‘No, and to tell you the truth I’m kind of glad,’ Hannah said. ‘All I know is they never caught the driver.’
‘Does that make it harder for you?’
‘No, not really,’ Hannah replied. ‘What’s the point in being bitter? I have a shunt in my head and a few titanium screws but, hey, I’m alive. I kind of figure the person who knocked me down has suffered more in the long run. Every day he or she has to live with the fact they were too cowardly to stop and help. I couldn’t live with myself if it was me.’
Georgie captured her lip again. ‘No, neither could I.’
‘I’m sure Ben won’t hold it against you,’ Hannah said at Georgie’s worried frown. ‘He’s not the sort to hold a grudge.’
‘Except when it comes to my father,’ Georgie said with a rueful twist to her mouth.
‘Your father?’ Hannah looked at her blankly. ‘What’s your father got to do with any of this?’
Georgie blew out a little sigh. ‘I’m Professor Willoughby’s daughter. I’m sure Ben’s told you about him.’
‘Oh, that Professor Willoughby,’ Hannah said. ‘I’ve only seen Ben truly angry twice in my life. The first time was when I woke up from the coma. He threatened to tear limb from limb the person who had run me down, and the second was when he failed his fellowship. He’d worked three jobs to get himself through medical school. He was doing extra shifts prior to the exam to pay off the rest of the debt, so it was a bit of a blow when he failed. He hadn’t had a holiday or even a night off in years. He was so ready to toss it all in but somehow he pulled himself back into line and went for it with even more determination. But, hey, success is the best revenge, right?’
‘I guess so,’ Georgie said, frowning slightly.
No wonder Ben had been a bit prickly over dinner the other night, she thought. Her life couldn’t have been more different from his. She had been brought up with designer clothing; her very expensive education and holidays had been paid for without lifting a single one of her fingers.
Ben, on the other hand, had lost his father at a young age and had had to grow up rather quickly as a result, taking on more and more responsibility for his family. It would have been a truly devastating blow to fail his fellowship but she couldn’t for the life of her agree with him that her father had done it out of spite or prejudice.
The waiter came over to collect their empty cups which gave Georgie an opportunity to divert her conversation with Hannah to safer ground. She reached for her bag and slipped it over one shoulder as she got to her feet. ‘We’d better get a move on,’ she said with a smile. ‘What would you like to look at first?’
Hannah was delightful company, Georgie decided an hour or so later when they had both tried on shoes and separates in various boutiques. She talked about her life on the farm and how she wanted to become a kindergarten teacher once she left school. She also talked almost constantly about her big brother, making it even harder for Georgie to control her snowballing feelings towards him.
He wasn’t shallow and selfish, like most of the men she had dated in the past, and his core values resonated with her in a way no one else’s had done before. He was dedicated and treated his patients as if they were important, not just names on a waiting list. He was devoted to his family and his colleagues adored him. What was not to like about him?
‘Do you think my bottom looks big in these jeans?’ Hannah asked her at one point, swivelling her head around to check out her rear in the change-room mirror.
‘You look fantastic in them,’ Georgie said. ‘And I think that top we bought earlier will go with them beautifully.’
Hannah put her hands on her on hips and tilted her head from side to side as she looked at her reflection. ‘I wish I was a bit taller,’ she said. ‘It’s not fair that Ben’s six foot four and a half and I’m only five two. He could have spared a couple of inches for me, don’t you think?’
‘I know what you mean,’ Georgie commented wryly as she hitched up the legs of her jeans to show Hannah the height of her heels. ‘I’m probably doing irreparable damage to my ankles and knees in an attempt to look him in the eye occasionally.’
Hannah’s eyes twinkled. ‘As long as you can reach his mouth to kiss him, that’s the main thing.’
Georgie had no way of hiding the red-hot flush that stole over her features.
‘Oh, my God!’ Hannah crowed. ‘You’ve already done it! I knew it! Wait till I tell Mum. She’ll be over the moon.’
‘Hannah, please.’
‘There’s no point in denying it,’ Hannah said, as she unzipped the jeans and busied herself with getting back into her old ones. ‘I could see it the moment I saw you together. It’s kismet or destiny or something. What’s your star sign?’
Georgie mentally rolled her eyes. ‘It’s not my birthday for months.’
‘That reminds me,’ Hannah said turning to face her. ‘It’s Ben’s birthday in a couple of weeks. I’ve already got something in my bag that I made for him especially, but I’d like to get him some new aftershave. Want to help me choose it?’
What could she say? Georgie thought as she was dragged by the hand out of the boutique a short time later and led to the nearest department store.
Hannah was like her brother—totally irresistible.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BEN called Hannah on her mobile to arrange a meeting place and half an hour later caught sight of her and Georgie sitting on the grass near the Hyde Park fountain, a pair of ibis coming closer and closer for the crumbs Georgie was tempting them with.