Before she’d confronted her fiancé, a distraught Melody had asked her brother, Ethan, to make some discreet enquiries. When Ethan had confirmed it, Melody had called off the engagement. Then Emir had told her a German doctor was carrying his child and that the two of them were moving to Germany to raise their family.
That had hurt more than anything. Prior to their engagement, Emir had been adamant that he never wanted to have children. Melody had taken months to come to terms with the fact that she’d never be a mother if she married Emir and eventually she’d accepted that. Then to have him turn around and say he was more than willing to be a father to another woman’s child had made Melody realise that Emir simply hadn’t wanted to have children with her. He hadn’t wanted her. He hadn’t respected her. He hadn’t truly loved her.
‘About Professor Wilmont!’ Hilary exclaimed, bringing Melody’s thoughts back to the present. ‘Honestly, Melody, you should get out from behind that desk or operating table or whatever it is you hide behind more often because that man is so hot.’
Melody clipped her unruly auburn hair back in its usual style. ‘He’s a great surgeon. That’s what I know about him,’ she replied. There was no way she was going to tell them that he set her blood pumping, made her knees go weak and took her breath away all with one smouldering, sexy look. She closed her locker. ‘Are you both coming to the dinner tonight?’
‘I have another shift,’ Evelyn said.
‘I couldn’t afford it.’ Hilary actually pouted. ‘And lucky you—you get to sit next to him.’
‘Enjoy it,’ Evelyn offered with a genuine smile before Melody walked out of the room and headed back to her office. She needed to check her in-tray and make sure everything was up to date. Rick was absent from his desk, so she headed directly into her office and almost jumped in fright when she saw George seated comfortably next to her desk.
‘George! I thought you’d gone.’ And how had he changed so quickly? Her stomach lurched in delight at the sight of him, and her knees started to weaken. She told herself off for behaving like a ninny and forced her legs to work, walking over to her desk before quickly sitting.
‘I wanted to thank you personally for assisting me at such short notice.’
Her smile was instant. ‘It should be me who’s thanking you for the opportunity. Or should I thank Mr Okanadu’s emergency?’
George chuckled and the sound washed over her, warming her even further. ‘Either way, it was great to be able to work with you.’
‘You made everything easy for me—and the rest of the staff,’ she added. She looked at him for a second, tilting her head to the side. ‘Are you always so…direct in Theatre or is it just because you have an audience?’
He nodded. ‘It’s the audience. I’ve become accustomed to having people watch me.’
‘Well, you’re certainly very good at what you do.’ She idly shifted some paper around before placing her hands palms down on the desk in an effort to control her wayward emotions. How was it that just his close presence was enough to turn her into a jittery, hormonal mess? The intercom buzzed and she was glad of something to do. She pressed the button. ‘Yes, Rick?’
‘I’m going now, Melody.’
‘All right. See you tonight, Rick.’
‘Yeah, but only if I can tie that bow-tie thing straight. Who made it a formal dinner, eh?’
‘We can blame Carmel,’ George called loudly, and Rick chuckled before saying goodbye. ‘He’s good,’ George said. ‘How long has he been working with you?’
‘No.’ Melody shook her head. ‘The question you should be asking is how long have I been working with him? He’s been the PA to the head of orthopaedics for the past three years. I only started six months ago.’
‘How old is he? He looks about seventeen.’
‘Shh.’ Melody giggled. ‘Don’t tell him that. He’s still trying to fight his cute baby face looks. He’s twenty-four and an excellent PA.’ Melody pulled her bag out of a drawer before locking her desk. ‘When the head of department was taken ill at the beginning of this year, it was Rick who helped me find my feet. Without him, I’d have gone down the gurgler ages ago.’
‘So you’re not into hospital politics? Administration?’
‘Not really.’ Melody stood and motioned to the door. ‘We’d better make a move or we’ll end up being late for dinner.’
‘Sure.’ George followed her out of her office and waited while she locked it. Melody turned and bumped into him. She hadn’t realised he’d been standing so close.