He smacked his hand on his forehead. ‘I’m sorry, Gemma. I hadn’t even considered Isla. We’ll need to have a look at the rota.’
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘There’s not much you can do. It’s only for the next six weeks. I guess I’ll just have to cope.’
But the guilt was gnawing away at him. He hadn’t been entirely truthful as he’d given her the tour. Isla just hadn’t entered into his radar at all.
This was the problem with being a single guy with no other responsibilities. Work was his only real consideration in life. Once he had that covered, he didn’t think about much else. ‘Yeah, well, about that...’
‘What?’ Her eyes had widened, giving him an even better view of just what a warm brown they were. She was much smaller than him, maybe around five feet two or three? The kind of small woman that men like him usually wanted to protect. It was instinctual.
But he had the strangest feeling that Gemma Halliday was the kind of woman that didn’t want to be protected. She was more likely to kick you in the groin than cower in a corner.
‘How about I show you where the canteen is in here?’ He tried to guide her along the corridor. From the look of her small frame, the chances were slim that he could fob her off with coffee and cake but it was worth a try.
* * *
Gemma was suspicious. She could practically see Logan Scott shuffling his feet like some nervous teenager waiting to tell you that they’d smashed the car or broken a window. He’d been quite straightforward up until this point, so she had a pretty good idea she wouldn’t like what he had to say.
She let him guide her down the corridor towards the canteen. Coffee sounded good right about now. The hospital set-up looked fine. It was old, but it was clean and functional. The patients in the ward looked well cared for. The staff around here seemed efficient.
It was obvious she wouldn’t find the latest state-of-the-art technology here but, then again, why would she need it? They had X-ray facilities and an ultrasound scanner. An emergency theatre that she hoped she would never see the inside of, and a way to transport the sickest patients off the island.
Logan pushed open the door in front of them and held it open. It took around two seconds for her senses to be assaulted by the smell of prime-time baking. ‘Wow. What do they make in here?’
He pointed at the counter. ‘Della makes cakes every day. And you can make requests if you find a favourite and want it on a particular day.’
She couldn’t help but smile. ‘And what’s your request?’
His answer was instant. ‘The carrot cake...or the cheese scones...or the strawberry tarts—they’re giant. Not like the ones you would buy elsewhere.’
They’d reached the counter. It was clear that anyone who set foot in here wouldn’t want to leave. Piles of freshly baked scones and crumpets, some tray bakes and a whole array of cakes. Gemma didn’t hesitate, she leaned over and picked up a fruit scone. It was still warm. She could practically taste it already.
‘What kind of coffee?’ Logan was poised at the coffee machine. Gemma pointed at the china mugs he was holding.
‘What, no plastic cups?’
He shook his head in mock disgust. ‘On Arran? Not a chance. Everything is served in china over here.’
‘I’ll have a latte, thanks.’
She waited until he’d filled the two cups and they settled at a table, looking out across the hospital gardens, which were trimmed, neat with lots of colourful flower beds.
Gemma started cutting open her scone and spreading butter and jam. ‘What? Never seen a woman eat before, Logan? Stop gawping.’
He smiled as he started on his carrot cake. ‘You don’t look like the kind of girl that eats cakes.’
There it was again. His directness. Sneaking in when you least expected it. ‘Because I’m small?’
He sipped his cappuccino and wrinkled his nose. It was obvious he was trying to wind her up a little. Playing with her. Obviously hoping to soften her up for what was to come. ‘You’re not small, Gemma. You’re vertically challenged.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘Really?’
‘Yip.’ He leaned back in his chair. ‘That’s my professional opinion.’ His long legs stretched out under the table, brushing next to her own. What was that? That little tremor of something she’d just felt? It had been so long since she’d had time to even have a man on her radar that she didn’t even know how these things worked these days.
His shirt was pale blue, almost like a thin denim, with a few wrinkles around the elbows and open at the collar, revealing some light curling hairs.
She was trying to place who he looked like. But the tiny blond tips of his hair were throwing her. That was it. He needed a captain’s uniform. He looked like that new young guy they’d drafted in for the latest Star Trek movie. If his hair was only the tiniest shade darker he could be a clone.
She took a bite of the scone. Just as she’d suspected. Delicious. She leaned back in her chair. ‘I think I’m just about to put on two stone.’
He smiled. ‘The food here is good. If you have any special requests or dietary issues, just let them know.’
She raised her eyebrow. ‘Dietary issues? Trying to tell me something, Logan?’
He shook his head swiftly. ‘I wouldn’t dare.’
Her eyes narrowed slightly. ‘Okay, then, out with it. You’ve obviously kept the bombshell for last. Hit me with it.’
His eyes drifted away from her and he fixated on something outside. ‘Yeah...about that.’
‘About what?’ Her voice was firm. How bad could this be?
He shifted in his seat. ‘You know how I told you that if A and E is quiet the doctor will cover the ward patients too?’
She nodded. ‘Yes.’ She was feeling very wary of him now.
‘Well, it kind of works both ways.’
She felt the hairs standing up at the back of her neck. ‘What do you mean?’
He stared at her. With those big blue eyes that could be very distracting if you let them.
‘I mean that if the A and E doc gets snowed under, then they usually call us out for some assistance.’ He was visibly cringing as he said the words. Obviously waiting for the fallout.
She ran her tongue along her dry lips. He was worried. And a tiny part of that amused her.
She’d only agreed to help out for six weeks. She would only have a few on-calls. How bad could this be? Maybe she should make him sweat a little. After all, he had been quite presumptuous so far.
She picked up her scone and regarded him carefully. ‘Think carefully before you answer the next question, Logan. I can tell you right now that if you spoil my scone, this could all end in tears.’ She took a little bite. Was he holding his breath? ‘Exactly how many times does the A and E doc call you out?’
Logan shifted again. ‘Well, in the winter, hardly ever. Maybe once every six weeks.’
She knew exactly where this was going. ‘And in the summer?’
He gave a little frown and a shrug of his shoulders. ‘Probably...most nights?’
‘What?’ Her voice had just gone up about three octaves. He had to be joking. ‘Every night?’
His head was giving little nods. No wonder he’d worried about telling her. ‘More or less.’
She put her scone back down on her plate, her appetite instantly forgotten. This was going to be far more complicated than she could possibly have expected.
Logan held up his hands. ‘Look, Gemma. I’m sorry. I hadn’t really taken Isla into the equation. I’m so used to being on my own I didn’t even consider the impact it would have on her. I mean, you are a single parent, aren’t you? You don’t have another half that’s going to appear in the next few weeks?’
There it was again. His presumptions. And was she mistaken or did he sound vaguely happy—as well as apologetic—about the situation?
And why did she care? This guy, with his rolled-up sleeves revealing his tanned arms, was giving her constant distractions.
Like that one. Since when did she notice a man’s tanned arms? Or the blond tips in his hair? Or the fact he might resemble a movie star?
She’d been so focused for the last five years. Every single bit of her pent-up energy had been invested in Isla. In the fight to keep her, and all the hard work that went along with being a single parent, working full-time.
She hadn’t even had time to look in the mirror, let alone look around her and notice any men.
Maybe this was just a reaction to Isla’s out-of-the-blue drawing with the feature boyfriend.
Her stomach gave the strangest flutter. Or maybe this was just a reaction to the big blue eyes, surrounded by little weathered lines, currently staring at her across the table.
She took a deep breath. Were his thoughts really presumptions? He’d helped her unpack. He must have noticed the distinct lack of manly goods about the place.
She nodded her head. She was used to this. She was used to the single-parent question. She’d been fielding it for the last five years. ‘Yes, I’m a single parent, Logan. I hadn’t really expected to be called out at night on a frequent basis. That could cause me a number of problems.’ She was trying not to notice the fact he’d just told her he only had himself to think about.
She was trying to ignore the tiny flutter she’d felt when he’d revealed the possibility he might be unattached. She was trying not to notice the little flicker in her stomach that Logan wasn’t married with a whole family of his own. What on earth was wrong with her?
He lifted his hands. ‘Look, I’m sorry. But I’m desperate. I really need someone at the surgery right now. How about I cover some of your on-calls?’
She bit her lip. ‘That’s hardly fair, is it?’ She couldn’t figure out the wave of strange sensations crowding around her brain. Then something scrambled its way to the front and a smile danced across her face. ‘Don’t you have someone to go home to?’
There. She’d said it.
The quickest way to sort out the weird range of thoughts she was having. He may not wear a wedding ring but he was sure to have another half tucked away somewhere on the island.
Another woman. Simple. The easiest way to dismiss this man.
He smiled and leaned across the table towards her, the hairs on his tanned arm coming into contact with her pale, bare arm. She really needed to get a little sun.
‘You mean, apart from my mother?’ He was teasing her. She could tell by the sexy glint in his eye that he knew exactly why she’d asked the question.
She let out a laugh. ‘Oh, come on. Someone your age doesn’t stay with their mother. You certainly weren’t there when we arrived this morning.’
There was something in the air between them. Everything about this was wrong. He was a colleague. This was a small island.
She was here for a fresh start and some down time.
So why was her heart pitter-pattering against her chest?
It seemed that Arran was about to get very interesting.
CHAPTER THREE
LOGAN RAN HIS fingers through his hair. They’d finally reached a compromise.
He was going to cover as much of the on-call as possible, even though Gemma had been determined to do her share. She was feisty.
And so was her daughter.
He’d nipped back home after lunchtime and found his mother being ordered around by Isla. Granted, it was in a very polite manner—but the little girl clearly took after her mother.
But what had struck him most of all was the expression of joy on his mother’s face. She clearly loved the interactions with the little girl. His father had died ten years ago. Logan had settled back on the island once he’d completed his GP training and bought a house just along the road. His sister Claire had been battling infertility for seven years. And his mother had been patiently knitting and stashing tiny little cardigans in a cupboard in the back bedroom for just as long.
It was a nightmare. The one thing he’d never given much thought to during his medical career. Fertility.
Sure, he understood the science of it. And, of course, he always had empathy for his patients.
But to see the true, devastating effects of unexpected infertility and how it impacted on a family had been brought home to him in the past few years. The highs of being accepted for treatment and at the start of each attempt. The lows and desperation as each failure lessened the likelihood of future success. The slow, progressive withdrawal of his sister, along with the cracks that had subsequently appeared in her marriage.
At times, Logan had no idea how his brother-in-law managed to keep things on an even keel. Claire could be so volatile now. The slightest thing could set her off. The beautiful, healthy, lively young woman had turned into a skeletal, unconfident wreck.
And it affected every one of them.
And now he’d just given his mother a taste of being a grandmother.
It wasn’t as if his mum hadn’t stepped in before. She’d loved little Ben as much as he had and had watched him occasionally as he and Zoe had dated. But the connection with Isla was definitely stronger. Why, he wasn’t sure. But watching them together and hearing the way they spoke to each other made him laugh. It was like a pair of feisty older women, rather than a little girl and his mother. They were definitely kindred spirits.
Was he being unfair? Because his mother currently looked as if she were loving every minute of this. Isla too. And there was no question about the fact that Gemma needed trustworthy childcare.
But what would Claire think if she found out her mother was acting as a surrogate gran? Would it hurt her even more? Because he really couldn’t bear that.
The phone rang on his desk. He picked it up swiftly. ‘Yes?’
‘Logan, we’ve had too many calls for emergency appointments this morning. We’re going to burst at the seams.’
He frowned. ‘Have you scheduled Dr Halliday to see any of the emergency patients?’
‘Well, no. You told us not to. She’s supposed to be doing the house calls this week to try and find her way around the island.’
‘Let’s leave that for next week.’ He couldn’t afford the time needed for Gemma to navigate her way around the outlying farms and crofts that he could find in his sleep. ‘Schedule her for some of the emergency GP surgeries this week, there’s just no way we can do without her.’
He couldn’t help shaking his head. Sam Allan might be in his seventies, but he was one of the most efficient doctors Logan had ever worked with. His were big shoes to fill and Gemma, with her lack of experience in a GP practice, would be struggling to keep up.
He was about to hang up but changed his mind. ‘Julie? Just a thought. Dr Halliday has said she’s happy to see any patients, but try and give her most of the kids, will you? She’s a paediatric expert and will probably be more confident with them.’
Julie murmured in agreement and he put his phone down. He wanted to be supportive to his new colleague. It made sense to develop a good relationship with the new paediatrician on the island. After all, it would be his patients he would be referring to her.
He could think of a few kids straight away who could do with some paediatric expertise. It wasn’t always easy for people on Arran to get to the mainland to see the paediatricians based at the nearest big hospital. The weather, the ferries, roadworks and even unsuitable hospital appointment times had caused numerous missed appointments. Having someone based on the island would be a real bonus for them, and would also ensure some continuity of care for their patients.
He glanced at his computer screen, checking his first patient. Rudy Sinclair. A prime candidate for a paediatrician. Maybe he should invite Gemma in and get her professional opinion?
His hand hesitated over the phone. Would she think he was testing her abilities? Because that was the last thing on his mind. He was almost relieved to think that someone else could offer a useful opinion on this little boy. He buzzed through to the nearby room. ‘Gemma? I’m about to see a little boy who
has frequent visits to the surgery. I would be interested if you could sit in and give me a professional opinion.’
She appeared at his door a few seconds later. ‘What’s it worth?’ she chirped back without hesitation. There was a cheeky grin on her face.
He started a little in his seat. He hadn’t expected that. There was more to Gemma Halliday than met the eye. He folded his arms across his chest. ‘Dr Halliday, I hope you’re not trying to hold me hostage over a child’s health?’
She shook her head. ‘Nope. I’m just trying to wangle out of you one of the strawberry tarts I spotted earlier.’
He laughed. ‘A strawberry tart? That’s your price?’
She nodded. ‘Absolutely.’ Then held out her hand towards him. ‘Deal?’ Her eyebrows were raised.
He reached over, his large hand encapsulating her small one. He tried not to let the expression on his face change as a little zing shot up his arm.
He was Logan Scott. He didn’t do zings. What on earth was wrong with him? ‘Deal,’ he said as he shook her hand firmly. ‘Now, let me go and get our patient.’
* * *
Rudy Sinclair had an impertinent look on his face as he strode into the surgery; his mother, juggling multiple bags, looked completely harassed. Gemma looked up from the computer. Logan hadn’t been kidding. Rudy had been to the surgery on multiple occasions.
She ran her eyes over the list. Bumps and bruises, chest infections, ear infections, the odd rash—nothing out of the ordinary for the average child. Except Rudy was here much more than the average child.
Logan made the introductions quickly. ‘Mrs Sinclair, this is Dr Halliday. She’s the new GP in the practice and also specialises in paediatrics. I hope you don’t mind her sitting in today. She’s learning all the new systems.’
‘What?’ The woman looked a little distracted as she juggled her bags and sat down in the chair opposite. Her eyes scanned over to Rudy, who seemed to be dismantling a coloured puzzle that was sitting on Logan’s desk. ‘Yes, that’s fine with me.’
* * *
A Mother's Secret (Mills & Boon Medical) Page 4
