ago her father was all she had. They were very close. Now she’s pregnant and alone. Her aunt and uncle in Plymouth are caring for her.’
‘Lauren,’ he murmured, wishing he had the words to ease the pain and horror of what she and the rest of the town had been through.
‘It’s all so unfair!’
‘I know.’ He stroked her arm, aware of the softness of her skin and the beat of her pulse. ‘Sometimes it is impossible to understand why these things happen.’
Her fingers returned the pressure of his and she looked at him with a sorrowful smile. ‘That’s the truth.’ She shook her head, a sigh escaping.
‘Thank goodness you had such excellent rescue aid or things could have been even worse for the town.’
‘Yes, we were very grateful. I think people are finding it hard to accept we’ve been affected like this again. It’s not that long since Penhally’s last great tragedy. The big storm ten years ago took many lives, including those of Kate Althorp’s husband James and Nick Tremayne’s father and brother.’
‘How are people coping now?’ Gabriel asked after a short silence, one that saw them both lost in thought.
‘A lot are still displaced after the flood. The caravan park above the cliffs on Mevagissey Road has taken in several families, while others are staying with relatives and friends or renting temporary accommodation.’
‘It looked as though much has been done to begin clearing up.’
Lauren nodded, her voice stronger again now. ‘Everyone has worked very hard. It’s amazing the mess and damage water can cause. I think it will be months before some of the homes are fit to be lived in again.’
‘Many of your patients must be needing extra care and understanding,’ Gabriel allowed, looking down at their joined hands, thankful that Lauren had not pulled away.
‘Yes, there’s been trauma and anxiety. And it’s hard for some to come to terms with losing irreplaceable and sentimental possessions. We also had to be careful because of things like polluted water and so on as some people failed to heed the safety advice in the aftermath.’
Gabriel watched as she tucked a couple of wayward strands of hair behind her ear. Adjusting his hold on her hand, he played with her fingers and traced a circle on her palm with his thumb, aware of the growing connection between them.
‘So, tell me about your regular patients,’ he suggested after a few moments, relieved to see a lightening of her expression.
He listened with interest as Lauren talked of little Timmy Morrison, nearly five months old and diagnosed at birth with cystic fibrosis, of eleven-year-old Paul Mitchell, coping spiritedly with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and of older patients like Harry Biscombe in sheltered accommodation at Gow Court, with osteoporosis, whom she had been visiting when the flood had hit, and Stella Chamberlain, currently in the Harbour View Nursing Home with Parkinson’s disease.
‘Stella’s desperate to go home but it’s becoming impossible for her daughter Lizzie to cope. It’s very sad. We’re all doing the best we can to find the best solution for both Stella and Lizzie.’
Every word Lauren spoke, both about the regulars she visited at home and her more mobile and short-term patients who came to the surgery, revealed how dedicated she was and just how much she cared about each and every person. Minute by minute Gabriel was more impressed with Lauren Nightingale. Her natural beauty had first appealed to him and he had been unable to ignore the sparks of attraction that had crackled between them from the first moment. He had only just met her and yet the more he knew about her, the longer they talked, the more he respected and admired her as a person. She was funny, intelligent and caring. Genuine, without any airs or graces.
Meeting Lauren put an interesting and unexpected slant on his time in Cornwall. Her eyes reflected a feminine interest she made no effort to hide and he felt the answering response rise within him, one he had not felt in a long time. This might well turn out to be an even more interesting year than he had ever imagined.
‘I’m not sure which patients you’ll be seeing,’ Lauren told him now, explaining about the staffing at the surgery and how GP Dragan Lovak was taking time off to be with his wife after the recent birth of their baby boy. ‘I expect Nick will suggest you spend time with one of the other doctors this week—if you are lucky, it will be Oliver Fawkner.’ The affection in her voice as she mentioned the other doctor brought a flash of unexpected jealousy. ‘If Nick agrees, it would also be good if you could come out on house calls with various members of staff.’
‘Including you?’
‘Probably.’
His gaze caught hers. ‘I hope so.’
‘Me, too.’ She bit her lip, her eyes widening as she realised she had spoken aloud. He felt the kick of her pulse beneath his fingers as she hurried on. ‘There have been some changes due to the surgery expansion—you’ll see those when you look around on Monday. Immediately after the flood, Nick asked us all not to go out on calls after dark unless it was an emergency, because of all the debris and possible danger of unsafe buildings and falling masonry.’ Gabriel nodded, knowing it made sense not to put more people at risk than necessary. ‘That ban has been lifted since the clean-up started,’ Lauren continued. ‘But I’ve kept to the new schedule. It works for me and my patients now we have the new physiotherapy room. With Nick’s agreement, I do house calls that are required in the mornings and see patients at the surgery in the afternoons.’
‘So I’ll keep at least one morning free to go on visits with you.’
Gabriel’s statement brought fresh warmth to her cheeks. ‘OK,’ she agreed, already eager for the time they would spend together, even if it was work related. That he was so keen and interested in her patients and the work she did brought her a glow of pleasure.
He asked more questions about the surgery, staff and the town in general, and she was happy to answer them, to help him fit into his new role in a different country. They had clicked from the first and got on so well she felt she had known him for ever. Yet all the time there was the undercurrent of sexual tension, the hum of desire between them, and excitement bubbled inside her at what might happen.
She had not forgotten for a moment that her hand was still in his, their fingers entwined, but she had no desire to let go until he did. They talked about local activities and their hobbies, discovering shared interests in books and music. They both loved sport, but while Lauren was keen on running, swimming and cycling, Gabriel favoured team sports like football. She could listen to him for ever with that sexy accent and soft huskiness edging his voice.
‘So you jog every morning?’ he asked now, pulling her from her thoughts.
‘Yes, I try to do between three and five miles a day.’
‘I can see it keeps you fit.’
The knot in her stomach tightened as he looked her over, the expression in his melting brown eyes letting her know that he liked what he saw. ‘I try.’ She swallowed the restriction in her throat, a tingle running through her as his thumb began to brush across her palm and wrist once more. ‘I’ve done a few triathlons in the past but I don’t get the chance to compete much these days.’
‘Do you prefer to run alone, or do you enjoy company?’
‘Company
