by Lucy Clark
‘I know,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve realised that but still…it’s hard to trust.’ She sighed and shifted away from his embrace. The fact that her body had wanted to melt into him, that her breathing had increased, that she wanted to place little butterfly kisses all the way up his neck—all these things meant Marty was becoming more dangerous to her with every passing second. She was even having trouble with her thought process, and that was not good. Not good at all.
‘Of course it is.’ He groaned and shook his head. ‘Trusting is the pits but we’ve got to take a chance sooner or later or we’ll be left on the shelf.’
‘At least I’ll have you for company,’ she muttered, as the reality of his words started to sink in. ‘It’s late, Marty. I’d better get inside or Beth will send out a search party.’
‘What are you going to do about Everley?’
‘I don’t know. At the moment, I’m still mad at him.’
‘Ooh.’ He gave the chuckle of a mad scientist and rubbed his hands together with glee. ‘Want to get even?’
She laughed. ‘Now you sound like we’re back in school.’
‘Hey, at least it made you laugh,’ he said, reverting back to himself.
‘True.’ She placed her hand on his arm. ‘You’re a good friend, Marty.’
‘Why, thank you.’ She dropped her hand and he pulled a set of car keys from his pocket. ‘And now that my work here is done, I’ll leave you in peace. You can go inside and have a juicy post-mortem with Beth about tonight’s events. It’ll do you the world of good.’
‘All right, then.’ She smiled and when he opened his arms she instantly went into them. He kissed the top of her head and after a brief moment put her from him.
‘Get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Yes, you will.’ Natalie smiled at him. ‘Thanks, Marty.’
‘No. I should be the one thanking you for a terrific evening.’
‘You’re welcome. It was fun.’
‘It was.’ He started walking towards his car. ‘I’ll have aches and pains tomorrow from twisting my body in all sorts of strange ways but it was worth it.’
‘You poor old man.’ Natalie smiled and watched him climb behind the wheel of his four-wheel-drive. He waved as he drove off and she returned the wave, feeling a lot more cheerier than she had when Richard had left. She waited until Marty’s car turned the corner before she went inside.
Beth was sitting on the couch, packing away the game. Natalie surveyed the kitchen. It was spotless and the dishwasher was on. ‘Thanks for clearing everything away.’
‘I didn’t. Marty did. Said it was the least he could do to repay us for such a great evening.’
‘It was good.’ Natalie sat on the couch next to her friend.
‘Even with Richard showing up?’
Natalie sighed, then frowned. ‘Yes.’ She quickly told her friend about her decision to avoid Richard until he came to the realisation she honestly didn’t want to see him any more.
‘I can’t say I’m surprised.’
‘And glad?’
Beth smiled at her. ‘You deserve better.’ She paused. ‘Someone like Marty, for instance.’
Natalie shook her head. ‘Marty’s just a friend.’
‘But there’s chemistry between you.’
‘What? No. He treats everyone like that.’
‘I don’t think so. You’re his “darling Nat”.’
‘But that’s only because he’s known me for so long.’ She paused for a moment and knew she had to ask the question. ‘Do you want to go out with him?’ Natalie held her breath as she waited for her friend’s answer, wondering why the thought of Beth and Marty together bothered her so much. She didn’t begrudge them happiness, and if they found it with each other, then so much the better.
‘No. No chemistry.’
Natalie slowly exhaled and nodded, trying to ignore the relief she felt.
‘What’s your shift tomorrow?’ Beth asked.
‘Morning ward round then I’m on until three.’
‘With Marty?’
‘I’m not sure. He said he’d see me tomorrow, so possibly.’
‘I still think you should give him a go. See where this friendship might lead you.’
‘And what if I do? What if it wrecks the friendship we have? He’s footloose and fancy-free and even if I hadn’t known him for years, I would have picked that up in the last few days. No. Just friends for the two of us.’
‘But you can feel it? Can’t you?’ Beth watched her closely and Natalie felt as trapped as a kangaroo in a spotlight.
‘He’s very attractive,’ she finally conceded.
‘I knew it.’
‘But he’s not my type.’ As she said the words to Beth, Marty’s diagnosis of her past relationships popped back into her mind. She brushed it aside.
‘No. He’s not your usual type but you know what they say…a change is as good as a holiday.’ Beth giggled. Natalie rolled her eyes and smiled before standing and heading towards the stairs. ‘Night, Beth.’
‘Sweet dreams,’ her friend cooed in a sing-song voice.
Natalie shook her head. ‘See you in the morning, if you haven’t been called to the hospital in the middle of the night,’ she added, and Beth groaned before laughing.
As Natalie lay in bed, she thought over the evening and how easily she related to Marty. It was true what she’d said to Beth. She didn’t want to ruin their friendship because right now she needed her friends. Making the decision to break up with Richard had been coming on for quite a while now, but it still wouldn’t be easy and she’d have days filled with frustration.
There had also been a difference in Marty when he’d hugged her goodbye. Where she’d previously felt such a strong awareness between them, that time she hadn’t. It was as though he had been holding himself aloof, which was ridiculous. Aloof wasn’t a word she’d associate with Marty. Funny, kind-hearted, generous, thoughtful and gorgeous. Those were more his type of adjective. Aloof? With her?
‘You’re imagining things,’ she told herself as she turned over and punched the pillow. Closing her eyes, she listened to the whirring of the ceiling fan and gradually fell asleep.
CHAPTER FIVE
WHEN Marty returned home, he threw the keys on the bench and checked the messages on his answering-machine. There was one from Cassie, one from her friend Lisa and one from Ryan. He checked the clock and decided now was a good time to have a chat with his cousin.
‘What are you doing home this early in the afternoon?’ he chided Ryan. ‘It must be about four o’clock in the afternoon there. Get back to work.’
Ryan chuckled. ‘How’s it going, Cuz?’
‘Not bad.’
‘Enjoying being back in the land down under?’
‘Very much, although I am missing my daily fresh croissant. Mind sending me a couple?’
‘Won’t be fresh by the time they reach you. How’s the new job?’
Marty found himself smiling. ‘Not bad.’
‘Ah. I take it there’s a plethora of female talent?’
‘Actually, yes. You should head on back yourself.’
‘I have six more months on my current contract and I might just think about it. Will someone at your new hospital give me a job?’
Both men chuckled. ‘Actually, I did a bit of name dropping today so it will soon be common knowledge you’re my cousin.’
‘Yeah? Trying to impress the girls?’
‘Well…kind of, but she already knew about you.’
‘Yeah? Who?’
‘Remember Natalie Fox?’
‘From high school? Brunette with the long hair, right?’
Marty slowly exhaled. ‘That’s the one.’
‘You saw her a few years back, didn’t you?’
‘Nine years ago and right after my divorce.’
‘Man, time flies…’ Ryan trailed off. ‘Were there any sparks back then?’
‘Oh, yeah. Plenty of sparks
between us but bad timing.’
‘Always the way. So she’s at your hospital eh?’
‘She’s a colleague, same ward.’
‘This is such a small world. She still pretty?’
Marty closed his eyes and thought for a moment. The word pretty didn’t seem to accurately describe how incredibly beautiful Natalie was. ‘Very,’ he finally said.
‘Interested in her, are you?’
Marty opened his eyes at the question and shrugged even though his cousin couldn’t see him. ‘She kind of has a boyfriend.’
‘Kind of? Sounds like there’s room to manoeuvre. You should have made your move on her in high school.’
‘Nah. We were friends and, besides, she was going through a rough time. Her parents got divorced that year and she needed her friends. We were too young, too immature.’
‘But you’ve always liked her.’
‘She was about the only girl who really understood my sense of humour, you know, on my wavelength.’
‘You thought Gloria was on your wavelength, too.’
‘Are you going to throw my failed marriage in my face for the rest of my life?’
‘Only when I think it’s warranted.’ Ryan chuckled, his humour contradicting his words. He sobered and said seriously, ‘Listen, Marty, I’m only trying to say be careful because it sounds as though you want to be more than friends with Natalie now.’
Marty shook his head and raked a hand through his hair. ‘I’m attracted to her, there’s no denying that, but what if we get together and our friendship is ruined? I don’t want to risk that, Ryan.’
‘She that special to you?’
‘It’s hard to explain. It’s as though we’ve just picked up where we left off since the last time we saw each other. There’s this bond between us.’
‘What happened when you met up in Fiji?’
‘We only had about thirty-two hours together. I’d just arrived and she was just leaving.’
‘Yet nothing romantic happened?’
‘The day I landed in Fiji was right after I’d signed the divorce papers. I was in no state of mind to start anything up with anyone, especially someone like Nat who I hold in such high regard. No, she was as good a friend to me then as she’d been in high school. She said I’d helped her tremendously through the tough time of her parents’ divorce and now she was there to help me through mine. She listened to me moan and groan, held my hand, gave me comfort, told me the things I needed to hear.’
‘She was a friend.’
‘Exactly, and even though I was attracted to her, back then I needed her friendship.’
‘And now? Do you need her friendship more than the chance of a relationship?’
‘That’s a good question,’ Marty mumbled. ‘And I don’t think I can answer that. She also has this chip on her shoulder about relationships.’
‘What’s the deal? She doesn’t date? Dates too much?’
‘She’s happy enough to be in a relationship but only if she’s in control. The guy she’s with now is completely wrong for her. I met him tonight and he’s so stiff and…and just wrong for her. Also, he’s the opposite of her father.’
‘Meaning?’
‘Meaning she doesn’t date men who physically resemble her father. I don’t even think she realises she does it, and when I pointed that out tonight, she got a bit annoyed.’
‘It’s never easy, hearing a home truth. So I guess you and Natalie are destined to remain friends, eh?’
Marty weighed up his cousin’s words. ‘Maybe. There are a few obstacles we’d need to work through first. Add to that fact I do have the same colouring and build as her father.’
‘Strike one against you.’
‘Sort of. At least she knows the real me and knows I’m nothing like her father—in personality.’
‘That’s a good sign.’
‘Yeah, I guess. Anyway, enough about me. Tell me about frosty London. How’s the freeze going? Any snow yet?’
‘It’s trying hard to snow but all we have is slush at the moment. “Jingle Bells” playing, Santas in every store, people being cheerful and happy. It’s enough to make anyone say, “Bah humbug.”’
Marty laughed. ‘Are the wards full?’
‘To the brim.’
‘Well, at least that’s something for you to concentrate on, Dr Scrooge.’ They talked for a bit longer before Marty rang off, yawning. It was after midnight yet his mind refused to wind down. He went to the spare room and looked at the packing boxes awaiting his attention. He walked over to one marked MEMORABILIA and within a few minutes, had his old school year book out.
As he flicked through the pages, looking for her, he spotted a photograph he’d never noticed before. It was on a page filled with a collage of different people, and on the left-hand border was a picture of himself and Nat. Two of their other friends were in the photo as well, but he and Nat were in the middle, their arms around each other’s shoulders as they pulled faces for the camera.
He laughed at the sight of them and tried to reconcile the face-pulling teenager with the woman he’d spent time with tonight. She was still there, a little more repressed but still there. Then he thought about the way their bodies had been pressed together during their games of Twister.
Whenever she’d touched him, he’d felt an overwhelming awareness, as though his body knew she belonged to him. It was such a strange and alien sensation that for a moment he hadn’t been at all sure how to react. This was Nat! His friend. Although he’d been aware of her when they’d been teenagers and then later in Fiji, he’d preferred to honour their friendship.
Ever since his divorce, he’d preferred to keep any women in his life on the surface or around the edges. The wall was up and no one was getting through it…except people he trusted.
He trusted Nat.
Nat was a woman in his life.
He swallowed as he realised the truth of that thought. She was definitely someone he could confide in because she knew him. They may have both changed on the surface but deep down, he believed they were still the same. If not, their friendship wouldn’t have just picked up where it had left off. You couldn’t do that kind of thing with someone who didn’t really know you.
He returned the book to the box and shut the door on the spare room. At the same time he shut the door on his thoughts. He and Nat were going to be friends. It was what they both needed right now and that was all there was to it.
On Wednesday evening, Natalie thankfully sank into a bath and closed her eyes. After a hectic clinic that morning and paperwork, as well as helping make more decorations for the Christmas tree which now stood proudly in the ward, she was bushed.
In fact, the last few days since Marty had come back into her life had brought a whole new set of problems and emotions and she wasn’t quite sure she was ready to deal with them. Escaping into a bathtub full of bubbles, with candles around her, seemed the answer to all her prayers. ‘A Christmas wish come true,’ she whispered as she felt her body begin to relax.
Richard had called her a few times but she hadn’t returned his calls, hoping he’d get the message. She was ready to move on, although she was a little sad that things hadn’t worked out between the orthopaedic surgeon and herself.
‘And another one’s gone.’ Natalie tried to focus on washing all thoughts of Richard and their failed relationship from her mind. It went quite easily but hard on its heels came thoughts of Marty. She opened her eyes and pushed those away faster. Marty was her friend and that’s all there was to it.
She’d tried hard not to think about what he’d said the other night, that she only dated men who were the opposite of her father, and realised on that score that there actually may have been some truth in his words. When she’d learned of her parents’ divorce, she’d done everything she could to try and make things better. She’d worked harder at school, she’d been polite on every occasion, she even helped clean her father’s shed out, but nothing had worked. Her father had lef
t.
Davey, being two years younger, hadn’t been as affected as she had, and if it hadn’t been for Marty she wouldn’t have made it through. She closed her eyes again and mentally ticked off the men she’d dated since medical school and realised, with a slow and increasing sense of alarm, that Marty was correct. All of the men she’d chosen had been the opposite of her father, not necessarily in personality but definitely in looks.
‘And Marty?’ she whispered. Marty was gorgeous, she couldn’t deny that, and he did have the same colouring as her father, as well being of height and build, but she also knew he was different. He was trustworthy and he genuinely cared about her. In Fiji she’d had to work hard at controlling her attraction towards him—they had been friends. ‘And nothing has changed,’ she told herself, knowing she was already fighting hard against this attraction that seemed to exist between them.
She thought back to his words. Had she also chosen men who weren’t a threat to her? She’d told herself she was looking for a nice, steady man to settle down and have a life with…a life where she was in control. Surely it didn’t matter if they fell short of some of her expectations because no marriage was perfect—she’d had daily proof with her parents’ marriage.
The doorbell buzzed and she groaned. ‘Go away,’ she whispered, wishing Beth were home, but she knew her friend was still in Theatre. She waited, not moving, almost holding her breath and willing whoever it was to go away and leave her alone.
The doorbell went again and then again.
‘I know you’re home,’ she heard a faint male voice say.
‘Marty!’ She quickly climbed from the bath, towelled herself dry and pulled on her bathrobe, before heading downstairs to answer the door. ‘All right, all right,’ she called as he continued to ring the bell. She threw open the door. ‘What is it?’
Marty was stunned. He stood there and stared at her for ten seconds, trying to figure out how on earth he was supposed to control himself when faced with his darling Nat wearing only a bathrobe.