A Mother's Secret (Mills & Boon Medical)

by Scarlet Wilson

  He jogged inside, walked over to Gemma’s room and gave a little knock on the door before entering.

  Gemma didn’t even notice him. Her eyes were fixed on the screen in front of her and tears were pouring down her cheeks. It didn’t take him long to notice that the front page of the red-top in his hand was currently showing on her screen.

  He sat down next to her and pulled his seat closer, his hand reaching over to encompass hers. Her hand was freezing, so he lifted it from the desk and rubbed it between his own. ‘Gemma, are you okay?’

  Her mobile was on the desk next to them and it buzzed. He looked down. Unknown caller. His heart lurched. Undoubtedly it would be the press. Without even waiting for her response, he pressed reject. Ten missed calls and twenty-two texts.

  She wasn’t moving. Oh, she was breathing, he could see the rise and fall of her chest. But she looked as if she was stunned.

  He spun her chair round so she was facing him, then lifted his hands to either side of her face. He hated to see her like this. ‘Gemma?’

  She blinked. More tears flooded down her face. ‘What if someone says something to Isla?’ she whispered.

  And that was why he loved her. Even in the midst of all this, her thoughts were for her daughter. She was her first priority. Just as it should be.

  ‘You’re finished for the day here. Let’s go home. Let’s go home to Isla.’ He leaned over and switched off her computer, taking her hand and pulling her up towards him.

  She noticed the paper in his hand. ‘Is that why you came here?’

  He nodded. ‘I wanted to make sure you were okay.’ He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to his chest. ‘You know, Gemma, Fred Jones wouldn’t even put the papers out to sell. You’re just here and there are already people on the island who feel protective towards you—who look at the rubbish printed in rags like this and know without a doubt that it won’t be true.’

  He felt her give a little sob as her head rested against his chest. ‘This was supposed to be a clean start for me and Isla. I knew eventually that people would find out, I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.’

  His fingers ran through her hair. ‘How did you find out? Did someone call you?’ It hadn’t looked as though she’d answered any of her calls or texts.

  She shook her head. ‘One of my friends emailed me with the link to the press story. It was apparently released in the early hours of the morning. She wanted to forewarn me. She saw the way I was treated last time, and wanted to make sure I didn’t answer my phone this morning to some reporter.’

  ‘You should have phoned me.’

  She lifted her tear-stained face towards his. ‘Why? So you could tell me that the patients wouldn’t want to see me? So you could tell me it would be better if I didn’t do any hours at the practice?’

  ‘Is that what you think?’ He shook his head fiercely. ‘Gemma, don’t doubt for a second that I’ll stand behind you all the way here. So will all the partners in this practice.’

  The phone started ringing and he picked it up immediately. ‘What? Where? You’re joking. At Gemma’s house? Call John Kerr.’ He grabbed Gemma’s car keys from the desk.

  ‘What? What is it?’

  He shook his head. ‘It’s Patrick. He came over on the first ferry. Someone who did read the paper this morning recognised him. He’s headed to your house.’

  ‘Oh, no. Lesley.’

  Logan’s feet were already running through the surgery and pounding across the car park. He couldn’t depend on the local policeman getting there in time. For all he knew, John Kerr was on the other side of the island. He flung open the door and jumped inside, Gemma throwing herself into the passenger seat. He gunned the car, and it screeched out of the car park.

  Thank goodness Isla was safely out of the way. She was at his mother’s.

  Five minutes. That’s all it would take to get to Gemma’s house.

  He just hoped they wouldn’t be too late.

  * * *

  The door to Gemma’s house was lying wide open. One of the local taxi drivers was standing in her driveway, looking aghast. He held up his hands. ‘What’s going on? He just shot straight into your house.’

  But Logan was already in front of her, thudding up the corridor in the direction of a loud, piercing shriek.

  Patrick hadn’t even reached Lesley. She’d dropped the cup she’d been holding as he’d burst through the kitchen door. Logan barrelled into him from behind, taking him unawares and dropping him in a rugby tackle.

  Legs and arms flew. It took Logan a few seconds before he could finally land a punch. Gemma winced as she heard something crack. She rushed over to Lesley and pulled her from the kitchen and back towards the front door. ‘Come with me.’

  ‘But Patrick...’ she started. Her eyes were wide with fear. She was terrified. It was clear she’d never thought he would find her. And he wouldn’t have, if the press hadn’t put it in the papers.

  Patrick’s face was getting redder by the second. ‘Don’t you dare move!’ he screamed at Lesley as he wrestled with Logan.

  They rolled, and for a second Patrick was on top of Logan, almost escaping from his grasp as he dived towards them. But Logan wasn’t letting go. He was holding on for all he was worth, the veins in his neck standing out as his knuckles turned white.

  Gemma didn’t think twice. She picked up the vase of flowers from the hall and smashed it over Patrick’s head.

  For a second there was silence. The taxi driver had tentatively ventured his way into the house. ‘Thought you might have needed a hand, Doc. But it seems like Doc Gemma’s got it all under control.’ He held out his arms towards Lesley. ‘Come with me, love. Let’s get you out of here.’

  Lesley nodded numbly, taking his hands and following him outside.

  Gemma started shaking. She dropped to her knees and put her hand to the side of Patrick’s neck. His pulse was there. His chest was rising and falling with his breathing.

  Logan rolled out from under him, pushing himself to his feet and wrapping his arms around her. ‘Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you,’ he whispered in her ear.

  She couldn’t stop the tremble in her hands. ‘I didn’t even think. I just acted.’

  Logan looked down at Patrick on the kitchen floor. Luckily, he’d almost landed in the recovery position. ‘He’s not going anywhere right now. Once the police arrive we’ll check him over at the hospital. Come on, Gemma. Let’s sit down.’

  * * *

  Fifteen minutes later everything was under control. Patrick had been removed by the police to the local hospital and Lesley was being checked over by Edith.

  Gemma sat on her doorstep with her head in her hands. She still hadn’t stopped shaking.

  Logan put his arm around her shoulders and edged onto the step next to her. ‘It’s fine, Gemma. It’s over. Take a deep breath.’

  She shook her head. ‘But it’s not over. Look what was in the paper about me today. Even those that didn’t read it...’ she held out her hand ‘...will hear about this. What are people going to think about me? I came to Arran to get away from all this, not bring it with me. I should have known something would happen.’ She winced.

  ‘Isla’s just about to start school. You know how cruel children can be. Can you imagine what the other kids might say to her?’ He could sense she was getting agitated as she started to talk quicker and quicker. ‘She’s so excited about school. She’s got her school uniform and everything. Now I should probably take her away. Go somewhere else where people won’t associate us with the news. The last thing I want is for Isla to be bullied because of my actions.’

  Logan took a deep breath and pressed his hands down on her shoulders. He couldn’t even compute the thought of Gemma and Isla moving away. He would do anything to stop that happening. He had to make her see sense.

  ‘Gemma, stop it. None of this is your fault. You’re not going to go anywhere. You’re going to stay here on Arran, with me. You’ve already mo
ved Isla once. She’s started to settle on Arran. She’s met new friends, and she loves her new house. You can’t disrupt all that for her again. No one’s going to bully her at school. I’ll speak to the headmistress. I’ll make sure.’

  Gemma looked up at him. There was confusion in her dark brown eyes.

  ‘What? What is it, Gemma?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Mean about what?’

  ‘You just said...you wanted us to stay here...with you.’ Her eyes were wide.

  He felt his heart jump. He’d said the words out loud without even thinking twice. There hadn’t been a second’s hesitation. He lifted his hand up and stroked his finger down her cheek. ‘I mean it, Gemma. I don’t want you and Isla to go anywhere. I want you both to stay here, on Arran, with me. If you want to, that is.’

  ‘I don’t get it, Logan. Since when did you want this?’

  He gave her a smile. ‘Oh, since I caught a glimpse of some pink satin underwear.’

  Even in the midst of the tensest moment he wanted to see her laugh. He wanted to see her smile. The corners of her lips moved up by the tiniest amount.

  He could tell she still wasn’t convinced.

  ‘Gemma, I don’t want you to go anywhere. I don’t want Isla to go anywhere. I’ve never enjoyed being bossed about by a woman so much in my life!’

  This time the corners of her lips definitely turned upwards. ‘She does like to be in charge.’

  ‘She certainly does.’

  Gemma shook her head and held her hands up. ‘How can I stay now? I know I’m only supposed to cover here one day a week. But look what’s happened.’ She held up her hands and used an age-old Scottish expression. ‘I’ll be the talk of the steamie.’

  He smiled and held up the red-topped paper that was lying crumpled next to the doorway. ‘This, Gemma? This is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper. And as for the steamie? I’ve been the talk of it for years. I’m glad of the company.’

  ‘But what about the patients? Some of them might not want to see me. And that could harm the smooth running of the practice.’

  Logan took a deep breath. ‘Gemma, do you think for one minute that every patient who comes into the surgery wants to see me?’ He shook his head firmly. ‘Julie knows the people who don’t want to see me. Some—because they’ve known me since I was a boy. Some—because I’m a male. And some because they just plain don’t like me. And that’s fine. That’s general practice for you.’ He laughed.

  ‘One woman doesn’t want to see me because she says my signature is like a five-year-old’s! We all have circumstances like these, Gemma. And it works both ways. Sam Allan has a list of patients he doesn’t want to see!’

  Her eyes widened. ‘You’re joking, right? You’re just saying that to make me feel better.’

  Logan shook his head. ‘Go and ask Julie. I guarantee you, she’ll tell you the same thing.’ He pulled her closer. ‘This will all pass. Today is just the worst day. Tomorrow it will get a little better.’ He pulled her even closer, running his fingers through her hair. ‘By next week it will mostly be forgotten.’

  Her head turned towards his touch. He couldn’t let her go. He just couldn’t.

  ‘Do you really think so?’

  ‘I really think so. Please, don’t even think about leaving. I’ve only just started to get to know my new family.’

  Her head jerked upwards. ‘Your what?’

  He smiled. ‘My new family.’ He bent down and whispered in her ear, ‘Between you and me, I think they’re currently auditioning me, and my family, to see if we’ll be a good fit together.’

  ‘What are you saying, Logan?’ She smiled up at him, her brown eyes looking reassured for the first time.

  ‘I’m saying that I want to audition.’

  ‘For what role?’

  He ran his finger down her cheek. ‘For the boyfriend role...’ his finger caught a lock of her hair and he twirled it around his finger ‘...maybe turning into a fiancé.’

  She hesitated. ‘And what else?’ He could tell her voice was about to crack.

  ‘For a potential dad—only if I come up to scratch, of course, and then eventually, maybe, a husband. And a shot at being a dad again if it all works out.’ Then he dropped his head and whispered in her ear again, ‘Providing, of course, Isla lets us. Because we both know who the boss is.’

  He could see the breath catching in her throat. He wasn’t letting her go. It had been hard enough to say the words, he definitely wanted to see her response.

  His breath was caught halfway up his chest. His whole life rested on these next few moments.

  Gemma blinked. He could see the hesitation in her eyes. ‘Why me, Logan? Why us? You’ve been a bachelor for years. What’s changed?’

  His hand cradled the back of her head. ‘Who says I wanted to be a bachelor? Up until six weeks ago I just hadn’t met the right woman.’

  ‘And now you have?’

  He nodded. ‘And now I have. Better than that. I’ve met two of them.’

  ‘How do you know, Logan?’ She wasn’t going to make this easy for him. And so she shouldn’t. She had a little girl to think about. And he knew that Isla was the most precious thing in the world to her.

  He smiled. Nothing was more important than saying the right words. It was time to lay his heart on the line. Something he’d never done before. He’d never had reason to. Not like this.

  He took her hand and pressed it against his chest. ‘I know because I wake up in the morning and you’re the first thing I think about. It doesn’t matter that I’ve spent most of the night dreaming about you. You’re still the first thing on my mind. I know because every time I have a conversation with Isla she reminds me so much of you. Every word, every characteristic, every expression.’

  Gemma looked surprised. ‘Really?’

  He nodded. ‘Really. She’s a complete hybrid. Like a cross between you and my mother. A lethal combination!’

  Her brown eyes fixed on his. ‘And you want to take that on?’

  He put his hands on her shoulders. ‘I want to take you both on. If you’ll let me.’

  Gemma started to smile again. ‘Isla’s had a lot of change in her life recently—a new house, new friends, a new island. And she’s just about to start school. It’s a lot for a little girl.’ She let out a sigh. ‘I’m just thankful she missed out on everything today.’

  He nodded. ‘So am I. And we’ll take things slowly. That’s why you should let me audition. You can both decide if I should get the role.’

  Gemma heaved in a huge breath. He understood. He really did. After everything she’d been through she needed to feel in control. And that was fine with him.

  She looked up at him through her dark lashes. There was a twinkle in her eye, as if she was finally satisfied with his words. Her arms wound up around his neck. ‘And what happens if I agree to let you audition?’

  He smiled. ‘In that case, there are certain things we should start practising right away.’

  ‘Such as?’

  ‘This,’ he said, as he bent to kiss her.

  EPILOGUE

  ‘ARE WE READY, Mummy?’

  Isla was jumping up and down, her three-quarter-length dress bouncing around her ankles.

  Gemma took one last quick glance in the mirror. Veil up or veil down? She still couldn’t decide. She pulled it back again at the last minute. She wanted to look Logan straight in the eye as they said their vows. There should be nothing between them.

  Except, of course, a small bump, currently hidden behind a pale green sash around her cream gown. The colour had been picked by Isla, her dress the same colour as the sash. She was the only bridesmaid after all.

  Two years. That’s how long she’d made him audition for. She glanced down at the diamond on her hand. It hadn’t taken him long to give her an engagement ring, but extending the house for them to stay in, along with the extra rooms they’d now need, had taken a little longer.

  The doorbell soun
ded. They weren’t doing things the traditional way. She and Logan had decided to travel to the church together, with Isla, as a family.

  She opened the door nervously, wondering what Logan would say. But his face was a picture and he swept her up into his arms instantly. ‘You look gorgeous.’ He bent to kiss her.

  ‘Careful, Logan, you’ll spoil Mummy’s lipstick.’

  He leaned back. ‘Well, we can’t have that, can we?’ He picked up Isla. ‘Shall we go out to the car together?’

  ‘Is it a big car?’

  He opened the door. ‘The biggest.’

  Gemma smiled and picked up her bouquet of cream roses and pale green leaves. The church was so close they could have walked, but Logan had insisted they go in the ‘wedding car’ for Arran. An old Bentley owned by one of his patients.

  It only took a few minutes and on this beautiful summer’s day it seemed as if half the population on the island had made their way to the local church.

  Gemma stepped out of the car and gave a quick hug to Claire, her soon-to-be sister-in-law. She was so much better now and ready to start to explore the surrogacy option of having children. She already knew about Gemma and Logan’s little secret and had been delighted for them both.

  Lesley was standing near the door, holding the hand of a chubby toddler. By her side was her soon-to-be husband. A definite improvement on Patrick.

  Logan was by her side as friends and family shouted greetings to them as they walked towards the church. Everything was just perfect.

  He turned around and held out his hand. ‘Ready, Mrs Scott?’

  She smiled at his joke. ‘Ready, Mr Halliday,’ she countered, as she put her hand in his and walked towards her future.

  * * * * *

  ISBN: 978 1 472 04542 3

  A MOTHER’S SECRET

  © 2014 Scarlet Wilson

  Published in Great Britain 2014

  by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited

  Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR