by Lucy Clark
‘We’ll have a meeting after the operating list is finished tomorrow evening,’ he told her as he marked it down in his diary.
‘Sure.’ Jordanne tucked the X-rays under her arm and headed for the door.
‘Jordanne?’
She stopped when he called her name and turned slowly to look at him.
‘Dinner tonight?’ His tone held regret and she noticed a sadness in his eyes. She wished she knew what he was thinking.
‘Sounds good. Are you on the menu?’
‘Jordanne!’ His gaze flashed with a spark of desire at her teasing. ‘No, I’m not. We need to…talk.’
Jordanne gulped but kept her tone light. ‘You’re the boss, boss. Seven o’clock, your place. I’ll bring dessert.’ With that she left his office and walked down the corridor, ignoring the nagging feeling that things weren’t as right as she thought they’d be.
‘So what did you want to discuss so urgently?’ Jed asked after he’d closed the door to his consulting room.
Alex sat down in the chair opposite Jed but then stood to pace the room. He stopped and looked across at his friend, frowning intently.
‘I have something to tell you but I have no idea how you’re going to react.’
‘Spit it out, Page.’
Alex took a deep breath. ‘I kissed Jordanne last night.’
Jed was silent for a moment and Alex clenched his jaw tightly, waiting for his friend to respond.
‘So that’s why she wore that dress.’ Jed nodded. ‘She’s interested in you.’
‘Yes.’
‘And…you’re interested in her?’
Alex raked a hand through his hair and crossed to the chair he’d vacated. ‘She’s an incredible woman,’ he said, after sitting down.
‘That she is.’ Jed’s tone held a warning note. ‘But you haven’t answered the question.’
Alex took a deep breath and momentarily closed his eyes. ‘Yes.’ His eyes snapped open. ‘I’m interested in her.’ He stood again to pace the room. ‘I don’t know, Jed. She drives me insane.’ He shook his head. ‘One minute she’s looking at me with those incredible eyes, reaching deep down into my soul, and the next she’s teasing, making me laugh. It all seems to have happened so quickly, and believe me…’ he held his hands outward, palms up ‘…I’ve tried to ignore it as well as stop it.’
‘But you can’t,’ Jed stated.
‘I can’t.’ Alex agreed, rubbing his fingers across his forehead.
‘So what are you going to do about it?’
‘There’s only one thing I can do. Call it off.’
‘What?’
‘I’m having dinner with her tonight. I’m going to tell her it was a mistake and that we shouldn’t pursue the attraction.’
‘Why? If you really feel this tied up in knots about Jordanne, then you owe it to yourself and to her to find out where it’s going to lead you. Jordanne isn’t a woman to make a commitment lightly. When she does, it will be for ever.’
‘That’s what I’m afraid of. That’s why I need to break it off. Now!’
‘Why? Because you’re afraid of marriage again? I thought you were over that?’
‘It’s not the commitment factor that I have a problem with.’
‘Then what is it?’
Alex raked both hands through his hair. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have kissed her,’ he mumbled more to himself than to Jed. He looked his friend squarely in the eye. ‘Do you know why my marriage broke up?’
Jed shook his head. ‘You never told me.’
‘It was because we couldn’t have children.’ The words were spoken softly and still held a hint of longing. Alex fought the pain saying those words had evoked. His parents, his brother and now his friend knew. It might have been seventeen years since he’d signed the divorce papers but the raw emotion he’d felt back then hadn’t diminished over time—it had just been pushed aside.
Both men were silent, the ticking of the clock the only sound in the room. Jed slowly exhaled. ‘Tough break.’
‘Now, I can tell, without even asking, that Jordanne would want children.’
Jed nodded.
‘That’s why I have to break it off. I can’t do that to her. It isn’t fair.’
‘I take it she doesn’t know.’
‘Of course she doesn’t. I only really kissed her for the first time last night. Until then I’d been desperately trying to keep my distance, but you know your sister.’
‘Oh, yeah. Once she gets an idea in her head, it’s virtually impossible to dislodge it.’
‘I can’t risk hurting her, Jed.’
‘She means that much to you?’
‘You—her. Both of you. If I hurt Jordanne, I risk our friendship as well. It’s the reason I wanted to be up-front with you.’
‘Why don’t you tell her what you told me and let her make her own decision?’
‘Don’t you think it’s a bit early in the relationship to start bringing up marriage and children? What if we find we’re not compatible?’
‘Just give the two of you a bit of time,’ Jed encouraged.
‘But what if it doesn’t work out? I don’t want to hurt her.’
‘That’s the risk we all take.’
That night, Alex decided to put all of his concerns aside and simply enjoy being with Jordanne, which was quite easy to do as she was very good company. She didn’t ask about his meeting with Jed and he didn’t offer any details. It was as though both of them had called a truce and were happy being in each other’s company.
They ate together on Tuesday night as well but this time at Jordanne’s house.
‘That operating session wasn’t too bad,’ Jordanne commented as she finished making a beef stir-fry. Alex sat on a bar stool at the bench, watching her intently.
He sipped his wine. ‘At least we didn’t go overtime. I hate hospital red tape and politics. Whatever happened to care for the patients being of primary concern? Instead, it’s get them fixed and get them out of the hospital as soon as possible.’
‘Economics,’ Jordanne agreed with a nod. ‘This is ready so let’s eat.’
‘Smells delicious,’ he murmured as she walked past him, carrying the food. He nibbled at her neck.
‘Stop it.’ She laughed. ‘You’ll make me drop dinner and I don’t fancy eating off the floor.’
Alex held her chair for her and Jordanne kissed him. ‘Thank you.’
‘So, what happened today with Ethan Hoe,’ he asked as he sat down and expertly used the chopsticks to lift a snow pea into his mouth.
‘Nothing out of the ordinary, but all of the answers he gave to my questions…well, it appeared as though he was ready for them.’
‘He’d anticipated them?
‘Yes. He didn’t hesitate or need to think about things.’
‘Most patients do,’ Alex said.
‘Especially when the injury was supposed to have occurred six months ago.’
‘Did anyone receive a list of your questions? The pharmaceutical company? The coaches?’
‘No.’ Jordanne shook her head and frowned. ‘I’ve brought home all the files of the athletes the company have recommended for the study so perhaps we can find some clues as to what’s going on here. Oh, I’ve also asked Sky to let me know as soon as the blood test results for Ethan Hoe arrive. They should be sent to the IAS, not the hospital.’
Alex nodded, his mouth full. ‘Good. This tastes great,’ he praised after he’d swallowed. ‘You’re a good cook, Jordanne McElroy.’
‘Thank you, Dr Page.’ She leaned over and gave him a kiss. ‘Feel free to compliment me any time.’
‘I might just do that,’ he murmured against her lips before he kissed her again. After a few more moments he pulled back and cleared his throat. Taking a sip of his wine, he looked at her. ‘Back to business. Louise Kellerman’s doing extremely well.’
‘I think it’s all the…help, for want of a better word, that she’s been receiving from Dean.’
‘The ward social worker?’
Jordanne sighed and shook her head. ‘Are all men blind?’
‘I thought she’d been in better spirits because we’d allowed her to see her cat.’
Jordanne laughed. ‘But was it seeing the cat or the fact that Dean had organised the whole thing?’
Alex shook his head in bemusement. ‘Regardless of whatever it is that’s making her happy, it’s working. I hope Dean has transferred her care if he has romantic feelings for her.’
‘I spoke to him about that yesterday morning. He said he’d look into it.’
‘Good. I’ve had good reports from the physio and the occupational therapist. The set of X-rays she had taken today showed everything to be healing well without further complications. The pin sites for the external fixator have cleared up, and with the bruising now almost non-existent she’ll be up and roller-blading again in no time.’
‘Don’t let Louise hear you say that. She doesn’t want to have anything to do with those “contraptions”, as she calls them, ever again.’
Alex laughed and Jordanne enjoyed the way the sound reverberated throughout her being, bringing a smile to her own face. She loved spending time with him, and the more they were together, the more Jordanne’s love for him increased.
After dinner, Alex prepared the dessert while Jordanne set out the documentation concerning the athletes on the coffee-table in the lounge room.
‘Here you go,’ he said as he handed her a bowl.
‘Wow. Ice cream. When you provide dessert, Alex, you don’t hold back a thing.’
‘It’s boysenberry,’ he said. ‘I thought that was your favourite.’
‘It is.’ Jordanne looked into the bowl to confirm it. ‘How did you know?’
‘Ah. I have my sources.’ He winked at her and Jordanne’s breath caught in her throat.
‘Kirsten?’
Alex nodded. ‘I bumped into her at the supermarket while I was trying to choose a flavour. She volunteered the information so I suspected she might know what’s going on between us.’
‘Is that a question?’ Jordanne asked.
‘Not really. I guess women love to talk.’ He shrugged and didn’t say anything more on the topic. They settled down to do some work, studying the information before them. Ten minutes later, the external entry door buzzer sounded. Jordanne stood up and crossed to the wall.
‘Hello?
‘Hi, sis. We were in the neighbourhood so we thought we’d pop in.’
Jordanne pressed the button that would release the door so Jed and Sally could come up. ‘Looks as though we have company,’ she said softly, her eyes trying to gauge Alex’s reaction to this unexpected visit. It was one thing to let her brother know they were dating but another to actually let him see them together as a couple. Even she was feeling a bit nervous.
Alex didn’t say anything but the easygoing atmosphere they’d previously enjoyed disappeared. His frown had returned and Jordanne could have cheerfully throttled her brother for his bad timing. Nevertheless, she opened the door when he knocked.
‘Hi, sis,’ her brother said as he embraced her, before walking into the room. Sally followed behind him.
‘Hi.’ Jordanne quickly fixed on a smile as she closed the door behind her friend. Alex stood and shook Jed’s hand and kissed Sally’s cheek.
‘What brings you this way?’ Jordanne asked.
‘We’ve just finished a long and drawn-out operating list,’ Sally answered.
‘Anyone want a cup of tea?’ Jed asked. Without waiting for an answer, he walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on. It was quite normal for her brother to make himself at home but Jordanne wished—just for tonight—that he and Sally would leave as soon as possible.
‘Something smells good,’ he said. ‘Stir-fry?’
‘Yes.’
‘I don’t suppose there’s any left?’ he asked as he opened the fridge to check for containers. ‘I’m starving.’
‘Well…’ Jordanne hesitated. ‘Why don’t you take Sally out for dinner?’
Jed came out of the kitchen and looked from Jordanne to Alex. ‘Something wrong?’ His grin said that he knew he was interrupting them and he wanted to test how they reacted.
Jordanne decided the best way to approach the situation was to call his bluff. ‘You can forget about it right now.’
‘Forget about what?’ he asked, feigning innocence. Sally laughed.
‘Jed, I’m a big girl and I don’t need you to check up on me.’
Jed didn’t deny it. He simply grinned. ‘But I wanted to see the two of you together.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I wanted to see how cute you are together.’
Sally laughed and Jordanne shook her head in bemusement. She glanced at Alex, whose eyebrows were raised at his friend’s statement.
‘Well, now you’ve seen us and have hopefully concluded that we’re very cute together, so now you can leave.’ Jordanne walked to the front door and held it open. She smiled sweetly at her brother. ‘Goodnight, Jed. Alex and I have a lot of work to do.’ She pointed to the papers on the coffee-table.
‘Problem?’
‘We’re just going over the research project with a fine-tooth comb,’ Alex supplied. ‘You know, make sure all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed.’
‘So my little sister’s been showing off her culinary skills?’ he asked, not moving from where he stood.
‘Yes,’ Alex answered.
Jordanne watched as Alex and Jed looked at each other. It was as though they were having a conversation solely with looks. She tried to think of something to say to break the silence but her mind had gone blank.
‘All of the McElroys are good cooks,’ Sally volunteered, and Jordanne could have kissed her for breaking the moment. ‘And speaking of which, Jed…’ She crossed to her fiancé’s side and placed her hand in his. ‘I’m really hungry. As Jordanne has no leftovers and you’re probably too tired to cook, let’s get take-away tonight.’
Jordanne watched as Sally tugged Jed towards the door, silently thanking her friend.
‘You two get back to work before your minds start to blur from exhaustion,’ Sally instructed them.
‘Well, I guess we’ll see you later,’ Jed offered, and waved as Sally all but pushed him out the door.
As Jordanne’s door closed behind them, Sally shook her head at her fiancé. ‘You really shouldn’t tease them like that, Jed.’ They both chuckled before heading off.
Jordanne turned to look at Alex once her brother and friend had left. ‘You OK?’
‘Fine.’ He exhaled slowly. ‘I knew the first time he saw us together would seem a little…uncomfortable but, hey, it’s over.’ He sat down and started looking through the files again.
The kettle that Jed had switched on boiled and turned itself off. ‘More coffee?’ Jordanne asked, and when Alex glanced up at her he saw the worried look on her face.
‘No, I’m fine.’
‘Alex, say something. Tell me how you feel.’ Jordanne sat down beside him, wanting desperately to touch him but not daring in case she made the situation worse.
Alex had never liked talking about his feelings to the women he’d dated in the past. He’d always put it down to not having a sister to talk to when he’d been growing up. Yet with Jordanne, the discomfort he usually felt was amazingly absent. He draped his arm around her shoulder and drew her closer.
‘I just want to take things slowly,’ he told her.
‘OK.’
Both of them were quiet for a few more minutes before Jordanne looked at the work in front of them. ‘We have to get this done.’ She turned her face upwards to him, ready for a kiss. He obliged and they moved apart.
‘You’re right.’
Together they worked methodically, searching for something that would give them a clue as to what was going on. They studied the X-rays in detail, making notes of the dates they’d been taken.
‘Call the radiogra
phy companies tomorrow and check these dates against their records,’ Alex said. ‘I’ll get my secretary to check the referring doctors.’
Jordanne nodded and picked up the form she’d filled in for Ethan Hoe. ‘So far all of the athletes have been track and field.’ She looked to the line where the coach’s name was written. ‘Alex, who coaches Xavier Bell?’
‘Ralph Cooper,’ he read.
‘Check the others,’ Jordanne ordered. They looked at the forms for all eight athletes the company had recommended. ‘They all have the same coach. Ralph Cooper.’ She looked at Alex. ‘Is that strange?’
‘It might be.’ Alex made a note of the name before looking back at the paper maze before them. ‘I think that’s enough for tonight. If we can check into those other areas tomorrow and discuss the findings, we’ll hopefully know what’s going on sooner rather than later.’
‘I’m going to contact all the patients listed in the study, apart from these athletes, and just check to see how they’re going.’
‘Speaking of going…’ Alex stood and stretched his legs. ‘We’ve got the private clinic in the morning and I have meetings all afternoon. Let’s have dinner at my house tomorrow,’ he suggested as he pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on her lips. ‘And just so you know, I like any dessert that has chocolate in it.’
Jordanne smiled up at him. ‘Well, Mr Chef, I just want you to know that I don’t particularly like capsicum so, please, don’t cook—or order—anything with it in.’
‘How does…lasagne sound?’
‘Great.’
‘No capsicum in that,’ he teased. ‘Besides, I know a great place to order from.’
‘Can you cook?’ she asked, a little sceptical.
‘I do a mean barbeque.’
Jordanne laughed. ‘You’d get on well with Justin. He loves to cook the barbeque.’
‘You have so many siblings, I don’t know how I’ll ever remember one from the other.’
‘You already know Jed and Joel. In order it goes Jed, Joel, Jasmine, Justin, me and then Jared. It’s quite simple.’
He kissed her, more thoroughly this time, and Jordanne forgot about teasing him. When he finally released her, her eyes were closed and she was almost swooning. Alex chuckled as he made sure her legs would support her.