Falling for Her Fake Fianc?

‘Don’t hang up on me, Kells. You answered my call before the first ring finished so you weren’t even trying to sleep.’

Kells. Said it all, really. Even though she knew she wasn’t going to like whatever was coming her heart swelled for her friend. ‘Go on.’ Might as well get it over. Sleep would be impossible anyway.

‘I saw you and Mac together at my wedding. Sparks were flying between you.’

‘You’ve told me this.’ Could be she was getting off with only a warning.

‘So? The weekend? Spill.’

‘Just as hot.’ More so. ‘But there’s a catch.’

‘Isn’t there always? You have to make allowances.’

‘Mac went as my fiancé. Not true, of course,’ Kelli was quick to point out, just in case Tam got some strange ideas in that sharp head of hers. ‘It was meant to put Jason firmly out of the picture and on that score we succeeded.’

Laughter was peeling through cyber into her ear. ‘You and Mac pretended to be engaged. Wow, that’s way more than I suggested, or believed you’d have the guts to undertake.’

‘It’s not funny.’

‘It’s hilarious. Hey, Conor, wait till I tell you this.’

‘Hanging up now.’ But she didn’t. Her fingers tightened around the phone, pressing it painfully hard against her ear. ‘Tam, I’m in a fix.’

‘You’ve got to explain to your family. Hope Mac’s got medical insurance.’ Tam was still laughing.

Anger flared. This was not funny.

Suddenly Tamara sobered up. ‘Kells, the family will understand, might even be embarrassed that you had to take such drastic measures. Ah, no, cancel that. They’ll tear your hide off, wrap you in big Barnett hugs, and shake Mac’s hand for helping you out.’

‘I’ll keep you posted. Tomorrow has to be the big reveal. I can’t go on living under this any longer.’ Not when Mac had made it plain they weren’t going anywhere.

‘What’s the real issue here? You gone and got too close to Dr Hunk?’

There shouldn’t be any tears left in the tank. Seemed she knew Jack nothing. ‘Something like that.’

‘What are you going to do about it?’ Only sympathy now.

‘Tie bricks to my feet and jump off the wharf.’

‘Yep, I can see that working. Then again, you could try going with this something, spend more time with Mac, get to know him even better, not only in the sack. Find out if he’s the guy you want to spend the rest of your life with.’

She already knew the answer to that.

‘Kells? I get it. You do, don’t you?’

Again she couldn’t find the words to explain herself.

‘You’re afraid. I get that too. Been there, got the man and baby to show for it. And guess what, I’m over the moon with happiness. I want you to have this. I really do.’

‘Easy for you to say,’ she croaked.

‘Nothing about getting to where I am now was easy. But it was worth all the crap that went down.’

‘Mac’s not interested in me.’ Other than between the sheets, and in the shower, behind the trees. Certainly not as a lifelong partner who might get to know what made him tick. ‘Please don’t share this with Conor. I know he’s your nearest and dearest but I did hold that position platonically for years before he turned up.’

‘All between you and me.’

‘Thanks. I’d better let you go. You’ve got a daughter to feed or change or hug. Yes, hug her from me, will you? Love you, Tam.’ Kelli cut the call and tossed the phone onto the bedside table.

Telling Tam that much about her feelings for Mac was too much. Not that her friend would ever say a word to anyone else but now she’d enunciated it she could no longer pretend she was in control, no longer pretend that she’d be able to shove her love in a dark corner and forget about it, bring it out only on dull days and Billy’s wedding anniversaries. Now she had to face up to the fact she loved Mac with a capital L and that it wasn’t going anywhere.

Sleep would never happen tonight. Kelli tossed the bedcovers aside, found her thick dressing gown, the soft, warm, comfort blanket one that did nothing to enhance her figure but a lot to soothe her jangled nerves, and went to boot up the laptop. If she couldn’t rest then she might as well make use of the time and check out flights to Sydney.

* * *

‘Look at these gorgeous pictures of Gabriella, Stephanie.’ Kelli handed her phone over to the head nurse. ‘Tam had her at midnight Australia time last night. Isn’t she a little cutey?’

‘Mac showed me a couple of photos earlier. She’s gorgeous.’ Stephanie sighed. ‘Lucky girl.’

‘You want babies?’ Kelli asked. So Mac hadn’t been backward in sharing the news. His usual reticence about friendships must be missing. Where was he anyway? She’d been vigilant when she’d entered the department, not wanting to be caught unawares in case she gave herself away to those all-seeing eyes.

‘Sure. Don’t you some time?’

‘Haven’t given it too much thought. Got other things to sort before worrying about getting pregnant, if you know what I mean.’

‘Figured you were halfway to getting that done.’ Stephanie handed the phone back, a big, cheeky grin on her dial.

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‘Nope. Haven’t even started,’ Kelli told her. ‘Who have you got for me?’ She held out a hand for a patient report form.

‘We’ll have handover first,’ came the steady, uninvolved voice of the man who’d kept her awake all night.

Plastering on a smile as false as her engagement, Kelli slowly turned to face Mac. ‘No problemo.’ Not like everything else.

‘I called around to your place after lunch but you weren’t answering the door,’ Mac told her.

‘I was out.’ His face paled. Tough. ‘Shopping.’ Nothing like a bit of retail therapy.

‘Not having lunch with your parents, then?’

‘I look whole, don’t I?’

His eyes scanned the length of her, hesitating at her breasts. ‘We need to talk about that.’

‘There’s nothing to talk about. I’ve got it sorted.’

‘You’ve told them?’

‘Not yet. But I will. On my own.’

His nod was abrupt. ‘Right.’ He glanced around, found they had an audience, and shivered. ‘Listen up, everyone. I’m sure you’ve all heard the news about Conor and Tamara’s baby arriving last night. Gabriella. What say we all put in and send flowers to the happy family?’

Amongst murmurings of agreement Kelli watched Mac. Shadows darkened his upper cheeks, filled his eyes. As if he hadn’t slept either. It was going to be a long week. If only she’d been able to get a flight across the Tasman for Saturday but there was a rugby league match on between New Zealand and Australia in Sydney and not a seat to spare. She’d even checked business class thinking the money would be worth it if it got her out of town. But that’d been a waste of time. She’d just have to go hiking on Rangitoto Island all weekend, up and down, up and down, ten times till the ferry returned late Sunday to pick her up.

The ambulance bay buzzer buzzed. Loud, demanding, and the perfect solution to wanting to get away from standing in the same air as Mac.