He didn’t know how.
Pushing up out of the hard visitor’s chair, he paced the length of the ward and back, his boots sounding too loud, too brittle—the way his heart felt right now. He wasn’t the man for her. He couldn’t be that man for her. As she’d said on their last night in Bali, they wanted different things. The sooner he got Bry’s business up and running again and wrapped things up, the sooner he could get back to what he did best. On his own.
He walked to the fifth-floor window and looked out over the harbour and its busy water traffic. Then down to the busy street directly below. That familiar rush skittled down his spine. He needed a diversion, something to take his mind off her. He needed a jump. And soon. As soon as Kate was better.
His neck prickled and he turned to find Kate watching him. He didn’t want to analyse that look in her eyes, nor did he want to think about his own reaction to seeing it. ‘You’re awake.’ He crossed the room and hesitated before he took her hand. It felt small and fragile in his. ‘How do you feel?’
‘Like I’ve been run over by a truck.’
‘I’m not surprised.’
‘My beautiful shoes.’
He had to grin. ‘You have a concussion and what could have been a broken ankle or a whole lot more and you’re worried about shoes?’
‘I never had shoes like them before.’
‘The left shoe’s a write-off.’ He squeezed her fingers. ‘We’ll buy you another pair.’
She shook her head, looking defeated. ‘What time is it?’ She winced as she tried to sit up.
‘Take it easy.’ He adjusted the pillow behind her. ‘It’s after three.’
A small frown creased her brows. ‘You’ve been here since this morning?’
And still wearing the clothes he’d travelled all night in. No shower, no shave. Even with the nursing staff on hand, he wasn’t leaving her bedside. ‘Where else would I be?’ He released her hand, suddenly awkward with the intimacy. Which made no sense considering the intimacy they’d shared over the past ten days.
Her frown deepened. ‘Didn’t you have to be somewhere?’
‘It doesn’t matter. What about your parents—you want me to ring them and say you won’t be able to make it?’
‘No. I don’t want them to worry; they’ve been looking forward to this celebratory trip. I’ll phone tomorrow.’ A long-drawn-out sigh. ‘I lied about going to Coffs Harbour.’ She looked down at her hands. ‘I’m sorry…about what happened at the airport.’
He looked at her for a long moment without speaking. Why had she lied? Because she genuinely didn’t want to be with him, or because she was afraid to? ‘It’s forgotten,’ he said, finally.
He looked up as an attractive doctor appeared at the bottom of the bed, generous cleavage above a tight-fitting top and short skirt visible beneath her white coat.
The smile she gave him bordered on lethal as she flicked back her hair with a ringless left hand. ‘Good afternoon. I’m Rosemary Andrews, the doctor on duty.’
He smiled back. ‘How’s it going, Rosemary? Damon Gillespie.’
Her gaze lingered a second longer than necessary before she turned her attention to the bed. ‘How are you feeling, Kate?’ Her dainty gold bracelet glinted as she shone her little light in Kate’s eyes.
‘My ankle hurts when I move it.’
‘What about the bump on your head?’
‘A bit painful.’
‘Any blurred vision? Headache, nausea?’
‘No.’
She clicked off the light. ‘If you have someone at home to keep an eye on you I can let you go.’
‘I live alone.’
‘Oh.’ The doc’s eyes flicked towards Damon. ‘In that case we’ll keep—’
‘I’ll be looking after her.’ Damon looked at Rosemary’s heavily mascaraed blue eyes rather than Kate’s—he wasn’t sure his about-to-be patient would go along with his suggestion.
Rosemary blinked and seemed to take a moment before she said, ‘She needs someone who can monitor her for the next day or so.’
‘No problem.’
‘In that case, I’ll arrange for the paperwork.’
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome.’
Kate followed the doc’s retreat with a slight frown. ‘Damon, I don’t th—’
‘No arguments.’ He cut her off with the most valid of reasons. ‘Your family’s away. And you need to rest. Quietly, with no distractions.’
‘No distractions?’ Her voice rose on an incredulous note.