by Lucy Clark
Megan’s eyes widened at that. Really? She was more relaxed? Oh, no. That meant her knight in Scottish armour really had had an affect on her. Work. She needed to focus on work because when she focused on work, her world would settle back into the even balance she preferred. Work would get her through. It always had and always would.
‘Let’s go to the ward and get this day started.’ She bundled out of the room, not really looking where she was going, and walked slap bang into solid male chest.
Her hands came up automatically to protect herself and she felt warm, firm flesh covered with cotton fabric. A heady scent of spices mixed with earthy tones and a hint of car grease assailed her senses. The man she’d walked into was warm and very close. His own hands had come to rest at her waist, holding her firmly so she didn’t topple over, yet the heat that seared her as he touched her sent little shock pulses buzzing throughout her body.
Time slowed. It had never happened to her before. She’d heard other accounts, she’d read about it in books, but she’d never experienced the actual sensation of time appearing to have any effect on what was happening to her. Now, though, as she raised her eyes, slowly lifting her head to see just who it was she’d bumped in to, she instinctively knew before she even looked into his face who it was.
‘You.’ The word tumbled from her lips as he, in turn, looked down into her upturned face, a wide smile starting to spread over his face.
‘We meet again.’ His Scottish brogue washed over her and for that instant Megan was rather glad he was still holding onto her or she may well have crumbled to the floor, such was the effect of his deep, rich tones.
‘Again?’ Nicole’s question behind her burst the floating bubble which had encapsulated them. Megan quickly dropped her hands, her fingertips still tingling from the sensations that touching his chest had evoked. She worked hard to ignore them as she shifted slightly backwards so he would have to remove his hands—hands that were so warm, so clever, so full of promise.
As she stepped back, she bumped into the bookcase in the corner of her office. ‘Ow.’ She rubbed her elbow, feeling more than a little embarrassed.
‘Are you all right?’ Loughlin reached out a hand to assist her but she quickly shifted away.
‘I’m fine.’ She made a concentrated effort to pull herself together. ‘What are you…?’ She stopped, not wanting to sound rude but wanting to know what on earth he was doing here in her hospital. Had he hurt himself? A quick—very quick—glance over him showed her he looked fine. More than fine, but she dismissed that thought the instant it came into her head. He’d tidied himself up a bit, rebuttoning his shirt, tucking it in, and he was now wearing a tie, his mop of hair spiking a bit more than before as though he’d recently run his fingers through it. If anything, he looked even better than the first time she’d laid eyes on him.
‘Doing here?’ he finished for her.
‘Yes.’
‘How do you two know each other?’ Nicole questioned, still looking from one to the other. ‘Did you work together in Sydney?’
‘Work together?’ Megan’s frown was deep.
‘Ah…Dr McCloud. I see you managed to find the director’s office without a problem,’ Anthony, the surgical registrar, said as he came into the room. There were now four people standing within the door space of Megan’s office and she was starting to feel a little claustrophobic, especially as Anthony’s words were still swimming in the air.
‘Dr McCloud?’
‘You’re the director? Impressive.’ Loughlin held out his hand. ‘Dr Loughlin McCloud at your service. Although feel free to call me Lochie.’ He grinned at Megan as he spoke and once again she felt that warmth spread right through her. Never before had a man affected her like this, to the point where she was once more having mental blanks as to what it was she was supposed to be doing.
‘So come on,’ Nicole wanted to know. ‘How do you two know each other?’
‘Er…Dr McCloud stopped and helped me with my car this morning.’ So her Scottish stranger had a name. Loughlin. Lochie. She tossed them around in her mind and found they suited him.
‘Oh. Wasn’t that nice.’ Nicole smiled brightly at the man and put out her hand. ‘I’m Nicole. CNC for the place. We’re all a rather informal bunch here, quite a close-knit community, everyone nice and friendly.’
Megan watched as Loughlin shook hands with Nicole and noticed the extra gleam of pleasure in the nurse’s eyes. Was Nicole interested in Loughlin? Probably. The nurse was recently divorced and reputed to be on the prowl for husband number two. At any rate, it didn’t concern her except for the fact that Loughlin McCloud now turned out to be a colleague of hers. That meant he was off limits as far as her own personal friendship scale went. Colleagues. Professional friends but nothing more. It also meant she could now cancel their dinner.
‘Everyone’s friendly, you say?’ His lilting tones once more washed over Megan and she now worked harder to ignore the effects they were producing. He’d let go of Nicole’s hand but now he leaned a little closer, his eyes alive with that teasing sense Megan had witnessed when they’d been by the side of the road earlier that morning. ‘No prickly echidnas, then?’
Nicole laughed, even though Megan could tell she wasn’t sure what Loughlin was alluding to. ‘None whatsoever,’ the CNC assured him. ‘We’re all as cuddly as koalas and as bouncing as kangaroos.’
‘Good to hear. Good to hear.’ His gaze settled on Megan as he spoke. It was deep and friendly, as though he was almost challenging her to be cuddly and bouncy rather than prickly and evasive. ‘So you’re the director.’ He nodded slowly. ‘That would make you Dr Megan Edwards.’
‘Correct.’
Nicole frowned. ‘I thought you said you’d met.’
Not wanting to tell the entire story of her morning to her staff, Megan decided it was better to get things moving.
‘Ward round, anyone?’ With that, she edged passed Loughlin, ensuring their bodies didn’t touch in any way, although that didn’t stop her from feeling the heat that radiated from the man. It was as though he exuded pheromones, and as they all followed her on the short walk to the ward, she couldn’t help but notice how every female Loughlin met seemed to fall instantly beneath his spell. Was it his looks? His accent? His friendliness?
Megan knew she was overreacting, over-thinking and over-analysing and made herself calm down. He was just being friendly to his new work colleagues and she shouldn’t fault that, she should praise it. If women chose to throw themselves at his feet, that was their problem. Of one thing, though, she was absolutely sure. She wasn’t going to be one of those women who fluttered their eyelashes at him, who became enraptured by him, or who swooned at the sound of his gorgeously smooth tones. He was a colleague and he was out of bounds.
As they made their way around the patients, Megan realised the round would take far longer than usual given the fact that the patients wanted to stop and chat with the newest addition to the hospital staff—especially Mrs Newbold, who was renowned for being the biggest flirt in the district, even though she was coming close to celebrating her ninetieth birthday.
‘I’ve seen this district grow from nothing,’ she wheezed to Loughlin, intermittently lifting the oxygen mask to her mouth and nose to breathe in the lifesaving gas. ‘My parents moved here when I was only a small young thing and I’ve seen good times and bad times.’
‘I’ll just bet you have and I look forward to hearing quite a few of your yarns while I’m in town. There’s nothing like hearing history first hand rather than reading it in book.’ Loughlin took Mrs Newbold’s hand in his and held it warmly. With his other hand he pressed his fingers to her radial pulse as he paid the woman the attention she deserved. He checked the charts, listened to her chest and continued with his observations, all the while engaging his patient in conversation.
Megan watched in delight as his naturally caring attitude made Mrs Newbold relax. He made little notations on her chart from time to time, recording
the necessary information, and when he chuckled at something their elderly patient had said, Megan couldn’t help but let the sound wash over her.
As they got ready to move on to their final patient, Mrs Newbold put out a hand and took hold of Megan’s. ‘I think you’ve forgotten to do something, deary.’
Megan smiled at her patient and gave the wrinkled hand a little squeeze. ‘What’s that?’
‘You haven’t done my tests. Taken my blood pressure and all that stuff.’
Megan’s smile broadened as she placed the oxygen mask gently onto Mrs Newbold’s face. ‘Dr McCloud did your observations today, Mrs Newbold. You’re all done. Rest now.’
At Megan’s words, the older woman’s eyes widened in disbelief. ‘No, he didn’t.’
‘Yes, I did.’ His smooth tones filled the air. ‘And I have to say you’re doing remarkably well for someone who’s had a bad bout of bronchiectasis.’
‘You did my tests?’ She was dumbfounded and the staff couldn’t help but smile as Loughlin once more reassured her that he had indeed listened to her chest, checked her blood pressure and pulse. ‘I had no idea.’ A look of utter devotion crossed Mrs Newbold’s face. ‘I like this one, Megan. You’d better see about keeping him here in Kiama. At least as long as I live, at any rate.’
Megan had to admit that she, too, was highly impressed with Loughlin’s natural and caring bedside manner. He would, indeed, be an asset to the hospital as well as the general medical services they provided to the community.
‘I’ll do my best to ensure he stays, Mrs Newbold.’ She leaned forward a little but knew Loughlin could hear what she was saying to their patient. ‘It appears our new Scottish colleague is a man of many extraordinary talents.’ Her remark was made as she remembered the way he’d taken his time methodically and logically with her car. It was almost as though he’d been applying his tender loving care to the mechanical task, and in much the same way he’d charmed Mrs Newbold, interacting with her while making sure she was in the best working order.
‘Really?’ He raised his eyebrows, his smile wide and pleased. Megan could see that his ego had started to swell.
‘Although perhaps we shouldn’t discuss such things in front of him,’ she said to Mrs Newbold in a stage whisper. ‘He is a male after all and you know what type of egos that species tend to sport.’
‘Yes, yes. Quite right, girlie.’ Mrs Newbold chuckled, which then turned into a coughing fit. Megan quickly repositioned the oxygen mask over the woman’s face and told her to take deep breaths. She saw Loughlin move around to the other side of the bed, both of them ready to act quickly if Mrs Newbold’s breathing didn’t settle as rapidly as it should, but thankfully there was no need. It did smooth and even out and soon the eighty-nine-year-old was relaxing back amongst the pillows, her breathing as normal as could be expected, given her condition.
Nicole stayed with Mrs Newbold as Loughlin and Megan moved on to their last patient. ‘You weren’t just teasing me again back there, were you?’ Loughlin’s words were low as he walked close behind Megan. ‘You can’t possibly have forgotten that we Scots don’t take kindly to being teased.’
Megan glanced up at him as she picked up their next patient’s chart, her voice was as quiet as his as she spoke. ‘Looks as though you’d better start getting used to it.’ They finished the rest of the ward round without another personal word spoken between them and when Megan was sitting at the nurses station, writing up her report, Loughlin sidled up next to her.
‘So, Dr Edwards. How did I do?’
‘Fair.’
‘Fair? That’s it? That’s all I get? And I was trying so hard to impress you as well.’
‘You’ve already impressed me so you can now stop trying.’ Her tone was bland and matter-of-fact but he listened to her words, not her tone.
‘Really?’ He beamed one of his magnificent smiles in her direction and she found it quite difficult to ignore. ‘Is that so?’ Loughlin raised an eyebrow, then nodded as though this was exactly what he’d wanted to hear. ‘I take it this means we’re still on for dinner this evening?’
‘Listen, Loughlin. About that—’
‘You want to cancel,’ he stated.
‘Yes. Look, I don’t think it’s a good idea and it’s hardly necessary any more.’
‘Any more? What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘It means that now I know you’re not a starving artist who’s come out to Kiama to paint and suffer for his art, that you don’t need me to buy you dinner.’
‘You thought I was a starving artist?’ He seemed to take her words almost as a compliment.
‘Actually, no. That thought hadn’t entered my head until just now, but the point is we work together.’
‘And you no doubt have a personal rule that prohibits you from sharing dinner with your colleagues.’
‘Well…yes. I do.’
‘It’s a stupid rule, Megan.’
‘What? It is not.’ She turned to face him directly, ready for a debate.
‘Aye, of course it is, lassie. I’ve learned from past experience that as we medics work such long and varied hours, the only other people we really have the time to socialise with are other medics who work long and varied hours. Back home I’d find it difficult to catch up with friends because I was either working when they weren’t or vice versa. It’s a common and well-known fact. Other hospital staff are also included in this equation,’ he added as an afterthought. ‘I wouldn’t want my new boss to think I was at all discriminating against the nursing staff or the orderlies or cleaners or anyone.’
‘I don’t think that. I appreciate your argument and agree—in part—but the fact of the matter remains that I think it’s best if we cancel our scheduled dinner for this evening. Initially, it was a way of saying thank you for your assistance but I’ve said thank you at least five or six times and am now of the belief that that will suffice.’
Loughlin thought her words over for a moment, listening to the finality in her tone, and wondered how on earth he was going to talk her around. He eventually decided on the truth…or at least a version of it.
‘If you don’t have dinner with me, I’ll be forced to eat alone.’
‘I doubt that,’ Megan murmured.
‘And that means?’
‘If you’re lonely, all you have to do is go to the restaurant tonight, sit all alone at a table and before you’ve been shown a menu, you’ll be invited to join someone else’s table.’
‘It’s good to know the people of this community are friendly…well, most of them.’ Loughlin looked pointedly at Megan.
‘You’ve already called me prickly once today so you may as well do it again and get it over and done with.’
Loughlin shook his head slowly. ‘I don’t think you’re prickly, Megan, and for the record I’d still be delighted if you’d join me for dinner this evening as we originally planned. It’s not a secret rendezvous, it’s not espionage. It’s just two colleagues, sharing a meal. Nothing more and most certainly nothing to be frightened of.’
Megan looked at him as he spoke, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. She could feel herself capitulating once again, just as she had when he’d offered to take a look at her car, just as she had when she’d agreed to have dinner with him in the first place. He had charm and charisma and she was quickly discovering that she wasn’t as immune to it as she’d initially thought.
Due to their delayed start that morning, it was much later than usual when Megan finally switched off the light to her office, closed the door and headed outside to the car park where her sad little car awaited her. She’d been so incredibly busy all day long that she hadn’t given it another thought and she’d been planning to get in contact with the local mechanic and get him to come and collect the car while she’d been working. Well, that had been her initial plan but with Loughlin having tinkered with it that morning, she was almost willing to put her faith in his ability. Almost.
Would it get her home? Would
it conk out and leave her stranded on a deserted road in the dark? Megan hesitated for a moment at the front entrance of the hospital, wondering whether she should leave the car there overnight and call a taxi instead. Then again, she still had to get back into town for her dinner date with Loughlin. Date? When had she started thinking of the evening they’d organised as a date?
Honestly. The man had her all in a tizz and she didn’t like that at all. Squaring her shoulders and pulling her car keys from her bag, she decided to risk the car and headed out into the cool autumn evening. It was getting close to seven o’clock which meant the sun had well and truly set. Bright lights illuminated the car park and she was grateful for that reserved parking spot of hers very close to the front doors.
She stopped in front of her car and looked at the man who was leaning on the bonnet, obviously waiting for her. He looked very similar to how he’d been when she’d first met him. The tie had disappeared, the top few buttons of his shirt were undone and the shirt had been pulled free from the dark denims he wore. His hair, however, was standing up in even bigger spikes than before, as though he’d not long pushed his hands through the dark brown locks. ‘Dr McCloud.’
‘Dr Edwards.’ He didn’t move and her mind started to work nineteen to the dozen to try and figure out what he wanted.
‘Why, pray, tell, are you leaning against my car?’
‘Well, I thought that, given the late hour and that we are due to be meeting in town in a little over half an hour’s time, I’d give you an escort home to ensure that you didn’t have any further car trouble. Although…’he patted the bonnet of her car lovingly ‘…this wee beauty shouldn’t give you any more trouble. Not tonight, at least.’
‘You’ll follow me home? In your car?’ She frowned a little, wanting to clarify exactly what he was saying because she was finding that sometimes she tended to listen to the lilt of his words rather than what he was actually saying. She had discovered the more time she spent with Loughlin McCloud that his accent had the most calming effect on her. Stress had always been something she’d battled, given that she was such a perfectionist, and those stress levels had increased somewhat when Calvin had publicly humiliated her. Now, though, the rise and fall of her new colleague’s deep voice made her want to sit back, relax and listen to more.
