Ruby. I should have been taken in by Child Welfare. I should have been formally assessed. Instead, half an hour later I was by Ruby’s fire-stove drinking mugs of hot chocolate while Ruby and the doctor talked about what colour socks he’d like her to knit him. And who was going to win the football that week.’
‘He sounds wonderful,’ Erin said in a voice that was suddenly none too steady.
‘They both were,’ he said. ‘Doc Roberts and Ruby. Extraordinary people. I can’t touch them for kindness. But I can take in the odd waif as payback.’
‘How long have you taken in waifs?’
‘Since I found Tansy,’ he said. ‘I was looking for a country practice. I wanted one where there was less work than there is here, but I came to the interview before I realised how remote it was. Tansy was on the panel that interviewed me. I mentioned I wanted space in my life to foster kids, and I wanted a big house. About two minutes later I had this place and a live-in housekeeper.’
‘So she’s bossy.’
‘She’s great.’ He hesitated, feeling…exposed. Really exposed. ‘But what about you?’ he demanded, and his voice came out rougher than he’d intended. ‘Why did you decide to be a doctor?’
‘I don’t think I ever had a choice. Two parents. One kid where there should have been three. Actually, four parents,’ she said, ‘for Charles’s parents might as well have been my own. It was always assumed we’d do great things. Charles’s parents knew he was going to be a doctor-though maybe that’s unfair. Charles certainly wanted to be one. I got carried along for the ride.’
‘But you like it?’
‘I love it,’ she said, and the dispirited tone gave way to sudden enthusiasm. ‘I never thought I would, but I do. Mind, they’re all desperately unhappy that I’ve chosen to work in emergency medicine rather than one of the status specialties. They think it’s an aberration. Some day soon I’ll settle to something more worthwhile.’
‘An aberration,’ he said, and turned and looked at Marilyn. ‘You and your dog. Aberrations both.’
‘What a thing to say.’ Suddenly she smiled and, damn, there was that feeling in the depths of his gut again. It was the loveliest smile.
She was the loveliest woman.
But she was tired. The smile faltered almost as it appeared. She yawned-and Marilyn yawned in sympathy.
He smiled at the pair of them.
‘Bed,’ he said. ‘Marilyn’s in hers. I’ll carry you to yours.’
‘No need. I can manage.’ She grabbed the crutches he’d found for her and struggled to her feet.
‘No,’ she said as he made a move to help her. ‘Thank you, Dominic,’ she said gently. ‘You’ve been great.’
He didn’t feel great. It nearly killed him to stay still and watch as she struggled out of the room. But somehow he did.
‘Goodnight,’ he said softly, and she turned and smiled.
‘Goodnight, Dom,’ she whispered. ‘And thank you.’
She was gone. The kitchen felt bleak for her going.
Which was nonsense.
He made a desultory effort to clear dishes. He moved Marilyn’s water bowl so she could reach it, and then as she stirred he thought okay maybe it was time, so he picked her up and carried her outside. She was moving herself now, but it filled a need to carry someone.
Erin for preference, but Marilyn was all that was on offer.
So he stood in the cool night air and waited until Marilyn completed her toileting. It was restful out under the stars.
He should feel peaceful.
Hell, he didn’t. Erin was settling into bed right through that window. Erin…
Marilyn was sniffing the grass, licking up the dew, raising her head and smelling new smells. She looked battered and exhausted, yet profoundly grateful for this moment-for the ability to smell the night air before going back to her pups.
‘Life’s okay,’ he said gently, and from the veranda came a response.
‘It looks okay from this angle, too.’
He turned and Erin was watching him from under the porch lights.
She was lovely. Mind-blowingly lovely.
‘You need to be in bed,’ he said, and felt dumb.
‘So do you.’
‘So what’s stopping us?’ He lifted Marilyn again and carried her up the steps. The big dog looked up at him with an expression of something akin to devotion.
‘Hey, don’t look at me like that,’ he told her. ‘Doc Carmody here’s the one who saved you.’
‘And you saved us both.’ Erin smiled at him and there it was again. Gut lurch.
Enough with the dog. Time for a little exercise rehabilitation. The door was open. He set Marilyn down, she waggled her butt and staggered toward the door.
Erin made a sharp move to clear a path but then it was her turn to stagger. She wobbled dangerously on her crutches and Dom made a dive. He caught her shoulders. Her crutches clattered to the floor-and he was left holding her.
‘It’s either one or t’other of us,’ she said, sounding suddenly breathless. ‘Me and Marilyn. Your walking wounded.’
‘Or not walking. You want me to carry you to bed?’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’
‘Why not?’
‘I suspect you know why not,’ she said, with a hint of asperity. ‘You’re too near, you’re too male and you don’t have a wife upstairs as chaperone.’
‘Pity about that.’
‘I’m sure you miss her madly,’ she said, but she didn’t pull away.
‘I don’t need anyone.’ Where had that come from? The situation had been light. Suddenly it was intensely personal.
‘I’m sure you don’t,’ she said softly. ‘Whereas I…I need all sorts of people. So…so when does Tansy come back?’
‘Her daughter had her baby last weekend. Maybe a couple of weeks.’
‘I can’t stay for a couple of weeks.’
‘Of course you can’t.’
‘I should have gone with Charles.’
‘You decided not to.’
‘I did. I wanted to help you.’ She sighed. ‘Fat lot of help I am.’
‘You did help. You are helping.’ His hands stayed on her shoulders. She’d have to pull away if she wanted him to move and she wasn’t pulling. She might even be leaning in.
He tugged her in a little bit further. Nice.
‘Dom, I’m sorry I offloaded onto you,’ she said softly against his chest. ‘It wasn’t fair. You’ve done so much for me, and here I am, keeping you from bed, asking for sympathy when you’ve got so much else on.’
‘I don’t have enough.’
‘What, sympathy?’
‘I’m not sure,’ he said, looking down at her in the moonlight. ‘I suspect sympathy is the least of it.’
‘Me, too,’ she said, unexpectedly-suddenly tentative. ‘There’s not a lot of sympathy happening from where I’m standing. I knew I had to apologise. Now I have. So…so maybe we could move on?’
A thought was occurring. An excellent thought. Maybe shared?
Maybe crazy. Maybe not. Regardless, this was a thought worth airing.
‘So if I were to kiss you…’
And, amazingly, she smiled. And nodded. A decisive little nod. Almost businesslike. ‘It’d probably do us both the world of good. Like a tonic.’
‘A tonic?’ He was losing the thread.
