Lucy frowned. It wasn’t the first time she had found Richard lacking, yet in the beginning he had appeared so perfect. He’d been handsome, charming, witty, attentive—everything she could have wished for. It was only after they had started living together that she’d discovered he could be incredibly selfish at times too, but she’d been so sure that he was the man she’d wanted to spend her life with that she had made excuses for him.
Was she doing the same thing again? she wondered suddenly. All week long she had struggled to reconcile the impression she had formed of Max as a caring, dedicated doctor with the playboy bachelor Joanna had described. The only explanation she had come up with was that something must have happened in his past to make him behave so differently in his private life. It would be even easier to see that as the explanation after what had happened just now, too. Max had sounded genuinely concerned in case he had upset her, but Lucy realised it would be foolish to take it at face value. It was probably all part of his act, a way to project the right image!
Pain lanced her heart as she made her way to Sophie’s bed. Even though she knew how silly it was, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed. It was an effort to smile at the girl but the last thing Lucy wanted was anyone guessing how she felt. ‘I’ve just popped in to say goodbye. I bet you’re looking forward to going home, aren’t you?’
‘I suppose so,’ Sophie muttered.
Lucy frowned when she heard the despondent note in Sophie’s voice. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘I’m just worried in case I can’t cope,’ Sophie admitted. ‘I don’t know anything about babies and there’s so much to learn.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ Lucy said encouragingly. ‘All the staff have said how brilliant you are with Alfie. And they don’t say that about all our mums, believe me!’
‘I hope they’re right,’ Sophie said miserably, lifting her son out of the crib.
‘They are,’ Lucy said firmly, hating to hear the girl sounding so downhearted. ‘I’m sure you’ll be absolutely fine, but if you do have any concerns then ask your health visitor. She’ll be visiting you every day for the next two weeks so you can discuss any problems with her. She’ll also be able to tell you when the baby clinic is open. Don’t forget that there are people there who can give you advice if you need it.’
‘I suppose so.’ Sophie still sounded very unsure. She cuddled Alfie for a moment and Lucy could see real fear in her eyes when she looked up. ‘It’s just a bit…well, scary knowing that I’m responsible for looking after him. I’m worried in case I do something wrong.’
‘Most new mums feel like that,’ Lucy assured her. ‘Is there anyone at home who can help you?’
‘No, there’s nobody.’
‘What about your family?’ she persisted gently.
‘My mum left home when I was a child and I haven’t seen her since. My dad brought me up but he died last year.’ Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I named Alfie after him.’
‘I’m sure he would have been thrilled,’ Lucy said kindly, passing her a tissue. ‘What about Alfie’s father? Will he help out?’
‘I doubt it. He’s left Dalverston and I’ve no idea where he’s living now.’ Sophie blew her nose. ‘He never wanted me to have Alfie in the first place. He was furious when I refused to have a termination. I’m glad he’s gone because I don’t want him anywhere near Alfie.’
‘I understand,’ Lucy said, feeling very sorry for the girl. She only wished there was something she could do to help her, but once Sophie left the maternity unit she was no longer their concern.
It wasn’t an ideal situation by any means and Lucy couldn’t help feeling concerned. ‘I’ll have to get back to work but don’t forget that there’s help available if you need it, Sophie. You only have to ask.’
‘Thank you.’
Sophie dredged up a smile but Lucy could tell that she was still worried. She sighed as she made her way to the desk to see what Amanda wanted her to do. Even with daily visits from the health visitor, Sophie was going to find it hard work looking after Alfie by herself. New babies needed an awful lot of attention and with no family to call on, the girl would be very much on her own.
‘Problems?’
She glanced up, feeling a wash of colour run up her cheeks when she realised that she had walked straight past Max without seeing him. Bearing in mind their earlier conversation, she felt obliged to stop. She didn’t want him apologising again, not when it might start off all that soul-searching once more. Max might project the image of a caring, committed professional but she had to remember that it was all part of his act.
‘I’m worried about Sophie Jones,’ she said quickly, not wanting to dwell on that thought.
‘Come into the office and tell me about it,’ he said immediately. He opened the office door, his brows rising when she hesitated. ‘If you’re worried about a patient, Lucy, we need to do something about it.’
‘Of course.’ She followed him into the room, pausing by the door as he walked over to the desk because it seemed wiser to maintain a little distance between them. When she was close to Max, it seemed to confuse things even more.
‘OK, shoot.’
‘It’s nothing major,’ she said quickly, refusing to allow the idea to take root. Max didn’t present any danger to her when she knew exactly what he was like. ‘I’m just a bit concerned because Sophie doesn’t have anyone to help her when she gets home. I know there are lots of young mums living on their own who do a great job of bringing up their children, but most of them have someone they can call on for back-up. Sophie hasn’t got anyone and she’s admitted that she’s worried in case she can’t cope.’
‘Hmm. It’s a difficult situation and I understand why you’re concerned,’ Max said, frowning. He went over to the filing cabinet and pulled out Sophie’s notes, shaking his head as he read through them. ‘I wish I’d noticed this before. Look.’
Lucy went to join him, bending down so she could see what he was pointing to. ‘There’s no contact details, not even a name in the space for next of kin!’
‘I know. Worrying, isn’t it?’
He straightened up at the same moment as she did and she felt heat flash along her veins when their arms brushed. He’d rolled up his shirtsleeves and the feel of his skin against hers sent a surge of electricity shooting through her. Her eyes rose to his and her breath caught when she saw the awareness they held. Max had felt it too, felt that flash of heat, the tingling jolt of electricity that had sparked between them, and it was hard to hide her dismay as she hurriedly moved away.
What had happened with Richard had hit her hard. Her confidence in herself as an attractive, desirable woman had been rocked and it would be only too easy to use this as a much-needed boost, but at what cost? From what she had heard, Max cut a swathe through women, discarding them once they had outlived their usefulness. Could she accept that, or would she end up wanting more than he was prepared to offer?
Lucy bit her lip. She couldn’t answer that question. It all depended on what she wanted from Max and she hadn’t worked that out yet.
Max could feel his whole body throbbing. It wasn’t a painful feeling but it was definitely worrying. He couldn’t remember the last time he had reacted this strongly when he had touched a woman or if, indeed, it had ever happened. Surely it couldn’t be a first?
He racked his brain but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t come up with another occasion when the feel of a woman’s skin had instantly set him on fire. It hadn’t even happened when he’d met his ex-wife, and the thought made him groan under his breath. What was it about Lucy that made him react this way?
Max had no idea what the answer was but he knew that he needed to put a rein on his feelings if he wasn’t to make a fool of himself. He glanced at the file, hoping it would help if he focused on the current problem. There was no point torturing himself by recalling how Lucy had looked at him…
‘I see that Sophie is registered with Dalverston Surgery,�
�� he said briskly, cutting off that thought. ‘Rachel Thompson’s her GP. That’s good news.’
‘You think it would be an idea to have a word with Dr Thompson about her?’ Lucy said quietly.
Max felt a wave of tenderness wash over him when he heard the tremor in her voice. Although she was making a valiant effort, he could tell that she was as shocked by what had happened as he was. His own voice softened because he wanted her to know that there was nothing to worry about. Even if they were attracted to one another they would take things slowly; he definitely wouldn’t rush her into his bed.
That was another thought that needed to bite the dust, fast. Max mentally ground it beneath his heel, praying that would be the last he heard of it. Getting hung up on the idea that Lucy would sleep with him was the last thing he needed!
‘Yes, I do. Rachel set up an advisory service for teenage mums in Sophie’s position a couple of years ago. Rachel was a teenage mum herself so she understands the problems better than most people do. I’ve heard a lot of good reports about the work they do.’
‘What a brilliant idea!’ Lucy exclaimed. ‘I know we hold classes for all the new mums but it’s impossible to cover everything in the time we can spend with them. The younger mums in particular could do with a lot more help.’
‘That’s why Rachel decided to set up this advisory service,’ Max told her. ‘I sat in on a session last year and it was excellent—good, sound advice presented in a way that the girls could understand but not feel as though they were being talked down to.’
‘It’s exactly what Sophie needs. She’s very capable; all the staff have said how good she is with Alfie. She just needs to gain a bit more confidence in herself.’
‘Then the classes would be ideal for her. Another plus is that she’ll meet other girls in her situation and hopefully make some friends. She won’t feel quite so alone if she has someone her own age to talk to.’
‘It’s the perfect solution. Thanks, Max. I’ll give Dr Thompson a call and see what she has to say.’
Lucy smiled at him, her whole face lighting up with delight, and Max felt another surge of heat flow through him and wash away every sensible thought he’d had. Maybe he didn’t want to rush her, but he had to start somewhere.
‘Look, Lucy,’ he began, then stopped when the phone rang. He tried to curb his impatience as he reached for the receiver, but it was frustrating to be interrupted at such a crucial moment. ‘Maternity. Max Curtis speaking.’
It was A and E requesting his assistance with a patient who’d been involved in an RTA. She was twenty weeks pregnant and bleeding heavily, and they needed him there, stat.
Max promised them he’d be straight there and hung up. He explained to Lucy that he had to go and left, sighing as he made his way to the lift. Another couple of seconds and he would have asked her out, but would that really have been the wise thing to do? Lucy wasn’t the sort of woman he usually went out with. She would expect more from a relationship than a few casual dates, invest more of herself into it too. Was he prepared for that when it went against all his rules?
For the past three years, he had avoided commitment yet he knew in his heart that he wouldn’t be able to do that with Lucy. Lucy made him dream about home and family, made him long for happily-ever-after, and they were all the things he could never have.
What he needed was a distraction to take his mind off her. It had been months since he’d been out on a date, now that he thought about it. He’d been too busy with work to worry about socialising and it was time he rectified that. There was a new nurse in A and E, who’d made it clear that she was interested in him; he would invite her out for dinner at the weekend.
As for Lucy, well, he would get over this crush or whatever it was in time. He had to. He certainly didn’t intend to have his life disrupted all over again.
Chapter Five
THE day flew past. They had no sooner admitted Fiona Walker, the patient involved in the RTA, when two other mums phoned to say they were in labour. It meant they were really stretched to keep up but Lucy was glad because it gave her less time to brood about what had happened with Max. Maybe he did see her as an attractive and desirable woman, and maybe it was a boost to her confidence, but in her heart she knew it would be a mistake to get involved with him.
She had just escaped from one disastrous relationship and she needed to concentrate on putting her life back together. Perhaps a time would come when she felt able to trust a man again but not yet. And definitely not someone like Max. No matter how good he made her feel, Max was strictly off limits.
Lucy felt a little better after she had made her decision. By the time her shift ended, she felt much calmer about what had happened. Amanda was in the office when Lucy went to sign out; she looked up and grimaced.
‘What a day! I couldn’t believe it when those two mums turned up one after the other like that.’
‘It has been hectic,’ Lucy agreed. She filled in the time next to her name then glanced at Amanda and frowned. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be off duty now as well?’
‘I wish! I’m still trying to sort out the Christmas timetable,’ Amanda explained. ‘Every time I make a start on it, something happens, but I need to get it done soon.’
‘Are you having problems finding people to work?’ Lucy asked sympathetically.
‘Yes. Normally, we use a rota system so that anyone who works nights over Christmas is off at New Year. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough staff to do that this year.’ Amanda sighed. ‘Folk aren’t going to be too pleased when they find out they’re having to work both holidays.’
‘I don’t mind working,’ Lucy offered. She shrugged when Amanda looked at her in surprise. ‘I wasn’t planning on doing anything so I may as well work.’
‘Are you sure?’ Amanda said uncertainly. ‘I thought you’d want to go home and see your family.’
‘No, it’s fine. Really.’ She smiled at the other woman, not wanting to explain why she preferred to remain in Dalverston. She had been dreading Christmas and the New Year, if she was honest. Her parents would expect her to go home and she couldn’t face the thought of seeing everyone again. Working over the holidays would give her the perfect excuse to avoid it. ‘You can put me down for Christmas and New Year if it helps.’
‘Oh, it does!’ Amanda assured her. She added Lucy’s name to the timetable then printed out a copy and held it aloft. ‘All done! Am I glad we hired you. I can’t imagine anyone else volunteering to do a double stint of nights!’
‘It isn’t a problem,’ Lucy said quickly, feeling a little uncomfortable when she would benefit from her offer far more than Amanda would. She picked up her bag and turned to leave. ‘I’ll be off, then. See you tomorrow.’
‘Rightio…Oh, before I forget, what are you doing on Saturday night?’
Lucy paused. ‘Nothing. Why?’
‘A few of us have decided to go out for a pre-Christmas meal,’ Amanda explained. ‘It’s just me, Joanna, Cathy and Margaret so far, although I’m hoping a couple of the community midwives will be able to join us. We’re going to that Indian restaurant in the town centre so how do you fancy it?’
‘I’d love to come,’ Lucy agreed immediately. It was just what she needed, in fact, the first step towards building a social life. The first step towards taking her mind off Max, too. She hurriedly dismissed that thought. ‘What time are you meeting up?’
‘Seven o’clock outside the restaurant,’ Amanda informed her, then looked up and smiled. ‘Oh, good. I was hoping to catch you before you left. How do you fancy coming out for a curry on Saturday night?’
Lucy glanced round to see who Amanda was talking to and felt her heart jolt when she saw Max standing in the doorway. It was hard to maintain an outward show of calm as he came into the room. It wasn’t just the fact that Max had seemed attracted to her that had shocked her, of course, but that she had reciprocated. Bearing in mind what had happened recently, she should have been immune to his appeal, but there
was no point pretending. Even though she knew that Max was the last man she should get involved with, there was something about him that drew her.
Max could feel his body humming with tension as he walked into the office. He nodded to Lucy, hoping she couldn’t tell how on edge he felt. Maybe he did intend to get over this…crush he seemed to have developed on her but it could take a little time. ‘Sorry. I’m afraid I can’t make it on Saturday. I’ve made other plans.’
‘Oh, I see!’ Amanda grinned at him. ‘So who’s the lucky lady, then? Don’t tell me it’s still that nurse from Paeds? She must be well past her sell-by date by now!’
Amanda laughed but Max was hard pressed to raise a smile. Even though he knew she hadn’t meant any harm, he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable about Lucy hearing the comment. Although he was the first to admit that he’d been out with a lot of women, it wasn’t nearly as many as people seemed to believe.
There was little he could do to redress the situation, unfortunately, so he changed the subject. ‘I just came to see how Fiona Walker’s been doing since she was transferred from A& and E. Has the bleeding stopped yet?’
‘I’m not sure. Lucy has been monitoring her,’ Amanda informed him.
‘How is she?’ Max repeated, turning to Lucy. He felt his heart give another unsteady lurch and had to batten it down, wondering exactly how long it would take to get things back onto a more even keel. The problem was that he had never experienced this kind of reaction before so he had no way of knowing if it would take days or even weeks. He sighed under his breath. Knowing that he could be in for a rough ride every time he spoke to her wasn’t the most comforting prospect.
‘The bleeding has eased off, although it hasn’t stopped. Diane did another ultrasound and the baby is still moving about so that’s a good sign. And there’s been no cramping either,’ she added quietly.
The Midwife's Christmas Miracle Page 4