Dr. White's Baby Wish

by Sue MacKay

  Careful, Cody. That way lies trouble.

  ‘You feel like going for a drink?’ Cody asked Harper at the end of their shift as they pushed through the swing doors and out into the corridor. ‘We’ve certainly earned one today.’ The rest of the shift was already at the pub just down the road, no doubt yacking about the event that had overtaken the department that morning, which kind of had him regretting his suggestion to Harper. He’d had enough of the talk. Already the truth had been expanded, the resultant stories getting way out of control.

  ‘I don’t think so.’ She looked decidedly uncomfortable with the idea. Or was that about going with him?

  His tongue got the better of him, as it was prone to do at the most inconvenient of times. ‘You don’t drink with your colleagues?’ She wouldn’t now, not if he was going to be there.

  ‘I don’t drink at all when I have a migraine.’

  He swore. Now he knew why she kept rubbing her temples. ‘How’re you getting home?’ he asked as he saw her blink furiously when they stepped out into the blinding summer sun.

  ‘I have a car.’ Her chin jutted out. ‘How about you?’

  ‘I have a motorbike.’

  ‘Then you’re not asking me for a ride home?’

  ‘No, but I am offering to drive you home in your car. You are in no fit state to be behind the wheel.’

  ‘Yes, nurse.’ Her tone would’ve sounded sarcastic if there hadn’t been resignation and tiredness lacing her words. It seemed as though now she’d stopped work she was unravelling completely. Her eyes were half-closed, and she dug around in her bag and dragged out sunglasses, which she slapped on her face before heading towards the staff car park.

  He followed. ‘You know I’m right. A migraine is hell, apparently. Do you get blackouts with yours?’

  Her mouth tightened and she said nothing.

  ‘Toss in that bruised and swollen throat, the shock of being held hostage, and you’re in need of a little pampering.’ Was he offering to pamper her? No, that had come out all wrong. But he was damned if he was going to retract his statement. He didn’t do being caught on the back foot—not by attractive, sharp-tongued women, at any rate.

  Harper ducked between vehicles, seemingly intent on the furthest row. When she reached a dazzling blue, high-performance car she pinged the locks and glared at him over the roof. ‘Forgot where you parked your motorbike?’

  Cody ignored her anger, believing it probably wasn’t really directed at him but more at the situation she found herself in. He wanted to help her, be there for her, and knew better than to come out and say so. He tried another tack. Running his hand over the bonnet, he noted, ‘Nice. Bet it goes like a cut cat.’

  ‘Faster.’ There was the smallest twist of her lips and a hint of laughter in the pained eyes she exposed when she removed her sunglasses to rub her temples again.

  So heat did run along her veins. Not often, maybe, but obviously sometimes. Now, there was a challenge. She was into fast cars. But not today. He stared at her and held out his hand.

  Harper stared straight back. At least, she tried to, but that migraine must’ve got the better of her because she blinked and her chin dropped. The keys sailed through the air and he snatched them before they landed on the paintwork. ‘Careful.’ Opening the passenger door, he waited patiently for her to come round and slide inside then, closing her door, he headed for the other side of the car, whistling under his breath.

  Miss—was she a Miss, or a Mrs?—Dr White could be a pain in the backside. But she was also magnificent. He could appreciate the details without being tempted to learn more about her. If it hadn’t been for the day’s drama he wouldn’t be regarding her twice. He wouldn’t know that she had soft, muscle-tightening curves in all the right places. Or that she smelt delicious. She was clearly intelligent, and was a superb doctor. She was starting to sound too good. Harper’s nothing to me in any way other than as a colleague.

  Anyway, she had a Jason in her life.

  *

  Harper leaned her head back against the headrest and groaned. Talk about the day from hell. All she wanted was to crawl into bed in her blacked-out room and let the headache drugs that she would take now she’d finished work do their magic. Hopefully she’d sleep, and not have nightmares about that gun or the man wielding it.

  ‘Address?’ Cody asked.

  Without opening her eyes, she rattled off the street and number, then sighed with relief when he said he knew where to go. Talking hurt, and if she didn’t have to utter another word till next week she’d be happy. Not that she’d kept quiet earlier. It was like something had got hold of her tongue, had had her blathering away like she didn’t know how to stop, even though her throat protested every syllable. Why had she asked Cody all those personal questions? It wasn’t as though she had to have the answers to be able to work with him.

  But after everything that had happened she’d felt a need to know more about the man who’d come to her rescue, who’d been there throughout the whole ordeal, who’d even understood her sorrow at losing her patient. He’d surprised her with how recently he’d qualified. She’d done the sums—he was in his early thirties. Fishermen had to be tough, physically and mentally, to cope with the conditions they worked in. She’d seen that in Cody today, and she’d also noticed the soft streak that made him so popular with patients.

  Cody had stepped up, tried to talk the gunman into letting her go and hadn’t hesitated to take him down when she’d deliberately dropped towards the floor. It had been a risk doing that but she’d felt Cody was a part of her, that he’d known what was going on in her head all the time. The way he’d reacted suggested he’d dealt with villains before. Intriguing. But nothing to do with her. Whatever Cody had done in the past, she did not need to know. That would be getting too personal, and there was no point in doing that when she had no intention of socialising with him outside work.

  Cody interrupted her thoughts. ‘You fixed for pills for that migraine?’

  ‘Yes.’ Like a doctor wouldn’t be prepared when she had regular migraines. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Just checking. You want anything for home? Food, milk or bottled water? I can duck into the supermarket for you.’

  ‘Got everything I need.’ Except a loving man. She gasped. Where had that come from? Had that crack on her skull with the gun addled her brain? Not once since she’d packed her bags and walked out the front door of the house she’d shared with Darren had she believed she was ready for a relationship with another man. A quick fling, yes—anything deep and meaningful, no. If there was even a man out there who’d accept her infertility issue, she’d struggle to believe he wouldn’t change his mind like Darren had done. She’d just have to wait until she was fifty and beyond wanting to be a mother before getting involved with someone.

  Her gaze slid sideways to study the profile of the man next to her. He looked good behind the wheel in this big car. Strong, easy in his body, confident. Then there was his reliability—as far as she’d seen, anyway—and his friendly, caring side. There was that perfectionist element she’d noted before the morning had gone pear-shaped, but perfectionism could be a fault or a good trait. He could also get angry, as witnessed with their assailant. Controlled anger though, not a rant or rage.

  ‘You’re staring.’

  She was. And liking what she saw more and more. A big enough reason to close her eyes again. Which she did, and sank further down the seat. Thank goodness for Fridays. The coming weekend would give her time to recover fully from the migraine. Whether she’d stop shaking from shock every time she thought about what had gone down in the ED by Monday was another story. What if the assailant had fired his gun? Had wounded someone—Jess, Cody or her? She shivered abruptly.

  He placed one hand on her thigh, squeezed lightly and removed his hand fast. ‘Don’t think about him. It’s over now.’ He sounded so darned calm, as though nothing had affected him.

  Yet his ability to constantly know what she was thinking
riled her for no real reason. Again she pictured him taking that man down and her mood swiftly softened. He was very confident and for a large man he’d moved fast, light on his feet. The assailant hadn’t known what had hit him. Which was just as well, or it might’ve been Cody feeling the hot end of that gun. She shivered. For some strange reason she took real comfort from his confidence and was inordinately grateful to him for how he’d dealt with the situation. Also for his tenderness in that hug. Confused. That was what she was.

  Nausea swamped her senses. She was going to be sick. No, she wasn’t. Not in front of Cody, nurse or not. That would be the final straw in a very bad day. Pressing the switch to lower her window, she leaned over and relished the air flowing across her face. It wasn’t cold air, but at least cooler than what was inside the car. No doubt she’d look a right state by the time they reached home, but at this moment she couldn’t care less.

  ‘You need to stop?’ Cody asked, already slowing the car and easing closer to the edge of the road.

  ‘No. Keep going.’ The sooner she got home, the better. The blinding pain behind her eyes was increasing in intensity, but at least the nausea was sort of under control. This was becoming the migraine to beat all migraines in her experience, no doubt exacerbated by the tension from earlier.

  Her apartment was just around the corner. Soon she’d be shot of Cody Brand. Until Monday and work. With a bit of luck, by then they’d be back to being a doctor and a nurse working in the same department. Hopefully by then all the talk and texts would’ve died down too. She didn’t fancy multiple reruns of today’s event.

  ‘There’s a car in your driveway.’ Cody’s voice was deeper than most men’s, yet it soothed her frayed nerves and battered mind. ‘Want me to park on the road?’

  ‘Great.’ She’d forgotten about Gemma calling in after her shopping expedition so they could have a wine together. Not happening now; the mere thought of wine turned her stomach. ‘That’d be fine. I’ll shift the car later.’ Tomorrow when she finally crawled out of bed.

  Harper was hardly aware of Cody pulling up. He had her door open and was reaching for her elbow so quickly it came as a surprise. ‘Come on. I’ll see you to your door.’

  ‘I can manage.’ And she promptly proved herself wrong when her knees refused to hold her upright.

  ‘Now, don’t take this the wrong way,’ Cody murmured as he swung her up in his arms and nudged the door shut with his hip. ‘But falling flat on your face after everything else could really mess up your day.’ He strode up the path towards her front door as though she was no heavier than a bag of spuds. A very small bag at that.

  Harper didn’t bother arguing. He wouldn’t listen and she didn’t have any energy left. Besides, it was lovely lying against that expansive chest and feeling strong arms around her. Arms she imagined holding her through the night. Jeez, Harper, get a grip.

  ‘Harper? Jason said you were all right but you’re not looking great.’ Typical Gemma: go for the throat. No, someone else already did that today.

  ‘Gemma,’ she squeaked.

  Her sister-in-law stood in the doorway, her eyes flicking between her and Cody, worry slowly turning to speculation as she studied Cody from head to foot. ‘Or do I need to grab my bag and head away pronto? Leave you two alone?’

  Harper cringed. She loved Gemma to bits but the woman had a mission in life to find her a man who’d accept all her problems without batting an eyelid—and from what she was reading on Gemma’s face right this minute Cody was a prime target. No way in hell. Squirming out of Cody’s arms, she stood shakily between him and Gemma. ‘I’ve got a migraine.’

  It seemed Gemma had become deaf overnight. She focused entirely on Cody and asked, ‘Who are you?’

  ‘I’m Cody. I work with Harper.’

  Feeling Cody’s hand on her elbow—again—Harper wanted to shrug him away but doubted she had the strength to walk unaided. ‘I need to lie down. Going to take a rain check on that wine, Gem.’

  ‘Your voice’s all weird.’ Gemma leaned closer. ‘What’s wrong with your neck? Jason told me about the gunman but you’ve been hurt. You’re not all right, are you? That’s why Cody’s here.’

  ‘Harper needs to get inside and lie down in a dark room.’ Cody was firm, like he’d take no argument.

  Gemma caught the message and led the way indoors. ‘What really happened, Harper? Spill.’

  ‘I— There—’ Her throat closed over and tears filled her eyes. She raised her head, caught Cody’s gaze and nodded at him.

  ‘You want me to explain?’

  Once again, Cody to the rescue. This was getting out of hand, but she dipped her head. Words were beyond her. Accepting help from any one didn’t feature in her everyday life. Not even her overly protective brothers got a chance very often. But today, right now, she was all out of helping herself.

  Cody told Gemma, ‘Let’s put Harper to bed first.’ That was the most important thing to do. The whys and wherefores of the situation could wait a few more minutes. He smiled to himself with relief. At least this woman could help Harper out of her clothes while he hung out in the kitchen. He would not be disappointed at missing out on that treat.

  Really? Really. Getting too close and personal with Harper was the last thing he needed. He had a feeling that getting to know her at all would undermine the defences he’d pulled around himself the day Sadie had died. The agony over his loss, the sense of failure and guilt, had taken many dark days and months to quieten enough for him to start moving forward, one tiny step at a time. He wasn’t going to risk going back there again.

  ‘I’m taking you home with me.’ Gemma’s hands were on her hips as she watched Harper gingerly sit down on her bed.

  Harper shook her head but didn’t open her eyes. She was probably beyond dealing with anything right now.

  So Cody stepped into the gap. ‘Harper’s better off staying here, unless you live next door. She’s not in good shape.’ There’s absolutely nothing wrong with her shape. Cody closed his eyes and dragged up some patience with himself. Then, looking at Gemma, he explained about the guy who’d caused all the trouble. ‘Her throat’s swollen and painful, and the whole event has been a huge shock. I don’t know if the migraine had begun before that lowlife did his number on her, or it’s a result of his actions, but it’s a bad one.’

  Gemma’s face paled. ‘You can’t stay here after that. What would Jason say if I arrived home without you? I know it will be uncomfortable on the drive but you’re coming home to the bay for the weekend.’

  Harper’s eyes flew open. ‘But—’

  ‘But nothing. I’ll pack some clothes and we’ll be on our way.’ She spun around and stuck a hand out at Cody. ‘No wonder she didn’t introduce us properly. Gemma White, married to Harper’s oldest brother, Jason. Thanks for taking care of her. One more thing, can you carry her out to my car when I’ve collected a few things?’

  So that was who Jason was. Unexpected relief rolled through Cody. Not her husband or partner, but her brother. George must be pally with him if he’d wanted to tell him about what had happened to his sister. ‘I hate to point this out but I don’t think Harper’s up to going anywhere.’

  Harper lifted grateful eyes in his direction. She was definitely all out of energy. Exhaustion and pain filled her mesmerising gaze. Her body was slumped in a loose heap on the edge of the bed and he doubted her ability even to lift her legs up under the sheet. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she looked up at him.

  But it was the sadness in that gaze that caused him to make a fool of himself. ‘I’ll stay here the night, keep an eye on you.’ He nodded at Harper, who now stared at him, a mix of gratitude and horror further darkening those eyes.

  Gemma nodded. ‘That’s a perfect solution. I take it you’re a doctor, since you work with Harper?’

  ‘Not a doctor. A nurse.’

  Which was totally the wrong thing to tell this woman because she clapped her hands. ‘Even better. A nurse is exactly wh
at Harper needs. Right, I’ll get you undressed and into bed, my girl, then leave you in the capable hands of Nurse Cody. He’ll be able to sleep in the kids’ room. Just as well I changed the sheets on the beds earlier while I was waiting for you to come home. That couch in the lounge may be big but not big enough for his bod.’

  ‘Jeez, woman, do you ever come up for air?’ Cody asked Gemma with a grin and was rewarded with a startled gasp of laughter from the bed where Harper had finally stopped staring at him. ‘What?’ he demanded. These ladies were full-on.

  ‘I could get to like you,’ Harper gasped in her new croaky voice.

  That’d be good. No, it wouldn’t. ‘We’ll see,’ he answered airily, then made the mistake of glancing at Gemma and sucked in a sharp breath.

  Her expression spelled mischief. Lots of it. ‘This just gets better and better,’ she murmured.

  ‘Gemma.’ Even with her swollen throat and feeling like hell it was obvious Harper was not pleased with her sister-in-law.

  ‘Right, let’s get you into bed so you can sleep off this migraine. Where are your tablets?’ Gemma was already opening a drawer and pulling out some cotton nightdress thing that she held up with distaste. ‘You don’t listen to anything I tell you, do you, sis?’

  Cody headed for the door. He wasn’t hanging around while Harper removed her work clothes and slipped into that hideous yellow-and-pink-striped concoction. At least he agreed with Gemma on something. ‘I’ll get some water so you can take your tablets,’ he called over his shoulder.

  Ten minutes later, Gemma joined him in the kitchen. ‘I hope you haven’t got any plans for Sunday afternoon, because it’s Jason’s birthday, and Harper needs to be with us. The Whites are big on family stuff, you know? The brothers—’ she wriggled her forefingers in the air between them ‘—will want to meet the man who looked out for her today. You must stay for lunch and the cricket.’

  ‘Cricket?’ he asked. What was this woman on about?