Critical Condition

by Nicki Edwards

  The girl trotted off, glancing over her shoulder as though to check it really was Adam Ford.

  Adam watched her leave then turned to Poppy, giving her his most sexy screen smile. A wave of nausea washed over her again and moments later when the girl placed Poppy’s drink in front of her, she held the frosted glass to her forehead. Was it hot in here?

  Adam didn’t seem to notice her discomfort, or if he did, he chose to disregard it. He took a long sip of his beer before turning on his bar stool to face her. His eyes darkened, causing Poppy’s pulse to race and pound in her ears louder than the surf at the ocean.

  He reached for her hand, but she jerked it away.

  “Are you pissed at me for not contacting you after your dad died? Is that why you didn’t come home? I’ve told you many times you needed to be patient. It wasn’t like I could drop everything as soon as you told me your dad died. You know how it is. I was in the middle of filming. I couldn’t leave L.A. It was all about the timing.”

  Poppy wanted to hit him. Instead, she fiddled with the straw in her drink, swirling the ice cubes in slow circles while searching for the right words and a lid for her temper. At least when she told him it was all over he was less likely to lose it with her in a public place. She pulled her shoulders back. The sooner she got this conversation over with the better. Then she could leave and get on with her life without him in it.

  “At the time I was annoyed with you, yes. But that’s not the reason I didn’t go back,” she said.

  He touched her shoulder and ran his fingers down the front of her shirt, grazing over her breast.

  She flinched.

  “What’s going on, babe?”

  “I’m not going back to America.”

  The bottle in his hand froze midair, partway to his lips. His fingers on her arm stilled. “Don’t be stupid. Of course you’re coming back.”

  His Mr. Nice Guy persona vanished and in its place was the version of the Adam she didn’t like. Poppy felt her jaw tighten as irritation bubbled inside her. He hadn’t changed. Wouldn’t change.

  “Australia is my home. I’m not going back to America,” she repeated.

  His eyes flashed. “But what we have together is so good.”

  “What we had together was a lie,” Poppy hissed. She leaned closer, aware the girl from the bar was hovering nearby. Pretending to wipe the benches, she was listening in on every word. “And I was an idiot to waste all those years on you. All those years on a man who didn’t want anything except sex with a woman who wasn’t his wife!”

  Adam narrowed his gaze. “What the hell are you trying to say? When you sent me a message saying you’d gone back to Australia, I never expected you wouldn’t be there when I got to New York to visit you. I have to say, I didn’t appreciate you messing me around and standing me up.”

  “Messing you around?” she snapped, aware her voice was rising. “What the hell do you think you’ve been doing to me for the past five years? Five years, Adam. Five years and then I find out you’re married!”

  A mask fell over his face and he dropped his gaze to stare at the beer bottle in his hands like it had magic powers. He started picking at the edge of the label on the bottle, plucking at it with his perfectly manicured fingernails.

  “Who told you?” he asked finally.

  “No one. I heard you on the phone to her. A quick search of the internet was all it took to find out who Jules was. No wonder you never wanted to live in New York with me. Because you lived in L.A. With your wife!”

  “Aw, babe, come on, I can explain. Don’t be like that —”

  She held up her hand to cut him off. “Are you kidding me? Don’t be like that? Like what? Like a woman scorned. Or like a woman totally ticked off and humiliated because she found out she was having an affair with a married man? For five flippin’ years? I have every right to be annoyed with you, Adam. No. Not annoyed. Furious.”

  He didn’t even flinch. “If you did a proper internet search you’d know it’s over between us,” he said coldly. “Juliet left me.”

  “I don’t blame her.”

  Deep frown lines appeared. “I told you, you had to be patient. Of course I couldn’t tell you why. But I was waiting for the right time to leave her so I could be with you. Juliet’s off the scene – has been for a long time really – so we can pick up where we left off.”

  Poppy slammed her unfinished drink on the bar and stood.

  “Have you not heard a word I’ve said? I’m not going back to America. And I’m not going back to you. Full stop. End of story. Period, or whatever it is you Americans say.”

  He reached over and tried to grab her hand again but she moved away.

  “I know you want more than what you had last time, and I promise it will be different now Juliet’s gone.”

  “You’re not hearing me, Adam. It’s over between us. For good.”

  When she tried to walk away, he reached out and caught her forearm. Tight, but not tight enough to leave a bruise. His eyes darkened and flashed menacingly. With his other arm, he pulled her possessively toward him around the waist and leaned close to whisper in her ear.

  “It’s not over until I say it’s over, babe.”

  She winced as he gripped her arm and squeezed. She breathed in and out slowly. This was his idea of a gentle reminder of who was in charge. If she didn’t react, he’d let her go.

  The door to the pub opened then closed, catching her attention. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a familiar figure walk in then straight out.

  No!

  There was no doubt Liam had seen them.

  Jerking from Adam’s grip, she whipped a ten dollar note out of her purse and threw it in his direction. It fluttered to the floor but she didn’t stop to pick it up. She hitched her bag onto her shoulder. “See you, Adam,” she called out as she bolted out the door like a horse out of the turnstile.

  Out on the street she looked up and down but there was no sign of Liam. She ran one way to the corner but didn’t see his car. It was as though he’d simply vanished. As she jogged back to her car her hands shook as she pulled out her phone and called him. His phone went straight to voicemail. She called again and this time left a voice message asking him to call her straight away.

  She drove home hoping he’d be home already and she’d get a chance to explain why she’d been at the pub with Adam.

  *

  Liam was getting back in his car when Joel called.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  “Where are you?” Joel asked.

  “I’m over at Mum and Dad’s. Why?”

  “Have you seen Poppy?” Joel asked.

  Liam’s mouth went dry. Something in Joel’s tone caused goosebumps to explode on his bare arms. “Not since lunchtime. She went grocery shopping and then as far as I know she was heading home to cook dinner.” His stomach rumbled and he rubbed at it. “Roast lamb. I’d ask you and Kate and the kids to join us if I didn’t have other plans for dessert, if you know what I mean.”

  “You might want to call her.”

  Fear laced around Liam’s heart. “Why? Is she okay? She hasn’t been well lately.”

  “I just saw her at the pub with a guy.”

  Pain stabbed Liam in the temple. “Who was he? What did he look like? Describe him.”

  Joel exhaled loudly. “How the flip should I know? He was tall. Long dark hair. I didn’t recognize him. All I know is they looked like they knew each other well. Very well, if you know what I mean.”

  *

  Poppy was adding potatoes and pumpkin to the tray of roast lamb in the oven when she heard a car crunch over the gravel outside. It came around the side of the house and stopped. Thank goodness. Liam was home. Now she could explain what had happened at the pub. She was still shaking with anger at Adam’s behavior.

  She shoved the tray into the oven and slammed the door closed. Wiping her hands on a tea towel she stepped outside onto the back verandah. When Adam climbed from his ca
r dread swept through her like an out-of-control fire.

  He staggered slightly as he pushed open the side gate and let himself into the yard.

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. “How did you find me?”

  “Asked a few questions. Seems like everyone in this town knows of Poppy McDonald. Must be the hair. Or is it something else?”

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, hugging herself tightly.

  He walked closer. “Couldn’t leave this hick town without saying good-bye properly.”

  “I said good-bye.”

  “You said ‘see you’,” Adam replied.

  “Figure of speech. Same thing. I meant good-bye.”

  He ignored her and took another step closer.

  “You gonna invite me in?” he asked when he’d reached the back steps. He was so close she smelt alcohol on his breath. He must have downed a few drinks in the past hour or so since she’d stormed out of the pub.

  “No.”

  “What’s cooking? Smells good.”

  “Roast lamb.”

  “For one? Or are you expecting company?”

  When she didn’t reply he caught her wrist and squeezed tight. “I meant what I said, Poppy. I’ve missed you. Missed us. Missed this.” He pushed her against the wall of the house and pressed against her. Her stomach heaved. “You’ve missed it too right, babe?” His breath was hot in her ear.

  She shoved him back as hard as she could but he barely budged. “I’ve got friends coming for dinner,” she lied. “A cop and a lawyer. They’ll be here soon. You need to leave.”

  “A threesome hey? What time are they coming? Perhaps I can help you work up an appetite before they get here. I’ll have you for mains and they can have you for dessert.”

  Fear snaked down her back. She tried to tell herself to relax, tried to tell herself this was crazy, tried to tell herself that this was Adam and she had nothing to be frightened of. But it was a lie. She was petrified.

  She inched sideways along the wall of the house toward the door, feeling the rough weatherboards beneath the palms of her hands. If she could open the door and slip inside quickly, she could lock it behind her. Her breathing accelerated and sweat trickled down her spine.

  “We can have a quickie then you can get back to your kitchen maid duties before your guests arrive.”

  She wanted to stab the sexism out of him but more than that she wanted to put distance and a closed door between them.

  “I told you it’s over,” she said, as confidently as she could muster. Her legs were like jelly.

  Adam took another step forward and she took a step sideways again. He followed.

  Suddenly the back door was flung open from inside. Poppy froze.

  “Hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

  Liam’s voice was low, menacing and the best sound ever. Poppy sank back against the side of the house as her knees threatened to give way.

  “Who the hell are you?” Adam growled. Like a dog whose attention had been taken by something else, he took his eyes off Poppy long enough for her to put some distance between them.

  Liam drew her into a hug. “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded. “I am now.” Her breathing was too fast and she forced herself to slow it down before she hyperventilated. Her pulse pounded in her ears. If Liam hadn’t arrived, she had no idea what Adam might have done.

  “I said, who the hell are you?” Adam repeated, lurching toward Liam.

  “It doesn’t matter who I am.”

  Adam faced him, drawing himself up as tall as he could. He poked a finger in Liam’s chest. Liam didn’t even flinch.

  “Well, buddy, I don’t know if you’re the cop or the lawyer, but I’m Poppy’s boyfriend. And you’re interrupting us.”

  “Is that right?” Liam asked. His voice was like steel. “It looks to me, buddy, that Poppy’s glad I interrupted. And I’m sure I heard Poppy tell you that she’s not interested.”

  Adam pushed Liam in the chest. “This is between me and Poppy.”

  Liam clenched his fists at his sides. Poppy looked from one man to the other. In a fist fight, she had no doubt who would win, but she didn’t want Adam suing Liam for giving him a black eye.

  “Go back to where you belong, you bloody Yank.”

  Adam’s eyes narrowed. “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?”

  “I do, and it makes no difference to me.”

  Adam spun to look at her. Poppy staggered back at the hatred in his eyes.

  “Who is this guy, Poppy? Have you been banging someone on the side while you’ve been waiting for me?”

  “Get off my property, Adam. GO!”

  “You heard her,” Liam said, when Adam didn’t move.

  Adam made a fist and Poppy screamed as he went for a right hook. Liam was quicker and bigger and blocked the punch, landing a punch of his own in Adam’s gut. The impact sent Adam stumbling backward. He lost his footing, falling over one of Poppy’s gumboots lying near the back door. He landed flat on his back on the grass, legs sprawled heavenward. Everything within Poppy wanted to land a kick of her own, right where it would have hurt, but she held herself in check.

  Adam staggered to his feet and Liam shoved him once more toward his car.

  Seconds later the car started and with a spin of tires on gravel Adam left.

  “Are you alright?” Liam asked, drawing her close.

  She nodded, too frightened to speak. Her body began to shake.

  “Did he hurt you?”

  “No. But if you hadn’t arrived when you did …”

  “Shh,” he soothed. “It’s okay. I’m going to go and make you a cup of tea.”

  He pulled out a kitchen chair for her and she sat, allowing the tears to fall while she told Liam what had happened.

  *

  Ten minutes later, after having a hot shower and getting dressed in her most comfortable clothes, she found Liam in the kitchen. He’d removed the near ruined roast from the oven and served it onto plates. Suddenly, she was starving.

  “You look a bit better,” he said, smiling and handing her a cup of tea.

  She grasped it in both hands, allowing the warmth from the cup to warm her cold fingers. “Thanks. I feel better. I was so cold.”

  “Sit down. I’ve plated dinner. I’ll zap it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat.”

  She sat in the chair he pulled out for her. When his hands went to her shoulders and weaved through her hair, she tensed.

  “Relax, Poppy. I’m going to get your comb and fix your hair. It’s a bird’s nest.” He came back seconds later with a dry towel and a comb and for the next ten minutes, carefully untangled one knot at a time. While he combed her hair, her eyes filled with tears that pooled and spilled down her cheeks. Liam was so precious and she was the luckiest woman on the planet.

  He reached out to catch a tear, his fingers stroking her skin. “Don’t cry.”

  His simple request made the tears fall faster. She sniffled, tasting salt, and gazed into his eyes, seeing nothing but love and kindness there.

  “I love you, Poppy, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to protect you for the rest of your life.”

  Poppy’s mouth dropped open.

  Liam ran his hands across his hair. “That probably isn’t what you want to hear right now. Not after what he tried to do …”

  She put her finger to his lips. “It’s exactly what I need to hear. Thank you.”

  Chapter 37

  Two days after Adam’s shock visit Poppy was working an early shift when Liam walked in. Her heart sped and a woozy warm flush swept over her body. He came straight over and greeted her with a hug and a less-than-chaste kiss which raised more than one pair of eyebrows from her patients. Her colleagues were all used to it by now.

  Poppy blushed. “I’m working,” she hissed, trying to hide her smile. “How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t walk in and kiss me like that every time you see me? It’s not professi
onal.” She was part joking, part serious.

  Liam chuckled. “Rubbish. They don’t mind. Everyone loves a little romance.” He kissed her again as if to prove his point.

  “What are you doing here anyway?” she asked.

  “Working.”

  She looked around, not seeing a patient. “Doesn’t look like it.”

  He shrugged. “My patient’s at triage chatting up the nurses.”

  “Oh.”

  “He’s fourteen.”

  Poppy laughed. “Boys will be boys, eh? And I’m sure you’ve been teaching him everything you know,” she said.

  “Something like that. Matt’s a frequent flyer. They don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s fourteen and gets these pains that are so bad his mum can’t even touch him.”

  Poppy frowned. “Rheumatoid arthritis?”

  “No. It’s not his joints.”

  “Why is he here today?”

  “Uncontrollable pain. Again. His mum has tried everything today. The usual – panadeine, nurofen, voltaren, amitryptaline – and he can still barely move. We had to carry him to the truck.”

  “And what do we usually do for him?” she asked.

  “You guys manage his pain as best you can and send him home. Last time he was here the doctors were thinking it might be fibromyalgia. Hopefully he’s been to see the specialist in Sydney and his mum might have some answers. She’s amazing. Don’t know how she copes.”

  “What’s he still doing at triage?”

  “Playing with the nurses.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “He can’t be that sick then.”

  “Wait until you see this kid. He’s a Rubik’s cube genius. One day his hands were so painful he had to use his feet to unscramble the cube. He’ll blow you away.”

  A female paramedic appeared, pushing a lanky boy in a wheelchair. The first thing Poppy noticed was his long legs and knobby knees. He had a shock of dark hair, pale skin and a big smile which barely masked the pain in his eyes. In his lap were at least a half dozen colored cubes of various sizes.

  Liam and his colleague helped lift Matt from the wheelchair to the bed. He grimaced and winced but never uttered a word of complaint. One of the doctors had already swung past and written up a drug chart for some stronger pain relief which Poppy went and got straight away. When she came back Liam was still there, scrambling the cube with his back to Matt.