A Fling to Steal Her Heart

‘Honestly?’

‘Yeah, honestly.’

‘Great.’ Carly eyeballed her. ‘You up for finding another man to have in your life yet? A hot doc, maybe?’

‘You’re rushing me.’ Raphael was as hot as they came. And a doc. Her cup hit the table hard. Can’t be. Other women said that about him, not her. Even thinking it was beyond weird.

‘I know. I haven’t forgotten what it’s like to have the man you think you love turn out to be different to your expectations. But I’ve moved on, and definitely for the better. I only want the same for you.’

‘Thanks.’ It was a kind thing for Carly to say and it had the longing expanding, had her being truthful. ‘Yes, I do eventually want to try again at marriage.’ Despite trying to convince herself otherwise. She wanted to fall head over heels in love and not come up for air for a long time. ‘This time with someone who doesn’t stray.’ Raphael would never do that. Gasp. The cup shook when she picked it up again. What was going on? Her head was all over the place. Couldn’t blame this on the long-haul flight. She was the problem. Or Raphael.

‘How’s Raphael? It’s cool that you’re staying with him.’ Then Carly took on a surprised look. ‘Raphael’s single. You get on brilliantly with him. Now there’s a thought. I can see that working.’

‘Carly,’ Isabella snapped. ‘Stop right there. We are friends,’ she ground out, not liking how Carly had come to a similar conclusion she was working her way towards. ‘You know, as in talk, and laugh, and do things together, but not have sex or kiss. Or set up house and have babies.’ Who was she trying to convince here?

Carly merely laughed. ‘You think? He’s hot, knows you inside out. Okay, not quite, but that can easily be fixed. Seriously, what’s wrong with the idea?’

‘Everything.’ Nothing. Her fingers trembled, her head spun. No way. This conversation was not happening. ‘You’re doing what everyone who’s just fallen in love does—trying to set up your single friends to have the same experience.’

‘Too right. And Raphael’s perfect for you. The whole situation’s perfect. You’re living in his house, spending lots of time with him. Make it happen, Izzy. Can you honestly say you haven’t looked at him as other women do and gone, wow, he’s gorgeous?’

That perfect word again. Better get on the phone to make appointments with the letting agents ASAP. Except when could she find time to go looking when she was starting a new job tomorrow, and needed to see the dressmaker for a fitting for her bridesmaid dress, and still got tired without trying? She refused to think about putting this other aberration to bed. Alone. ‘I haven’t,’ she muttered. It used to be true. Not so long ago in the cafeteria she’d noted how well he filled out his suit. Friends didn’t do that. Did they? She hadn’t in the past. Damn, this was getting too complicated. So much for relaxing with Carly. Now she was wound up tighter than ever. ‘Concentrate on Adem and leave my life to me.’

Carly’s reply to that was to laugh.

‘Thanks, friend.’ After this conversation it was apparent she’d have to be wary about how often she mentioned Raphael. Couldn’t have Carly keeping an eye on her and Rafe to see if there was anything growing between them. Oh, damn, he was going to the wedding with her.

* * *

The moment Isabella sat down beside Raphael in the pub she’d agreed to meet him at after she’d said goodbye to Carly, any thought of moving vamoosed. Only to return when she realised he was hardly talking. But why rush into any old flat just to put space between them when they got along so well? Except they weren’t so easy with each other at the moment. Okay, she’d make time to visit the rental agencies. In the meantime staying with him might fix this strange idea he meant something else to her now from expanding further. They’d inevitably quarrel over the dishes left in the sink or about one of them emptying the milk and not replacing it. That’s what flatmates did. It was normal. It would ground her in reality. Or it could grow, expand, take over her common sense.

‘Here, you look like you need this.’

She grabbed the wineglass Raphael was holding out to her, took a mouthful. ‘Thanks.’ The wine was cold, and calming. She took a breath, had another mouthful, felt the tension begin to ebb away. ‘I see you’re on the lemonade.’

‘The joys of being on call.’ He settled more comfortably on his stool. A good sign. ‘I hear you’ve agreed to start tomorrow.’

‘Jacki talked to me briefly this afternoon—when she wasn’t running round like a headless chook. The ward was frantic.’

‘Don’t call her that to her face, or she’ll put you on cleaning bedpans for a week.’

‘Not the nurse I saw talking about a woman who’d gone into labour twelve weeks early. She seemed so calm, while a few doors away the woman was crying loud enough to be heard all over the hospital.’

‘The baby came in a hell of a hurry and is now in PICU, attached to every monitor ever invented. Joseph Raphael Gleeson. Fitted into my hand like a newborn puppy when I transferred him to the incubator.’ Rafe held up his hand. ‘Doesn’t matter how often I deliver these prem babies, I never get used to that. If all goes well, one day he’ll be an adult, working, playing, maybe having his own kids.’

‘A puppy? You and your dogs. Better keep that to yourself or no one will want you near their babies.’ Isabella laughed. Placing her hand on his, she squeezed gently, her eyes watering. ‘They named him after you. That’s cool. Bet it gave you hiccups when they told you.’

‘It did. Apparently Joseph, his grandfather, is thrilled too.’ Raphael turned his hand over and wound his fingers between hers.

Oops. Bad move. She carefully extracted her fingers. ‘How many Raphaels are out there because of you?’

‘Not too many, merci. Imagine if I’d been given a really horrible name. There’d be all these poor little blighters cowering at the school gates every day, waiting for the teasing to begin.’

She laughed again, and withdrew her hand. Reluctantly, she realised with a jolt. ‘I can’t think of any names that bad.’ They’d briefly held hands. As in how friends didn’t do. More laughter bubbled to the fore. She held it in, afraid Raphael would want to know what was funny. Happiness wasn’t funny, and she’d swear she was very happy, happier than she’d been in ages. Did Carly have a point? More to think about. Later. When she was tucked up in bed—on her own. What? As if anyone would be with her. Her gaze flicked to the man sitting with her. This was becoming beyond bizarre. And yet the happiness still bubbled through her.

Raphael was doing that staring into the bottom of his drink trick again. It happened quite a lot. ‘I’m attending a conference in Cardiff this weekend. Won’t be around to take you shopping.’

‘As if I need you for that. I do know my way around. I’m also hoping to look at a couple of flats on Saturday morning. The woman I dealt with from Wellington rang to say she had some places that might work for me.’

That could not be disappointment flickering across his face. ‘That’s quick.’

‘Yes, well, don’t want to hang around harassing you for too long. You might regret getting me the job and I need it.’

‘Don’t go making any decisions that you’ll regret later.’

‘I’ll run everything by you if I find a place I like.’

‘Do that.’

‘I got a text from Jacki an hour ago, asking if I’d fill in on Saturday night. I said yes.’

‘There’s no holding you back, is there?’ Raphael sipped his drink. ‘Let’s order. I’ve got some notes to go over when I get home.’

‘For the conference?’

He nodded. ‘On Sunday morning, along with the man who still mentors me, I’m speaking about two cases of early menopause we had this year.’ A wry smile crossed his mouth. ‘Not sure why he wanted me there, since most things that will come out of my mouth came from him in the first place.’

‘Is

that what you were doing in your office late last night? Working on your talk?’ She’d gone downstairs for a glass of water and seen Raphael hunched over his computer, completely focused on the screen. ‘You looked like nothing could interrupt you.’

‘Obviously you didn’t.’ He grinned.

‘You know me, quiet as a mouse.’ Looking around, she noted the place was filling up. ‘Want to share a pizza? I don’t want to be out late either. Starting a new job in the morning, you know.’