Falling for the Brooding Doc

by Annie Claydon

  ‘Dr Summerby. It’s so nice of you to come.’ Adam’s mother, Ann, answered the door.

  ‘Ross, please,’ Ross reminded her as he stepped inside. ‘This is Dr Sullivan, she’ll be helping with Adam’s treatment.’

  ‘Also known as Laurie.’ Laurie let go of her suitcase, leaning forward to shake Ann’s hand. There was none of the suspicious caution that characterised all her interactions with the staff at the clinic, and the warmth of her smile left Ross in no doubt that it was genuine.

  ‘Adam’s in the conservatory.’ Ann beckoned them to follow her. ‘Still cultivating the grumpy teenager vibe, I’m afraid...’ Ann lowered her voice.

  Adam hadn’t said much when Ross had seen him last, but he’d met grumpier teenagers. He heard Laurie chuckle.

  ‘I’m told that grumpy teenagers of all ages are Ross’s specialty.’ She leaned towards Ann slightly as if confiding an important piece of information, then shot Ross a mischievous glance.

  She was charming. Entrancing. And there was no doubt that her joke was partly aimed at herself.

  ‘I’ve been known to have some success...’ He glanced back at her, seeing a quirk of humour pull at her lips. Laurie was slowly picking his wits apart, leaving them in adoring shreds at her feet, and he made an effort to pull himself together.

  ‘How does Adam feel about his injury?’ Laurie turned her smile on Ann, who puffed out a despairing breath.

  ‘It’s difficult for him. He loves running and he’s really good at it. Our other son is more academic, and this is the thing that Adam excels at.’

  ‘You have a coach for him?’

  ‘Yes, when he was little my husband read up on what you’re supposed to do to encourage a child who’s interested in sport and they used to go out for sessions together, but when Adam started getting really serious about his running, we enrolled him at the local athletics club and got him a proper coach.’

  ‘And what’s his coach’s attitude to the injury?’ It seemed that Laurie couldn’t quite let go of the idea that Adam’s coach had something to do with this. But it was a relevant question and Ross left Ann to answer.

  ‘Sadie’s been really supportive. I’ve shown her the diagnosis and she’s done a lot to encourage Adam to follow all the advice that Ross has given. But Adam’s pretty clued up about things and he says that no one can say whether this injury is the result of some weakness that will stop him from competing.’

  ‘He’s right.’ Ross nodded. ‘That’s why we’d like to have him stay at the clinic for a couple of weeks, not just to help him recover but to help him work out how he’s going to move forward from this.’

  Ann nodded. ‘We’re so grateful you can take him. A cancellation, you said?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’ Ross spoke quickly, before Laurie could react. He hadn’t told her that Adam would be taking her place. ‘I think that Laurie’s own skill set, she’s an athlete as well as a doctor, may be a good fit for Adam.’

  ‘If he listens to anyone, he may well listen to you.’ Ann gave Laurie a thoughtful look.

  ‘I’ll be doing my best for him.’ The slight jut of her chin left no possibility of failure and that hurt unexpectedly. Ross had tried so hard to reach Laurie and she’d fought him all the way, but it seemed that Adam already merited her commitment.

  When they walked into the conservatory, Adam was sitting in front of a large TV screen, obviously moved in there for that purpose, playing a computer game. His foot, encased in a supportive boot, was propped up in front of him. Ross hung back, holding a cautioning hand towards Ann. He wanted to see how Laurie would approach their patient.

  ‘Hi, there. You’re Adam? I’m Dr Laurie Sullivan, but I only answer to Laurie.’

  Adam looked up at her, his concentration on the screen momentarily broken. Maybe he saw what Ross did, someone that he wanted to know better, because the controller slipped from his hand.

  ‘Hi.’

  ‘Switch that off, Adam...’ Ann murmured the words, about to make for the screen, but Ross shook his head. Adam always did as he was told, but when Ross had last seen him he’d clearly not been enthused by the efforts being made on his behalf. He wanted to see if Laurie could change that.

  ‘I’m working at the Lakeside Clinic for a while this summer.’ Laurie’s smile gave the impression that this was a bit of a holiday for her. ‘I expect you’ll be wanting to know why I think I can help you?’

  It was different. Ross recognised the need to prove himself with each one of his patients, but he wasn’t usually as forthright about it as Laurie was being now. But she seemed to have caught Adam’s attention.

  ‘Okay...’

  ‘Right, then. Well... I’m a doctor, which you know already, of course. I’m also an athlete and I’ve had a few injuries in my time.’

  Adam glanced at his right foot, looking away quickly as if it irked him. ‘What injuries?’

  ‘I broke my fingers once...’ Laurie held up her hand, wiggling her two middle fingers. ‘Got them caught in a rowlock. I made sure I didn’t do that again. I couldn’t hold an oar for ages afterwards.’

  ‘You’re a rower?’

  ‘Yes, that’s right.’ Laurie’s smile became even more luminous. ‘I love it. I was at the World Championships last year.’

  That got Adam’s attention. ‘What, rowing? For England?’

  ‘I got silver in the women’s single sculls.’ She leaned forward towards Adam. ‘It’ll be gold next year...’

  ‘I’d love to be able to compete at a national level...’

  ‘Your sport’s running?’

  ‘Yeah, I was thinking of branching out a bit before I was injured.’ Adam shrugged, as if that didn’t matter any more.

  Laurie nodded towards the game controller. ‘Not the modern pentathlon? That was originally supposed to hone your battle skills...’

  Adam got the joke, snorting with laughter. ‘Nah. That’s just a game. I was thinking more about the four hundred metres, instead of two...’

  Adam and Laurie started to talk animatedly, and Ann finally smiled too.

  ‘Looks as if you’ve brought your secret weapon along,’ she murmured.

  It did seem that way. Although Ross had had no idea that Laurie would manage to strike up such an instant rapport with the boy.

  He dismissed the thought that everything she’d done so far seemed calculated to keep him at arm’s length. That didn’t matter. What mattered was that Laurie gave Adam what he needed, and in the process found healing herself. If Ross was to be consigned to the role of bystander, then so be it.

  ‘You said that his teachers have sorted out some schoolwork for Adam to do while he’s away. Perhaps we can go over the schedule together...?’

  ‘Yes. Thanks. I’ll make some tea.’ Ann beckoned Ross into the kitchen.

  It was hard to keep his mind from wandering away from what Ann was saying. Ross could hear Laurie laughing and talking, the note of enthusiasm dragging his attention away. Then silence, followed by the sound of the video game that Adam had been playing.

  ‘Oh!’ Ann looked up from the timetable in front of her, smiling. ‘Is Laurie into video games?’

  ‘Um... Not as far as I know.’ Ross searched for any memory of a games console in her room at the clinic and came up blank. ‘I’ll admit it didn’t occur to me to ask.’

  ‘No, I dare say it’s not the first thing you think of at a job interview. But Laurie certainly seems to be getting through to Adam, and these days that’s a minor miracle.’

  It was working. Ross had privately had his own reservations about the arrangement and Laurie had voiced hers in no uncertain terms. But if she saw what he did, then Laurie would have to come to the same conclusion that Ann had.

  ‘Yes...gotcha!’ He heard Laurie’s voice from the other room. ‘No! That was a sneaky move, Adam, how did you do that?’ />
  He heard Adam laugh, explaining a bit more about the game to Laurie. Then the sound of electronic battle as they started to play again.

  * * *

  Ann was seeming a lot less worried about the prospect of her son being away from home for the next few weeks, and when they’d finalised the arrangements for Adam’s schoolwork Ross accompanied her back into the conservatory.

  ‘I’m sorry to drag you away...’ He grinned at Laurie and she gave him a slightly sheepish look.

  ‘Oh. Yes, of course.’ She gave the games controller back to Adam and flashed him a smile. ‘This isn’t over, Adam. I’ll get you next time...’

  ‘In your dreams.’ Adam was clearly looking forward to the next time, and since that would be at the clinic, Ross was all for it.

  ‘There’s a bus that runs past the end of the road and goes straight to the station. If you can manage with your bags?’ Ann looked at her watch. ‘The traffic won’t be too bad at this time in the afternoon.’

  ‘Thanks. We’ll manage.’ Ross decided that he should take at least part of the responsibility for Laurie’s large suitcase, and surprisingly enough he received a nod of assent.

  As soon as they were out on the pavement, and Ann had shut the front door, she glanced up at him. ‘Sorry. About the video game.’

  ‘Really?’ Ross shot her a sceptical look.

  ‘Well...no, probably not. Adam’s a competitive kid.’

  And Laurie had given him something to compete with her over. The boy couldn’t have missed her own fierce will to win.

  ‘You play video games?’

  She shrugged. ‘No, not really. Never, in fact. But Adam does, so I guess I can learn. He says I can get a costume upgrade after I’ve played a few more rounds. That’ll be a relief, my avatar looks like an entrant in a beauty contest at the moment.’

  ‘And what do you get after you’d played a bit more?’ Ross couldn’t help but ask.

  ‘Body armour. And a large sword...’

  ‘Right.’ He couldn’t fight back the smile that accompanied the mental image of Laurie in body armour, her hair glinting in the sun. Twirling a large sword over her head. ‘As you seem to be getting on with him so well, I’d like you to draft an exercise programme for him.’

  ‘Great, thanks.’ Laurie’s eagerness to get involved was obvious. ‘But that won’t put Sam’s nose out of joint, will it? She’s an outstanding physiotherapist...’

  ‘Yeah, I know she is. Sam’s just pleased that she doesn’t have to put up with you undermining all her good advice. She’ll be fine.’

  Ross wondered whether that wouldn’t be a little too much honesty, but Laurie shot him a wry smile. ‘I don’t blame her. I’d feel exactly the same.’

  She knew. And she seemed more comfortable with Ross’s direct approach than Sam’s kindly tact. When the bus came, she passed her suitcase up to him with only a minimal amount of protest, allowing him to lift it on board and tuck it into the storage compartment under the stairs. They made the earlier train with enough time to get coffee for the journey from the kiosk at the station.

  Ross waited until the passengers were all seated, then settled himself into the seat opposite Laurie’s, and the train pulled out of the station and began gathering speed.

  He’d done exactly as he’d intended today. Laurie was becoming involved with the work of the clinic, and that involvement seemed to be tempering her approach to her own injury. Adam seemed to be looking forward to his stay at the clinic now, which was a great deal more than he had been. Mission accomplished. So why did this feel like a hollow victory?

  Ross had begun to enjoy the challenge that was woven into their relationship, believing that maybe it was the way that Laurie interacted with everyone. But now he’d seen her with Adam, he’d realised that she could reach out to someone. It had led him to the inescapable conclusion that she just didn’t want to reach out to him.

  That was fine. It was okay. Laurie could do whatever she wanted to. Ross needed to take responsibility for his own feelings, and ask himself why it irked him so much.

  He just needed to take one look at Laurie for the answer. She’d taken a book from her bag and was concentrating on the pages, unaware of his gaze. He’d been the odd one out most of his life, the friend at school who lived too far from town to be included in trips to the cinema or parties. For a few brief years, when he and Alice had been together, he’d thought that he could finally belong, as part of a couple and then a family. That hadn’t worked out and now he was the odd man at dinner parties, the table carefully arranged so that it wasn’t too obvious. The one who went home alone.

  He’d reconciled himself to that, and made the best of it. But Laurie had awakened the yearning for more, and he wanted her to notice him. Maybe even be a little bit special to her.

  Ross opened his laptop, switching it on. It shouldn’t happen, and if all the little reminders that it wasn’t going to happen stung, he’d better just get used to it.

  * * *

  ‘Did you follow up with Ann? About Adam’s trainer?’

  Ross looked up from the article he was reading on his laptop. Laurie was still holding her book in front of her, and the question had come straight out of the blue.

  ‘I did, as a matter of fact, while we were in the kitchen. She’s sure that overtraining isn’t the cause of his injury, the trainer’s a friend of the family and she shares Ann’s view that Adam should enjoy his sport and have time for other things.’

  Laurie nodded. ‘Okay.’

  This clearly wasn’t the end of the matter. Ross closed his laptop. ‘You’re not satisfied?’

  She shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Kids cover things up. An adult always has that implied authority, and if the trainer is pushing him too hard, he might not say anything.’

  ‘Or it might be that the trainer isn’t pushing him.’

  Laurie glowered at him, folding her arms and letting the book slide onto her lap. Something told Ross that this wasn’t over, and he swallowed down the familiar rush of excitement.

  ‘All right. Say it. You may as well, I know you’re thinking it.’ She was keeping her voice low so that other people in the carriage wouldn’t hear her, but he was under no illusion that if they’d been alone she probably would have been on her feet and calling him out by now.

  ‘I think that you may be looking for something that isn’t there. Because of your own experience.’ He murmured the words quietly.

  ‘You might be right.’ Laurie wrinkled her nose at the thought. ‘And this is exactly why I thought that working with kids wasn’t a good idea.’

  ‘It’s exactly why I think it is. You connected with Adam in a way I haven’t managed to. And you care about him, enough to explore every avenue.’

  ‘I can’t...’ She shook her head. ‘I do care. Maybe a bit too much, because I can’t be impartial.’

  ‘Okay. Let me be impartial. You be his advocate. As long as we both know where we stand, that’s fine.’ Ross sucked in a breath, knowing he was about to take a chance. ‘Or you could decide that I’m wrong about all of this and you’d rather do the filing.’

  At least she was thinking about it, not just firing back a knee-jerk reaction. Laurie pursed her lips.

  ‘All right. I can be his advocate. Can we put that in the job description because I won’t be giving you an inch if I feel you’re not addressing his issues.’

  ‘Be my guest. Since you don’t have a job description, you may as well write your own. Along with your own treatment plan...’

  What was he doing? Ross had never suggested that anyone write their own job description or treatment plan, but he had an idea that if he gave Laurie a little room she might just come up with something that was both innovative and brilliant. Taking a chance on her didn’t seem any risk, as long as he watched her carefully.

  ‘You’ll be wanting to see them
, though.’ She eyed him charily.

  ‘The job description... Yeah. I’ll be needing to see that. I made it clear that the treatment plan is entirely your own responsibility.’

  ‘I’m still not quite sure why you’d do that.’

  Ross took a breath. This was demanding and exhausting, and yet somehow exhilarating. A little bit like the best sex imaginable, but that was not on his agenda. He’d stick to Laurie’s issues with the paperwork.

  ‘Have you thought about that stunt with the boat? Why you did it?’

  She gave him that incredible enigmatic smile of hers. ‘I’m sure you have a theory.’

  ‘I do.’

  ‘Then the least you could do is share it.’ She tilted her jaw just enough to let him know that she wasn’t going to be letting him get away with anything.

  ‘I think that you spent your childhood being pushed far too hard. You must have learned how to question your father’s authority, because you left.’

  Her smile solidified on her face. Ross saw a flash of pain in Laurie’s eyes, hidden quickly. ‘Go on.’

  ‘Even now, you’re defying anyone who tells you what to do. Your consultant, Sam. Me, for sure. But there’s a part of you that knows you need to stop, and that’s why you rowed straight past my window.’

  ‘You’re saying that I’m undermining myself? That’s a pretty smart trick. I’m not entirely sure I’m that clever.’

  ‘Then you don’t give yourself enough credit. And I think it’s fair enough to say that most people have done exactly the same thing at some point in their lives.’

  She nodded slowly. ‘It’s an interesting thought. Bit far-fetched, though, if you ask me.’

  Sure it was. He’d seen the way that Laurie had reacted, and he’d touched a nerve. If she didn’t want to admit it just yet, that was fine.

  Before she could end the conversation, Ross pulled his laptop around, focussing on the screen. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her reach for her book again. Whatever she was thinking was hidden behind an impassive mask.