The Greek Children's Doctor

The challenge was going to be getting her to admit it.

Libby was terrified of being hurt. She found it impossible to trust men and she was incredibly wary and cautious.

He needed to prove to her that he could be trusted but he couldn’t do that unless she agreed to spend some time with him. But judging from the way she’d been avoiding him since that night, the chances of her agreeing to that were remote.

He leaned back in his chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him, frowning thoughtfully.

And then he remembered the date.

She still owed him a date.

A slow smile crossed his handsome face as he remembered the conversation he’d overheard between her and the ward sister.

No one had ever stipulated exactly what constituted the date that had been auctioned.

And suddenly he knew exactly what that date was going to be.

A week later Jenny was improving rapidly and spending much of the time in the playroom with Polly, who had taken on a surrogate mother role.

Jenny’s parents were still in hospital and her baby sister had been staying with an aunt who lived locally.

The ward had quietened down slightly, Bev had found an agency nurse who’d agreed to work for the rest of the month and Libby was exhausted.

The strain of trying to avoid Andreas was making her jumpy and she wasn’t getting any sleep thanks to that one incredible night she’d spent with him. She was totally unable to forget the way he’d made her feel.

She was thoroughly relieved that Bev had insisted she take leave. At least she wouldn’t have to peep round corners to check that there was no sign of Andreas. She vowed to get plenty of exercise in the hope that it would make her sleep.

Suddenly she couldn’t wait for her shift to end.

She went through the motions of doing her job and at lunchtime Bev bustled up to her.

‘You look absolutely wiped out.’ The ward sister shook her head disapprovingly. ‘Go home.’

‘I can’t go yet. I haven’t finished my shift.’

Bev gave her a gentle push. ‘Just go. Now. And if I see you back on this ward before next week, you’re fired.’

Libby gave a weak smile. She couldn’t actually believe she had a whole week off. ‘You can’t fire me. I’m your slave labour.’

Bev didn’t laugh. ‘You’ve lost your sparkle and bubble,’ she said quietly. ‘You’ve been working too hard, Lib. Have a rest.’

Libby didn’t say anything. It was true that she was tired, but the truth was her sparkle had gone because she was so disappointed about Andreas. She’d really believed that he was interested in her, but evidently she’d been wrong again.

Apart from that one conversation the morning after, he’d made no attempt to see her since the ball.

All right, so she’d been avoiding him, but he hadn’t been that difficult to avoid.

Wondering whether he would even notice that she wasn’t around, she went to her locker, retrieved her bag and made her way to the car park, feeling flat and miserable.

A low black sports car pulled up next to her and she sucked in a breath.

Andreas.

He leaned across to open the passenger door, his expression serious. ‘Get in, Libby.’

She stared at him blankly. ‘Why? Where are we going?’

‘Just get in.’

Something about the urgency in his tone prevented her from arguing and she slid into the passenger seat, glancing at him in alarm as he sped away before she’d even finished fastening her seat belt.

‘What’s happening? Is something wrong?’ Suddenly she felt cold fingers of panic touch her spine. ‘Is it Katy? Or Alex?’

He covered her hand briefly with his. ‘They’re both fine. And nothing’s wrong.’

‘So why are you picking me up? It’s not even lunchtime.’ She looked at him in confusion. ‘And what’s the urgency?’

He glanced at the clock and muttered something in Greek. ‘We are going to be late.’

‘Late for what?’

But he wouldn’t answer her. He just stared at the road and drove as quickly as safety allowed, weaving his way through the London traffic until he hit the motorway that led out of town.

‘Andreas.’ Libby cleared her throat and tried again. ‘Where are we going?’

He gave her a sideways glance. ‘We’re going on that date you owe me.’

Date?

He flicked the indicator and took the exit road that led to the airport and she lifted a hand to her aching head, totally confused.

‘What date? Why are we at the airport?’

Andreas pulled up outside the terminal building and shifted in his seat so that he was facing her.

‘You still owe me that date, Libby,’ he said softly, lifting a hand to cup her face. ‘I’m claiming it now. You’ve got a week off. You’re spending it with me.’