The Greek Children's Doctor

It was almost the end of her shift when he finally arrived, looking grim-faced after dealing with a tough case in A and E.

‘I wanted to check on Max before I went home,’ he said, walking past her into the room and smiling at the little boy.

‘Well, someone’s looking better,’ he murmured, watching as Max played happily with some toy cars that Libby had found for him in the playroom. ‘He is one lucky boy.’

Libby nodded, watching while he checked him over. ‘I wonder why the GP didn’t give penicillin?’

Andreas straightened. ‘Who knows? But the sooner your brother Alex gets out there the better, if you ask me.’

Libby smiled. ‘Alex won’t be working in London. He’s found himself a practice in Cornwall so that he can sail and windsurf and indulge in all the other hobbies he loves.’

Andreas looked at her. ‘What will you do about the flat?’

She blushed slightly. ‘I don’t know yet. His job doesn’t start until the end of August.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Andreas, I wanted to give you something.’

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the envelope she’d been carrying with her all week.

He took it with a frown and was about to open it when Bev stuck her head round the door and announced that he was wanted in A and E urgently.

‘Again?’ Andreas rolled his eyes and pocketed the envelope. ‘I’ll see you later. Maybe.’ His dark eyes were weary. ‘Unless it turns out to be a long one.’

It was a long one and Libby was at home, making herself a hot chocolate in her oldest jeans and a skimpy pink strap top, when the doorbell rang.

Libby opened the door, her heart pounding when she saw Andreas standing there.

He waved the envelope in her face, his expression wary. ‘You gave me a cheque for £1000.’

She nodded and stood to one side so that he could come in, but he didn’t move.

Instead, he frowned ominously. ‘You don’t owe me any money. I paid for a date and that’s what we had, Libby.’

‘And now it’s my turn,’ she croaked, wishing that she was wearing heels. She was standing in bare feet and he towered above her. ‘I want a date, Andreas, and £1000 seems to be the going rate. A bit steep, but I happen to think you’re worth it.’

There was a long silence and then he finally stepped inside her flat and closed the door firmly behind him.

‘What are you saying?’ His Greek accent was suddenly very pronounced and she fiddled with the hem of her top nervously, wondering whether he was going to walk away once she’d said what she had to say.

‘I want a date, Andreas, and as you’re obviously not going to ask me again, I thought I’d better ask you.’

‘Why do you want a date?’ His voice was hoarse and she took a deep breath, wondering why they were having this conversation in the hallway.

‘Because I want to be with you,’ she said simply. ‘And the reason I want to be with you is because I love you. And I know that what we have is too special to throw away.’

He closed his eyes briefly. ‘I never thought I’d hear you say that.’

‘And I never thought I’d say it,’ Libby admitted. ‘But then I met you and you changed the way I felt about everything.’

Andreas was very still. ‘I thought you didn’t trust me.’

‘I was wrong. I do trust you. And I’m sorry I overreacted about that letter. It was just that everything between us was so new—so special—I just couldn’t believe that it wouldn’t go wrong.’

He still didn’t make a move towards her. ‘Don’t you want to know about Eleni?’

Libby shook her head. ‘All I need to know is that you love me,’ she said softly. ‘That’s all that matters.’

He gave a groan and hauled her into his arms. ‘I love you but I’d given up hoping that you’d ever believe me.’

Libby buried her face in his chest. ‘I know. I’m sorry. I’m a hopeless case. The truth is I’ve never been in love before, and when it finally happened it all seemed too good to be true.’

He slid his hands round her face and forced her to look at him. ‘I was at fault, too. I underestimated just how hard it is for you to trust people. You’ve built this huge wall around yourself.’

‘It seemed the only way to survive.’

He stroked her cheek gently. ‘Tell me about your parents. I want to understand why you feel the way you do,’ he said quietly. ‘You hardly ever talk about them.’

Libby pulled a face. ‘That’s because they’re not my favourite topic of conversation.’ She took a deep breath and pulled away from him slightly. ‘Let’s just say that when I was growing up they weren’t like everyone else’s parents. Alex always says that the only reason the three of us have turned out remotely normal is because they had the sense to send us to boarding school.’