The man did a double take. ‘You’re CJ Nicholls?’
‘I am.’
‘But...but...you’re...er...too young.’ At her arched eyebrow, he quickly continued. ‘What I mean is...you look about eighteen years old.’ He shook his head, his wide grin returning. ‘You’re having a laugh, right?’
‘You think I look eighteen? How very flattering but add at least another twelve years to that and you’ll be right on the money.’
‘You’re thirty!’ The incredulity in his tone should have been flattering.
‘I guess wearing my hair in pigtails doesn’t help the argument that I am indeed a qualified general practitioner. It’s just that wearing my hair up gives me headaches, keeping it loose makes me hot, and I really don’t want to cut it so...’ She allowed her sentence to trail off as she held out her hand. ‘Claudia-Jean Nicholls. Dr Claudia-Jean Nicholls. I went to medical school and everything.’ Her smile was wide, bright and absolutely dazzling. Her green eyes twinkling with merriment.
‘Uh... Ethan Janeway.’
‘Oh, you’re Ethan.’ She shook his hand enthusiastically, ignoring the small wave of heat that spread up her arm at the touch. ‘I wasn’t expecting you until this evening.’ She gestured to her shopping trolley. ‘Hence the reason for this last-minute shop. There’s nothing in the cupboards.’ Why, all of a sudden, did she feel so self-conscious? Perhaps it was because she was faced with a very tall, very dark and very handsome stranger who had the most amazing blue eyes she’d ever seen. A stirring of something foreign sizzled in her tummy and it definitely wasn’t indigestion! He frowned and she flicked her pigtails back over her shoulders. ‘Problem?’
‘Why should it matter if there’s nothing in the cupboards?’
CJ shrugged and glanced at her watch. ‘Whoa, look at the time.’ She started pushing the trolley and was pleased when he fell into step beside her. ‘I guess I like to eat food when I get home from work,’ she remarked, answering his previous question. ‘I naturally presumed you would, too.’
‘I don’t follow. Why should you be concerned with where and when I eat?’
‘Your lodgings, while you’re in town, are at my house.’
‘They’re...what now?’
‘I thought you knew. It was in the paperwork I sent through. We share a kitchen, laundry and lounge room.’
‘The paperwork stated that accommodation was provided with the job. It’s why I’m here.’ He indicated their present surroundings. ‘I went to the clinic to pick up the key for my lodgings, only to be directed here and told to find you.’ His gaze rested momentarily on her pregnancy. ‘I’m the locum to cover...maternity leave.’ He spoke the last two words slowly, as though finally realising that she was the person he was locum for.
‘That’s right. I’m going on maternity leave as soon as we’ve got you settled, although why Donna doesn’t think I can work up until—’ She stopped. She and Donna had had several discussions about this maternity leave, namely that CJ didn’t think she needed to take leave at all. Decreasing her workload to part time would have worked just fine but Donna had stood her ground and insisted CJ employ a locum. CJ had finally agreed to find someone for three months, Donna had insisted upon six months. ‘Never mind. Any other questions?’
‘Er...do we share a bathroom?’ He glanced once more at her pregnant belly.
‘No.’ Her smile broadened. ‘Which is just as well because, with Junior jumping up and down on my bladder all night, I need a clear path.’
‘And that’s why you’re shopping? Because I’ll be living with you?’
‘Sharing a house,’ she corrected. ‘The bedrooms, with en suites, are at opposite ends of the house. We only finished the renovations last week.’
‘You and your husband?’ A small frown puckered his brow. ‘Or partner?’
CJ dropped her gaze to her ringless fingers. ‘My husband passed away. It’s just me and the baby now.’ She flicked a pigtail over her shoulder.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be...indelicate.’
‘You weren’t to know and, besides, Pridham is a very small town. I’m sure you’ll know all there is to know about me from the patients by the end of your first week.’ She grinned. ‘At any rate, the “we” I was referring to was myself and Brett, the builder.’ She turned into the next aisle and checked her list again, then looked at the shelves and lifted a hand dejectedly.
‘Why is everything on the top shelf today? I swear it’s a conspiracy to stop pregnant women from getting what they want. Ethan, would you mind getting that jar of pickles down, please?’
‘Cravings?’
She grinned again. ‘Oh, yeah. Pickles and bananas are high on the list at the moment.’
‘Your body must be low in sodium and potassium.’
‘Excellent deduction, Dr Janeway. If I hadn’t already been impressed with your extensive résumé, I am now.’ She chuckled as she added a few more things to the trolley, checked her list and nodded. ‘That’s it...unless there’s something you’d really like or need?’
He scanned the contents of the trolley before shrugging. ‘I can come back tomorrow if need be.’
‘OK.’ She headed for the checkout.
‘Ah, I see you found her,’ Idris, the store manager, said as CJ started to unload the contents of the trolley.
‘In aisle eight, just like you said.’ Ethan quickly took over unloading the trolley, especially when she picked up a large tub of ice cream and almost dropped it. ‘Allow me,’ he stated.
‘It’s OK. I can manage.’
‘I have no doubt but still, this one time, allow me.’ Ethan continued to put the groceries onto the checkout conveyer belt. ‘I thought, as you’re almost to term, that you would have given up work a while ago.’
‘Ah...the life of working in a small town. It’s definitely a vocational calling because it’s all work and no play. Plus, it’s usually very difficult to get locums to agree to come this far away from a major city for any extended period of time.’
‘I did.’
‘Which means you’re rare and valuable.’ She smiled at him
