‘No, I haven’t.’ She gave a choked little gurgle. ‘I know I shouldn’t laugh, but if you’d seen the expression on your face …’
She burst out laughing and Daniel felt the cold knotty feeling that had been building up inside him for days suddenly start to unravel. He grinned at her, his hazel eyes sparkling with amusement.
‘Think it’s funny to see someone almost drowning, do you?’
‘Yes … I mean, no. Of course not.’ She bit her lip, doing her best to behave with suitable decorum.
Daniel chuckled wickedly. Turning on the tap, he scooped up a handful of water. ‘I wonder how funny you’d find it if you were on the receiving end of an impromptu shower?’
‘Daniel, you wouldn’t!’
‘Oh, wouldn’t I?’ He let a few drops of water dribble onto her bare arm, grinning when he heard her squeal in alarm. ‘Are you sure about that?’
‘Yes, I am.’ She stared up at him and he could see the conviction in her eyes. ‘You wouldn’t be that cruel!’
‘No, I wouldn’t.’ He opened his hand and let the water flow into the sink, feeling the knotty feeling start to build up inside him again. ‘It’s good to know that you don’t think I’m completely rotten to the core, Emma.’
She didn’t say anything to that and he didn’t wait around while she thought of something either. He left the kitchen, taking the stairs two at a time as he headed for his room. Why in heaven’s name had he said that, let her know how much it hurt to be treated as an outcast? It wouldn’t achieve anything, definitely wouldn’t improve her opinion of him. The last thing he wanted was for it to appear as though he was looking for sympathy!
He cursed roundly, stopping dead when he heard a knock on the door. Striding across the room, he flung it open, too angry with himself to care about putting up a front. ‘Yes?’
‘I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.’ Her voice was so low that it was a moment before Daniel realised what she had said. He frowned, unsure where this was leading. ‘You’re sorry?’
‘Yes. About the way I … I’ve behaved recently.’ She tipped back her head and looked him squarely in the eyes. ‘I agreed to call a truce and I haven’t kept to that. I apologise.’
‘I know how difficult this situation is, Emma,’ he said quietly, more touched than he cared to admit. ‘I find it hard, too.’
‘Do you?’ She looked at him in surprise and he sighed.
‘Yes. I can’t just forget what happened five years ago. You meant a lot to me, Emma.’
‘Did I?’
‘Of course you did.’ He frowned when he saw the uncertainty on her face. Surely she must know how he had felt, even though he had pushed her away? He had never tried to hide his feelings—how could he have done? She had meant the whole world to him and all of a sudden it seemed important she understood that.
‘I cared a lot about you, Emma,’ he said quickly, wishing that he didn’t have to use such a milk-and-water term to describe how he’d felt. Claiming he’d cared barely touched on the way he had really felt about her but what else could he say? Admitting that he had loved her with every fibre of his being wasn’t what she wanted to hear. His heart ached as he repeated it with as much conviction as he dared. ‘I really and truly cared about you.’
‘But not as much as you cared about your career.’ She smiled and his heart filled with sadness when he saw the bleakness in her eyes. ‘Don’t worry, Daniel, I understand. And as I said the other day, it’s probably a good thing that we parted. Oh, I won’t pretend that it didn’t hurt at the time because it did. A lot. But I’m both older and wiser, and I can see the problems it would have caused if we’d stayed together.’
‘You would have regretted giving up your dreams of becoming a surgeon?’ he said flatly.
‘Yes. I love my job and I’m good at it, too.’ She gave a little shrug. ‘It was the right decision for both of us.’
‘I’m glad you think so,’ he said roughly. Maybe he should have been relieved to hear her say that, but all he felt was a terrible emptiness. He couldn’t help wishing that he had been brave enough—or foolish enough—to take a chance and see what would happen, and it shocked him to find himself entertaining such a crazy idea. It was an effort to concentrate when she continued.
‘I do. I have a job I love, good friends and a nice home. I have everything I want, in fact.’
‘How about love and marriage?’ he asked, then could have bitten off his tongue for asking such a personal question. Emma’s love life had nothing to do with him.
‘Not on my agenda at the present time. It’s hard enough for a woman to establish herself in surgery without adding a husband and a family to the equation, although I haven’t ruled them out completely.’ She shrugged. ‘If they happen at some point down the line, that’s fine, but if not then I can live with it. How about you? Is there anyone special in your life?’
‘No. My job seems to take up most of my time, too,’ he said, not willing to admit that he had never considered the idea of marriage after they had parted.
‘Still determined to set up in private practice one day?’ She smiled but he could tell from her tone what she thought of the idea.
‘Maybe.’ He shrugged, unable to add to his guilt by deliberately misleading her again. ‘Who knows what could happen in the future?’
‘Who, indeed? But I’m sure you’ll do everything in your power to achieve your ambitions, Daniel, won’t you?’
Daniel’s heart sank when he heard the suspicion in her voice. It seemed that their brief moment of harmony was over and they were back to where they had started, with Emma mistrusting his motives. Suddenly, he couldn’t bear it any longer. He had to set matters straight and to hell with the consequences. ‘Look, Emma, you’re completely—’
He never had a chance to finish because at that moment the phone rang. Emma excused herself and went to answer it. Daniel guessed from what she said that it was her aunt calling so went back into his room. He found himself a sweater and a waterproof jacket because the weather was very changeable at this time of the year. Emma was still on the phone when he headed to the stairs; she gave him a curt little nod as he passed her then turned away, concentrating on what her aunt was saying.
Daniel left the house and walked into the town centre; there was a footpath beside the church that led up into the hills. He set off at a brisk pace, hoping the fresh air and exercise would soothe him, but it was hard to enjoy the peace and quiet when his mind was in turmoil. He hated to think that Emma was so suspicious of him but what could he do? He had forfeited her trust when he had told her that his career had meant more to him than she had done, and it was doubtful if he could win it back. Although it hurt like hell, he had to accept that Emma would never trust him again.
Emma found it hard to settle after she’d spoken to her aunt. Aunt Margaret had told her that two of her uncle’s friends were planning on visiting him that afternoon. As the number of visitors to the IC unit was strictly limited, Emma had immediately offered to wait until the following day. Now she had a free day ahead of her and suddenly found herself wondering what to do. Although there were jobs that needed doing in the house, she felt too restless to spend the day indoors. Maybe a walk would help to work off some of her excess energy.
She fetched her jacket and found an old pair of walking boots in the hall cupboard. Although she wasn’t planning on going too far, she found herself taking all the usual precautions that her aunt and uncle had drummed into her over the years. The weather in the Dales could be very changeable and it was better to be prepared rather than come unstuck.
She made some sandwiches and a flask of coffee and packed them into a small haversack. After adding a map and a compass, she checked that her mobile phone was charged. Although reception was patchy in the Dales, it could come in useful. As she let herself out of the back door, she could feel her spirits lifting. It had been ages since she’d been for a good long tramp across the hills and she was suddenly looking forward to it.
The air was cool as she set off across the stile that led to the lower slopes of the hills. There were dozens of footpaths criss-crossing the area, but Emma didn’t hesitate. She’d done this walk many times before and remembered the route even though it had been at least five years since she’d last been along it. She and Daniel had come this way one Sunday morning and had had a picnic at the top of the hill. And after they had finished eating they had made love, right there in the open with only the blue sky above them.
Emma blinked when she realised that she couldn’t see properly. Running her hand over her eyes, she wiped away tears. She wasn’t going to cry, certainly wasn’t going to waste the day by thinking about the past. It was the present that mattered, nothing else. As she’d told Daniel, she liked her life the way it was and was glad that she hadn’t given up her dreams for him.
She walked for almost two hours then decided to stop for a break when she reached Pilgrim’s Point, a local beauty spot. Finding a sheltered area in the lea of the huge rock that marked the spot, she unzipped her jacket and laid it on the ground then sat down. Uncapping the flask, she poured herself a cup of coffee, sighing appreciatively as she inhaled the fragrant aroma. Without the usual traffic fumes to clog up her nose, everything seemed to smell so much better.
She had almost finished the coffee when she heard someone coming along the path close to where she was sitting. It was a popular route with walkers and she wasn’t surprised that someone else had decided to take advantage of the weather. Glancing round, she caught a glimpse of a figure heading towards her before he disappeared into a dip in the land, but it was enough for her to recognise him. What on earth was Daniel doing here? Surely he hadn’t followed her, had he? Emma’s temper was already creeping up the scale when Daniel reappeared. He stopped dead and she saw the surprise on his face when he spotted her.
‘Emma! What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were going to visit your uncle this afternoon?’
‘Some friends of Uncle Jim’s are visiting him so I decided to go for a walk instead,’ she replied curtly. Although it was obvious from his reaction that he hadn’t followed her, she still felt annoyed. She had been hoping for a few Daniel-free hours and it was irritating to have him turn up like this. She glowered at him. ‘I was hoping to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet on my own.’
‘Don’t let me stop you,’ he said calmly, but she saw the hurt in his eyes and immediately felt awful about being so rude. Maybe there wasn’t any love lost between them nowadays but that was no excuse for the way she was behaving.
‘You’re not.’ She gave a little shrug, unable to bring herself to actually apologise. ‘I just stopped for a drink.’
Daniel sniffed the air. ‘Ah, so that explains it. I thought I could smell coffee as I was coming along the path but decided I was hallucinating.’ He smiled at her and her heart lifted when she saw the warmth in his eyes. ‘I don’t think any of the coffee-house chains has set up an outlet in the hills yet, have they?’
‘Not so far as I know. It must be an oversight on their behalf,’ Emma said, chuckling.
‘Oh, I’m sure they’ll realise that they’re missing a trick,’ he assured her. ‘Give it a few more months and I expect you’ll be able to buy your double cappuccino with hazelnut syrup on the slopes of Mount Everest!’
Emma laughed out loud. ‘It wouldn’t surprise me. It never fails to amaze me just how many coffee shops there are. Every town and city seems to be awash with them.’
‘I have a theory about that,’ Daniel said gravely. He bent towards her and lowered his voice. ‘I think they’re a front for alien invaders. I mean, think about it. All those hissing and gurgling machines can’t just be making cups of coffee, can they? They’re probably powering up the spaceships that are hidden in the basements.’
It was so ridiculous that Emma couldn’t stop laughing. She clutched her aching sides. ‘Don’t! I feel sick from laughing so much.’
‘Sorry.’ Daniel didn’t sound the least bit repentant. He grinned down at her. ‘I won’t tell you my theory about burger bars, then.’
‘Oh, please, don’t! I don’t think I can take any more.’ Emma wiped her streaming eyes and smiled up at him, feeling her breath catch when her gaze met his. Why was Daniel looking at her that way? she wondered dizzily. He didn’t love her; he never had loved her. And yet there was something in his eyes that made her heart start to race.
‘Looks like the weather is about to change.’
He turned to stare across the hills and the moment passed. Emma shuddered as she looked at the black clouds that were amassing on the horizon. Had she imagined it or had Daniel really been looking at her as though she meant the whole world to him?
She took a shaky breath when she realised how ridiculous that idea was. Daniel might care about her but only in the sort of impersonal way he would care about any woman he’d had a relationship with. She would be a fool to imagine it was anything more than that.
Emma stood up abruptly and shrugged on her jacket. Although the sun was still shining, she felt chilled to the bone and knew that it had little to do with the impending storm. Picking up the flask, she offered it to him. ‘There’s some coffee left if you want it.’
‘Thanks.’ He took the flask from her with a smile that held nothing more than gratitude. Unscrewing the lid, he filled the cup and offered it to her first. ‘Do you want some more?’
‘No, thank you. I’ve had more than enough.’
Emma could hear the edge in her voice and hated it because of what it represented. She wanted to remain indifferent to Daniel, to not allow him to affect her in any way, but it was proving impossible to achieve that. It worried her that she was so responsive to his every mood. If she was over him then she shouldn’t care how he felt about anything. Including her. The thought was too much to deal with on top of everything else.
‘I think I’ll head back,’ she informed him coolly. Bending down, she picked up the haversack and went to swing it over her shoulder, stopping abruptly when he put out his hand.
‘I know this is really cheeky but those aren’t sandwiches, are they?’ He pointed to the package sticking out of her bag and Emma nodded.
‘Yes, I thought I might have my lunch while I was out.’
‘But you’ve changed your mind?’ he suggested.
Emma could tell that he suspected he was the reason for her change of plans and shrugged. The last thing she wanted was for Daniel to think that he could exert any sort of influence over her. ‘I’d prefer to get home before the rain starts.’
‘Of course. But if those sandwiches are going spare, I wouldn’t mind them. I’m afraid I’m not as well prepared as you are.’
He gave her a tight little smile and Emma knew immediately that he hadn’t believed her excuse. She handed him the sandwiches, refusing to dwell on the thought. Let him think what he liked—she didn’t care!
‘Thanks. I’ll see you later, I expect.’ He sat down in the spot she’d recently vacated and opened the package. Emma watched as he selected a thick ham and cheese sandwich and bit into it with relish. If he was at all disturbed about ruining her plans for the day, it certainly didn’t show, she thought bitterly.
‘Actually, I’m going out this evening,’ she said abruptly. Although she hadn’t planned on going out, the thought of spending the evening with him was suddenly more than she could bear, and she hurried on. ‘I don’t know when I’ll be back, so I’ll see you tomorrow.’
‘Right. Have fun.’
Whether or not he believed her was open to question and Emma didn’t waste any time worrying about it. She made her way back along the paths until she reached the stile. It had started to rain now, a fine drizzle that obscured the view of the hills. As she stepped down from the stile, she couldn’t help wondering if Daniel would be all right. Although he had enjoyed walking in the area when he’d done his training here, it was easy to get lost. Maybe she should have made sure that he got back safely?
She took a deep
breath. Daniel had made it clear five years ago that she had no rights where he was concerned. He wouldn’t thank her for worrying about him now!
CHAPTER SEVEN
DANIEL finished the sandwiches and wadded the cling film into a ball. Tucking it into his pocket, he drained the last dregs of coffee from the cup. The clouds were fairly scurrying across the sky now and he guessed it wouldn’t be long before the rain started. Maybe he should follow Emma’s example and head back?
He sighed as he set off along the path. Once again he’d thought he was making headway with her and once again he’d been mistaken. It was a case of one step forward and two back, and it was difficult to explain how frustrated he felt. Maybe it was foolish to hope that she would accept him as a friend after what had happened in the past, but he couldn’t bear to think that she would continue to think so badly of him.
Daniel’s heart was heavy as he climbed out of the dip. The path skirted an area of loose shale and he picked his way around it, wary of slipping. The first drops of rain started to fall as he cleared the area and he picked up speed, hoping to avoid getting soaked. Although it would have been quicker if he’d taken the path Emma had used, he wasn’t sure if he could remember the way.
The last thing he needed to round off the day was to get himself lost!
He must have gone about a mile or so when all of a sudden he heard someone shouting. He stopped and looked around but it was difficult to see now that the rain was falling in earnest. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted as loudly as he could, ‘Hello! Where are you?’
‘Over here,’ the reply came back immediately.
Daniel turned towards the direction from where the sound seemed to be coming and frowned when he caught a glimpse of a figure frantically waving to him. What on earth was going on?
He hurriedly changed course, his heart sinking as he got closer and discovered there were actually two people, both teenage boys, and one of them was injured. ‘What happened?’ he demanded, crouching down beside the injured boy.
Melting the Argentine Doctor's Heart / Small Town Marriage Miracle Page 21
