The Shy Nurse's Christmas Wish. Abigail Gordon

from their Young Sailors’ Club, but their antics while he’s been away haven’t exactly filled him with confidence.’

      * * *

      As he turned to leave, Daniel glanced across and saw Darcey and Brendan dining cosily together, it seemed, and his jaw tightened. Was his second-in-command the reason for Darcey’s fully booked Christmas, he thought grimly, the womaniser who never missed a trick if an attractive member of the opposite sex was anywhere near? Had the apparent lack of interest she’d shown when Brendan Stokes had eyed her up on his rounds merely been a pretence?

      He had entered the restaurant by another door, but in leaving he passed their table and with a brief nod was gone in answer to the request for his presence on the lifeboat, taking with him the thought that she was the first woman he had even looked at since Katrina’s welcome departure, and he might have been on the way to making another big mistake.