‘It’s not his fault, either.’
‘Yes, it is,’ Kitty said. ‘He just loves to lord it over me. He doesn’t like the way I pay attention to detail at work. But I don’t have his depth of experience or confidence. I can’t just waltz in and diagnose everyone just like that. I need to feel my way.’
‘I’m sure he’s only trying to help you,’ Julie said. ‘He seemed quite positive about your being a part of the team when I asked him.’
‘He doesn’t think I’m up to the task,’ Kitty said. ‘He thinks I’m scared of being out of my depth.’
‘But you are,’ Julie said. ‘It’s what I was telling you the other day. You’re a classic control freak. Sooner or later you’re going to have to realise you can’t control everything in life. Anyway, how boring would that be?’
‘I’m perfectly happy with my life the way it is,’ Kitty said.
‘I wish I could say the same,’ Julie said wistfully. ‘I wonder if I’ll ever meet someone who wants the same things I do.’
Kitty squeezed her cousin’s hand. ‘That’s the fairytale, isn’t it? We have to believe, otherwise what hope is there?’
Jake checked his watch yet again. It wasn’t the first time his brother had stood him up. He had been left waiting on numerous occasions, but he could never bring himself to leave until he was absolutely sure Robbie wasn’t going to show. He always gave him a chance to redeem himself. The psychologists would probably call it enabling behaviour, but what else could he do? Robbie was his flesh and blood. He hated to think of him out on the streets, desperate for food or shelter. He had to do what he could to protect him.
‘Got a dollar, mate?’ A voice spoke from a bundle of rags on the sidewalk.
Jake fished in his pocket for some money. ‘Why are you on the streets?’ he asked, dropping the coins in the tin.
‘Got nowhere else to go,’ the man said, quickly pocketing the money.
‘What about shelters?’
‘Cost money.’
‘What about your family?’
‘Don’t have no family.’
‘Everyone has family,’ Jake said.
‘Not me,’ the guy said. ‘You?’
‘Yeah,’ Jake said. ‘They drive me nuts.’
‘That’s what families do.’
Jake took out his wallet and peeled off a few notes. ‘Here,’ he said, handing them to him. ‘Find yourself a hotel or something. Don’t blow it on drugs or drink.’
Kitty padded out to her kitchen early the following morning for a glass of water before her shower. She pulled up the blind on the kitchen window and saw Jake in his own kitchen on the opposite side of the courtyard. He was standing in front of his open refrigerator—and he was naked.
Her eyes drank in the sight of him, all bronzed and buffed, every muscle toned and taut with good health and vigour. He looked as if he had just stepped off a marble plinth in a museum. Not a gram of fat on him anywhere, just strong lean planes of hard male flesh.
She gave a little gulp.
He closed the fridge and turned and saw her staring at him. A slow smile spread over his features. He raised the carton of juice he was holding in a salute and mouthed, Good morning.
Kitty pulled the blind back down with more haste than efficiency. She clutched the edge of the sink, breathing hard. What must he think of her, gawping at him like that? Had he done it on purpose? Did he make a habit of wandering around naked in full view of the neighbours? So what if she was the only neighbour residing here just now—he had no right to flaunt himself like that!
Then she remembered his hot little hook-up. He probably had her there, still lying languorously in his bed after a bed-wrecking night of sex.
She stomped off to the shower, but as the water flowed over her in stinging little needles she thought of him having a shower next door, no doubt sharing it with his lover. Was he soaping up her breasts? Was he kissing her neck and décolletage?
‘Grrrrggh.’ Kitty reached for a towel and scrubbed herself dry. ‘I hate that man!’
Kitty was on her way to her car to drive to work when she remembered Jake had arranged to deliver it to his mate’s workshop. Just as she was about to call a cab on her mobile, he appeared from round the corner.
‘Want a lift?’ he asked.
Kitty couldn’t control her fiery blush. ‘Please don’t put yourself out any further,’ she said. ‘I can easily call a cab.’
‘At this time of the morning?’ he said. ‘It’s bedlam out there. I just fought my way through it with your heap of rust. Only just made it too. I think the radiator’s about to go on it as well.’
‘I’m sorry you’ve had such a trying start to the morning,’ she said.
His dark blue eyes glinted. ‘My morning started out just fine.’
Kitty opened the passenger door and bundled herself inside, cheeks still burning hot. Did he have to embarrass her even further?
‘How did your night on the town go?’ he asked once he was behind the wheel.
She threw him a flinty look. ‘It was probably excruciatingly tedious compared to yours.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ he said, checking for traffic as he pulled into the street. ‘I’ve had better.’
Kitty glanced at him but his expression was unfathomable. ‘Are you going to see her again?’ she asked.
‘Who?’
‘Your hot date last night.’
He changed lanes before he answered. ‘Maybe. It depends.’
‘On what?’
He glanced at her wryly. ‘Why the sudden interest? Are you thinking of joining the queue?’
‘Don’t be daft,’ she scoffed.
His mouth slanted in a smile. ‘Frightened you might get trampled in the rush?’
Kitty pressed her lips together and refused to say another word until he pulled into the hospital car park. ‘Thank you for the lift,’ she said.
‘I’d offer to run you home again, but I have another commitment straight after work,’ he said.
‘I’ll make my own arrangements,’ she said.
‘Here’s my mate’s card,’ he said, reaching for a business card from one of the dashboard compartments. ‘You can give him a call to find out when your car will be ready.’
Kitty felt the brush of his fingers as he handed her the card and her belly gave a little flutter. ‘Thanks …’
His eyes meshed with hers, dark and intense and knowing.
Could he feel the sexual energy she could feel? Did it make his skin ache to feel her touch? Did his lips tingle at the memory of hers moving against them? Did his blood roar through his veins at the thought of holding her in his arms, moulding her to him, making love to her? ‘I like how you had your hair this morning,’ he said.
Kitty put a hand up to her neat chignon. ‘My … hair?’
‘First thing,’ he said. ‘It was down and all tousled. That just-out-of-bed look really suits you.’
‘You caught me by surprise.’
He gave her an indolent smile. ‘Ditto.’
‘I’m going to work,’ she said, swinging her bag over her shoulder. ‘I’ll see you inside.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘WAS that Jake Chandler’s car I saw you getting out of this morning?’ Cathy Oxley asked in the locker room.
Kitty put her bag in the locker and closed the door. ‘He gave me a lift to work as my car is being repaired.’
‘What is going on with you two?’ Cathy asked. ‘One of the doctors from Paediatrics said Jake took you to an orchestra rehearsal. Are you or aren’t you an item?’
‘Nothing’s going on,’ Kitty said. ‘Dr Chandler kindly offered to take me to the rehearsal at short notice when my car refused to start. He also kindly offered to deliver my car to his friend’s workshop.’
‘Why would he do that if he wasn’t interested in you?’
‘He was just being neighbourly.’
‘Some people have all the luck,’ Cathy said. ‘All my neighbour does is complain
about my cat or my kids.’
‘I’m not Dr Chandler’s type,’ Kitty said. ‘Apparently I don’t let my hair down enough.’
‘Did he say that to you?’
Kitty compressed her lips. ‘Amongst other things.’
Cathy grinned. ‘I think he likes you. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He sure as hell doesn’t look at anyone else like that.’
‘He has a different lover every night,’ Kitty said, scowling furiously. ‘He probably doesn’t have time to look at them before he shoves them out the door again.’
‘You know it’s the hardened playboys who always fall for the old-fashioned girls in the long run,’ Cathy said. ‘I’ve seen it many a time.’
‘You won’t be seeing it this time,’ Kitty said as they walked out of the locker room together. ‘I’ve never met a more irritating, beastly, odious man.’
‘Er …’ Cathy gave a grimace. ‘I’ve got to go. See you.’
Kitty turned around to see Jake Chandler standing there with an inscrutable look on his face.
‘Haven’t you got better things to do than discuss me with the nursing staff?’ he asked.
She stood her ground. ‘I’m trying to put out the rumours that are circulating about us,’ she said. ‘I thought if everyone knew how much I hated you it would stop them speculating.’
‘Hate is a strong word, Dr Cargill.’
She refused to be intimidated by his steely gaze. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘But it’s appropriate in this case.’
‘I have a feeling you don’t hate me as much as you’d like to,’ he said. ‘I threaten you. That’s what you hate, isn’t it, Kitty? I make you feel things you don’t want to feel. You don’t want to feel desire, do you? It frightens the hell out of you.’
Kitty glowered at him. ‘I don’t feel any such thing.’
‘Sure you do, sweetheart,’ he drawled. ‘You want me. You want me real bad.’
‘You’re mistaken,’ she said, her heart racing, her breath catching.
He captured her wrist in his strong fingers, his thumb finding her pounding pulse. ‘This is what I do to you, isn’t it?’ he asked. ‘It’s the same thing you do to me.’
Kitty swallowed again, her stomach plummeting when she saw the naked desire in his gaze. She felt the sensual pull of his body, and the heat and fire of his touch set off every nerve screaming for more.
She was frightened by how he made her feel. Frightened and yet exhilarated.
‘Dr Chandler?’ One of the residents approached from further down the corridor.
Jake dropped Kitty’s wrist and turned around. ‘Yes?’
The resident looked from Kitty to Jake. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt …’
‘You’re not interrupting anything,’ Jake said, dropping his hand by his side.
‘There’s a patient just come in who keeps asking for you,’ the intern said. ‘He says he’s your brother.’
Jake went to Bay Two, where Robbie was lying groaning on the trolley. It angered him to see his younger brother so wasted at this time of the day. His skin looked grey and pasty and his hair looked as if it hadn’t been washed in a week. His clothes were little more than filthy rags and his shoes had holes in them. How had his kid brother got to this? What choices had he made that had sent him on this crazy, senseless trajectory? Why couldn’t he just turn his life around? Did he have no self-control or self-respect? Didn’t he want things to be different? How could he expect to live a full life when he was abusing his health so wilfully?
‘Isn’t it a bit early for a hangover?’ he said as he twitched the curtain closed. ‘Or is this one left over from last night?’
Robbie clutched at his head. ‘Don’t talk so loud.’
‘You know, if you’re here for a hand-out there are much better ways to do it.’ Jake said. ‘I told you I’d pay for rent and food. You don’t have to use emotional blackmail.’
‘I’m sick, damn it,’ Robbie said.
‘Yeah, well, I would be too if I was on the same liquid diet you’re on,’ Jake said. ‘When was the last time you had a proper meal?’
‘I don’t know … couple of days ago, I think.’
‘Perhaps I should assess him?’ Kitty said. ‘I’m not family. I can be a bit more objective.’
Jake fought with himself. He was used to handling his family issues on his own. He didn’t want the train wreck of his brother’s issues to intersect with his professional life. It wasn’t only that it was embarrassing. He felt so damned helpless. He was used to sorting out other people’s problems. His life was devoted to saving other people’s sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, and yet he couldn’t do a thing to put his kid brother’s life back on track.
‘Go for it,’ he said. ‘You won’t find anything but a chip on his shoulder.’
Kitty stepped forward. ‘Hello, Robbie.’
‘Don’t listen to him,’ Robbie said. ‘I am sick. I know I am.’
‘What have you been doing to yourself?’ Kitty asked as she examined him. ‘Can you open both eyes for me? Yes, that’s right. Sorry the light is so bright.’
‘My head is killing me.’
‘Have you had a recent fall?’ she asked.
‘I’ve had a few falls lately,’ Robbie said.
‘Excessive amounts of alcohol will do that,’ Jake put in sardonically.
Kitty gave him a quelling look before turning back to his brother. ‘How many falls?’ she asked.
Robbie frowned. ‘I can’t remember … two, maybe three in the last twenty-four hours.’
‘Did you know you were falling, or did it happen so fast you had no warning?’ Kitty asked, examining his pupils again.
‘I just found myself on the ground with no idea how I got there,’ Robbie said.
‘Do you take any medication?’ Kitty asked. ‘Pre scription or otherwise?’
‘Not for a while,’ Robbie said. ‘I used to smoke dope. I stopped a few months back.’
‘Nothing else?’
‘No,’ Robbie said. ‘I have the odd drink but I’m trying to cut back a bit. I don’t like how it makes me feel any more.’
‘So it feels different when you drink now from how it felt before?’ Kitty asked.
‘It just takes more to get him drunk than it did before,’ Jake muttered.
Kitty threw him another gnarly look. ‘Do you mind?’ she asked.
‘He’s my brother.’
Her eyes flashed grey lightning. ‘He’s my patient.’
Jake twitched aside the curtains. ‘I’ll leave you to him,’ he said. ‘I have better things to do with my time than try and help people who won’t even lift a finger to help themselves.’
Kitty put a hand on Robbie’s shoulder. ‘Sorry about that,’ she said.
Robbie put a hand over his closed eyes.
Kitty sat on the edge of the bed trolley. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’
He shook his head, and then grimaced as if the movement had caused him pain. ‘Not much point, is there? Nothing’s going to change. I’ve stuffed everything up.’
‘It’s not too late to turn things around.’
He turned his head on the pillow and cranked open one bloodshot eye. ‘You think?’
She covered his thin hand with hers. ‘Jake’s concerned about you.’
He gave a grunt as he laid his head back down and closed his eyes. ‘Jake needs to get a life.’
‘Maybe he can’t do that until he feels you’re on the right track,’ Kitty said.
A muscle ticked in Robbie’s jaw, which reminded Kitty of Jake so much she felt a little ache settle around her heart.
‘I’m not doing this on purpose,’ he said.
‘Sometimes it’s hard to see that from the outside,’ Kitty said. ‘The effort you put in might not seem like much effort at all from Jake’s perspective.’
Robbie put his wrist across his forehead and closed his eyes. ‘I don’t know why I’m like this,’ he said. ‘I just can’t
seem to get my life sorted out.’
‘There are people who can help you with that,’ she said. ‘Psychologists, counsellors, even a life coach can help you put steps in place to get back on your feet.’
‘I’m not going to a shrink,’ Robbie said, dropping his arm back down on the bed. ‘They just put you on drugs and bomb you out.’
‘Not always,’ Kitty said. ‘If there’s a mental health issue that needs to be addressed, then certainly one way of managing it is drug therapy, but there are other options.’
‘I’m not a nut case,’ Robbie said scowling at her.
‘Then let’s see if there is something else going on, shall we?’ Kitty said. ‘I’m going to run a couple of tests to check your blood count and thyroid and kidney function to start with. Have you had any recent tests done? Blood? Scans? That sort of thing?’
He looked away. ‘Jake ordered some tests a while back,’ he mumbled.
‘Are the results with your GP, or did Jake deal with it directly?’ Kitty asked.
‘He doesn’t usually treat me or my sisters,’ Robbie said. ‘He’ll write the occasional script but he prefers us to have our own GP.’
‘Did anything come up?’
Robbie looked sheepish. ‘I only had a blood test done. When Jake asked me about the scan he ordered I told him it’d been clear.’
Kitty wondered why Robbie’s GP hadn’t formally written to Jake to inform him of the results, as per the usual protocol. But on questioning Robbie further she found out that he had been attending a large and busy medical clinic and had not seen the same practitioner twice. Perhaps Jake had been satisfied another colleague was taking over the care of his brother and had left it at that.
Kitty took blood from Robbie’s arm and popped the vials in the appropriate bags ready for pathology. She turned back to look at him and frowned when she noticed one of his eyes was twitching.
‘How long have you had that twitch?’ she asked.
He blinked a couple of times. ‘Couple of days … maybe more.’
Kitty examined both his pupils again. Now the left one was slightly more dilated. ‘Those falls you said you had,’ she said. ‘Did you hit your head at all?’
‘Not that I can remember,’ he said. ‘I haven’t got a bump, or anything, just the mother of all headaches.’
Medical Duo - Dr Chandler's Sleeping Beauty & Christmas with Dr Delicious Page 11
