The Doctor's Engagement

immediately saw the speculation in his eyes. Bother!

‘You’re my best friend, Mark,’ she muttered, standing up quickly and taking her coffee over to the sink. ‘I’ve known you for twenty-four years.’

There was a pause. ‘And that’s why you were worried?’ His voice was casual. ‘Because you thought you’d lose a friend?’

‘Of course.’ Holly tipped her coffee down the sink and washed the mug. ‘What other reason would there be?’

‘You tell me...’

Holly’s pulse rate increased. Had he guessed why she’d been so upset last night? That she’d been terrified she was going to lose him?

She glanced towards him, wondering just how much he knew about her real feelings, but his expression was unreadable.

‘You’re far too handsome to drown, Mark,’ she said lightly, straightening her uniform and making for the door. ‘Think of all the female hearts you’d break.’

With that she closed the door firmly behind her and went to her treatment room. She was going to have to work harder at hiding her feelings or it would take Mark no time at all to work out how she really felt about him—and that would be the end of their friendship.

* * *

Monday afternoon was the family planning clinic which she was scheduled to run with Mark.

‘Typical,’ she muttered to herself as she got everything ready for the session. ‘The more I try to avoid the man, the more we’re thrown together.’

Her first patient was Anna Watts, looking a little better than she had the previous week.

‘I hope you don’t mind me coming.’ She looked at Holly almost shyly and lifted little Harry out of his car seat.

‘I’m pleased to see you, Anna,’ Holly said quietly. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘A bit better actually.’ Anna settled the baby more comfortably against her shoulder. ‘My husband’s got three interviews. He was so pleased about that he stayed at home all weekend so he could help me. It was bliss, to be honest. I finally had some time to myself.’

‘That’s good.’ Holly nodded encouragingly. ‘And how’s the crying?’

‘Your massage has worked wonders,’ Anna told her with a grateful smile. ‘I’ve been doing it every evening and he’s much more settled.’

‘And how about you?’ Holly asked softly. ‘Eating, sleeping?’

Anna looked at the floor. ‘Well, I still haven’t got much of an appetite, I must admit, and I’m still not sleeping very well, but Dr Logan did say that the drug he gave me doesn’t necessarily make you sleepy.’

Holly glanced at her notes and saw that Mark had prescribed an SSRI, one of the newer antidepressants. ‘That’s right. It isn’t a sedative. But as the drug starts to work you should find that you sleep better, just because you’re generally more relaxed.’

‘I hope so.’ Anna stood up and walked around with Harry who had started to fret slightly.

‘So, what can I do for you today?’ Holly asked carefully, knowing that Anna had obviously come for a reason.

Anna coloured and didn’t quite meet her eyes. ‘Well, I had all those problems after the birth...’

Holly nodded. ‘Debra filled me in. It must have been awful for you.’

‘It was.’ Anna shifted Harry onto her other shoulder and rubbed his back gently. ‘The thing is, I had to have surgery afterwards, and I’m wondering when I can—I mean, when it’s safe to...’

‘Make love again?’ Holly finished for her, and Anna nodded.

‘Yes.’ Then she blushed furiously. ‘My husband—well, now things are looking up, he really wants—he’s more in the mood...’

‘And what about you?’ Holly sat back in her chair and watched her closely. ‘What do you want, Anna?’

‘I want us to get back to being a normal family as soon as possible,’ Anna said simply. ‘We’ve had so many worries for so long, I just want everything to be like it used to be.’