The Seduction Challenge

Or maybe something else was the matter…

A flicker of anxiety ran through her insides

. ‘Is something wrong?’ She searched her mind for possibilities. ‘I know it’s awkward for you that I have to finish work at three, and—’

‘Lucy, Lucy—’ Richard interrupted her gently, and walked slowly towards her, a frown creasing his forehead. ‘Let’s get one thing straight, shall we? Your contribution to this practice is immeasurable. None of us care about you having to finish work at three. I’m not asking how you are because I have any professional concerns. My interest was completely personal. Elizabeth is worried about you and frankly so am I.’

He ran his eyes over her quickly and his mouth tightened. ‘You look tired. Are you having trouble sleeping?’

She opened her mouth to deny it and then realised the futility of it. The man was a doctor, for goodness’ sake.

‘Sometimes,’ she hedged, ‘but I’m all right, truly. I love it here.’

It was true—she did love it.

Moving to this pretty part of Cornwall was the best thing that had happened to her in a long time.

Richard’s eyes narrowed. ‘You know, I could give you something to help with the sleeping.’

‘No.’ She shook her head, horrified at the suggestion. ‘Thank you, but, no. I prefer not to.’

What was the point?

The sadness would still be there when she woke up.

Hoping to change the subject, she picked up a dressing pack and tidied it away in the cupboard. ‘By the way, those new dressing packs we ordered are great. Much less wastage than the old ones. It should save the practice a significant amount of money in the long run.’

‘Lucy, I don’t care about the dressing packs!’ Richard ran both hands through his hair in frustration. ‘Well, I do care, of course,’ he corrected himself quickly, ‘but not at the moment. Stop working and sit down, will you? I can’t talk to you while you’re moving around the room.’

Resigning herself to the fact that he wasn’t going to let the subject drop, Lucy did as she was told.

‘How are you finding the flat?’

‘Fantastic,’ she replied immediately. ‘I’ve never lived anywhere so beautiful.’

It was true. After living in a cramped, damp flat in the grey suburbs of London, the spacious, airy flat with views over the harbour was straight out of her fantasies.

Richard adjusted his glasses and peered at her. ‘But you’re not meeting people.’

‘I meet people through my work,’ she pointed out quickly, and he gave a wry smile.

‘That isn’t exactly what I meant.’

She stared down at her hands, wondering why it was that everyone thought that the cure for a broken relationship was a new one. ‘I know what you meant and believe me when I say that meeting men isn’t high on my list of priorities at the moment.’

And she couldn’t imagine that it ever would be.

He nodded slowly. ‘I can understand why you feel that way, but give it time, Lucy, and you’ll feel differently. Sooner or later you need to get out there and build a new life.’

Did she?

How?

She had no experience in starting relationships. She’d known Tim since she was six years old and had always assumed that one day they’d get married. She’d just never imagined that it wouldn’t last for ever.

The whole concept of meeting and dating men—strangers—was completely alien to her.

‘I wish you’d join Elizabeth and me for a meal one day,’ Richard was saying. ‘We’d love to have you.’