‘Woman trouble?’

Got that right. Now what? He wasn’t talking about Izzy to anyone. He tried to laugh it off. ‘Isn’t it always about women?’

‘Not with you, my friend. You make sure of that; no repercussions when a fling is over. Everyone comes out smiling. Even you.’

Yes, and could be that was the problem. He had got not getting involved down to a fine art. Magnifique. He was getting nowhere fast. Try the truth line again, diluted, of course.

‘My close friend Isabella is staying with me at the moment.’

‘And you want to get home to spend time with her. Why didn’t you say so?’ Then Jeremy’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, oh. I sense trouble.’ He tapped Raphael’s chest. ‘In there.’

‘Stick with gynaecology, will you? You’re better at it.’

Jeremy didn’t laugh. Not even a glimmer of amusement showed in his face. ‘This Isabella, I’ve met her on the ward. She’s a very competent midwife. So she’s special? You’ve known her a long time?’

‘Since I was an incompetent teen.’

‘And now you’re not incompetent. Nor do you want to remain just friends.’

Mon amie. Izzy. Special. More than a friend.

Jeremy gripped his arm. ‘What are you going to miss by not being here for the rest of the day? Nothing you don’t already know. It’s time you put your personal life before your career. You need a balanced life, Raphael, one where you have someone to go home with at the end of the day.’

‘Don’t I know it.’ Yet it was a new idea, one that began filling him with hope from the day he’d picked Izzy up at the airport. No, not new, because two years ago he’d seen what he wanted and had had to bury the longing, to focus on the other thing necessary to him—work. Not Isabella. ‘Thanks, Jeremy. I’m out of here.’

Not that he was heading home to spill his heart. No way. There was a lot to work through before he was even close to admitting his love. Time spent with Izzy, laughing and talking, or more likely arguing over next to nothing, was always time well spent. Hopefully he’d be relaxed and she wouldn’t pick up on these new feelings because he had to get them under control and back in the box.

The house was locked up when he arrived home. Inside, as he walked along the hall, he called out, ‘Izzy? You about?’

Silence greeted him.

The vacuum cleaner stood against the wall, still plugged in, as if Isabella had been interrupted, and fully expected to come back to the job she’d started.

There was no note on the table explaining where she was. Nor on his phone. Not that there should be. She wouldn’t have been expecting him home this early, but still. The anticipation that had been growing as he’d negotiated highways and roads filled with weekenders with nothing better to do than get in the way evaporated, leaving him feeling like an idiot. Of course Izzy would be out doing her thing, hadn’t been sitting here pining the hours away. Why would she?

He’d text and see where she was. Might go join her for a drink or some shopping or whatever took her fancy. It was yesterday she’d gone to look at flats. Had she found one she liked and gone back for a second look? That could mean she’d be out of here soon and he could get back to his quiet life—which he didn’t want any more. Truly? Yes. Didn’t mean he knew what he was going to do about it though.

Raphael sighed, then reverted to normal and went in to the Queen Victoria to see how his patients were faring.

* * *

‘I’ll get you a new tumbler,’ Isabella told Brooke. ‘It’s not a problem.’ Her patient was stressing out over every little thing as the contractions got harder and closer together.

‘You’re so calm, it’s annoying,’ Brooke growled through gritted teeth.

Isabella chuckled. ‘You’re not the first to complain about that.’

‘Wait until you have a baby and then see how composed you are.’ The woman blinked. ‘Or have you had children of your own?’

‘Not yet.’

Not yet? Like there was a possibility in the near future? Raphael flashed across her mind. As he’d been doing all weekend. No wonder she’d agreed immediately when asked to come in and work the afternoon after one of the nurses had gone off with a stomach bug. But Raphael and babies and her? All in the one sentence? As if that was happening. Although they were getting on in a closer way than ever before, and she had no idea where that was leading, there was always an air of uncertainty between them. Besides, her dream of babies with Darren had been stolen from her. She wasn’t ready to be that vulnerable again.

‘Got to get a man first,’ she told Brooke.

But not before I get that tumbler.

Heading for the water dispenser and the stack of plastic mugs, she glanced at her watch. Less than an hour to go. It had been a frantic few hours, babies arriving in all directions.

Raphael had been quiet. No texts asking what she was doing, or telling her how the conference was going. He’d have finished his talk hours ago, could possibly be on the road by now. Wonder what he’d like for dinner?

After giving Brooke her water and checking how baby was doing, Isabella went to see Caitlin Simons, who had delivered an hour ago. Since the door was open she popped her head around the corner of Caitlin’s room to make sure she wasn’t interrupting anything, and stopped, a gasp whispering across her lips.

Raphael was sitting awkwardly on a narrow chair. Baby Simons swathed in light blankets was cradled in his arms. The usual look of relief was in his gaze as he looked down at the boy, but there was something else too. Something like—pain? But it couldn’t be. What was there to be sad about here?

A sharp pain stabbed her chest. A lump blocked her throat. Breathing became difficult. Rafe would make a wonderful father. Despite that intense look there was something so tender about him that blindsided her. Shook her to the core.

She could never imagine Darren like this.

She stared at the beautiful man holding the tiny baby, and the floor moved beneath her feet. The air thickened, breathing became impossible.

This was Rafe, the man she’d known for so long. This was Raphael, a man she’d begun falling in love with. She couldn’t do a thing about that because she wasn’t settled, could not risk hurting him. Raphael was polar opposite to her ex. How could she have thought she loved Darren? This feeling she’d been denying since arriving in London was so different to anything she’d felt for him. Strong and soft, caring and gentle, hungry and fulfilling.

Isabella closed her eyes, counted to ten, opened them. Her eyes filled with tears. She and Raphael made great friends. What would they be like as lovers? He deserved someone who would stick by him through thick and thin, and she couldn’t guarantee that was her, no matter how hard she was trying to settle here. The picture before her would’ve been perfect if that was their child. As she swiped at her cheeks her heart crashed against her ribs. Now what? How could she return to his house tonight as if nothing had changed? She had to get away. Turning around she froze when Raphael called out.

‘Hey, Izzy, come and meet Fleur.’ Raphael’s eyes locked with hers, nailing her to the spot.

She took an unsteady step, then another, and another, until at last she stood before him and looked down, down at the baby but mostly at Raphael. Saw him as the man she wanted to spend her life with.

‘Want a hold?’ He lifted the child towards her.

‘I’ve already had a hold.’ She took a step back, afraid she’d drop Fleur. Which was plain stupid, considering how many babies she’d held during her career.

‘Have another.’

‘Okay,’ she whispered.

‘Come on. She’s so cute.’ Raphael stood up, held out the precious bundle.

Taking the baby, she stared down at the wrinkly, pink face of the girl she’d help deliver earlier, and who now opened her eyes wide. ‘Hello, Fleur.’ Then she couldn’t say another wor

d, fear of telling Raphael about the mass of emotions tying her in knots.

‘Izzy?’

‘Isabella, Brooke’s asking for you,’ Claudia called across the room. ‘I don’t think we’ve long to go now.’

‘On my way.’ Gently placing Fleur back in her bed, she turned to Caitlin. ‘She’s gorgeous. Well done, you. Anything I can get you?’

‘My mum. She’s gone for a coffee, and I need her here.’ Caitlin was a solo mum, the father having done a bunk when he learned about the pregnancy.

‘Not a problem. I’ll dash down to the cafeteria right now.’ Phew. That’d give her some space from Raphael. ‘Make that after I’ve checked on my other patient.’

‘I’ll go see Mrs Johnson, Izzy,’ Raphael said.

So much for getting away from him while she cleared her head. But what could she say? She might be one of the midwives on the case, but doctors came first. Always. Glancing across at him, she saw he was looking more like his normal self, the longing and awe now under control. ‘Fine.’

‘How long have you been on shift?’ he asked as he made for the door.

‘Started around lunchtime, and should be finished shortly.’ Not regular shift hours but who cared? If she was needed here, then that was fine by her. Ignoring any further questions Raphael might come up with, she said to Caitlin, ‘Fleur’s lovely. Thank you for letting me hold her.’ Then she shot away to find Mrs Simons, who’d hopefully put a smile back on her daughter’s face. It was hard for the women who had to go through labour without their soul mate. A friend or family member was well and good, but not the same thing as a doting husband or partner.

‘Isabella, wait.’ Raphael was right behind her. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes,’ she muttered. ‘I got side tracked in there when I should’ve been with Brooke.’ Not that she’d done anything wrong. Brooke had not been ready to give birth when she left the room.

Tags: Sue MacKay Billionaire Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net