by Karin Baine
‘My brother gives so much of himself to others, I think it’s only fair you give him a chance to prove himself to you.’
Georgiana admired Jamie’s devotion to his brother. She wasn’t sure he’d approve if he knew, but it was touching nonetheless to see his love for his family was returned tenfold.
‘I’m going to be incapacitated for a while but I think we do both need some closure.’ By the time she’d had her surgery he’d realise what the road ahead held and any thoughts of beginning a carefree life with her would be well and truly put to rest.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IN HINDSIGHT, Ed could have arranged driving lessons with an instructor for Jamie but he had nothing else to do with his time these days.
Until meeting Georgiana he’d thought a relationship meant taking him away from his family, but he could see now he’d been using them as an excuse not to get too close to anyone. It was too late now.
He groaned as he pulled into the car park and marched through Reception to his office, where he was picking Jamie up. Mad at himself and everyone else because he wasn’t with the one person he wanted to be with.
‘Are you ready to go? I haven’t got all day. Some of us actually have work to do,’ he barked at Jamie, who was spinning in his office chair.
‘Who took a bite out of your biscuit? I hope you’re not this rude to your patients, big brother.’
‘Not my patients, just family who take me for granted.’
‘This was your idea, remember? I was going to take lessons and you said I’d save money if I let you teach me. Don’t take out your bad mood on me.’ He grabbed his jacket and his usual cheery expression had been replaced by a scowl.
‘Sorry.’ None of this was Jamie’s fault. It was entirely his for not making space in his life for Georgiana sooner.
When they’d been together he’d had a life, an equal with a lot of things in common. He’d lost everything worthwhile now that she was gone.
‘Why don’t you go and talk to Georgiana, sort out whatever is keeping you two apart?’ Jamie ruffled his hair, enjoying Ed’s moment of discomfort too much.
Ed raked his hair back into place with a rough hand. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Uh-huh. That’s why you haven’t been yourself lately.’
Ed couldn’t deny it, so he said nothing. Jamie didn’t need to know he was having trouble even building the motivation to get out of bed in the morning.
His little brother slapped him on the back. ‘Oh, you’ve got it bad, haven’t you?’
Losing Georgiana had been the wake-up call he’d needed to put things into perspective. To see that he was allowed to make a life for himself. He didn’t love his family any less now, they simply didn’t need him twenty-four hours a day. Arrangements had been made for help and he was always on the end of the phone if they really needed him. It was ironic that after making all this extra time for a relationship, he had no one to share it with. He’d waited too long to make the changes.
‘See? It’s this bad mood, the dejected look on your face, that I can’t bear to put up with for another second. Sort yourself out.’
Jamie was right, he couldn’t go on like this for ever. Georgiana had left him, and he was supposed to accept it. However painful.
The problem was, he didn’t want to accept it.
He loved her.
Not that he’d told her so. He hadn’t been clear about his feelings at all or honest with himself about what he wanted. His determination not to make room in his life for a new relationship meant that he’d let her slip away. She hadn’t known how important she was to him. He only had himself to blame for that.
And only he could make things right...
* * *
Georgiana’s eyes were as heavy as the rest of her body and she struggled to open them.
‘What’s happening?’ she slurred, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth because it was so dry.
‘Do you need some water?’
There was a shuffling beside her as she tried to focus; she could see someone was at the side of her bed. ‘Yes, please.’
‘Just take enough to wet your lips for now,’ instructed a familiar male voice.
Once she’d taken a sip and the effort of lifting her head proved impossible to sustain, she lay down again. It was difficult to think with the fog in her head but she eventually remembered where she was and what she was doing. ‘I had an operation...’
‘Yes, you did. Everything went well. You need to rest now.’
The voice comforted her. She didn’t have anything to worry about. ‘Sleep is good...’ she mumbled and drifted happily back to oblivion.
When she awoke again, everything seemed less fuzzy and she had a vague recollection of her last foray back to consciousness.
‘Ed?’ She was sure it was him she’d heard in her hospital room. Unless it was wishful thinking during her delirium. The room was empty of visitors when she glanced around, although there was a chair pulled up by her bed. There was no reason Ed, or anyone else, would be here. She hadn’t told him about the operation and she’d asked her parents not to visit for the simple reason she saw no need to upset them. When she was recovered enough she’d go home and recover there with their support. It didn’t mean she wasn’t feeling sorry for herself now, groggy, in pain and alone. Missing her mother, father and Ed.
‘You’re awake.’ As Ed walked into the room carrying what looked and smelled like vending-machine coffee she wondered if she was still half asleep.
‘I thought I dreamed you,’ she told him as he resumed his place by her bed.
‘I was here. Waiting for you to come around. How are you feeling?’
‘Tired and sore. How did you know I was here?’ After their last encounter and ghosting him since, she’d never expected to see him again. Much less at her side when she came around post-op. Whatever his reason for being here, she was glad to see him. Ed was the boost she needed when she was in the doldrums.
He took a sip of his coffee and grimaced before setting it down on her nightstand. ‘Will you kill her if I tell you your mother called me?’
‘Yes.’ She was even more curious now about the background to this visit if he’d spoken to her family.
His laugh was like medicine after these weeks spent without him. ‘At least you’re being honest. For once. I suspect you might have fibbed during our last conversation.’
She squirmed on the rustling hospital sheets, under his knowing gaze. ‘What do you mean?’
He leaned closer to the bed. ‘I hear you and my brother spoke too.’
‘So? People are allowed to be concerned about you even if you don’t listen to them.’
‘Am I supposed to believe it’s a coincidence that you’re told you need further surgery and you decide being with me is the wrong thing to do?’
She wanted to say yes and front out the lie but couldn’t. A change of subject would have to suffice. ‘Why did you come, Ed?’
‘In case you had some stupid idea in your head that you didn’t want me to think I had to take care of you. That you would steal time from my family if I wanted to be with you.’
‘It’s not an unreasonable assumption that you’re the kind of man who’d volunteer for more charity work.’
He swore then, startling her with the ferocity of his expletive. ‘What do I have to do to convince you I want to be with you? Faced with the prospect of losing you, I went back and took a good hard look at my life. I got help for my parents and talked to my brothers and sisters about sharing any responsibilities. All to show you I was serious about making a go of things with you and you wouldn’t even take my calls.’
She was trying not to cry.
‘I thought it was best for you.’ For her too, when she’d been scared of becoming too reliant on him.
His smile g
ave her hope it wasn’t too late to start again.
‘I’m as much of a fan of people making decisions on my behalf as you are.’
‘Point taken.’
He got up, squeezed onto the bed beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his body; it was all the pain relief she needed.
‘In case you were in any doubt, Princess, I’m mad about you. I wanted to be here when you woke up to make sure you were all right and to tell you I’ll be here for as long as you want me. I love you.’
Georgiana tilted her face up to him and saw the truth in his words for herself. ‘I love you too. Can we start over?’
She knew she could live without him, but the fact she didn’t want to said everything about her feelings towards him.
‘No. This means we can learn from our mistakes, be honest with each other and face the future together.’ He kissed her on the lips, convincing her everything would be all right if he was there for her.
For once she was letting someone else control her narrative. After all, it was exactly the one she’d choose for herself.
EPILOGUE
Two years later
GEORGIANA WRAPPED HER arms around Ed’s neck and let him carry her the short distance she needed to go. ‘I hate this.’
‘I know, but it’s only temporary. It’s to make things a little easier on you. Your body needs a rest and now so do I.’ Ed set her gently into the wheelchair, with that mischievous grin of his firmly in place.
‘Ha-ha. This is all your fault, you know.’
‘I think it took two of us, sweetheart.’ He dropped a kiss on her lips then moved behind the chair so he could push her. Georgiana had no choice but to sit back and let him. She was tired, sore and cranky but the extra weight she was carrying these days had taken its toll.
If she didn’t want to stop working altogether this was the only way for her to get about the clinic. It had been a busy couple of years for them as a couple. Not only because the Love on a Limb charity had proved to be a resounding success and they were realising Ed’s dream of hosting a national sports event, but Georgiana had also completed her training course and was helping with the hydrotherapy sessions at the clinic when she could. Her current condition hadn’t been factored into their schedule but, as usual, they were facing it together.
‘I suppose it’ll all be worth it in the end.’
‘Of course it will. It’s everything we didn’t know we wanted.’ She could hear the smile in his voice and it went some way to alleviating her discomfort. Things were going to change again very soon but she had no doubt Ed was going to step up and be there for her as always.
She toyed with the chain around her neck where her engagement ring hung. Her fingers were too big to wear it any more but it meant as much as ever. As soon as things had settled down again and she was back to her old self they were going to set a date for the wedding. She couldn’t wait to make it official and become Mrs Lawrence. He was living with them at the palace for now, since it was already adapted to suit her extra needs. Hopefully they’d have their own place soon.
‘I can’t wait until he’s here.’ Georgiana stroked her belly, willing little Freddie to come and meet them soon. She’d taken her folic acid religiously, had all the checks and their baby boy was as healthy as could be expected.
‘I can’t believe I’m going to be a father.’ Even after nine months Ed couldn’t seem to quite get his head around it.
‘I never considered I’d ever be a mother but here we are, only days away from becoming parents, so we’d better get used to it.’ She laughed. If she’d harboured any last niggles that she was somehow not a whole woman, finding out she was pregnant put paid to them.
They were going to be a family soon, no longer content with the solitary lives they’d once held so dear. Now being together was all that mattered.
* * *
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Karin Baine
One Night with Her Italian Doc
Reunion with His Surgeon Princess
Healed by Their Unexpected Family
Their One-Night Christmas Gift
All available now!
Keep reading for an excerpt from Captivated by Her Runaway Doc by Sue MacKay.
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CHAPTER ONE
AT EIGHT FORTY-FIVE Mallory Baine turned up her bumpy drive and huffed a relieved sigh. ‘At long last.’ A soak in a hot shower, then into PJs and a thick robe to devour the pizza sitting on the seat beside her while she unwound over a crime show on TV along with it.
Except there was a light on in her living room.
And a car parked by the garage.
Her heart lurched. ‘Who the hell...?’ No one had said they were stopping by tonight. Scanning back for anyone she might’ve told to make themselves at home, her memory came up blank. Yet it had to be someone who knew she left a spare key in the meter box. Didn’t it? It isn’t an uncommon hiding place. So, who was inside?
Parking next to the gleaming 4WD she didn’t recognise, she snatched her phone from the console and shoved out to take a photo of the number plate. Just in case. She’d probably look like a fool when she learned who’d called in but, still, a girl had to be careful, even in Queenstown.
Woof, woof. Shade’s ‘Happy you’re home, Mum’ bark. Or it could be her ‘I’ve smelt the pizza’ bark. She obviously wasn’t concerned about their visitor. Though any of her friends would’ve let Shade out of her run to go inside with them.
Crossing to her pet, she unlatched the wire gate and rubbed Shade’s head, more for her own comfort than Shade’s. ‘Hey, girl. Who’s visiting?’
Wag, wag, lick.
Some of the tension growing between her shoulder blades backed off. Whoever it was couldn’t be all bad. Shade was savvy about people, though she was susceptible to meaty bribes. ‘Come on inside. We’ve got someone to check out.’
A suitcase stood on the small porch near the back door and the key was still in the lock. A relieved sigh escaped Mallory. Woo-hoo. Typical Maisie. No warning, no checking if Mallory would be around for the weekend, her best friend would just fly in and hope for the best. She’d been promising a visit for weeks and after today, with their other close friend ending up in hospital, there couldn’t be a better time. Mallory picked up the pizza and headed inside, down the short hall, calling out, ‘Maisie, I hope you’ve brought the wine.’ There wasn’t any in her fridge, likewise much in the way of fresh food. ‘Hello? Maisie? That you?’
A cough came from the sitting room. A masculine cough.
Mallory crashed to a stop in the doorway and reached down to hold Shade’s collar with her free hand. A man was unfurling his long body from her couch, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Had he been asleep? Tough. More important was, ‘Who are you?’ she demanded through the pounding in her chest.
He stood tall, his woollen jersey half hitched up one side, the linen trousers creased and rumpled, dark hair falling into dark eyes. ‘Hello.’
Hello? That was it? Not likely. Her hand slipped from Shade’s collar as she stood tall and straight, eyeballing him directly. He had no right to be here, no matter what he might think. ‘What are you doing here? How did you find the key?’ she snapped.
‘Your brother told me where the key would be and to let myself in if you weren’t home. He said you’d be back sometime tonight.’
He looked such a relaxed mess, and sounded so genuine, that her unease backed off a notch, only to be replaced by anger. This is my house. Not once had she come ho
me to find a stranger lounging on her couch like he had every right to make himself comfortable. If he was a villain, he wasn’t very good at it, lying around as though he had all the time in the world. Though why would someone with evil intent wait in the house with lights on and his vehicle parked in full view? ‘I said, who the hell are you?’ she snapped, using the anger to cover concerns about not having a clue what was going on.
‘Josue Bisset.’
She stared at him. The tension began cranking up tighter. The name meant nothing. Neither did anything he’d said so far make sense. She kept staring at him.
He finally got the idea. ‘The doctor about to start work at the local hospital where you’re based as a paramedic? I’m going to board in your house until I find an alternative for the short time I’m here?’ Doubt was creeping into his accent, and he glanced around the room. Was he looking for an escape route because it was dawning on him he’d screwed up?
He had. Big time. Continuing to watch him, Mallory drew herself even taller, all of one point six metres, and dug for a don’t fool with me attitude. It came easily. No one did this to her. Her home was her sanctuary, her safe space. ‘I don’t have a brother.’ With his stunned gaze now locked on her, she continued. ‘I am not taking in a boarder. And I’m a helicopter pilot, not a paramedic.’
Something foreign escaped from his mouth.
French? The accent sounded similar to that of the girl from Avignon who worked in the bakery she frequented. ‘You mind translating?’ she demanded, not ready to play nice. ‘Now?’
‘I’d better not,’ he said. He even smiled. ‘It wouldn’t translate politely.’ He wasn’t acting as though he might be on the back foot here and he damned well should be. He was still a stranger who’d walked into her house uninvited, despite what he believed to be a valid reason for doing so.