The Italian Doctor. Jennifer Taylor

to his education post-haste, won’t we, folks?’ Robin replied with a grin. ‘You can’t live in England and not learn to enjoy the delights of a nice pint of bitter!’

      ‘I don’t know if my taste buds are ready for it.’ Luke groaned. ‘I’ve only just learned to drink that revolting stuff you claim is coffee so have some pity. There’s only so much torture a guy can take!’

      ‘I suppose we shall have to make allowances a while longer, then,’ Robin declared as everyone laughed. ‘Anyway, sit yourself down and I’ll fetch the drinks.’

      Luke turned to her as Robin hurried away. ‘Is there room for me or will it be too much of a squeeze?’

      ‘Of course not.’ She scooted along the bench to make room for him, feeling the shiver that raced along her nerves when he eased himself into the gap. His thigh was pressed hard against her own, his hip bumping hers when he tried to get comfortable.

      ‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to squash you.’

      ‘It’s fine…really,’ she said quickly, then hurried on when she heard how breathless she sounded. ‘I… I didn’t know you were coming tonight,’ she said, more for something to say than for any other reason. His nearness was having the strangest effect on her, making her whole body tingle with awareness. She didn’t like the feeling and was determined to nip it in the bud before it got worse.

      ‘No?’ He shrugged so that his shoulder brushed hers this time, sending another spiral of sensation flowing through her before she could stop it. ‘I never thought to mention it. It isn’t a problem, is it?’

      ‘Of course not! Why should you think I have a problem about you being here?’ Maggie heard the defensive note in her voice and bit her lip. She almost jumped out of her skin when he suddenly reached over and squeezed her hand. Her eyes flew to his face and she was stunned by the look of regret she saw there.

      ‘Because you and I got off on the wrong foot when we first met and it was all my fault.’ Luke’s fingers tightened around hers and her heart bumped up and down in her chest when she felt the gentle increase in pressure. ‘I can understand why you wouldn’t be pleased to see me after what I said to you that night at your grandmother’s house, Maggie. I was way out of line then and I apologise for it.’

      ‘I don’t know what to say.’ She was telling the truth because she was so surprised that it was hard to think straight. Whether it was the unexpected apology or the fact that Luke was still holding her hand which was causing the problem she wasn’t sure, but her thoughts seemed to be completely clogged up.

      He smiled ruefully as he released her. ‘You don’t need to say anything because your face says it all. I can’t believe I actually said what I did that night. You must have thought I was the biggest jerk you’d ever met!’

      Maggie felt the blush reach her hairline in two seconds flat. ‘Oh, well, you know,’ she muttered uncomfortably.

      ‘I do! Unfortunately.’ He laughed wryly. ‘It makes me cringe when I think about that night. My only excuse is that I had totally misread the situation. I hadn’t realised that you and I were in the same boat.’

      ‘What do you mean?’ She looked at him uncertainly but Robin arrived back with their drinks just then. He shook his head when Luke offered to let him have his seat back and moved to the other end of the table, squeezing into the space Angela had made for him. Everyone was discussing a film that had been on television that week; nobody seemed to be taking any notice of her and Luke. It lent a strange kind of intimacy to their conversation, a feeling heightened when he lowered his voice so that only she could hear what he was saying.

      ‘That your family is putting pressure on you to get married, like mine is. I heard what you said this afternoon and it was like a rerun of what’s been happening to me over the past few years. I can’t count the number of suitable women my mom has tried to fix me up with!’

      Maggie couldn’t help laughing at the wealth of disgust in his voice. ‘It’s a nightmare, isn’t it? And the worst thing is that you feel so guilty about it. I mean, you don’t want to get married but somehow they make you feel that you’re letting them down.’

      ‘I know just what you mean.’ He picked up the chilled bottle of imported beer that Robin had bought him and took a swallow. ‘Mothers really know how to lay a guilt trip on you, don’t they? There’s all the little hints to begin with about how their friends’ children are getting married and how wonderful it must be to have a wedding to plan. Then things start to get really heavy and before you know it there’s the pointed comments about whether they’ll be too old to enjoy their grandchildren by the time they arrive…’

      ‘Or if they’ll still be around to see said grandchildren,’ Maggie put in, shaking her head in despair. ‘It’s an impossible situation, isn’t it? No matter how you try to explain that you’re perfectly happy the way you are, they don’t believe you. They think that we—and them—are missing out because we don’t want to get married.’

      ‘Exactly. I couldn’t have put it better myself. It’s so good to be able to talk to someone who understands, Maggie.’ He grinned crookedly. ‘Maybe it also means that you understand why I behaved like such an idiot when we met and can find it in your heart to forgive me?’

      ‘There’s nothing to forgive,’ she assured him, feeling her heart lift. It surprised her how pleased she felt to know why Luke had acted the way he had. She laughed when he offered her his hand.

      ‘Truce, then?’

      ‘Truce!’ she agreed, placing her hand in his. They let the matter drop after that, joining in the conversation as it flowed around the table. However, she couldn’t deny her relief that there was no longer any reason for her and Luke to be at loggerheads. Why she should be so pleased about the change in their relationship was hard to explain so she didn’t waste time worrying about it. Most likely it was because she hated being at odds with anyone.

      They finished their drinks then moved on to the party. It wasn’t far to walk but Maggie was limping by the time they reached the house where her friends, Ruth and Greg, lived. The blister on her heel had broken and each step was pure torture as the sandal strap rubbed against it.

      ‘Are you OK?’ Luke put a steadying hand under her elbow when she stumbled as she made her way up the steps to the house.

      She grimaced as she lifted her foot and showed him her heel. ‘A blister. I should never have worn these wretched sandals. I should have known they would rub.’

      ‘That looks really nasty. You’re going to need a dressing on it. Let’s see if Ruth has a first-aid kit and get you sorted out.’

      ‘Oh, I don’t want to be any trouble—’ she began, but he cut short her protests.

      ‘Doctor’s orders, Staff. No arguing, now,’ he said sternly but with a definite twinkle in his eyes.

      Maggie laughed. ‘Oh, far be it from me to argue with you, Doctor.’

      ‘Well, that’s progress.’ His tone was wry as he helped her up the last step. ‘From what I overheard you saying this morning I didn’t think you would ever agree with anything I said.’

      ‘I’m sorry—’ she began

      ‘Only teasing.’ He held up his hand. ‘You had every right to say what you did. It wasn’t your fault that I made such a rotten impression when we met. However, that’s all in the past, isn’t it, Maggie? Let’s move on from there.’

      She smiled, feeling her heart going pitter-patter inside her chest. Of course, it was relief at having ironed out their differences that caused it to react like that, she assured herself. But it was hard to believe that was the only reason so she didn’t dwell on it. ‘That sounds like a good idea to me, Luke. I’d like to think that you and I can be friends.’

      He smiled but there was the strangest gleam in his eyes as he looked at her. ‘Friends it is, Maggie.’ He bent and kissed