Copper Creek: The Complete Boxed Set

by Smith, Wendy

  “Just don’t.” I don’t look behind me, and I walk out the door, pulling my case. There are plenty of motels in town, and I can do with a bit of time taking care of myself.

  Besides, I have something so much better to look forward to.

  * * *

  I find a motel near the hospital. If it’s going to be home for a few nights, I might as well make it convenient.

  It’s a small room, but it has a bed, and I’m so tired after my trip that it’s all I need.

  I kick off my shoes and collapse onto the soft mattress. Today’s been exhausting, between driving and dealing with Lucy. What I really want to do is curl up around Hayley and sleep.

  She seeps into my every thought, and spending last night with her made us way more than just sex.

  I pluck my phone from my pocket and grimace. First thing tomorrow, I’ll go and buy a new one. A new phone for a fresh start.

  Scrolling down to her name, I smile as I press the message button.

  I’m back in Hamilton, and I’m alone in a motel thinking about you.

  It takes a few minutes, but I soon get a response.

  You’re in a motel?

  She can have the flat. I’ll find somewhere new.

  Don’t forget to replace your couch.

  I chuckle and shake my head. This girl has me tied up in all kinds of knots, and I don’t even really know her. Guess it means I’ll be going home more often.

  I’ll buy something bigger and better. So when you visit, there’ll be plenty of room for us to lie down on it together.

  I like that idea.

  So do I. I really like that idea.

  I like that you like that idea.

  I like that you like that I like that idea.

  Laughing, I gaze at my phone as if it’s about to spill some big secret. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt so alive, so wanted. How had my relationship with Lucy been so bad, and how had I been so blind to it?

  Wish you were here. There’s room service and a mini bar.

  I’m sold. Or I would be if I didn’t have work tomorrow.

  If you’re going to Lily’s, give my niece a cuddle.

  Of course I will. Goodnight, Drew.

  Night, princess.

  * * *

  Two days, and a lot more text messages later, I stumble across a place to live.

  Today there’s a farewell at the hospital for one of my co-workers. Daryl Murray has about ten years on me, and is not only leaving the hospital to go into private practice, he’s going overseas to do it.

  He’s been a friend and a mentor, and as excited as I am for him, I’ll be sad to see him go.

  “You, Drew. You’ll go far when you get out of the hospital. I mean, it’s not a bad place to work, but you have so much potential.” He slurs after a couple of beers, and I smirk. Daryl is a lightweight when it comes to drinking.

  “Thanks, mate. I’ll miss your help.”

  “You don’t need it.”

  I nod. “So, you all ready to go?”

  He grimaces. “Almost. I thought my house would have sold by now. It’s supposed to be a buyer’s market, but someone should tell the buyers that.”

  Laughing, I pat his back. “Well, I’m looking for somewhere to live. I can’t buy yet due to the ex’s spending habits, but if you end up renting it out, I’d be keen.”

  He gapes. “That’s a really good idea. I know I can trust you.”

  “Of course you can. Let me know how much you want, and I’m sure we can work it out.”

  “It’d really help me out of a bind. I’m a bit reluctant to leave it empty.”

  I’ve seen his house. It’s huge and would be a great place to give myself some space. Hopefully he remembers this conversation in the morning.

  When I get back to the motel, I send a quick text to Hayley. It’s funny. We still don’t know each other well, but having her to talk to gives me something to look forward to.

  I might have found a place to live.

  The phone rings, and I smile when I see her name appear on the screen.

  “Tell me you need to hear my voice.”

  She laughs. “Of course. I also thought it’d be easier than sending dozens of texts.”

  “Dozens? That’s ambitious.”

  “Okay, it might be a slight exaggeration, but it seemed like it last time we started a texting conversation.”

  “I miss you.”

  There’s silence for a moment, and I know I’ve hit her with something she wasn’t expecting.

  “I miss you too.” She lets out a loud breath. “So, tell me about this place you found.”

  I smile. “Well, I don’t know for sure if I can have it, but it’s a house. He’s got it for sale at the moment so I’ll find the link for it online and send it to you.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Lying back on the bed, I close my eyes. “How was your day?”

  “I stopped by and saw Lily again. She’s doing so well.”

  “Have they named the baby yet?”

  Hayley laughs. “No.”

  “They should just let Max do it.”

  “Max is still pushing for Rose, but Lily has final say and isn’t quite sure.”

  I smile at the thought of that little family. Lily will be keeping Adam on his toes. With any luck, she’s got him running around after her, just as he should have done all those years ago instead of running from her. He’s the luckiest bastard on this planet to get back what he walked away from. Lily’s one of my best friends, and I’d do anything for her and for Max.

  I chuckle. “Good for her.”

  “Other than that, today was crazy busy. I can tell you …”

  Hayley’s voice soothes me as I settle in for sleep.

  I do miss her.

  * * *

  The house is amazing. By the weekend, I’m standing in the living room in silence.

  There are no sounds from the street outside, as there was in the motel. No Lucy. She has no idea where I am, and I intend to keep it that way.

  I’ve taken the furniture I wanted from the flat, and replaced what I need to from the savings I’d managed to squirrel away. Tonight’s the first night I sleep in my new bed.

  Every night, Hayley and I burn up the phone line with texts and calls. Little by little, we get to know each other, and maybe it’s what we should have done before sleeping together, but the distance is helping, in a way. It means our fledgling relationship isn’t just about sex. It’s becoming so much deeper.

  Although, as I lie on my super-king-size bed for the first time, all I want is for her to be here with me.

  Memories play through my head. The instant attraction, kissing her for the first time, needing to touch her.

  My fingers hover over the onscreen keyboard of the phone. I feel as if there’s so much to say, but we’ve known each other for five minutes, and I don’t want her thinking I’m some kind of crazy stalker.

  I don’t need to start the conversation.

  Are you settled in your new house yet?

  I smile at the text as it pops up on my screen.

  Getting there. I was just about to get some sleep.

  Sorry. I just wanted to make contact.

  My phone was in my hand to do the same.

  Great minds and all that.

  She makes me happy even when she’s not with me.

  Something like that. I wish you were here. You’ll love this place.

  There’s so much more I want to say, but it’s too early. Way too early.

  I looked at the link you sent me. It looks lovely. Is that you inviting me to visit?

  I grin at my phone and let out a loud breath.

  You’re welcome any time, princess. The sooner, the better.

  My first night in my new place, I sleep better than I have in ages. It’s not just because of this house—it’s because of Hayley.

  I think I’m falling for her.

  * * *

  The morning sun floods through t
he huge bedroom windows. I could be pissed with myself that I forgot to pull the blinds before going to bed, but the privacy screens leave me hidden behind the glass and I can enjoy the rays.

  I’m going to love living here.

  Slipping out of bed, I pull a pair of dress pants on before opening the wardrobe for a shirt and tie. The plush carpet is soft, and the warmth continues as I step onto the heated tiles of the kitchen. Darryl pulled out all the stops for this place.

  I flick on the electric jug, and while the water’s boiling, I pull my shirt on. Standing by the bay windows that face out to the backyard, I look over the pool. This is a home for a family—not that it’s ever been one.

  It was a no-brainer moving in. When we got to talking rent, it wasn’t much more than what I’d been paying for my flat. It’s farther to drive to work, but it’s a nice house in in a nice neighbourhood.

  The jug flicks off, and I finish buttoning my shirt as I cross the room. Am I crazy for wanting this much space?

  When I was a kid, I shared a room with Owen until we moved to Copper Creek. Even in a bigger house, I was always surrounded by people, and in uni and when I started at the hospital, I flatted with others. I’d finally got a flat for myself just before I met Lucy.

  Now all I can think about is getting Hayley here to spend some time together. Being with her isn’t like being with anyone else—it’s just so easy.

  I mix my coffee, and pick up my phone, smiling as I see the message on it.

  Have a good day.

  But there’s another message.

  We need to talk. Come home.

  I need to go back and get the rest of my things, but as far as I’m concerned, I am home.

  6

  Hayley

  “Hayley McCarthy?”

  A phone number I don’t recognise rang my mobile seconds ago, and while I’d love to ignore it because I’ve been up since 1.30 a.m, I have to answer it just in case it’s important.

  “This is she.”

  “My name is Ash Harris. I need your help.”

  I don’t need any further introduction. Partway up McKenzie’s Mountain is a massive compound, hectares and hectares blocked off by a massive wall that I assume goes all around the property. Ash Harris is the leader of the people who live there.

  From what I’ve heard, his father used to run the commune, and while they tended to keep to themselves, the people who lived there were a lot more open. There are stories of the women coming into town to shop. I have to admit, that place scares the shit out of me.

  “What can I do for you, Mr Harris?”

  “One of the ladies here. She’s in labour, and the woman looking after her thinks she’s in some kind of trouble.”

  My stomach drops. If they’re having babies in there, who’s looking after them? “How long’s she been in labour?”

  “Uhh, it started a day ago, maybe? I don’t know a lot about it, but she’s in a lot of pain, and I think she needs help.”

  I’ve been up for fifteen hours so far. What I really need is some sleep. “Either myself or Margaret Joyce can be there in the next fifteen minutes.”

  “The sooner the better.”

  I get Margaret’s voicemail. She was up most of the night too, so it looks like it’s me.

  It’s funny. There are times when it’s quiet, but like so many other things in a rural community, babies seem to be seasonal. And it’s the season. Margaret and I cover a massive area between the two of us, and we intersect with two midwives in the next town over to fill any gaps. The population of Copper Creek isn’t huge, there’s maybe three thousand people, but there are a lot who live on farms and not in the town centre. My fuel bill can be insane.

  McKenzie’s Mountain is at the back of Copper Creek. It and the mountain range it belongs to wraps the town. There’s one road into town and one road out. It’s off the beaten track and wonderfully peaceful.

  I drive up to the large gate. There are no signs of guards or anyone else around, but the gates slowly open, and my stomach flips with nerves as I drive inside. In the four years I’ve lived in Copper Creek, I’ve never been inside this community. They’re so secretive.

  A large compound is at the end of a very long driveway. Behind it, there are rows of greenhouses. I never thought about how these people must feed themselves, but I guess they’ve been here long enough to be self-sufficient. For all intents and purposes this just looks like a big farm.

  The concept has always seemed sinister to me. People locked behind a large gate, not seeming to venture out into the world. One of the things I love about Copper Creek is that it’s rural and there are a lot of wide, open spaces. Coming from the sometimes cramped city, it’s heaven on earth.

  Unsure of where I’m supposed to go, I drive closer to the largest of the buildings. At the entrance is a tall, dark-haired man who waves at me. I guess that’s who I’m supposed to see.

  I retrieve my bag from the back seat and climb out of the car.

  The man extends a hand for me to shake. “Hi, I’m Ash Harris.” This is the leader of this group.

  Ash Harris is beautiful.

  There’s no other way to describe him. With short, jet black hair, and piercing blue eyes, it’s enough to make a girl’s heart flutter. But I’m not any girl, and men like him are a dime a dozen in the world my mother wants me to live in.

  That doesn’t make him any less intimidating.

  He smiles at me like a cat who got the cream. “And you are?”

  “The midwife. Where’s my patient?”

  His smile disappears, and I immediately regret how short I am. Not because I’m worried about offending him, but it does concern me that he might not let me see her.

  He nods. “Come this way.”

  If there was a bridge, I think I’ve burned it, but the important thing is that he’s leading me into the building and through a maze of corridors before we stop walking.

  A tall, bearded man stands like a guard at the door of the room. I hear the exhausted groans of a woman who’s been in labour too long. Gritting my teeth, I summon my courage and push the door open. No one stops me. Ash follows behind.

  In the centre of the room is a bed with the labouring woman in it. Her dirty blonde hair hangs loose, and she’s dripping in sweat. There are women either side of the bed, dressed in the plain grey dresses I’ve heard women from this group all wear.

  Ignoring them, I walk to the side of the bed. “Hi. I’m Hayley, and I’m a midwife. You are?”

  “Julia.”

  “What’s going on, Julia?”

  One of the women speaks. “She’s been in labour for hours, and nothing’s happening.”

  I wait for any more information. “Is that it?”

  “That’s all we know.”

  Holy shit.

  “I just need to examine you.”

  She nods, pain written all over her face. How they let it get to this stage, I’ll never know.

  I open my bag and pull out my stethoscope and Doppler. I’ve never been in a room so quiet when someone’s giving birth. It’s like she has an audience instead of anyone helping her.

  Her blood pressure’s high, and at first I can’t find the heartbeat of the baby. I swallow hard. I can take her to the clinic for an ultrasound, but that’s something I suspect she won’t let me do, despite needing it a long time ago.

  There’s a faint echo of a heartbeat, and it’s too fast to be Julia’s. I place my hands on her to feel how the baby’s body’s lying.

  My heart sinks. The baby’s transverse.

  This is one of the worst things that can happen.

  Lying sideways, this baby won’t come out. At least not here.

  “You need a caesarean. The baby’s lying the wrong way,” I say.

  “Can’t you turn it?” one of the women asks, and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. If they’re going to look after a woman in labour, they should at least know that it’s too late for that.

  “No, I can�
�t. The baby’s transverse. There’s an elbow where the head should be.”

  She blanches, and I look toward the door where Ash stands.

  “We need to get an emergency evacuation for her.”

  “Really?”

  “If you want her and the baby to live, yes.” I regret the words, and I would never say anything like that in front of a patient normally, but time is of the essence, and this could easily turn into a tragedy.

  Without his reply, I pick up my phone and dial a number Margaret gave me four years ago, which I’ve never had cause to use. I’ve sent patients out of town before to get specialist care, but never an emergency evacuation.

  Ash moves beside me. “Whatever you need.”

  “The helicopter will land beside the clinic in town. We’ll have to get her there.”

  Ash nods. “There’s nothing else you can do?”

  He might have a gaze that penetrates to my soul, but Julia’s life is at risk, and I can’t back down.

  “The baby can’t come out this way. She needs a doctor.”

  “Doctor Paton is in town.”

  “She needs an obstetrician.”

  He nods again, but his blank reaction irritates me. It makes me want to scream at him, but I need to keep my cool for Julia’s sake. He’s standing over me, and I’m unsure if it’s because I’m putting my foot down and he doesn’t like it, or if he’s hovering because he cares about Julia. Chances are it’s the latter, but it’s unnerving. I doubt anyone has ever told this man what to do.

  “We’ve got a van we can use.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll go with her.”

  He gives me a thin smile. “Thank you.”

  The man from the corridor steps in and scoops Julia into his arms as if she weighs nothing. She grimaces, and the pain of another contraction is clear on her face. She moans as he carries her out the door.

  Following my new patient back out, I watch as a mattress is carried out of the building and placed in the van, and she’s gently laid on it. Without any hesitation, I hop in the back with her and sit on the floor. Ash gets in the front.