She pulled her legs out of the water and headed back to her towel, where she ate her apple and her strawberries and then felt her stomach rumble. It was time to go back to her house for lunch, she decided, and began to pack up her belongings. Heath and Oscar were lying in the shade, eating ice cream, so she waved and quietly headed out to the main road. She planned on hailing a passing cab.
After five minutes, with no sign of any passing cabs, she reached into her bag to dial for one.
* * *
‘Daddy, look—there’s Phoebe. Is she waiting for her daddy to pick her up?’
‘I don’t think so, Oscar. She just arrived in town and her father lives in another country a long way from here.’
‘Then we need to take her home. That would be a nice thing to do.’
Although part of him knew extending an invitation to share a ride home was close to the last thing he should do, given his desire to stay away from Phoebe when she had so little clothing on, Heath knew it was the right thing to do. Phoebe knew no one, and she was stranded at the pool after she’d taken him up on his suggestion. She had at least now put shorts on.
There was only one thing to do, he knew, as he took Oscar’s hand and walked slowly over to Phoebe.
‘Can we offer you a ride home?’
* * *
Phoebe had accepted the ride back to her home with a still mostly serious Heath and his very excited and happy little boy. She assumed Oscar had inherited his outgoing personality from his mother. The conversation came predominantly from the back seat, where Oscar was recalling his swimming prowess, until they drew near to her house.
‘I’m here on the left—well, I think I am,’ she said, then paused as she questioned the accuracy of her directions. ‘I tried to notice the way the cab driver took me and reverse it in my head.’
‘It’s two down on the right, actually. I have your address,’ he told her as he ignored her directions and kept driving. ‘I noted it from your personal records, which were transferred with the immigration form. It’s listed as your residence for the next six months.’
Phoebe could sense he was being a little condescending, and while he wasn’t exactly rude she still didn’t take kindly to it. She had only been in the country two days, and she thought even to be in the close vicinity of her new home was quite good. She doubted he’d do any better if the tables were turned and he was dropped into Washington.
‘Well, maybe it was transcribed incorrectly and maybe it was the street you just passed—on the left.’
Heath sensed she was being petulant and he found it almost amusing. He had grown up in Adelaide and knew the street she was referring to was home to a food market and some restaurants—not houses.
‘Fine, then I’m happy to turn around and drop you back in the street you think is yours.’
Phoebe knew he had called her bluff, and on such a hot day he had won.
‘No, let’s do it your way and see if you’re right.’
‘Let’s.’
‘You sound like Aunty Tilly and Uncle Paul,’ Oscar suddenly announced from the back seat. ‘They talk like that all the time, but in the end Aunty Tilly always wins.’
Heath froze, and so did Phoebe. Heath knew he was talking about his sister and brother-in-law—a married couple—and that Phoebe would suspect as much. They both went silent, and the rest of the short trip was dedicated to Oscar’s chatter about the pool.
It wasn’t long before Phoebe found herself waving goodbye and thanking her travelling companions before making her way inside her house. Oscar’s comment still resonated with her long after she’d closed the front door. They’d sounded like a married couple bickering.
Initially, looking over at her handsome, almost brooding chauffeur, with his wet hair slicked back and his shirt buttoned low over his lightly tanned chest, she’d felt herself wondering what might have been had they met under different circumstances...before she had been hurt so terribly by Giles.
But as she tried to forget that heartbreak she couldn’t deny that her heart beat a little faster being so close to Heath. His nearness had made her play self-consciously with loose wisps of her hair and swallow nervously more than once as she had looked away from his direction and to the scenery outside of the car during the trip home.
But she wasn’t interested in men and particularly not pompous men who took enjoyment in proving they were right. And romance only brought anguish into her life, she reminded herself. After Oscar’s bombshell she’d realised she had to step back. Right away from any contact with Heath outside of work arrangements, she decided as she dropped her bag of wet things into the laundry.
Pushing the child’s observation out of her mind, Phoebe made some lunch. What could Oscar really know about married couples? Nothing, she told herself, and decided to call her father. It was late in Washington, but he had left a message on her phone so she knew he was still awake.
‘So, what do you think of Adelaide?’
Phoebe wasn’t sure what to tell her father. She hadn’t seen much of the city, save for the airport, a coffee shop, a stifling hot podiatric practice and of course the pool, so her experience was limited. Her view of the parklands was lovely, but she had kept inside a small radius since arriving so thought she wasn’t yet placed to give a great evaluation. And when it came to the people of Adelaide she had spoken to the customs official, her cab drivers, Heath, Oscar and momentarily Tilly.
Not really enough to gauge a whole town, she thought. Immigration had been pleasant, the cab drivers were polite, Tilly seemed sweet, Oscar was cute—and then there was Heath. She really didn’t want to spend time thinking about him. Particularly after Oscar’s comment.
She was confused, but pushed thoughts of him to the back of her mind. He was a conundrum that she wasn’t sure she cared to solve. It could be another woman’s problem, she decided. One good-looking man had already taken too much of her time and energy with no reward. And she was definitely not looking for a replacement. No matter how handsome.
‘It’s super-hot,’ she finally replied.
‘That’s it?’ Her father laughed heartily. ‘You fly to the other side of the world and all you can tell me about the city is that it’s super-hot? Wouldn’t want you to be the only witness for the prosecution any time soon.’
Phoebe realised how vague it had sounded, and she also knew she didn’t need to have her guard up. Her father knew the worst that had happened.
‘I met Dr Rollins, and the practice is great, but the air-conditioning has broken down so we just had coffee yesterday, and today I went for a swim since I have the day off while it gets repaired.’
‘So Ken Rollins is a good man? Do you think you’ll enjoy working with him?’
Phoebe drew breath. She wished she could answer in the affirmative to both questions but she couldn’t. She hadn’t met Ken.
‘Ken’s undergone emergency knee surgery, so his son is looking after the practice.’
‘It’s fortunate for him that he has a son to take over,’ her father replied, then added thoughtfully, ‘But I know you were looking forward to working with Ken after you read his papers. I hope you’re not disappointed?’
It was the second time she had been asked that question. And her answer still stood. She wasn’t disappointed. Confused about the man, and definitely not interested beyond their working relationship, but not disappointed.
‘Working with Heath will be a learning experience.’
‘I hope you enjoy it, then,’ he told his daughter.
‘I hope so too, and if nothing else I’ve got a few months of warm weather ahead,’ she said, trying to remind herself of the only benefit she should be considering.
‘Try feeling sorry for your father. I’ll be shovelling snow at some ungodly hour in the morning. Perhaps you should get some sleep, sweetie. Your flight would have b
een taxing, and the high temperatures will add to that.’
‘It was a little tiring, but I think...’ Phoebe paused as she heard the beeping of a text message come through. ‘Can you hold for one minute, Dad? I think I got a message...’
‘Sure, honey.’
Phoebe pulled the phone away from her ear and saw a number she didn’t know. She recognised it as local and read the message.
Phoebe, it’s Tilly. I know it’s late notice, but would you be free for dinner tonight around seven at my place? Dad will be here and he’d love to meet you. And I would love to chat properly. Heath can pick you up.
An invitation to have dinner with the family was something Phoebe hadn’t expected and she felt her errant heart race a little with the prospect of seeing Heath again. She knew it was crazy but her response to seeing him again made it obvious she may have a battle ahead. It clearly wasn’t going to be as easy as telling herself the facts. She couldn’t look out of a car window and ignore her reaction. She had to look inside of herself and face the fact that Heath was awakening feelings that she thought she had packed away when she had decided to focus on her career. Suddenly butterflies began to quicken in her stomach.
She didn’t answer the text immediately as she quickly made plans in her head. She couldn’t decline as that would be rude. And she wanted to meet Ken. With her breathing still a little strained, she resolved to get a taxi there on the pretext of saving Heath the trip—when she was only too aware it was to avoid the closeness of him in the confines of his car.
‘I’m back,’ she said, trying to concentrate once again on the conversation with her father. ‘How’s Mother?’
‘She’s fine. At her yoga class and then off to have a manicure, I think—or maybe it’s to have her hair done. I can’t remember. My day’s been taken up with a new healthcare bill that the President wants to pass through Congress. It’s a struggle, but you know me, I’m always up for a challenge.’
‘Always—and you’re so good at it.’
‘Thanks, but the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. Look at you. Going to the other side of the world after what you’ve been through is quite the challenge too.’
‘Hardly going to change the world here—and you did all the work. I really do appreciate you arranging everything. The house is wonderful, and it’s stocked for a hungry army. Thank you so much.’
‘You are more than welcome—but, speaking of an army, I’d better go, honey,’ her father cut in. ‘Urgent briefing with the Secretary of Defence at six a.m. tomorrow, so I’d better get some sleep before I head out in the wee hours of the morning with salt and a shovel to clear the driveway.’
‘Okay, Dad. Love you.’
‘Back at you—and I hope you have fun, whatever you do.’
Phoebe went into her room and collapsed into the softness of her bed, dropping the mobile phone beside her. She decided to take a shower and think logically about the invitation before rushing in. Perhaps she should decline and meet Ken another time. Perhaps she should avoid Heath in a social situation. Keep it purely professional the way it should be. Stepping under tepid water, Phoebe washed her hair, and by the time she had rinsed out the conditioner she had come to the conclusion that she had to stop over-thinking the situation.
Oscar’s remark had thrown her, and Heath’s attitude had been a little patronizing, but he was right—he had known the way to her home. And she hadn’t. Perhaps she had been a little defensive for no reason other than to push him away.
Her head was spinning and it wasn’t the heat. Her house was wonderfully cool.
‘Get a grip, Phoebe Johnson. Stop creating false drama where there is none. Heath Rollins is not interested in you. It’s dinner with Ken’s family and that’s it. Almost business. And Oscar was way off the mark. He’s only a child, and no judge of what married couples really sound like. You have nothing to worry about. Heath Rollins is not looking for love any more than you.’
So she accepted the invitation...with the proviso that she would catch a cab.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘PHOEBE SEEMS LOVELY,’ Tilly said as she placed a large bowl of homemade potato salad on the dining table, where Heath, Oscar, Ken, her husband Paul and her two daughters were seated, waiting for Phoebe to arrive.
Heath watched as Paul, a tall man with an athletic build, by trade an engineer who directed huge construction teams, struggled to keep his tiny girls from climbing down from their booster chairs and heading back to their toys. He was clearly losing the battle, and one of them took off across the room, so he surrendered and set the girls up with a picnic blanket on the floor, added some toys and invited Oscar to join them.
Tilly was a wonderful cook, who never liked to see anyone leave hungry, so she had grilled a selection of chicken shashlik, vegetable patties and gourmet sausages from her local butcher, along with her famous potato salad and a Greek salad.
‘Can someone please remind me why she’s coming to dinner? She’s here to work—not join family gatherings, surely?’
‘It’s called being hospitable to a stranger in town, Heath. And she’s lovely, as I said.’
‘Yes, she’s nice.’ Oscar seconded his aunt’s opinion of Phoebe as he stood up and strained to reach for a slice of bread from the table.
Smiling, his grandfather slid the plate closer to him to make the task easier.
‘You met her too, Oscar?’ Tilly asked as she brought cold drinks to the table.
‘Yes, at the pool,’ Oscar responded as he sat down with his twin cousins again, a big slice of bread in his hand. ‘And we drove her home and she and Daddy talked a lot.’
‘So you all went to the pool together, then?’ Tilly addressed her question to Heath, her eyes smiling.
‘I took Oscar to the Burnside pool and Phoebe happened to be there,’ he responded defensively.
He had experienced more than a few attempts by his sister to matchmake over the years, and he intended to quash this attempt immediately. He wasn’t buying into her supposedly casual conversation that would no doubt lead to something more like an interrogation over his love-life if he allowed it.
‘So, of all the pools in Adelaide, a woman who knows nothing of Adelaide just happened to choose that one?’
Heath’s silence was his answer.
‘So everyone has met the doctor I hired except me?’ Ken asked. ‘Well, at least I’ll get to meet her tonight and judge for myself.’
‘I haven’t met her yet,’ Paul said. ‘But then I didn’t know you’d even hired anyone—I thought Heath was filling in for you.’
‘He is. But the practice is growing, and I needed help, and Dr Phoebe Johnson was highly recommended. I had made arrangements for her to work with me before the accident. From all accounts she’s a brilliant young podiatric surgeon looking for a change of scenery, so I jumped at the chance. Pardon the pun,’ he said as he looked down at his bandaged knee.
‘Very pretty too,’ Tilly remarked.
‘I hadn’t heard that part, but it never hurts to have a pretty doctor in the practice,’ said the older Dr Rollins. ‘So, Heath, do you think you two will get along?’
Heath considered the question and answered in his usual guarded tones. ‘I’ve read her transcripts and she has an impressive record—and the reports from the Washington hospital are great. We chatted yesterday morning at the café for a while, and she seems suited to the role.’
‘Yesterday morning? You mean you took her out after she fainted? Quick work, Heath. I’m impressed,’ said Tilly.
‘Phoebe fainted? Is she okay?’ Ken asked.
‘I didn’t take her out—we had a cool drink to talk about work and, yes, Dad, Phoebe’s fine. The heat just got to her but I’m sure we won’t have a repeat once the air-con is up and running again. You might like to consider renovating the building in the
not too distant future.’
He’d added that to change an obvious subject direction that he didn’t like.
‘I could do you a rebuild,’ Paul chipped in. ‘Bulldoze and start again. Prime real estate there, and I’ve been saying for years the old building has had its day.’
Ken looked stony-faced at his son-in-law, to end that line of conversation, and then turned back to Heath. ‘So, when my newest employee is conscious and upright, is she pretty?’
Heath looked around the table and realised they were all poised for his reply. ‘Yes, she’s pretty.’
Tilly smiled a self-satisfied smile, while Ken nodded to himself and Paul winked at his wife.
Heath saw the looks they gave each other and lowered his voice so that Oscar wouldn’t hear the adults’ conversation. ‘Just because I made mention of Phoebe’s appearance, don’t think for a minute that I’m interested in her. It was a response to a direct question. Don’t try and set us up. I don’t need anyone in my life, and if you try anything you’ll be short one staff member. Me. I’ll be on a plane back to Sydney faster than you can blink. Neither Oscar or I need anyone else in our lives.’
‘Are you sure about that?’ Tilly asked with a brazen look.
‘Yes. You know how I feel. It’s been just Oscar and me for the last five years. No woman has come into our lives.’
‘I know, but now Phoebe has. And you’ve already broken one of your unbreakable rules with her. No woman shall meet your son. Well, she has and he seems to like her.’
Just then the doorbell rang, and Heath stood up and walked briskly past the Christmas tree that Tilly had decorated that morning. It was the second time he had walked past it that evening, and both times he had looked at it only briefly and then looked away without making mention of it. He was still not able to face Christmas and all the trimmings. He doubted he ever would again. There was nothing that could make him enjoy the holiday season. He had tried and failed. Christmas was just too painful.
As he opened the door Oscar ran over to join him.
A Mommy to Make Christmas Page 6
