Medical Duo - Dr Chandler's Sleeping Beauty & Christmas with Dr Delicious

by MELANIE MILBURNE

  Molly flushed. ‘I’m protecting Ken, saving him added stress. Stress only makes him so much worse. And I don’t want that.’

  Placing Fraser’s hand on the bedcover, Nikki went to his mother and embraced her. ‘I should mind my own business. You’re right. Ken’s already got enough problems.’ She leaned back and looked into Molly’s sad eyes. ‘So have you. Anything I can do to help, make sure you ring and tell me. Okay?’ She shook this lovely woman gently. ‘I mean that.’

  Molly looked down at her son. ‘You’re already doing lots.’ And then she was gone, leaving Nikki to puzzle the meaning of her words.

  ‘Hey, sis, how’s he doing?’ Jay strode into the room and engulfed her in a bear hug. ‘You okay?’

  Sniff, sniff. ‘Couldn’t be better. And Fraser’s going to be all right.’ Dang, she hadn’t cried all night and now with Jay holding her, concern in his voice for her and Fraser, it was as though someone had opened the floodgates.

  ‘Now, what did I do to deserve this?’ Jay pushed her down into the chair and reached for a box of tissues. ‘Here, use these,’ he said gruffly, ‘then tell me all the details. I hear the cops arrested the guy who stabbed Fraser.’

  Her eyes widened, spilling more tears down her face. ‘They have? Good.’ Nikki filled Jay in on everything. ‘Fraser was protecting me, Jay.’

  ‘I’d be stunned if he hadn’t.’

  Her gaze returned to Fraser. ‘Yeah, you’re right. He’d never let anyone hurt me.’ Funny thing, that.

  Fraser tried to stretch but stopped as pain stabbed his chest. Gingerly lifting his eyelids, he peered out at the white room, the metal bedrails. Hospital. That explained the pain. Sort of. Turning his head to one side, he bit down on an oath as a bomb went off inside his head. Lights flashed in front of his eyes.

  What had happened to him? Was he all right? As in not seriously injured?

  Closing his eyes, he concentrated on his body. Wriggled his toes. No problem there. Stretched his calves. Good. Lifted his left arm, and sucked air through his clenched teeth. That cranked up the dull throbbing in his chest, making him want to stop breathing for a while till everything settled down again. His right arm felt heavy, weighed down.

  He popped his eyes open, turned his head slowly to avoid another explosion, and stopped. His whole body softened, warmed. Nik. Beautiful Nik. Sitting on a chair, leaning so her top half was sprawled on the bed, she slept. Her head lay against his arm, her breathing warm on his skin.

  And then he remembered. The knife. Aimed at Nikki. Going for her. His frantic leap. Then the hot pain as the blade had slammed into him.

  Thank goodness. Or it would be Nikki lying here. Or worse.

  Carefully, so as not to wake her, he shifted his arm and placed his hand on her head. Threaded his fingers through her messy hair, feeling the silky tangles on his skin. He closed his eyes again. Drank in the sweetness of the moment. He and Nik. Together. However temporarily.

  ‘Nikki, there’s something I have to tell you.’ Fraser sat up in bed, the robe he wore revealing more chest than was good for her heart rate.

  ‘You sound serious.’ Hadn’t they had enough serious stuff to last a lifetime? Two days after the stabbing and the police had finally stopped calling in with questions, their colleagues had found their smiles, and her brothers had stopped suggesting she go back to cooking for a career.

  ‘I need you to trust me, believe I’ll never deliberately hurt you, so there is one more thing you should know about why I called off the wedding.’

  Nikki leaned close, kissed those seductive lips that weren’t smiling. Running her forefinger along his jaw, she asked, ‘Do you think I care about that any more? I love you, and that’s all that matters.’

  His eyes widened in surprise. So did hers. She felt her eyebrows lifting. When had she come to that conclusion? Some time during the long night waiting for Fraser to come out of surgery, to regain consciousness. But talk about springing it on him, on her. Shouldn’t she have taken her time to get used to the idea first?

  ‘Say that again,’ he whispered. ‘The bit about loving me.’

  She wasn’t taking it back. ‘I love you.’

  He caught her hand, kissed each fingertip. Then he reached for her, slipping his arms around her in the gentlest of hugs.

  Her badly bruised elbow ached as it rubbed against his thigh, but she daren’t move it for fear of knocking the drain in Fraser’s chest wound. Instead, she lifted her mouth to his, glad of the distraction for both of them. Then the kiss took over and she was lost in the heat of Fraser’s mouth claiming hers. A breathless kiss due to Fraser’s pierced lung. But a kiss nonetheless.

  ‘You won’t be wanting a cup of tea, then,’ an aide called from the doorway.

  They jerked apart, Fraser gasping at the sudden movement. ‘Not at the moment,’ he finally managed to mutter.

  When the woman had taken her broad smile and the tea trolley away Fraser grinned. ‘How could I drink tea after kissing you?’ Then his mouth straightened. ‘You distracted me. But I haven’t forgotten what I was going to tell you.’

  Nikki shifted uneasily at the serious look in his eyes. He loved her, right? She hadn’t exposed her heart to have him tell her they weren’t ever getting back together. ‘Dang. Do you have to?’

  ‘Yes, Nik, I do. Because, my lovely, despite what you say, you still don’t believe my reasons for not telling you about the cancer were justified. And you’re right. I probably would’ve told you right from the get-go if not for one thing. I truly wanted you with me, desperately needed your strength, right from the start. Every time I thought I could tell you, only one thing made me stay away. And staying away was as hard as dealing with the news, believe me.’

  Her heart slowed, almost stopped. This was not working out how she’d hoped. This did not sound like a declaration of his love for her. She leaned back so she could see every emotion that crossed his face, wanting to see exactly how he felt as he talked. ‘Go on.’

  His chest lifted, and he opened his mouth. ‘My oncologist was so truthful it was gutting. He warned that after the surgery there was a likelihood that I’d be impotent.’

  Nikki gasped, pressed the fingers of one hand to her mouth. She stared at him, stunned. ‘Oh, my God.’ Reaching with her free hand, she cupped his cheek.

  ‘That’s why I stayed away.’ He turned his mouth to kiss first her thumb, then each finger, then put her hand away from him. Stared deeply into her eyes. ‘Now do you understand? Can you see why I couldn’t tell you?’

  She swallowed. Nodded. Tears welled. For him? For them? Finally, she whispered, ‘I still wish you had told me, but I understand why you felt you couldn’t. What an impossible situation.’

  ‘It was.’

  ‘We could’ve put the wedding on hold.’

  ‘You really think so? The tension between us would’ve been horrendous.’ He flinched. ‘Hell, when the time came I probably wouldn’t have been able to perform anyway, I’d have been beyond nervous. There’d have been far too much riding on the outcome.’

  ‘You were doomed if you did, doomed if you didn’t. But don’t you see how disappearing with hardly a word was so painful for me? How it nearly destroyed both of us?’ Fraser winced. ‘You shut me out. You didn’t give me a chance to choose, you just decided for me.’

  ‘I know, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I put you through. I wasn’t exactly coping very well at the time. I wanted to save you from having to make that decision, from living with your choice.’ He looked up into her eyes. ‘Please believe me when I say that I was trying to protect you.’

  Nikki laced her fingers on her lap. She stared at her manicured nails, remembering another time she’d had them done. Light pink to match her wedding bouquet of peonies. She’d never worn anything remotely pink since.

  She shivered. Impotent. Fraser? Impossible. It would’ve destroyed him. She understood the difficult situation he had been in, and why he had struggled to tell her the truth. How could
a man tell anyone that, least of all the woman he was about to marry? Raising her head, she said in an unsteady voice, ‘I’m glad you’re okay.’ Then she blushed crimson. ‘I mean, in all respects, the cancer, everything,’ she blustered.

  ‘I’m glad, too. Very glad.’ His gaze was fixed on her. Watching every nuance on her face? He added, ‘More than glad. In all respects.’

  ‘Spoken like a man.’

  He smiled, a deep smile that warmed her through, that teased and promised so much. ‘How else would you have me say it?’

  She couldn’t answer.

  ‘Nik,’ he said softly, ‘I never stopped loving you, not for one moment. There were times, I swear, I wouldn’t have got through it if I hadn’t carried a picture of you in my head. All those wonderful memories we created gave me the strength to fight, made me realise how much I had to live for.’

  ‘Really?’ she croaked. Clearing her throat, she tried again. ‘You mean that?’

  ‘I understand your disbelief but, yes, sweetheart, I love you. Always have, always will.’

  Her lips were trembling when she placed them on his mouth. Her hands shook as she held his shoulders, her body soft against his. ‘You love me.’

  She tasted so sweet. So Nik. So much his life. Stirring him, heating his blood in a slow, loving way, making him long to be joined with her.

  ‘Huh-hum.’

  The second interruption of the afternoon. ‘Can’t a man get any peace in here?’

  His surgeon shook his head in amusement. ‘Anyone point out that you’re in hospital? You know, where sick people go?’

  ‘Every minute of the day.’ Fraser grinned and let Nikki sit up. Her face was scarlet as she crossed to sit on the chair.

  But as Fraser discussed his wound and treatment with the surgeon he was very aware that Nikki’s gaze never left him, and that the sparkle produced when he’d told her he loved her was slowly evaporating.

  Fraser woke late in the afternoon to the sound of someone moaning in the next bed. Sleeping in hospital wasn’t the greatest. Usually the moment he nodded off someone came along and prodded him or took his temperature or lifted the sheet to see his wound, which had become infected.

  ‘The guy could’ve at least cleaned the blade before sticking it into me.’

  ‘Be thankful the first man he used it on didn’t have hepatitis A or something equally nice,’ Jay drawled from by the window.

  ‘How long have you been here?’ One member or another of Nikki’s family was always dropping in. ‘Where’s Nikki?’

  ‘Long enough to know you talk in your sleep but not long enough to hear anything juicy. And Nikki said she had to go see Mike about starting back at work.’ Jay sat on the end of the bed. ‘Any more questions?’

  ‘The vet clinic not doing very well at the moment?’ Fraser asked. Apart from Nikki, Jay was his most frequent visitor. He didn’t believe Nikki had gone to see Mike. There’d been a strange look in her eyes when the surgeon had been with him. Wait till he saw her next. He’d dig for some answers.

  ‘Flat out, actually. I don’t know why people think their dogs and cats should partake in the pre-Christmas nibbles. We’re seeing so many pets with tummy trouble, it’s not funny.’

  ‘Not a lot different to our job, then.’

  ‘Anyone told you when you’re getting out of here?’ Jay asked.

  ‘Hopefully tomorrow. But I’m on sick leave for at least another week. They won’t even allow me to work in the office. Probably not stupid. Paperwork is definitely not my forte.’

  ‘You’ll have plenty to do at home. According to Mum, Molly’s getting stuck into clearing out the house. You mightn’t have a bed by tomorrow.’

  Fraser swallowed the flare of annoyance. ‘I wish she’d waited. That’s not a job to do alone. But it’s like she’s decided to make a completely new start and doesn’t want to waste any time moving into the townhouse she’s bought near the retirement village.’

  ‘If you think she’s doing this on her own, you don’t know the Page women. Mum and Nikki are with her. And Dad’s been taking trailer loads of furniture to the second-hand gear shop and a whole heap of other stuff to the tip.’

  ‘I’m glad Rose and Nikki are helping.’ His hands curled into fists. ‘It should’ve been me, though.’

  Jay stood up. ‘Time I went. But for the record you can’t be there for everyone and if I had a choice I’m glad it was Nikki you were there for the other night.’

  He shuddered. ‘Me, too.’

  He watched Jay saunter out of the room and gave a thankful sigh. He’d come a full circle, back on side with Nikki and her family. Definitely getting ahead now.

  And Nikki loved him. How lucky could he get? As soon as he was up and about he had plans of his own to get under way.

  Nikki sauntered into his room that evening, a covered plate containing chicken enchilada in one hand, two take-out coffees in the other. ‘Thought you’d like some real food for a change.’

  ‘What I’d really like is to go home and keep an eye on what Mum’s throwing out.’

  ‘Who’s a grumpy boy, then?’ Nikki popped the top of one coffee and blew on the liquid. ‘What’s bugging you?’

  ‘List everything that’s gone to the tip. I bet there are things that I’d like to keep.’

  ‘I doubt it. Old and broken shovel handles, rusty saws, a chainsaw that had to be the first ever produced. A thousand bent nails. Blown light bulbs. Why did Ken keep all that anyway?’

  ‘He’s always been a hoarder.’ Fraser took a bite of his supper. And some of the tension gripping him since Jay’s visit receded. ‘This is wonderful.

  I don’t suppose you sneaked a beer in to go with it.’

  The way her eyes rolled told him she hadn’t. ‘You’re not like your dad, are you? You won’t spend your life filling sheds with junk?’

  No, I’m going to spend it filling my house with a wife and kids. ‘Not likely.’

  ‘Thank goodness.’ She pulled the chair across to the window and sat down, nursing her coffee. A frown creased her forehead. The same frown that had been there when she’d left after their discussion about his possible impotency.

  He’d thought they’d finally gone through everything they needed to so they could move on. ‘What’s up?’

  Her head twisted at an angle as she looked at him through her long eyelashes. Her mouth was tight, not unfriendly, not overly loving either. He couldn’t read her. Her hand was steady when she raised the paper cup to her lips.

  ‘Nik?’ His heart started thudding. Was she about to retract her love? He couldn’t bear that. Anything but that.

  Those blue eyes focused directly on him, boring into him. ‘When you decide to go back to med school, I’ll help you.’

  When he opened his mouth to deny her words she held her hand up. ‘Spare me your denial. I’ve seen in your eyes the hunger to be a part of the medical system whenever we’ve brought a patient into ED.’ She sipped her coffee. ‘You’re meant to be a doctor. You want to be one. Going away to med school to finish your degree isn’t going back on your word about staying here. The moment you qualify you’ll be on the first plane home. Follow your dream, Fraser. Isn’t that why you fought so hard for your life?’ Tears glittered in her eyes.

  They, more than her words, moved him. Did she think she was letting him go? Freeing him? He stared at her in wonder. She loved him and yet she was telling him to do what he hankered after. ‘I promised you I’d stay. And Mum. She needs me.’

  ‘Molly is moving into a low-maintenance property that she can manage easily. Anyway, there are enough men in my family to take care of any problems. And if you went to Wellington you’d only be twenty-five minutes away by air.’ She drained her coffee and scrunched the cup tight. ‘And if you need funds to get through, I’ve got money put aside. Grandma left me a healthy amount in her will.’

  ‘I bet that’s for your cake shop.’ He wasn’t taking that. ‘You can’t give away your dream for mine.’

&nb
sp; ‘The cake shop idea is years away from happening, and by then you’ll have paid me back.’ Standing up, she tossed the cup into the bin and headed for the door. ‘Think about it, Fraser. You know I’m right.’

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ‘HEY, Mum, what’s all this stuff?’ Nikki asked as she surveyed the piles of cartons in the spare bedroom. It was Christmas Eve and Fraser’s parents were coming to stay for the next two nights. With all her family around to keep an eye on Ken it hadn’t been difficult to persuade Molly or his caregivers of the idea. ‘It would take until Easter to clear this room.’

  Her mother appeared at her side and reached for the door, pulling it shut. ‘Just some things I’ve been collecting lately at the second-hand shops. I’ll show you after Christmas once everyone’s gone.’

  ‘Second-hand what? Clothes? Cups and saucers?’ This was so unlike her mother, a woman who lived by the adage that if you hadn’t used or worn something in the past year then you no longer needed it, and off to a charity shop it went. ‘And that many boxes? You’re not starting your own shop, are you?’

  ‘When would I have time for that? With my grandchild due to arrive any day, I’ll hardly have time to get my gardening done.’

  There was another thing. ‘What’s going on, Mum? I’ve never see the gardens looking so wonderful. The roses are amazing. And I’m taking an armful of those pink and white peonies home with me at the end of the weekend.’

  ‘I’m sure there’s plenty out there so I won’t notice some missing.’ Her mother headed down the hall towards the kitchen. ‘Now, come and help me polish the glasses for tomorrow. And don’t worry about Molly and Ken. I’m putting them in Jay’s old room.’

  Perplexed, Nikki studied her mother. Why was her mum talking so fast, jabbering on about anything as though trying to sidetrack her? Aha, her mum had ducked the question about what was going on. Why? ‘Here, use this.’ A polishing cloth was pressed into her hands.

  In the kitchen, Nikki delved into the back of the large walk-in pantry for the boxes of wine glasses and champagne flutes. ‘What’s this?’ She spied a box right at the back she’d never seen before and carefully tugged it out.