Bride for the Single Dad

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘I did,’ she said huskily. ‘You were right, Elliot—I did want you to kiss me.’

  ‘Then why did you stop me?’ He covered her hand with his and his touch was so gentle that it brought tears to her eyes.

  ‘I had to. I didn’t want to, but I had to. I couldn’t have lived with the guilt if I’d let you kiss me.’ She broke off, needing a moment to find the right words to explain.

  ‘I see. It makes perfect sense now. Stupid of me not to have realised it before.’ He gave a harsh laugh that brought her eyes back to his face and she went cold when she saw the way he was looking at her. ‘Despite the fact that your fiancé jilted you for someone else, you still feel a certain loyalty to him. Maybe you still love him and hope to win him back—who knows?’ He pushed back his chair, his face as hard as stone as he looked down at her. ‘I wish you luck, Polly, even though I think you’re making a big mistake. Take it from someone who knows, once he’s strayed then he’ll do it again. I can guarantee it!’

  ‘Elliot, no!’ Polly shot to her feet, overturning the chair in her haste. ‘It wasn’t like that,’ she began, but he shook his head.

  ‘It doesn’t matter. I’ve had my answer and that’s all I wanted.’ He looked round when the front door opened. ‘Here’s Mrs Danton so I’ll get off. Don’t worry about Joseph. She’ll see to him. I hope you manage to find somewhere to live while the cottage is being repaired.’

  Polly picked up the chair as he left the room. She heard him speaking to the housekeeper then the sound of the front door closing and that was it. He had gone, left before she’d had a chance to explain why she had felt guilty. Not because of Martin but because of how he would have felt if he had kissed her. How ironic that he had turned the truth on its head. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and in the end she did neither. Elliot had his answer and even if it wasn’t the right one, it would serve the same purpose. Now there was even more reason to stay out of his life and she would start by finding somewhere else to live. One thing was certain: Elliot didn’t want her here.

  * * *

  In the end, Polly asked Beth if she could stay with her. She had contacted the letting agents and they had agreed to speak to the owners of the cottage and ask them if she could move into one of the other cottages while the repairs were being done. Apparently the owners travelled abroad a lot and the agents had warned her that it could take some time to get in touch with them. Although she felt awful about having to ask her friend to put her up, she didn’t have a choice. There were no other rental properties available in Beesdale or the surrounding area and she had to stay somewhere. Beth was typically welcoming and assured her that it was no trouble at all having her to stay. Polly was grateful, although she drew the line when Beth offered to move baby Bea’s cot into her own bedroom so that Polly could put up the camp bed in the nursery.

  ‘I’ll be fine on the couch, Beth, really I will. I just need somewhere to sleep for a few nights until everything is sorted out.’

  ‘It doesn’t sound as though you’ll be able to move back into the cottage for a while,’ Beth pointed out. ‘It will take weeks to do the repairs and get everything back in place.’

  ‘I’m hoping that I can stay in one of the other cottages,’ Polly explained. ‘They’re all empty and I can’t see any reason why I can’t move into one of them. I won’t be here that long for it to make much difference.’

  ‘Why? Where are you going?’ Beth asked in surprise.

  ‘I’m not sure yet.’ Polly grimaced. ‘I’ve handed in my notice and I have an interview in Cumbria at the end of the month so it may turn out that I move there.’

  ‘You’re not leaving because of all those stupid rumours, are you?’ Beth said hotly. ‘It’s not right that a load of old biddies with nothing better to do are driving you away!’

  ‘It’s partly that,’ Polly admitted. ‘I hate the fact that everyone is talking about me. Then there’s how difficult it’s going to be if I stay here and keep bumping into Martin, as is bound to happen.’

  ‘It shouldn’t be you who’s having to move away,’ Beth said stoutly. ‘Martin’s the one who had an affair, not you.’

  ‘Yes, but I can’t expect him to leave when both his family and his work are here. It’s not as though I have any family here, is it?’ She sighed. ‘Anyway, it isn’t only that—there are other considerations.’

  ‘Like Elliot Grey being dragged into this as the other man?’ Beth frowned. ‘Has he been kicking off about it again?’

  ‘Not really, although he’s not best pleased, as you’d expect. Anyhow, after what happened last night, it’ll be a relief to put some distance between us.’

  ‘Why? What happened?’ Beth demanded.

  ‘Elliot kissed me. And I made a complete and utter mess of everything.’

  ‘He kissed you!’

  ‘I...erm...yes,’ Polly muttered, wishing she hadn’t let her tongue run away with her. She bit her lip, forcing back the tears. She had to hold onto the thought that she had done the right thing, even if it didn’t feel like it.

  ‘I had no idea things had progressed so far,’ Beth declared. She fixed Polly with gimlet eyes. ‘And what do you mean—that you made a mess of everything? How do you mess up a kiss?’

  ‘When you put a stop to it.’ Polly sighed when she saw the incredulity on Beth’s face. ‘It wouldn’t have been right to let him carry on kissing me when he would have regretted it.’

  ‘I’m sure he’s old enough to know what he was doing,’ Beth said tartly.

  ‘I suppose so. But I didn’t want him to feel guilty about it.’ She shook her head. ‘I tried explaining that to him this morning but he got the completely wrong end of the stick and thought I was talking about Martin and that I’d have felt guilty if we’d carried on kissing.’

  ‘And would you?’ Beth asked.

  ‘No. I...well, I realised that I was never in love with Martin. I certainly don’t want to get back with him, as Elliot seems to think.’

  ‘Poor you. It’s a lot to take in.’

  ‘What is?’

  ‘Falling in love.’ Beth gave her a hug. ‘I’m right, aren’t I?’

  ‘Uh-huh,’ Polly murmured, a single tear trickling down her cheek. She wiped her face on her sleeve when Beth let her go. ‘I’m turning into a real Moaning Minnie, weeping and wailing all the time!’

  ‘Best to get it out of your system is my advice.’ Beth grinned at her. ‘So how do you plan to put Elliot right about what happened? I take it that’s what you’re intending to do.’

  ‘No. I doubt if he’d believe me even if I tried and there’s no point anyway. He’s still in love with his ex-wife even though she behaved appallingly, from what I can gather.’

  ‘And has he told you that?’

  ‘He didn’t have to. It’s patently clear how he feels about her.’

  ‘And that’s why you’re leaving?’ Beth said quietly.

  ‘It’s one of the reasons, yes. I...I don’t want to stay here and keep hoping that Elliot will change his mind. It would be too hard.’

  ‘It’s your decision, obviously, but promise me that you’ll think about what you’re doing.’ Beth sighed. ‘It’s far too easy to set yourself on a particular course and then live to regret it.’

  Polly guessed that her friend was thinking about her relationship with Callum O’Neill, Beatrix’s father. Although Beth had said very little about why they had split up, Polly knew it had been very traumatic for her, especially when Beth had found out that she was pregnant after Callum had left. Although Beth had written to him to tell him about the baby, he had never replied, and that must have made it so much worse. Beth must have been devastated, just like Elliot had been when Joseph’s mother had left him.

  Thankfully, they changed the subject but Polly couldn’t shake off the feeling that she should have t
ried harder to explain her actions to Elliot. She couldn’t bear to imagine him comparing her to his ex-wife. She was nothing like Joseph’s mother, but would he believe that after the way she had seemingly rejected him last night? The thought stayed with her, nagging away at her at every stray moment. She didn’t want Elliot to think that she was anything like the woman who had hurt him so badly.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  ELLIOT FELT COMPLETELY drained when he arrived at work. He had spent a sleepless night, going over and over everything that had happened with Polly. He had kissed a lot of women in his time but he had never experienced that feeling of excitement and anticipation that he’d felt last night. Now all he felt was deflated. Polly might have felt the same as him but she had called a halt out of loyalty to her former fiancé. It hurt to know that she felt guilty about what had happened, and it hurt even more to know that she was still in love with the man who had jilted her. Couldn’t she see what a mistake she was making? Didn’t she understand that if had cheated on her once then he would do it again and again? Apparently not if she was hoping to win him back!

  The thought sliced into him like a red-hot knife. It was hard to respond when his secretary wished him a cheerful good morning as he went into his office. He was due in Theatre that morning and he brought up the list on the computer. There had been an admission the previous day, a child suffering from Hirschsprung’s disease, a congenital condition which caused extreme constipation and intestinal blockage. Elliot decided to attend to that first as it also caused painful spasms and he didn’t want the little girl to suffer any longer. He would concentrate on helping her and all the other children and forget about himself and what he wanted. He had everything he needed—a job he loved, a son he adored—and there was no excuse for wanting more, definitely no excuse for wanting Polly to share his life. He had been there, done that, torn up the T-shirt and sworn he wouldn’t get involved again.

  Marianna had shown him that love was a myth, something that only happened in fairy tales. He had been taken in by her apparent charm and her beauty but he had soon realised that it was all smoke and mirrors, not real. Her appeal had quickly faded and he’d been on the point of telling her that he wanted a divorce when she had announced that she was pregnant and any thoughts he’d had about them parting had been set aside. Would they have stayed together if Joseph had been born without a disability? Would they have worked through their differences and reached a compromise for the sake of their child?

  He doubted it. He and Marianna had had nothing in common, nothing to form a solid basis for their relationship, and that was why it hadn’t worked. It didn’t mean that it would happen again if he met someone else, though, he thought suddenly, someone he could relate to like Polly. She was very different from his ex-wife: kind, caring, loving, faithful. Even this morning when she had explained about that kiss, she hadn’t tried to lie or make excuses. She had told him the truth and even though it was painful to know that she was in love with another man, he valued her honesty. Sadness washed over him. Polly was the woman he could have loved if he’d only had the chance.

  * * *

  Polly was already awake when her phone rang shortly before six the following morning. She hurriedly answered it, not wanting to wake Beth and the baby. It was Amy Carmichael, her voice shaking with fear as she told Polly that she was having pains. Although Amy wasn’t due for another month, babies with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia often had an increased level of amniotic fluid around them which could lead to an early birth. Polly told Amy that she would be there as soon as she could and that she would phone for an ambulance as well as contact the hospital to warn them. If the baby was on his way then he would need support if he was to have any chance of surviving.

  She hurriedly dressed, using the kitchen sink to wash her hands and splash water on her face as there was no time for a shower. Beth appeared as she was checking her case and she grimaced. ‘Sorry. I was trying not to wake you.’

  ‘You didn’t. I heard Bea huffing and puffing so thought I’d heat up her bottle. That little madam really lets you know when she’s hungry!’

  ‘In training to be a proper little princess,’ Polly said, laughing.

  ‘Too right. Anyway, where are you off to? I take it that call was from one of your mums?’

  ‘Amy Carmichael.’ Polly quickly explained the situation to her.

  Beth sighed. ‘Poor Amy. I feel for her. It must be a lot to deal with.’

  ‘It must.’ Polly sighed. ‘It brings it home to me just how awful it must have been for Elliot when Joseph was born.’

  ‘He has spina bifida, doesn’t he?’ Beth said. ‘One of the mums I met at the clinic the other day mentioned it. Her son’s in the same class at school as Joseph, apparently.’

  ‘That’s right, although he doesn’t let it slow him down, believe me. He’s a great little boy, full of fun and interested in everything.’

  ‘You’re fond of him then?’

  ‘Oh, yes. It would be hard not to be. He’s so plucky.’

  ‘So you’re fond of the child and have fallen for the father,’ Beth declared, her eyes twinkling. ‘Do I need to buy myself a new hat?’

  ‘No!’ Polly rolled her eyes. ‘You’ve still got the one you bought for my last wedding—the wedding that was called off. No way am I going down that particular road again in a hurry!’

  ‘If you say so. Anyway, give Amy my love, won’t you?’

  Beth disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Polly to let herself out. However, as she got into her car, she couldn’t help thinking about what Beth had said. Even though there was no chance of it happening, she found herself wondering how it would feel to walk down the aisle and see Elliot waiting for her...

  She drove the thought from her mind as she started the engine. It was pointless wasting time thinking about something that was never going to happen!

  * * *

  Elliot was eating his breakfast when he received a text message from the hospital informing him that Amy Carmichael was on her way in. Leaving the rest of his toast, he hurried upstairs to fetch his jacket. Fortunately, Mrs Danton had arrived early so he didn’t need to worry about Joseph. He ran back downstairs and quickly kissed his son then left. It was a beautiful day, a clear blue sky proclaiming that spring had arrived at last. The weather hadn’t been this good since the day he had taken Joseph to the waterfall, he thought, then sighed when it immediately unleashed a host of memories he would have preferred not think about. He needed to concentrate on this baby and not start thinking about Polly again.

  It was still early and traffic was light so he made good time. He went straight to the maternity unit, where he found a team of doctors waiting. Amy was coming in by ambulance and she hadn’t arrived yet so he drew his colleagues aside and ran through the procedure they would need to follow when the baby was born. His opposite number from Obstetrics, Melanie Price, was also briefing her team. This baby would need all their expertise if he was to survive.

  The ambulance arrived at last and the paramedics rushed Amy into the unit. Elliot felt his heart jolt when he realised that Polly was with them. She was talking to Amy and didn’t appear to have noticed him. She suddenly looked up and he saw the colour run up her cheeks when she spotted him standing on the far side of the room. Just for a moment their eyes met before she looked away, but it was enough to tell him that she was remembering everything that had happened the other night. Heat poured through his veins. Polly might have had her reasons for halting that kiss but it didn’t mean she hadn’t wanted it. And him.

  * * *

  Polly could feel Elliot’s eyes on her as she helped Amy move onto the bed. She should have realised he would be here, she thought as she made Amy comfortable. Elliot and his team would be responsible for the baby after he was born and they needed to be on hand, but she hadn’t given any thought to the fact that she would see h
im. It was hard to focus on what needed to be done when she was conscious of his gaze following her every move.

  ‘You won’t leave me, will you, Polly?’ Amy pleaded, gripping tight hold of her hand. ‘Rob’s on his way home but he won’t get here until tonight. I don’t think I can do this on my own.’

  ‘You won’t be on your own, love. There’s a whole team of doctors and midwives here to help you,’ Polly explained, but it had little effect. She winced when Amy’s grip on her hand tightened.

  ‘I don’t want them—I want you!’ Amy declared.

  Polly sighed when she heard the growing hysteria in Amy’s voice. Amy needed to stay calm if she was to follow their instructions and she wouldn’t be able to do that if she started to panic. Although it wasn’t normal procedure for her to stay and help with a birth in the hospital, she knew it would be better for Amy.

  ‘I can’t see that it will present a problem if Sister Davies stays to help, can you, Ms Price?’

  Polly looked up when Elliot spoke, surprised that he, of all people, should support her. Bearing in mind his views on community midwives, it was the last thing she would have expected.

  ‘I’m sure it isn’t necessary,’ Melanie Price replied stiffly. ‘My staff are all highly skilled when it comes to a difficult birth like this one.’

  ‘I’m sure they are. However, I doubt if they’re better qualified than Sister Davies. I have been lucky enough to work with her before and I can assure you that you won’t find anyone more skilful than her.’

  Elliot’s tone was level but Polly heard the determination it held. She wasn’t surprised when Ms Price reluctantly agreed that she could stay. She moved aside while one of the other midwives set up the monitoring equipment. The baby’s blood pressure and heartbeat would be constantly checked so that they could tell if a problem arose during the delivery. A birth like this was far from straightforward and they needed all their resources if the baby was to survive. Amy was having regular contractions now so, once the equipment was in place, Polly moved back to the bed and quietly reminded her about everything she had learned in the antenatal classes she had attended. The calmer Amy was, the easier it would be for her and the baby.