Despite the temperature, which was clearly making her feel ill, Millie’s eyes widened. ‘I thaw you on the television,’ she lisped, and Joel grinned at the little girl and squatted down in front of her so that their eyes were on the same level.
‘You did?’
She nodded her head. ‘My mummy thinkth you’re gorgeouth.’
Millie’s mother turned a deep shade of pink and Joel threw his head back and laughed, clearly not in the slightest bit embarrassed by Millie’s indiscretion.
‘Well, that’s nice to know.’ He was totally confident and relaxed. ‘I need all the fans I can get.’
Lucy glanced between them, confused, and then suddenly remembered what the paramedic had said. ‘You were on television?’
Mrs Gordon looked at her in surprise. ‘You mean you haven’t ever seen Helicopter Doctor? It’s on every Tuesday at seven p.m. It’s the most exciting thing on television! We haven’t missed a single episode in our house. Even my husband enjoys it. Although not,’ she said with a blush, ‘for the same reasons as I do. Dr Whittaker is the nation’s heartthrob,’ she added in an undertone to Lucy.
The nation’s heartthrob?
Was he?
It was easy enough to understand. Those gorgeous blue eyes and that killer smile must have had the female viewing public falling to their knees. Combine it with some heroic roadside rescues and he must seem irresistible.
Seemingly indifferent to his growing national reputation, Joel examined the little girl thoroughly, keeping her entertained with stories of life on the air ambulance as he took a good look at her.
‘She’s had a temperature for five days now and she’s very cranky,’ Mrs Gordon said softly as Joel checked Millie’s mouth and her eyes.
‘Any diarrhoea?’
‘Some, yes.’ Mrs Gordon frowned. ‘What do you think it is?’
Joel straightened and crossed his arms across his broad chest. ‘It could be a number of things,’ he said quietly. ‘There’s no point in me listing them for you, but Sister Bishop here suspected something called Kawasaki disease and I think she’s right. Some people think that it can come on after a viral infection. It may not be that, of course, so it’s important that I send her straight to the paediatricians at the hospital so that they can do some tests.’
‘Tests?’ Mrs Gordon looked shocked. ‘What tests?’
‘Blood tests mostly,’ Joel explained. ‘Do you have transport, Mrs Gordon?’
The woman nodded, clearly distracted with worry. ‘Yes, I’ve got the car, but I don’t—Is it serious?’
Joel put a hand on her shoulder. ‘It can be, but providing we get her into hospital I have every confidence that she’ll be fine. I’ll ring the paediatrician now so that he’ll know to expect you. Sister will help you get Millie to the car while I do a letter.’
Lucy helped Mrs Gordon gather up her things and followed her through to the car park.
‘I just wanted you to check the rash.’ Mrs Gordon settled Millie onto the booster seat and bit her lip. ‘I didn’t think—’
‘It may be nothing,’ Lucy said quietly, ‘but better safe than sorry. We’ll call the hospital to check how she’s doing, and don’t be afraid to call us here if there’s anything we can do.’
Joel strode across the car park and handed Mrs Gordon a letter. ‘Her name is Dr Emma Peterson and she’s expecting you. Park in the main car park and take her straight to Kitten Ward, the paediatric unit.’
‘Thanks, Dr Whittaker.’ Mrs Gordon slid into the driver’s seat and reversed carefully out of the space while they watched.
Lucy’s expression was troubled. ‘Perhaps we should have called them an ambulance.’
‘Quicker to drive,’ Joel said bluntly, taking her arm and steering her back towards the medical centre. ‘Let’s get back inside before you catch pneumonia.’
‘Do you think it is Kawasaki disease?’
He pulled a face. ‘Probably. Could be streptococcal disease or Stevens-Johnson syndrome, but I think you were probably spot on in your diagnosis. I’m impressed.’
She blushed under the warmth of his gaze, wondering how on earth she was going to be able to work with him. The secret was surely just to look on him as a doctor and not a man.
But she’d never met a doctor whose eyes were quite so blue, whose shoulders were quite so broad and whose smile had such a powerful effect on her breathing.