A Fling to Steal Her Heart

‘You find a flat?’

‘Yes.’ Her mouth was dry, her hands damp. Snatching a plastic cup at the water dispenser she filled it and turned to head for the lift only to come to an abrupt stop in front of Raphael. She couldn’t read his expression at all. ‘You came back early from Cardiff.’

‘I’d had enough of being squashed into the hotel conference room.’ His reply was terse.

‘Thought you were meant to be getting a life outside these walls.’ And who dropped the housework to come in here when Jacki called to say she was desperate for staff for the rest of the day shift? Who hadn’t gone home when the next shift arrived?

‘I won’t hang around after I’ve seen Brooke. But first, are you sure you’re okay? You looked a tad pale, and are as jumpy as a frog on steroids.’ Nothing but concern radiated out of those blue eyes.

Damn it. Think of something to say that’ll keep him happy. Think, girl. ‘Just didn’t expect to see you holding Fleur like you never wanted to let her go, that’s all.’ Wrong. All wrong, and she couldn’t take back a single word.

‘What?’ Raphael glanced at her. ‘Never.’

Shrugging aside her mood, she asked lightly, ‘Never want your own family? Or never like that with anyone else’s child?’

‘You know the answer to both those questions. Or I thought you did.’

She nodded. ‘I suppose I do. Lack of sleep catching up.’

‘I saw the crossword on the kitchen bench when I got in. How many hours did you get last night?’ The concern had returned, but this time annoyance was in the mix.

And she owed him an apology. ‘Actually, I did sleep quite well for me, and the crossword was breakfast entertainment.’ Not saying she’d started it at three in the morning. ‘Now, I’d better get cracking. It’s busy in here.’ She nudged past him, striding down the hall to the room she was needed in.

‘For the record, in case you’ve forgotten, I do want children of my own with a woman whom I love, and no, I don’t get all possessive over someone else’s baby.’ Raphael was right beside her, his mouth grim. This conversation wasn’t over. It was going to be a barrel of laughs at home tonight.

Maybe she’d go to visit Carly. Except she and Adem weren’t going to be home tonight. Something about having a meal with family members. All part of the wedding build-up. Lucky girl. Isabella took a sideways look at the man who had her heart in a flutter. What was it like to be planning a wedding with the man of your dreams? Not once had the small celebration she and Darren had turned her heart into an out of control bongo drum. The planning had taken a few hours on the phone, and the dress had been in a sale in the local shop.

Damn it, Isabella, why did you not see how wrong that was at the time?

Because she’d been so desperate to have the life she’d been promised she hadn’t seen past the hype. And if she had? Would she be feeling differently about Raphael now? No answer dropped into her head, nothing stopped the tailspin she was in.

Raphael tapped her on the shoulder. ‘I’ll wait and give you a lift when you’re done.’

‘That’s not necessary.’

‘Maybe, but I’ll wait anyway.’

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘RAPHAEL, CAN YOU take a look at Janice Crowe?’ Jacki asked as he left his patient’s room. ‘Baby’s breeched.’

There went any chance of snatching a coffee. ‘Room?’

‘Three. Janice is eighteen, hasn’t been to antenatal classes or seen a doctor for three months.’

So she’d be terrified and blaming everyone else. Raphael sighed. Young women without family support always had a hard time of their pregnancies. ‘Bloods?’

‘Haemoglobin eighty-six, MCV and MCH indicate iron deficiency. Still waiting for the results on the blood group, iron and liver functions.’

He raised his eyebrow. ‘Drugs?’

Jacki shook her head. ‘There’s a distinct yellow tinge to her skin and eyes.’

Inside room three Isabella was trying to calm the distraught girl. ‘Janice, breathe deep. That’s it. Keep at it, and you’ll help baby.’ She glanced up and relief flooded her face when she saw him. ‘Here’s Mr Dubois, the obstetrician. He’s going to help you and baby.’

‘Hello, Janice. Call me Raphael,’ he said in an attempt to put her at ease. He had her notes in his hand but didn’t look at them, instead kept eye contact with his patient. ‘I hear your baby’s turned the wrong way round.’

Janice nodded, her teeth biting deep into her bottom lip.

Izzy held her hand.

‘I have to examine you. Is that all right?’ It’d be a problem if she refused as there weren’t any female doctors on duty today. ‘Or would you prefer Isabella does it? Though I do like to see what’s going on myself.’

Janice’s mouth flattened, and she stared at him.

He held his breath as he waited for her approval. It went better when the patient was on the same page. This baby was going to be all right. It had to be.

‘Okay.’

‘Good.’ Slipping gloves on, he watched as Izzy talked Janice into lying back and bending her legs, placing her feet apart.

‘Now, I am going to lift the sheet up to your waist. At least the room is nice and warm.’ She was good with the terrified girl. ‘Hold on. That’s another contraction, right?’ Izzy immediately went to hold Janice’s hands until it passed. ‘Breathe. You’re doing great. That’s it.’

Tears spilled down Janice’s face. ‘It hurts so much.’

‘Yes, but the painkiller should be working by now. You need to relax.’ Izzy smiled. ‘I know. Stupid thing to say, right? But believe me, if you can relax a bit the pain drug will work better. Now, lie back and let Raphael see what baby’s up to.’

Raphael positioned himself for the examination. ‘Do you know if you’re having a boy or girl, Janice?’ Chances were she hadn’t had a scan, but keeping her talking would make what he was about to do go easier.

‘No. When I had my scan it was too early to find out. I want a boy though.’

‘Why a boy?’ Isabella kept the conversation going, while ready to pass him anything he might require.

Janice shrugged. ‘They seem easier.’

Raphael laughed. ‘You think? My mother wouldn’t agree with you.’ His hand felt the baby. Definitely breech, and there was the umbilical cord below the presenting part of baby. His laugh snapped off. They had a problem. This had become urgent. Drawing a breath, he prepared to tell his patient what the next move was. ‘Janice, baby is trying to come out feet first and that doesn’t work. There’s also a complication with the cord being flattened by baby so not enough blood is getting through. Do you understand?’

‘I think so. Is my baby going to die?’

‘No. I am going to do a C-section. Urgently.’

‘You’re going to cut it out?’

That was putting it bluntly. ‘Yes, I am. It’s best for baby, and for you. It doesn’t take very long, and means no more contractions. You’ll be sore for some days afterwards and need help with baby, but someone will talk to you about that later.’

Izzy pulled down the sheet to cover Janice. ‘You’re being very brave.’

‘Can you stay with me when he takes the baby out?’

Izzy looked at Raphael, one perfectly shaped eyebrow lifted.

‘As long as Jacki doesn’t mind losing you for a while, it’s fine with me.’ He had to have a nurse there anyway, and why not Izzy? He liked working with her. ‘Right, I’ll get the ball rolling.’

‘I’ll get Janice ready.’ Her smile warmed him right to his toes.

There were no hiccups with the C-section. The baby girl was healthy and Janice seemed to have forgotten she wanted a boy as she gazed down at her precious bundle.

Raphael felt the tension between his shoulder blades back off as he accepted that another baby had made its way into the world and was going to be all right. There were a lot of hurdles ahead for Janice and her daughter, but he’d done his bit for them and got it right.