer’s tufts of short blonde hair. ‘A bit like yours, only longer.’
‘I like him already,’ Jennifer declared. ‘Who’s he in here to see?’
‘That’s what I was trying to find out.’ Amy shook her head. ‘He looks too happy to be a relative.’
‘If he looks happy, he can’t be a staff member either.’ Jennifer grinned.
‘I’m not sure about that. Noel Fenton was introducing him to Gareth a while ago.’
‘What?’ Jennifer’s jaw slackened. ‘You mean Noel Fenton was here and I didn’t notice?’ Her face screwed itself into total dismay. ‘Damn it! That probably means he didn’t notice me either.’
Amy looked suddenly thoughtful. ‘Noel is Nigel’s registrar.’
‘I know that.’ Jennifer leaned back against the wall, clearly grateful for a short respite. ‘Just because Noel is indescribably gorgeous doesn’t make Nigel suitable, however. You could do so much better for yourself, Amy.’
‘I haven’t so far.’ Amy lost her train of thought regarding Noel Fenton. ‘I’m nearly thirty, Jen.’
‘So? You’re gorgeous. Far too good for Mr Wesley.’ She nudged Amy. ‘You might have hazel eyes instead of blue but, as Patrick says, you’re an angel, to be sure.’
Amy laughed. ‘If I’m so terrific, how come all my romances have been such dismal failures?’ she countered.
‘You just haven’t found the right man.’
Amy took a deep breath. ‘Maybe I have now.’
‘Ha!’ Jennifer shook her head vigorously. ‘For God’s sake, Amy. Nigel Wesley still lives with his mother!’
‘It’s a huge house. She has a completely self-contained wing. They lead totally separate lives.’
Jennifer eyed her dubiously.
‘The house is awesome, Jen. You really should come and see it. There’s an indoor swimming pool and a conservatory. Six bedrooms and all of them have en suite bathrooms.’
‘You sound like a real estate agent.’
‘The garden’s well worth seeing. It got photographed for House and Garden last year.’
‘It’ll be dark.’
‘It’s floodlit,’ Amy told her enthusiastically. ‘And the kitchen’s amazing. All stainless steel and very high tech.’
‘Sounds like an operating theatre.’ Jennifer giggled. ‘Does the food come out on a tray covered with a sterile drape?’
‘There’s a breakfast room that leads into the conservatory. It has cane furniture and lots of bright cushions. It’s really rather nice.’
‘You sound like you’re planning to move in.’
Amy’s hesitation was just long enough for Jennifer’s eyes to widen in a horrified expression. ‘This party that you’re so keen to drag me along to tonight. You’re not…’ Jennifer swallowed deliberately. ‘It’s not for some special announcement, is it?’
‘Please, come, Jen.’ Amy bit her lip. ‘I need you there. I need someone on my side.’
‘If it feels like a battle then it’s not right. Don’t do it, Amy.’
‘I’m not talking about Nigel. It’s the rest of them I’m not so sure of. And I don’t think his mother really likes me.’ Desperation planted a last ray of hope for Amy as she remembered her earlier inspiration. ‘Hey, Jen? What if I got Nigel to invite Noel Fenton to the party?’
‘He’d probably bring his wife.’
‘I don’t think he’s married. In fact, I’m sure he isn’t. You could wear something gorgeous and he’d have to notice you. You’d stand out a mile amongst all those consultants’ wives.’ Amy had noticed the gleam of interest her friend was trying to disguise. ‘I can see it now,’ she said cunningly. ‘There they all are. Middle-aged and dressed in sophisticated but terribly boring black evening dresses. And there you are—wearing something—’
‘Black,’ Jennifer supplied. She grinned at Amy’s frown. ‘But black with a difference.’ She straightened and headed for the door. ‘I like it,’ she announced. ‘I think I will come to your party after all.’
Amy breathed an inward sigh of relief. A bit of moral support was
