Daring to Date Her Boss

by Joanna Neil

  Half an hour later, feeling very drowsy, she was on the boat, heading for Cornwall. She only hoped that Tyler wouldn’t regret agreeing to watch over the children. For a man who craved peace and quiet and pleasant, tidy surroundings above all, it was a tall order.

  ‘Give me a call when you want to go home,’ the boatman said when he eventually helped her onto the towpath on the mainland. ‘My mate will see you the rest of the way. I hope everything works out all right for you with your brother.’

  ‘Thanks, Tim.’

  Tim’s friend was waiting to drive her to the hospital, and she couldn’t help thinking how smooth the process was once Tyler had taken a hand in the organisation.

  Things were not so good when she arrived at the hospital and went to Sam’s ward. She barely had time to say hello to him before a team came to wheel him away towards the lift. She looked at them in bewilderment. What was going on? Sam was in pain and too breathless to talk so she simply squeezed his hand and said softly, ‘I’ll wait. I’ll be here when you come back.’

  ‘He’s going to Theatre for a catheter embolectomy,’ a nurse explained. ‘He’s very poorly. He had a chest pain that came on suddenly, stopping him from getting his breath, and his heart rate is very fast. We had to send for the doctor urgently and he took him to have a CTPA scan. I’m afraid it showed a blood clot on the lung.’

  ‘Oh, no...’ All at once Saskia was very afraid for her brother. The symptoms were ominous, given that Sam had been hospitalised for some length of time. Being stuck in bed could mean that the blood coagulated to form a clot in the deep vein of the leg and in Sam’s case it had broken away and travelled through the heart to the lung, where it had stopped the blood from flowing freely. It was a terrifying event. The patient could collapse suddenly or even die.

  Saskia reached for a chair and sat down, feeling very weak. The fact that they were doing a catheter embolectomy meant that the doctors felt he was in real danger. A fine tube would be passed through the blood vessels until it reached the clot and then the embolus would be carefully pulled out along the tube using specialist procedures.

  ‘Can I get you anything?’ the nurse asked. ‘A cup of tea perhaps? That might help to make you feel a bit better.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Saskia was too worried to concentrate on anything properly. Her brother’s life was at stake and she was helpless to do anything about it. Worse still, as a doctor she knew the risks involved.

  Her mobile phone trilled and she went out into the corridor to answer it. It was a huge relief to hear Tyler’s voice at the other end of the line.

  ‘How’s he doing?’

  ‘It’s not good.’ She quickly told him what was happening. ‘He’s been really ill for the last couple of days and finally this morning the blood clot started to cause problems with his heart.’

  ‘I’m so sorry, Saskia. I know you must be feeling awful right now...but at least they suspected what was happening and looked into it. Sometimes it’s hard to know what’s going on and these things can be missed. Sam’s getting the treatment he needs.’

  ‘I know. I just have to wait and hope and pray that he’ll be all right.’

  ‘He’s in the best place for that kind of procedure. They have all the facilities they need and the surgeons are brilliant. He’s in good hands.’

  ‘Yes.’ She tried to absorb all that and to allow his words to calm her. She said thoughtfully, ‘How are things with you? Are you coping with the children? They’re very quiet—I can’t hear a sound from them in the background.’

  ‘Ah, well, gags can do that. They’re a very effective measure when you’re desperate.’

  ‘Tyler!’ In spite of all her worries she laughed.

  He chuckled. ‘No, seriously, they’re fine. We’re getting along okay. I think we’ll cope until you get back.’

  She gave a sigh of relief. ‘Good. That’s one less worry, anyway. Thanks for doing this for me, Tyler.’

  ‘You’re welcome.’

  They talked for a few more minutes and then she cut the call. He’d managed to boost her spirits and he’d given her the strength to face up to what was happening with her brother.

  She heard the rumble of a bed being wheeled back into the ward some time later, and straight away she stood up and went over to the bay where Sam was being treated.

  He was drowsy and sedated, but he managed a smile. ‘Hi, Sassie,’ he said wearily. ‘I’m glad you’re still here. That was a bit scary, huh?’

  ‘Too right,’ she said, holding his hand in hers. ‘How do you feel?’

  ‘Tired...a bit sore...a whole lot better.’

  ‘That’s brilliant news.’ She gave his hand a squeeze. ‘You have to stop doing this to me, do you hear? You’re to get better from now on and stop idling about in this bed. We want you back home.’

  He smiled. ‘I’ll do my best.’

  She gave him a hug and sat with him for some time until gradually his eyes closed and he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

  ‘What happens now?’ she asked the nurse. ‘Has the doctor prescribed anticoagulants?’

  ‘Yes, he has. He’ll be on them for the next three months, I imagine.’ She smiled. ‘But I’m sure he’ll be back home long before that. He should start to pick up from here on.’

  Feeling much happier, and after a quick visit to Megan, Saskia set about making arrangements for her journey home. She was looking forward to seeing Tyler and the children, but her thoughts were tinged with apprehension. Would he really have been able to cope with the mess and noise and general disorder that three boisterous children could create? Why did she have to go and fall in love with someone who was the total opposite of herself?

  Everything was quiet at first when she arrived back home later that afternoon. It was very odd. Boomer barked from somewhere in Tyler’s house but no one came to answer her ring on the doorbell and she stood for a moment, wondering what she ought to do next. Then she heard childish laughter coming from the garden and she went in search of everyone, following the path around the side of the building.

  Her eyes widened at the sight that met her. Dressed in jeans and T-shirts, Becky and Charlie were on their knees in mud where the garden had been flooded during the storm. They were wearing Wellington boots and gardening gloves and were busy putting plants into the ground under Tyler’s supervision.

  ‘Now, where did we say this one should go?’ Tyler asked. He, too, was on his knees. ‘Oh, I remember. Over there, where there’s a space—it’ll look good won’t it, with those red flowers against the hosta in the background?’

  Becky was studying the label. ‘“Late-flowering primula”,’ she read. ‘It smells nice, doesn’t it?’

  Tyler sniffed the coppery-red blooms. ‘You’re right, it does.’

  Charlie heaped soil over the roots and patted it into place. Then he laughed, wriggling about and waving his arms in the air as he sang, ‘“Another one bites the dust!”’

  They all chuckled, and Caitlin, who was sitting at a table with a pad and pen, said, ‘All right, here’s the next one—Japanese water iris.’ She consulted her pad. ‘That one has to go next to the weigela.’

  ‘Here we go, then.’ Tyler handed the plant to Becky. ‘Do you want to plant this one?’

  ‘Yep, I do.’

  Saskia stepped forward and Tyler glanced up. She was flabbergasted by the way Tyler and the little ones were happily ensconced knee deep in mud—Tyler, who preferred everything clean, neat and shipshape. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

  ‘Hi, you’re back! That’s great.’ He stood up, brushing his hands along the length of his blue jeans to get rid of the worst of the dirt. He searched her face cautiously. ‘How’s Sam? How did the procedure go?’

  ‘He’s all right. Everything went really well, without a hitch. I think he’s going to be okay.’ />
  ‘That’s fantastic.’ He grinned as he moved towards her. ‘I’d hug you if I wasn’t so dirty.’

  She looked him up and down, puzzlement in her green eyes. ‘I can’t believe what I’m seeing,’ she said. ‘You’re grubby from head to toe, the children are filthy—how am I supposed to get their clothes clean after this?’

  ‘They’ll be fine. I told them to change into their oldest clothes. I’ll shake the dirt off them and then we’ll put them in the washing machine. No problem.’

  She shook her head in disbelief. ‘I would never have expected you to get involved in anything like this. I’m surprised Boomer isn’t here with you, diving in among everybody.’

  Tyler nodded. ‘Oh, he tried. He kept wanting to help out with the digging, so in the end I had to put him back inside the house.’ He waved a hand towards the area they were planting. ‘What do you think of it?’

  ‘I’m absolutely amazed,’ she said. ‘This is not like you at all. It’s all curved edges and back to nature—there’s nothing formal in it at all. You’ve actually dug up part of the lawn.’

  ‘Well, it was always flooding, which made it difficult to maintain, and Caitlin caught me looking at it. She said, “Why don’t you plant it with things that like a lot of moisture?” She’s a clever girl, isn’t she?’

  Saskia nodded.

  ‘So I took them all along to the garden centre and we picked out some plants that we thought might be good. And, hey, presto! It’s done. Almost.’

  ‘Good heavens.’ She shook her head again. ‘I can’t get over it.’

  His mouth curved briefly. ‘Look, I need to go and take a quick shower. Why don’t you stay here and see that they follow the plan Caitlin’s drawn up, and I’ll be back in two ticks?’

  ‘Yes. I’ll do that.’

  He hurried away, leaving her to look around. She was stunned by everything that she’d seen. Tyler didn’t do this sort of thing. He’d never had much to do with children and mess and what bit he had seen he hadn’t liked. So this was a whole new aspect, something she had trouble taking on board. And the children were mud-spattered! Good grief.

  He came back into the garden as she was helping Caitlin identify a pretty plant with pink flowers and spiky foliage. He’d given her a sitting-down job because she was supposed to be convalescing. ‘“Hesperantha”,’ she said, reading the label. ‘It’s not one I’m familiar with.’

  ‘I’ve made some tea,’ Tyler announced. He was fresh and clean, wearing chinos and a shirt open at the neck, and he looked good, so different from the way he’d looked just a short time ago. Still, even grimy, he’d had an air of devil-may-care sexiness about him. ‘Do you children want to finish off now, and then go and get cleaned up?’ he said. ‘You can leave your wellies in the utility room.’

  ‘I’ll see to it that they tidy up,’ Caitlin said. ‘We’ve about finished here, anyway.’

  ‘That’s good. Thanks. You’ve all done a brilliant job.’

  He went with Saskia back to the kitchen and she stood by the table, simply staring at him. ‘This is such an earth-shattering event,’ she said, ‘you throwing off your inhibitions and getting mixed up with we ordinary, untidy mortals. I can’t get used to it.’

  ‘Don’t you like it?’

  She smiled. ‘I love it. I’m just wondering whether it will last. I mean, people don’t change, do they?’

  ‘Not usually, maybe.’ He came over to her and put his arms around her. ‘I’m glad your brother’s all right—your sister-in-law, too,’ he said. ‘Perhaps now you’ll be able to relax and look forward to the future.’

  ‘Yes. It’s a good feeling.’ It was heavenly having his arms around her. She wanted to rest her head against his chest and feel the beat of his heart beneath her cheek, but would things turn out the way she hoped? Dared she believe in a future where Tyler was there for her, come what may?

  ‘I thought about what you said,’ he told her. ‘Ever since I was little I’ve longed for stability and security, but it was always elusive. The only way I could control what happened in my life was to make everything around me structured, methodical, neat and tidy. That was the only thing I felt I had any influence over.’

  His hands stroked gently along her spine. ‘And then, after you told me I should think about what was important, I realised that I was letting the most vital, essential part of my life slip away...you. I was pushing you away.’ He lifted his hand to her cheek and lightly trailed his finger over the line of her jaw. ‘I couldn’t bear to have you leave me,’ he said huskily. ‘I want you above all else, Saskia. I love you. I’d do anything for you.’

  A soft, shuddery sigh escaped her. ‘That’s all I ever wanted to hear, Tyler...that you love me. I fell in love with you against all my instincts, all my fears that everything would go wrong. But I know now that you’re the only man I could ever truly love.’

  A muffled groan of relief rumbled in his chest and he hugged her close to him, kissing her deeply, fervently, holding her as though he would never let her go.

  ‘I can change,’ he whispered against her cheek. ‘For you, I’ll do it...and it won’t be a hardship. It’ll be a new beginning.’

  ‘You don’t have to do anything,’ she said. ‘I’m sure we’ll work things out—as long as we have each other, everything will come right.’

  ‘It will if you say you’ll marry me,’ he said, his voice roughened. ‘Will you marry me, Saskia? You’ll make me the happiest man on earth if you say yes.’

  ‘Yes,’ she said, smiling up at him. ‘I will.’

  His breath caught in his throat. ‘You’ve made my life full, brought me so much warmth and love and shown me what I’ve been missing. As long as I have you I could never ask for anything more. I’ll never let you down.’

  ‘I know you won’t,’ she said. ‘I love you. From now on we’ll be together and life is going to be good, so good.’

  She lifted her face for his kiss, and for the next age they were lost in one another. It felt as though she’d come home.

  * * * * *

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  ISBN-13: 9781460337660

  Daring to Date Her Boss

  Copyright © 2014 by Joanna Neil

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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