Christmas in the Outback

by Leah Martyn

  “Sorry, I didn’t have time to make the bed,” he apologized gruffly.

  Nikki bit her lip, staring at the thrown-back covers, the mind-blowing thought striking her that she wouldn’t have minded climbing into Liam’s bed just the way it was. And where on earth did she think she was going with that scenario?

  Unfolding her clenched hands, she held her palms against the tops of her thighs. “Thanks—I’m sure I’ll find everything.”

  A beat of silence.

  “Hell…” Liam pressed his fingertips against his eyes and then scrubbed them over his cheekbones. “This feels about as unnatural as trying to knit with toothpicks.”

  “What does…?” Her heart kicked and she swallowed.

  “You and me,” he said, his eyes tangling with her, “standing here discussing sleeping arrangements as though we were never more than just friends.” He gave a bleak smile. “Does the wanting ever stop, Nik?”

  Dear Reader,

  As I began this book, parts of rural Australia were in the grip of one of the worst droughts for a hundred years, the effects fanning out to affect whole communities—their livelihoods, their health and their ability to cope day after day.

  Into this backdrop I placed divorced partners Dr. Liam Donovan and Dr. Nikki Barrett. Their marriage is long over, yet the spark of something special and wonderful still lingers between them. But with their patients needing them so desperately, the work in their medical practice is draining. They must strive to find time to savor the special moments in their own relationship.

  Are their destinies still linked? With Christmas fast approaching and Nikki’s work contract with Liam about to end, they are still no nearer an answer. Perhaps they need a small miracle? Or is it just simply that they must trust one another again and make the most of the second chance they’ve been handed?

  As you read this book, I’m happy to report that, eventually, the Outback regions of Australia finally received life-giving rain. Folks are smiling again and properties and businesses are on their way to being viable once more.

  I hope you will enjoy Christmas in the Outback.

  Leah Martyn

  Christmas in the Outback

  Leah Martyn

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE sky was a relentless blue again.

  Liam Donovan stood on his verandah and looked out to where the river should have been. The riverbed was now almost dry. But still the waterbirds lingered hopefully each day in the late afternoon, their long bills seeking moisture from the sludgy-brown trickle.

  Liam’s broad shoulders lifted and he grated a rough sigh between his teeth. Parts of Australia were experiencing the worst drought for many years. And Wirilda, his part of the country, seemed to be suffering along with every other region of western Queensland.

  Leaning over the timber decking, he emptied the dregs of his teamug onto the wildly flowering red bottle-brush. The hardiest of the natives, it simply produced more and more blossoms as if to defy the drought and the cruel grip it maintained on the land.

  Going back inside to the kitchen, Liam glanced at his watch. It was still early, barely seven o’clock, but already the temperatures had begun climbing.

  Thank God for the air-conditioning in his surgery. Because there was precious little else he could provide for his patients’ well-being these days. Their depression, exhaustion and stress were being multiplied by the big dry.

  And even though the drought hadn’t actually killed anyone yet, Liam knew the longer-term health of many of his patients on the land was in jeopardy.

  And the effect of the drought didn’t end there, he thought grimly. The shopkeepers and other small business operators in the town were being just as badly hit, when the district’s primary producers were unable to spend.

  It was a sobering thought. But unfortunately there was no magic prescription he could write that could take away their worries.

  And it was frustrating him like hell.

  Gathering up his breakfast dishes, he rinsed them and left them in the drainer. These days it was an extra chore but, like everyone else, he was prepared to do his bit. Severe water restrictions had been placed on the town and the use of dishwashers was definitely out.

  Several minutes later, Liam hitched up his medical bag and slid his mobile phone into the back pocket of his chinos. Slamming the kitchen door behind him, he made his way through the small oasis of his courtyard garden to his garage.

  He lifted his gaze, acknowledging the already hot bake of sun and feeling a curl of unease. The smell of smoke was in the air today. His expression tightened. That was all the district needed—bloody great bushfires all over the place!

  In one swift movement he sent up the roller door on the garage. Striding into the space beyond, he unlocked his dark blue Land Rover and slid inside. He’d do an early hospital round first and then make his way across to his surgery in the town proper.

  As he drove, he realised that on a professional level things were getting desperate. He needed a competent partner like yesterday. But his search for a replacement for David Costigan, the GP he’d worked with for the past two years, was proving hopeless.

  Impatiently, he lifted his hand from the steering-wheel, pushing his fingers through his thick dark hair. He couldn’t blame Dave and Lizzie for baling out and moving back to the city. They’d quite rightly wanted better schooling opportunities for their teenage kids, more options.

  But that had left him the sole general practitioner for the district, with the nearest large medical facility nearly two hundred kilometres away.

  Liam managed a sound halfway between a snort and a mirthless laugh. Perhaps, after all, he was being too picky, as Grace Chalmers, his practice manager, had rather pithily suggested yesterday. But he wasn’t about to settle for just anyone to fill the gap. He had to be sure his final selection would want to dig in for the long haul. He owed that much to his patients.

  Pulling into the forecourt of the small bush hospital, Liam cut the engine, swinging effortlessly out of his four-wheel-drive and making his way up the ramp to Reception.

  ‘Hi, there, Liam.’ Anna Marshall, the charge sister, was just coming out of her office.

  ‘Morning, Anna.’ Liam drummed his fingers in a little rat-a-tat on the counter top. ‘Just checking on Sally Logan. What kind of night did she have?’

  ‘Fairly good.’ The charge proffered the file. ‘And the bub seems to be settling well.’

  Liam ran his eyes over his patient’s chart. She’d given birth to her first child two days ago and was urging Liam to let her go home.

  But home was seventy kilometres away and there was no one, apart from her husband Ben, to give Sally any kind of support when she got there.

  ‘I’ll pop in on her now.’ Liam returned the file with a brief smile. ‘Has she had breakfast yet?’

  ‘Just about to, I think. You’ve got a few minutes. Want me to come with you?’

  Liam flicked a hand in dismissal. ‘I think I can find my way,’ he said drily. With swift strides he made his way along the short stretch of corridor to the two-bed unit. Tapping on the door, he poked his head in. ‘Are you decent, Sally?’

  ‘Oh, Dr Donovan!’ Sally’s eyes lit up. ‘Come on in.’

  The new mother was sitting up in bed nursing her baby daughter.

  ‘You seem to have the knack of that quite nicely.
’ Liam’s gaze was soft as he stood, arms folded, at the end of the bed.

  The young mother husked a low laugh. ‘She’s a bossy little thing. She knew what to do from the start.’

  ‘Feminine intuition, mmm?’ Liam spun out a chair and lowered himself, leaning forward to clasp his hands between his knees. After a minute, he said, ‘You know, Sally, even though things are going well with you and your baby, I’d like you to have a few more days with us.’

  Sally made a small face. ‘I really need to get back to Birra Birra, Liam. There’s no one else to help Ben. I mean, at least I could be there to get his meals. He’s working from daylight to dark just now, pushing over scrub in a last resort to feed the cattle.’

  Liam’s heart went out to the young couple. Their whole livelihood was tied up in the land they were trying to farm. And it was obvious they had no extra money to buy additional feed for their stock. ‘I wonder…?’ He sat back in his chair and scraped a hand thoughtfully along his jaw.

  ‘Wonder what?’ Sally’s blue eyes widened in query.

  ‘As a compromise, whether you could give yourself two more days with us?’ he asked bluntly. ‘That way, with Anna’s help you could get organised into a routine with the baby. Plus, I’d like you to have some gentle physio and massage before you go.’

  The young mother coloured faintly. ‘It’s nice of you to suggest it, Liam, but we can’t afford a physiotherapist.’

  ‘It’s all part of the service for first-time mums, Sally.’ Liam mentally shrugged away the small untruth. ‘You’d find great benefit from some appropriate exercises and you’ll be able to do them at home as well.’

  ‘Well…if you think I should…’ Sally eased her daughter from her breast and kissed the top of her head.

  ‘May I?’ Liam offered gently, holding out his arms for the infant. ‘Do you and Ben have a name yet for this new little person?’ He stood, his large hands easily cradling the child, before he bent to tuck her back in her crib.

  ‘We’ve decided to call her Amy.’ Tenting her knees under the sheet, Sally linked her arms around them. ‘It means “beloved” and she’s certainly that.’

  Liam felt his throat tighten, as he looked down at the little one’s breathtaking perfection.

  That he should ever be so lucky…

  He felt the oddest dip in his stomach as he stretched out his index finger to stroke the sweet curve of Amy’s plump little cheek. Good grief! What was the matter with him?

  He dragged in a much-needed lungful of air to dissipate the rush of emotion, spinning around to scoop up his chair and place it back against the wall.

  ‘So, Mrs Logan.’ He turned, propping his elbows on the traymobile at the end of the bed and raising a dark brow hopefully. ‘Do we have a deal?’

  ‘I…guess so.’ Sally’s pretty mouth tilted in a wry smile. ‘I can see I’ll be more help to Ben if I’m not falling in a heap when I get home.’

  ‘Sensible girl,’ Liam approved. ‘Ah, that sounds like breakfast so I’ll leave you to it.’ He moved to the door and looked back with a wicked wink. ‘Don’t spend the day shopping now.’

  Sally giggled. ‘As if!’

  Anna was just putting the phone down when Liam made his way back to the nurses’ station. Seeing her rather strained expression, he asked abruptly, ‘Anything I should know about?’

  The charge nurse shrugged. ‘That was my sister, Josie. It looks like she and Angus are going to have to up stakes.’

  ‘Leave Bilbah Downs?’ Liam’s voice flew up several shocked octaves. ‘But it’s their whole life!’

  ‘But not their livelihood any more.’ Anna’s mouth turned down. ‘Josie said Angus has already sent their breeding stock to agistment, so at least they’ll be fed even though it’s an extra expense, and they’ll have to sell the rest—not that they’ll get much for them with the present glut on the market.’

  Liam shook his head. Angus Sinclair was one of the district’s most successful graziers. If he couldn’t hold on, what hope did the rest of them have? He frowned heavily. ‘Surely they’ll come back?’

  ‘If and when we get rain.’ Anna shrugged. ‘Meanwhile, they’ll have to go elsewhere to earn a dollar. They’ve kids at boarding school with a mountain of fees a horse couldn’t jump over.’

  Sweet God. Liam felt the knot in his gut tighten. Was there to be no end to it? He lifted a hand and made a wiping motion over his cheekbones. ‘I’m really sorry to hear all this, Anna. Is there anything at all I can do?’

  ‘Oh, Liam…’ Anna palmed the sudden wetness away from her eyes. ‘You’re already carrying the weight of the district on your shoulders…’

  He gave a twisted smile. ‘Lucky they’re broad then, mmm?’

  Anna hiccuped a laugh and desperately sought for composure. ‘Sorry for losing it and inflicting my family’s troubles on you,’ she apologised quietly. ‘Do you have some instructions about Sally?’

  ‘Ah…yes.’ Liam flipped his pen from his top pocket. ‘Could you arrange with Lynn Poulson to give Sally some postpartum physio, please? I want her to have the works and ask Lynn to send the bill to my surgery.’

  Which meant he’d pay for Sally’s physiotherapy himself. Anna shrugged inwardly. It wasn’t the first time Liam had done such a thing and she knew better than to comment. ‘Fine. Anything else?’

  ‘Sally’s agreed to stay until Saturday so I’d be grateful if you’d give her as much practical help and advice as you can about managing herself and the baby. She’s going to have to hit the ground running when she gets home.’

  Somehow he had to keep positive.

  Liam turned his vehicle in a swift arc and headed out of the hospital precincts. Everywhere he looked, the landscape was brown. Wirilda’s winter had been harsh and long, and with no spring rainfall the pastures had had no chance to rejuvenate.

  He grimaced. The logical part of his brain was consoling him that he could only do what he could do. But in the present circumstances, how could that ever be enough?

  His surgery was in the centre of town. And there was only one thought occupying his mind as he coasted to a halt in the carport at the side of the building.

  He had to find another doctor.

  He couldn’t go on trying to be confessor, counsellor and everything in between to his patients. He’d finish up being of no use to anyone.

  In a decisive movement, he leaned over and heaved his bag off the passenger seat. Swinging out of the Land Rover, he made his way swiftly up the ramp at the front of the surgery, grunting a greeting to Grace as he went through to his consulting room.

  ‘Good morning, Liam,’ Grace said sweetly to the empty space, her raised eyebrows speaking volumes. Methodically, she turned and went into the kitchenette adjoining Reception. Several minutes later, she knocked on his door and went in.

  ‘Energy boost for you,’ she said, placing the tray with its mug of tea and chocolate muffin on his desk.

  Liam turned from the window and rolled his eyes in resignation.

  Grace sent him a reproving look. ‘It’s time to stop procrastinating, Liam. This place needs another doctor. I’ve brought the file with me. You’re just going to have to decide on someone. Oh, and there was a phone enquiry this morning about the position as well.’ Settling herself purposefully in the chair beside his desk, she opened the blue manila folder.

  Liam gave a weary chuckle and threw himself into his chair. ‘You’re not about to let me off the hook, are you?’

  Grace looked at him over the rims of her smart rectangular glasses. ‘Not a chance. You’re under tremendous pressure, Liam, and frankly not very nice to work with these days.’

  ‘Not going to leave me, are you, Gracie?’ He picked up his tea and took a careful mouthful.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Grace straightened the collar on her white shirt. ‘I like my job. Most of the time,’ she added darkly.

  ‘These are good.’ Liam sidetracked skilfully, biting into his muffin with obvious enjoyment. ‘Did you m
ake them?’

  ‘I wish!’ Grace cackled. ‘You know I’m a hopeless cook. No, I thought we’d better buy whatever we can from the bakery at the moment—not that the sale of two chocolate muffins is going to save the Mandersons from bankruptcy.’

  Liam’s mouth compressed. ‘Well, as the saying goes, every bit helps.’ He picked up his mug and began draining it slowly. ‘Leave the file with me. I’ll go through it and make a short-list today.’

  Grace looked sceptical. ‘You promise?’

  A sudden gleam of amusement lit his dark eyes. ‘Count on it. Otherwise, I can see I’ll have to bring in my whip and chair to defend myself. Seriously, I’d already made the decision to take some positive action. Now, you mentioned a phone enquiry?’

  ‘Yes.’ Grace began to pull the single sheet of paper from the back of the file. ‘I jotted down the few details she gave me. Here you are. She’s presently working in a group practice on the Gold Coast.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Liam’s eyes went to the sheet of paper in front of him. ‘What the hell…?’ Suddenly his glance shot up, a stark look of disbelief crossing his face ‘This one definitely won’t do!’

  Grace pulled back, making a tsk of annoyance. ‘Why, for heaven’s sake? Are we discriminating against women now?’

  Liam propped himself forward, shielding his expression. He squeezed his eyes shut, seeing a halo of dark hair, grey eyes that were deeply beautiful, glinting to silver when she laughed, a full mouth, so vulnerable, so gentle when she slept…

  ‘Liam?’ Grace’s motherly instincts were roused. He looked dazed. ‘Is something—? Do you know this person?’

  ‘You could say that…’ The words came out throatily. ‘She’s my former wife.’

  ‘Oh.’ Grace waited out the few tense seconds that followed and then rose, closing the door quietly behind her.

  Liam scrubbed a hand through his hair, conscious of his heart thrashing to a sickening rhythm inside his chest. After all this time. It was almost six years since they’d parted for crying out loud! His heart thumped again, while memories like a rusty merry-go-round cranked up and began turning slowly in his head.