NICOLETTE saw humour light up in Stephen’s eyes and a slight tug at the corners of his mouth. ‘You can call it a date if you like, but don’t get upset if we start discussing business.’
She was still taking in his words as he walked from the room and realised he’d been teasing her. She groaned and slumped forward, putting her head between her knees. A date? Why on earth had she said that out loud?
And the effect his ever so slight smile had had on her? Devastating. Seeing the brightness of amusement catch in his blue eyes was rocking her senses and she was glad she’d been sitting down. The man was enigmatic and she was captivated by him, eager to know more, wanting to find out just what made him tick.
It was a bad sign. She’d vowed not to get involved with another man…at least, not for some time. Although Simone had told her plenty of stories about the handsome Stephen Brooks, Nicolette knew she had to trust her own instincts, especially if she was going to work with him. She needed to put aside all Simone had said and form her own opinions. The problem was, she couldn’t deny the attraction that existed between them.
‘Attention.’ She warned herself as she stood and took her cup to the sink. It was good advice because if she wasn’t careful, she’d end up making an enormous fool of herself and that was the last thing she needed.
Nicolette headed back out to the nurses’ station where she found Stephen talking to Lauren, the pretty brunette. The nurse was smiling up at him as she spoke and although he didn’t share her smile, he was listening intently. Nicolette felt an instant dislike for Lauren zap through her and she quickly pushed it away. Stephen was nothing more than a colleague so why did Lauren’s attempts at flirting bother her so much?
The nurse laughed and Stephen smiled politely, his standoffish attitude making Nicolette feel a little better. It seemed to say, You can flirt all you like, lady, but it isn’t going to get you anywhere. The problem was, he seemed to be like that with her as well, and that she didn’t like.
Stephanie came up at that moment and slumped down into a chair. ‘I’m wiped out.’
‘How long have you been here?’ Stephen put his hands on his sister’s shoulders and began to massage them. Lauren, who’d been angling for his attention, fired mental daggers at Stephanie. Nicolette hid a smirk, realising the nurse had no idea the two doctors were related.
‘Since eight this morning.’
‘Go home.’
‘Ooh, that feels good.’ She leaned her head back and looked up at him. ‘Don’t forget to pay up big with your sponsorship.’
He groaned and dropped his hands. Nicolette couldn’t help but laugh. ‘She’s conned you, too, eh?’
‘When doesn’t she con me? Ever since she could walk, she’s been conning me.’
‘Really?’ Stephanie smiled. ‘I thought it started in the womb. Mum always said I took up most of the room.’
‘Which was why I had to get out at the first available opportunity,’ he replied drolly. ‘Hence, I’m the oldest.’
‘And you haven’t let me forget it since.’
‘Oh, my gosh! You two are related?’ Lauren had just caught up.
‘We’re twins,’ Stephanie replied.
‘Go home,’ Stephen reiterated as he reached for a set of casenotes. ‘Nicolette and I can hold the fort for the next few hours until our shift is over.’
‘Sure?’
‘Of course,’ Nicolette assured her. Stephen’s answer was simply to glare at his sister.
‘All right. I’m going.’ She kissed him on the cheek. ‘Don’t have too much fun without me.’ She winked at Nicolette, which gave a whole new meaning to her words.
Nicolette turned away, feeling herself begin to blush, and concentrated hard on making sure the pens on the desk were neat and tidy. Stephen picked up a set of casenotes and headed off to an examination cubicle. She glanced up, watching him walk, his back straight, his shoulders square, his long legs striding with purpose. He had a nice walk…and a cute butt. Lauren sighed and it was then Nicolette realised they’d both just been standing there, watching him.
‘What a dish, eh?’ she murmured as she picked up a file and handed it to Nicolette. ‘I wonder if he has a girlfriend.’ She snorted. ‘Probably. All the good-looking ones are taken.’
Nicolette headed off to her new patient with that thought in mind. Did Stephen have a girlfriend? If he did, where was he hiding her? And also why would he be asking her out if he did? She stopped her thoughts. She had been the one who had called it a date, but still it probably wouldn’t hurt to find out if he was currently attached. Not that it would mean anything to her. He was just a colleague.
The next few hours flew by and she hardly saw him until they were both coming out of the changing rooms at the end of their shift. Stephen stopped when he saw her and waited, then they continued down the corridor together, their briefcases between them like a barricade.
‘Stephanie mentioned you had car trouble.’
Nicolette groaned. ‘Don’t remind me.’
‘How did you get here?’
‘Taxi.’
‘How are you planning to get home?’
‘Taxi. I was just going to ring for one.’ She stopped by a house phone as if to prove her point.
‘I’ll take you.’
‘No. It’s all right. It won’t take long for the taxi to come. Besides, Stephanie said I’d be reimbursed for the expense.’ She was babbling so to stop herself she picked up the receiver and started to dial.
Stephen took the phone out of her hand and replaced it on the hook. ‘I’m going to Blackheath and you don’t live far from me. Let me take you.’
A brief war waged inside her. What he said made sense but she didn’t want to put him out—although he’d just said it wouldn’t be an imposition, which meant she could accept. Then again, she’d be in his car…close confines of his car…with him so…close to her. Perhaps an impersonal taxi was better in the long run—at least for her pounding heart.
In the end Stephen made the decision for her by placing his free hand gently beneath her elbow and propelling her in the direction of the hospital front doors. Nicolette gave up the war and followed his lead.
They walked out into the cold night and her first thought was it might take them longer to get back to Blackheath. Usually it was a fifteen-minute drive. Tonight they’d be lucky to do it in thirty.
‘I think it’s worse than Thursday night,’ he said as he unlocked his car and they both quickly got in. ‘If that’s possible.’
‘At least I’ll be able to make myself useful by guiding you around the curves,’ she said, and then realised how her words might be misconstrued. ‘Of the road,’ she added lamely, feeling herself beginning to blush. Thank goodness it was dark.
‘Of course,’ he said, but she could hear the amusement in his voice. He started the engine and pulled out of the car park.
‘Do you ever smile?’ she blurted out, and he briefly glanced her way. ‘ Really smile, not just polite ones for the staff and patients.’
‘Of course.’ Again that amusement was still in his voice.
‘Most people smile at least once a day.’
‘Give me something to smile about and I’ll smile,’ he replied indulgently.
‘At least Stephanie makes you smile.’
Stephen nodded. ‘She always has.’
‘You’re very different. Chalk and cheese.’
‘Isn’t that usually the way with twins?’
‘I wouldn’t know. I’m not a twin. Stephanie’s bubbly and vivacious and so out there.’
‘While I’m not?’
Had she offended him? She hadn’t meant to. ‘I didn’t mean it like that. Your sister is about to shave her head. I mean, to me that’s out there.’
‘To me, too.’ He shrugged. ‘Stephanie’s just…Stephanie, and I love her dearly. The past few years haven’t been easy for her.’
‘That’s what she said about you.’ Nicolette thought for a moment. ‘It must be hard, always having to think how your actions or reactions might affect her. I mean, if something were to happen to you, she would feel it, wouldn’t she?’
Stephen took in her words. ‘Yes.’ He exhaled slowly. ‘Sometimes it is hard, but the good far outweighs the bad.’ He thought his words out carefully and Nicolette waited patiently. ‘I’ve always had company. I’ve never been alone. Even in some of the darkest moments of my life, Stephanie’s always been with me through this connection we have. I don’t have to explain myself and there are no repercussions. She instinctively knows and understands me, and it’s an amazing feeling.’
Stephen’s words made Nicolette think of Simone and again she wondered what had really gone on in that relationship as what she’d seen of Stephen and what he’d said didn’t gel with what Simone had related.
‘It sounds great. My brothers haven’t a remote hope in understanding me, although I’m not sure they’ve tried all that hard.’ She laughed. ‘Still, they love me and that’s important.’
‘That’s very important. Are they older than you?’
‘Yes, and they never let me forget it.’
‘An older brother’s prerogative.’
Nicolette laughed at his remark and thought she caught a glimpse of a smile on his lips. Nah—she must be dreaming. She stared out into the foggy night, wanting to deepen their discussion, but knew now wasn’t the time. Instead, she gave him tips as to which lane he should be in to handle the curves more easily.
‘At least at this time of night there’s not much traffic to contend with,’ she said into the silence that surrounded them. It was as though they were in their own little world, a world of whiteness, lit only by the headlights of Stephen’s car. They crawled along, thankfully not running into trouble or seeing anyone else in trouble.
Nicolette gave him directions to her house after he’d turned off into the streets of Blackheath. ‘Thanks, Stephen,’ she said after he’d pulled into her driveway. She undid her seat belt and turned to face him. The front sensor lights had come on, illuminating the white mist around them. Even so, the extra light meant Nicolette could see him more clearly than before. He was squinting a little at the sudden light but had also shifted a little to look at her.
‘My pleasure.’ He said the words in his usual calm, controlled manner—just as she was coming to expect. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow at ten.’
Nicolette nodded slowly, knowing she should get out of the car but finding herself unable to move. ‘Stephen, about Simone…’
‘It’s late, Nicolette.’
‘I want to apologise for my behaviour. It was a bit of a shock when I finally realised where I’d seen you…or rather your face. Simone had a lot of photos of you.’
‘Hmm.’
‘Stephanie said it wasn’t a good relationship for you.’
Stephen exhaled harshly and shook his head. ‘Stephanie doesn’t know when to keep her nose out of my business.’
Nicolette smiled. ‘Isn’t that what pesky little sisters do?’
‘Yes.’ He nodded. ‘Thank you for apologising and I hope you’ll accept mine in return.’
‘Done. We’ll start tomorrow with a clean slate. What do you say?’
He paused for a moment, as though totally amazed. ‘Good idea.’
Then it happened.
The corners of his mouth twitched upwards into a slow smile. It wasn’t a toothy grin, it wasn’t merely a smirk. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight and she glanced momentarily at his blue eyes to find them looking intent yet relaxed.
‘Wow,’ she whispered, then cleared her throat. ‘You should do that more often.’ Her words were soft and in that one second the atmosphere in the car changed from one of camaraderie to one of intense awareness on both sides. ‘You look really different when you have something to smile about.’
‘Thank you for providing the reason.’ His deep voice washed over her.
‘What did I do?’
His smile increased a little more at her surprise. ‘You showed your worthiness.’
She nodded slowly, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. ‘So worthiness is rewarded with smiles. I’ll have to remember that.’
‘You do that.’
Both of them could feel the undercurrents of a completely different conversation happening while they sat there staring into each other’s eyes.
After another few seconds she roused herself. ‘I’d…uh…better go in.’ Nicolette pointed to her house.
‘OK.’
The smile was starting to fade and she had a desperate urge to do something—anything—to keep it in place. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow morning.’ She picked up her bag from the floor and opened the door.
‘Nicolette.’
The pounding of her heart increased as he said her name. Was he going to smile again? Was he going to lean across and kiss her? Her lips parted in nervous anticipation. ‘Yes?’
‘Dress warm and comfortable. We’ll be doing some walking.’
‘Oh. OK. Thanks.’ She quickly climbed from the car and shut the door, feeling instantly foolish. How could she even think he’d kiss her? The man hardly knew her and even though they’d just shared an intense moment, it was no indication he was ready to press his lips to hers.
When his car didn’t move, she realised he was waiting to make sure she was safely inside and the chivalrous act earned him extra brownie points. After she’d unlocked and pushed open her front door, she turned to wave and he slowly reversed. She leant against the closed door, listening to his car as it went slowly up her street. It wasn’t far to his place but the fog was still extremely thick.
She stood at the door, waiting for her heart rate to return to normal. What had she been thinking? She’d been flirting with him—just like Lauren back at the hospital. Surely she was better than that?
Of course she was. She’d made him smile.
The knowledge instantly warmed her, even though her house was cold. Finally, she managed to get her legs to work and walked over to the heater, turning the setting to FULL. ‘After all, you can’t live off warm memories with Stephen Brooks for long,’ she warned.
Even though she told herself to calm down, not to read anything into the moments they’d shared, she couldn’t help the thrill of excitement at the thought of seeing him tomorrow. Dress warmly. She frowned, wondering where he’d planned on taking her—and at ten o’clock in the morning.
‘You’re starting to think seriously about this guy,’ she growled at herself as she changed into a russet-red tracksuit. It was fleecy and warm, just like her ugh boots. She wandered through to the kitchen and switched on the kettle. ‘You’ve been hurt too many times before,’ she admonished herself five minutes later as she sipped her cup of tea. ‘He’ll break your heart,’ she finally concluded as she rinsed her cup and headed for the bathroom.
Once she’d brushed her teeth and climbed into bed, she snuggled down beneath the covers, a small smile on her face and her head still full of thoughts of Stephen.
Maybe just for tonight she could dream about him. After all, one night couldn’t hurt…could it?
Nicolette rushed around the house, looking for her gloves, stressed out because she couldn’t find them and she’d just heard Stephen’s car pull up outside. ‘Why did he have to be so punctual?’ she muttered as she continued searching. She knew she shouldn’t have expected anything less from him. He definitely seemed the type of man to not only be punctual but also meticulous.
Was he meticulous in everything he did?
She blushed as she remembered parts of her dream, and in her dream Stephen had kissed her as no other man ever had or ever would. She shook her head, snapping herself out of fantasy land and back to reality as she started pulling underwear out of her drawer. The doorbell rang just as she’d finished emptying the contents onto her bed. Still no gloves.
She groaned with impatience and frustration as she rushed to the front door, not wanting to keep him waiting. She’d taken him at his word and dressed as he’d suggested, warm and comfortable. She was wearing a pair of denim jeans, two pairs of socks and her favourite walking boots, which she’d broken in two and a half years ago when she’d gone walking in Wales. That had been with Tim. Tim had come before Warren and Warren had come before Archie. Archie had been the last man she’d let break her heart and since then she’d forced herself to concentrate on other things besides relationships.
Now, here she was opening the door to Stephen Brooks and effectively putting herself out there once more. This time, though, she’d be smarter and keep her wits about her, and that meant no more dreaming about heart-melting smiles and heart-pounding kisses from the delicious doctor.
The instant she opened the door, she knew she’d have to strengthen her resolve.
He stood there in a pair of jeans—not covered in paint—and a thick jumper, with a bright, striped scarf around his neck. His nose was a little pink from the cold and puffs of steam were coming out of his mouth as he breathed. ‘Good morning, Nicolette.’ When she didn’t say anything, he continued. ‘If you’re ready, we’ll get going.’
‘Uh…come in for a second. I can’t find my gloves.’
He stepped quickly over the threshold and closed the door, not wanting to let the cold morning air into her warm house. She led him into the lounge room. ‘I won’t be long.’
Stephen stood on the spot and looked around the room, surprised to find it so…homey. There were bookshelves across one long wall and photographs on the others. Two large comfortable sofas were facing each other with a coffee table between. There was a cabinet which housed a television, DVD player and a stereo, as well as CDs and several DVDs.
At the other end was an open fireplace which was tidy and all set up with wood ready to light. The walls around the room looked as though they needed painting but for the most part it was a very comfortable room. Stephen wasn’t sure what he’d expected but he was pleasantly surprised not to find the room decked out with modern furniture and the latest colour trends.
He wandered over and checked out her gas heating unit. This was the type of thing he needed, and even though the slow combustion fire he’d had installed was working a treat, it didn’t quite heat all the way to the bedrooms.
It was a few more minutes before Nicolette returned, her hands still bare.
‘No luck?’ he asked.
She shook her head, a frown creasing her brow. ‘I don’t know what I’ve done with them. I’m sorry to hold you up, Stephen. I’ll get my coat and we can go.’ Nicolette disappeared again and Stephen headed back out to the front door to wait. She returned a moment later, winding a brown scarf around her neck and pulling a matching woollen hat over her head, the blonde ends of her hair sticking out around her face and shoulders. She looked warm, cosy and…inviting.
Stephen cleared his throat and his thoughts. She was a colleague. Today was a test for her to see if they could work well together. Medically, he had no hesitation in offering her a job and if she passed the tests he had for her today, he’d have a clearer vision about his practice.
Nicolette stuck her hands into her coat pockets, thinking she’d have to leave them there all day if she was going to have any feeling left in her fingers, then she gasped in astonishment and pulled out her gloves.
Stephen’s eyes were bright with repressed mirth. ‘So that’s where you put them.’
Nicolette pulled them on and then grabbed her handbag. ‘Let’s go.’
‘You have a very nice home,’ Stephen said as he reversed out of her drive.
‘Thanks. My parents bought it when we were kids. We lived in Sydney and would come up for holidays or long weekends. Luc lived here for a while a few years back and now it’s my turn.’
‘And your parents?’
‘They’re travelling. They say they’ve earned the right to see the world. Last I heard they were in Seattle, visiting old friends.’
‘Good for them.’
Nicolette took a breath, knowing what she was about to say could have drastic repercussions on the rest of the day but if they were going to be working together they needed some sort of background on each other. Besides, he was asking about her family. ‘Stephanie told me your mother died a couple of years back.’
‘Correct.’ His mask slipped instantly into place.
‘She said it was when you were dating Simone.’
‘Correct.’
‘That must have been hard for you.’
‘Meaning?’
‘I know how…demanding Simone can be. Did she know your mother was ill?’
‘No.’
‘Don’t you think you should have clued her in? I mean, she was your girlfriend.’
Stephen gripped the steering wheel tighter, holding onto his temper. ‘I thought we were going to start with a clean slate today.’
‘Yes. Sorry. We were. I apologise.’
‘Accepted.’
‘It’s just you were asking about my family so…’ She left her sentence hanging. Stephen sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, and she had the feeling he was desperately trying to hold onto his temper.
‘You’re right. My mother died of lupus and my father died when Steph and I were teenagers.’
‘It’s great, then, that you’re living close to each other again.’
‘Yes.’ His tone had gentled in that one word and Nicolette breathed a sigh of relief. They were back to the beginning.
‘What’s on the agenda for today?’
‘Different things.’
‘Sounds interesting. I think.’
Her words were rewarded with one of Stephen’s rare smiles. ‘I’m glad you think so. I also appoint you as navigator. Stephanie told me I should go and see Mermaid Cave, and as you’ve been visiting the district for most of your life, that makes you the expert.’
‘Gee, thanks. OK. In that case…’ Nicolette glanced out her window ‘…I think you’re going the wrong way. Did Stephanie give you a map or something?’
Stephen handed it over and Nicolette checked the map, turning it around in her hands so it faced the way they were going. ‘Yes. You’ve come down too far. Go back and take the third right.’
Stephen glanced over to look at the map. ‘You’ve got it upside down.’
‘Don’t go there,’ she warned. ‘I’ve had numerous…shall we call them discussions with my brothers over the different ways men and women read maps. You’ve appointed me navigator so just keep quiet and do as you’re told. If not, I’ll drive and you can navigate.’ Nicolette knew that would be the worse option.
‘You’re right. I’ll keep quiet. Third on the right it is.’ He made the turn and they went down a steep hill.
After a few hairpin bends, Nicolette instructed him to pull into a small dirt parking area. ‘We need to walk from here.’
‘Have you been to Mermaid Cave before?’
‘Many, many years ago.’
‘But not since you’ve come to live here.’
‘No.’
‘Then it’ll be an adventure for both of us.’ Stephen climbed from the car and went to the boot where he took out a backpack. He’d packed a bottle of water for each of them, small energy snacks and a basic first-aid kit. He pulled on his coat and scarf before shrugging the backpack on. Next he pulled a camera from the boot and then closed it and locked the car. Puffs of steam came from their mouths, their noses pink due to the cold. ‘Ready?’
‘Yes.’ Nicolette buttoned up her coat, tucked her scarf in and made sure her gloves were on properly. ‘Nice camera,’ she said, noticing the telephoto lense. ‘Digital?’
‘No. I confess that’s one area I haven’t wanted to explore yet. I find it strange not loading film into a camera before I use it.’
‘Fair enough.’
‘Besides, this gives me better quality for painting scenes.’
‘You don’t paint in person?’ They headed off down the path.
‘How else would I paint if not in person?’ he teased.
‘You know what I mean. You don’t bring your easel out here and sit down and paint the scene?’
‘Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If I find something today I want to paint, I’ll take photographs first and then decide whether it’s necessary to come and sit out in the freezing cold to capture what I want, or whether I can do it from the photograph.’
‘Fair enough.’
They continued walking, stopping every now and then when Stephen found a view he liked. Sometimes he’d take a photograph of one very small flower, other times he’d go for a panoramic shot. Nicolette was relaxed and happy, remarking on the differences of their surroundings from her childhood memories.
When they rounded one bend they came across a sign saying the path was closed. ‘What?’ Nicolette read the sign again. ‘“No further entry due to unsafe surface.”’
‘Looks as though the winter weather has done some damage,’ Stephen remarked. ‘Pity.’
‘Yes, it is. You would have liked the view from the cave.’
‘They should have had a sign at the beginning of the track.’ Stephen was puzzled.
‘Maybe we missed it.’
‘Anyway, let’s head back.’ They did as he suggested. ‘I’ll come back in summer and check it out then.’
Nicolette noticed he spoke in the singular, not the plural, and felt an immediate pang of loss. Why should he include her in his plans? she questioned inwardly. They were colleagues, that’s all. Snap out of it, girl.
She pushed the thought away and followed him back the way they’d come. When they reached the car he put his camera away and took off the backpack. Nicolette looked around to see if there was a sign and eventually she found it.
‘There it is.’ She slid down a small embankment and retrieved the sign before climbing back up.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Just getting the sign.’
‘You could have twisted your ankle or hurt your arm.’
‘It’s not that steep, Stephen.’ The sign and the post had come apart. ‘Looks like vandals or either a very, very strong wind.’
‘My bet is vandals.’ She pulled off her gloves and tucked them into her pocket again.
‘Let’s get the sign back together and put it up where it can be seen.’ Stephen grabbed his toolbox from the car boot and carried it over. He handed Nicolette a hammer and some nails and was impressed when she took them and nailed the sign back onto the post, which was still in the ground at the beginning of the track.
‘Good job, Dr Bourgeois.’
‘Why, thank you, Dr Brooks.’ They returned to the car and as Stephen packed away his tools Nicolette took off her scarf, coat and hat. ‘That’s warmed me up.’
Stephen checked his watch. ‘We’re a little bit early for the next item on my agenda but if you don’t mind eating now, we’ll have a longer, more leisurely lunch.’
‘At the Megalong Tearooms?’ she asked, climbing inside the car and doing up her seat belt.
‘How did you know?’
She smiled. ‘It’s the only place to eat along this road. We’re in the Megalong Valley so the Megalong Tearooms is the place to go. Besides, they have the most amazing food there.’
‘So I’ve heard. It’s one of Steph’s favourite places.’
‘She’s not the only one.’ Nicolette smiled as they continued to drive through the valley. ‘It’s so beautiful here.’ There were lush green hills with native Australian trees on one side and cliffs on the other—the town of Medlow Bath at the top of the cliff. ‘Slow down and turn right into the next driveway,’ she instructed.
As they climbed out, Stephen saw several picnic tables outside the building which was a house with the front section converted into a restaurant and serving area. ‘Do you want to eat outside or inside?’ Nicolette asked.
Stephen looked up at the sky. ‘I think we’ll chance it outside.’
‘I was hoping you’d say that.’
She smiled brightly at him and he felt his stomach clench. She’d left her woollen hat in the car, pulling on her coat and scarf, and as she turned to walk up the steps to the servery, she tossed her blonde locks behind her.
She was beautiful and there was no denying it. He liked her in her casual clothes of jeans and a thick jumper rather than the brisk business suits he’d seen her in up until now. She seemed more…approachable like this and he wasn’t sure that was a good thing. How was he supposed to keep his distance, maintain a level of professionalism when he couldn’t help but find her immensely attractive?
He followed her up the wooden steps.
‘You have to try their homemade pies. They’re the best.’
‘What about you?’
‘Oh, that’s easy. Homemade soup. Perfect for this sunny winter’s day. That way, I can leave room for dessert.’
‘Dessert?’ He raised his eyebrows.
‘You can’t come to the Megalong Tearooms and not sample one of their desserts! Perish the thought.’ She laughed, her eyes bright and alive with happiness.
‘You really love it here, don’t you,’ he stated.
‘How did you guess? It’s so close to where I live yet far enough removed from the world that a person can really relax and unwind, even if it’s just for a few hours.’ She gave the lady behind the counter her order and Stephen did the same. Then, to his surprise, she grabbed his hand and tugged him back down the steps and around to one of the picnic tables. She let go once they were at the table and sat herself down. Stephen could still feel an imprint of where she’d touched him and he shoved his hands into his coat pockets to compensate.
‘So…’ She searched for a topic, her gaze settling on his scarf. ‘That’s an interesting scarf. Nice and bright.’
‘Stephanie made it.’
‘I thought so. I can’t see a stripey scarf of bright yellow, green, orange, red and blue being one you’d choose in a men’s store.’
He smiled. ‘No. Steph made it as a birthday present and sent it to me just before I left London.’
‘Where did you go after London? I know you’ve been away for the past year, and when I met Stephanie earlier this year she was always so very worried about you.’
‘I was working for a medical relief organisation in Africa.’
Nicolette processed the information, also taking in the warning tone of his voice. ‘Not much call for a stripey scarf there.’
‘No.’ He relaxed. ‘Still, it made me feel close to her.’
‘You obviously did two six-month stints. Which organisation did you go with?’
Stephen hesitated. Why did she want to know? Was she making small talk or did she want to psychoanalyse him? Try and figure out why he’d gone? He named the organisation and she nodded.
‘I did six months with them eighteen months ago.’
Stephen looked at her in complete amazement.
‘Don’t look so surprised. They let women doctors in, too, you know.’
‘Yes. Of course.’ He thought for a moment. ‘That’s why Steph wanted you and I treating the gunshot wound patient yesterday.’
‘Makes sense now, doesn’t it?’
‘I had no idea.’
‘You think you’re the only one who can run away?’
‘I wasn’t running—’
Nicolette held up her hand. ‘Bad choice of words. Sorry. I was running away and I was wrong to imply you were doing the same.’
‘Why did you run?’
‘Bad relationships. Why else? It was after Warren and before Archie.’
‘A bit drastic to put yourself in constant danger just because of a failed relationship.’
‘A bit drastic to put yourself in constant danger just because your mother died,’ she countered softly. She watched his jaw clench tightly and shrugged. ‘I’m sure you ended up finding out more about yourself during your stint there, just like I did. Putting your life in constant danger can certainly help get things in perspective.’
‘True.’ He decided to ignore the comment about his mother. ‘So what did you learn?’
She thought for a moment. ‘Not to be so gullible, I guess.’
‘Where men are concerned?’
‘Mainly.’
‘Yet you said you went there after Warren and—’
‘And before Archie,’ she finished. ‘That’s right. Warren broke my heart and I ran away. When I came back, I worked in London and that’s when I met Archie.’
‘And were you gullible?’
A slow smile played across Nicolette’s lips. ‘No. I saw right through him and broke it off. I haven’t dated anyone since.’
‘And you met Simone when?’ he asked.
‘I thought we weren’t going to talk about her today.’
Stephen shrugged. ‘Let’s get her out of the way once and for all.’
‘I met her about a week after I broke up with Archie.’
‘Let me guess, you talked about how untrustworthy and commitment-phobic most men are.’
‘Are we that predictable?’
‘Women in general? Or just you and Simone?’
Nicolette was happy to see the teasing glint in his eyes. ‘I don’t know if I want you to answer.’ She chuckled and surprisingly Stephen joined in.
‘So you saw through Archie and haven’t dated anyone since?’
‘That’s right. After my experience on the frontline, I felt…’ She searched for the right word. ‘Disconnected is probably the best way to describe it. Once I’d broken up with Archie, I realised I needed to find out who I really was before I even thought about getting into another relationship.’
Stephen nodded thoughtfully. Wasn’t that exactly where he was? Feeling disconnected? Not wanting to get into a relationship? It was a timely reminder that he should change the subject to a more neutral topic.
‘And while we’re on the subject of Simone,’ Nicolette continued, before he could speak, ‘I wanted to say again how sorry I am for the way I treated you the other night.’
‘You’ve already apologised.’
‘I know, but I’ve had time to think about the things she said about you and even though I’ve only known you for a few days, I’ve realised none of what she said was true. You’re a good man, Stephen.’
He nodded slowly then looked away, unable to believe how touched he was. ‘Thank you.’
Nicolette sighed and then smiled at him. ‘Whew. I’m glad I got that out in the open.’
Their food arrived and the conversation turned to more general matters as they devoured the delicious food. ‘You were right. The fresh apple strudel was amazing.’
‘I don’t know. The warm banana loaf was delicious as well.’ Nicolette licked her lips as though to prove it. ‘Mounds of fresh cream also helps. Très bien.’
‘Agreed.’ Stephen had been quite surprised when Nicolette had cut both desserts in half so they could share them. It had been quite…intimate yet he hadn’t felt that screaming sense in his gut that she was moving too far too fast. Odd. Perhaps it had something to do with the bond they shared of working in a war zone. It was an experience hard to describe unless you’d actually lived it. He’d also been surprised by Nicolette’s accurate perceptions of him, but once more he hadn’t felt the need to run. This morning he’d been determined to test her, to see if they could find common ground which would enable them to work together as colleagues. Now, he realised, he’d got more than he’d bargained for.
He’d found someone who was on his wavelength.