Single Dad's Triple Trouble. Fiona Lowe

eyes widened to rippling pools of green that called to him, tempting him to dive in deep and become part of her. You moron. Haven’t you learned anything in two years? Desire like this will only cause you more heartache.

      A barbed arrow of reality plunged in deeply. Hell, she knew his parents! He silently dammed small towns and hoped against hope his mother hadn’t shown Elly her wallet photos of the children. ‘Yep, that’s Mum and Dad. ‘ He worked on keeping his tone casual. ‘Are they patients of yours?’

      She shook her head, her knuckles whitening on the edges of her white coat. ‘No, but if they need medical care in the next few weeks then they’ll see me as I’m the only doctor in town at the moment. I’ve met them briefly at a Coast-Care meeting but I didn’t make the connection with you.’

      A breath of relief rushed out. He wanted to be the person who told her about the children. He owed her that but blurting it out on their first meeting wasn’t the way to go. ‘There’s no reason for you to connect them with me. As you say, me and small towns are not exactly a match, and when we were dating they were living in Hong Kong.’ Words tumbled over each other and he worked on slowing them down to his usual laid-back speed. ‘Dad’s decided he wants to be surrounded by vast tracks of space. I give him a year and he’ll be chomping at the bit to head back to the mainland.’

      ‘You might be surprised. Midden Cove has a way of getting into your blood. ‘ She tucked her chin-length hair behind her ear.

      A snag of something akin to disappointment slugged him. He’d always loved her long, soft locks. Loved burying his face and hands in their silky length and breathing in their rich vanilla scent. ‘You changed your hair.’

      The corner of her mouth lifted, the action resigned. ‘I changed a lot of things, Gabe. Some changes were forced on me and some I chose myself.’

      Old hurt rumbled through him at her choice to leave him. Almost two years ago they’d both been immovable about what they wanted and unfortunately those wants had been poles apart. ‘Fair enough.’

      She scrawled her signature across Will’s paperwork and then slipped off her white coat, exposing lightly tanned shoulders.

      His gaze immediately drifted lower to the bead-adorned neckline and the hint of creamy soft breasts that nestled underneath. Breasts he’d once considered his. Blood pounded directly to his groin as memories of long afternoons spent exploring every centimetre of her body rushed back with an intensity that shocked him. His libido had been AWOL for months and this was a seriously inconvenient time for it to return.

      Picking up her evening bag, she spoke brusquely. ‘You can drop me home now.’

      He stifled a groan and tried to pull his recalcitrant body back together. The offer to drive her home had been spontaneously made the moment he’d laid eyes on the up-tight bloke who’d called her Eleanor. Now, the idea of sitting in the close confines of his car with Elly seemed too much like a temptation he’d have to work hard to resist. ‘Sure. Let’s go.’

      He fished his keys out of his pocket and they walked silently into the now-inky night. He looked up and stopped. The Southern Cross hung low, and the Milky Way wove through the sky like a carpet of dazzling crystals. ‘This sky is amazing.’

      Elly shrugged as if it was no big deal. ‘The moonshine’s masking most of it but if you hang around long enough it will fade and you might even see the aurora australis.’

      ‘The southern lights? You can see them from here?’

      ‘Sure. Midden Cove is one of the best places.’ She left him staring at the sky and opened the car door, settling herself in the passenger seat.

      His body went rigid and he starting walking again, this time very quickly. Hell, how had he forgotten about the car? He hauled open his door, thankful he’d turned out the interior light after too many flat batteries, and hoped she wouldn’t glance into the back seat where the moonlight silhouetted the children’s car seats.

      He slid into the leather seat and pressed the ignition button. ‘So where’s your place?’ Perhaps she’d invite him in and then he’d tell her about the children.

      ‘Turn right and take the second left. ‘ The metal of her seat belt clanged against the plastic lock as she tried to find the clasp.

      ‘Here, let me.’ He leaned over and her hair brushed his cheek as he snapped the buckle into place. The infusion of berries and the beach filled his nostrils and he hated the way he found himself breathing more deeply.

      ‘I can’t believe you parted with the Porsche.’

      He felt her intense gaze on him as he steered the vehicle out of the car park. ‘It’s tucked up in the garage in South Yarra. This four-wheel drive is good for getting up to the out-of-the-way places for hang gliding. ‘ True, but it’s not the reason you bought it.

      She glanced at the BMW logo. ‘I think the locals would call this a Toorak truck, not a four-wheel drive.’

      He rolled his eyes. ‘I’ll make sure I get it dirty so it can hold its own in the car park.’

      She laughed, a throaty, joyous sound devoid of all the tension that had been rolling off her from the moment she’d looked up into his eyes at the dance. ‘My place is just up here on the left with the ti-tree hedge.’

      He slowed, his headlights making out the hedge and catching glimpses of what looked like an old fishing cottage; the antithesis of the spacious apartment they’d shared in Melbourne. Once, they’d shared a lot of things.

      She clicked the release on her seat belt, her tension slotting back into place like a wall. ‘Thanks for dropping me home and I hope you have a lovely visit with your parents.’

      No hint of an invitation there, pal. Well, hell, he could match her strained politeness and raise it. ‘It’s great to see you. Perhaps we can have coffee and catch up at a more sensible time?’ So I can tell you about the children.

      ‘I don’t think so, Gabe.’

      This time the barb stung and he snapped. ‘Look, I’m being polite here in a difficult situation. I had no clue you’d moved to Midden Cove. Hell, I didn’t even know you’d left Melbourne, so me being here is not in any way part of an attempt at reconciliation.’

      Her body recoiled against the seat as if he’d slapped her. ‘Lucky I wasn’t under any illusions, then, wasn’t it.’

      Remorse raised its head and he ran his hand through his hair, regretting that he’d inadvertently hurt her. Again. ‘I’m sorry, that came out wrong. I get it that you don’t want to see me and if you want, I won’t bother you while I’m here.’

       That means you have to tell her now.

       No way, not now, not like this.

      Elly gave him a curt nod as her hand reached for the doorhandle, antipathy mingling with her intoxicating scent.

      Memories instantly piled up of happier times—moments when they’d laughed until their sides had ached, occasions when they’d finished each other’s sentences. Times so far removed from this where they now sat side by side like strangers.

      Despite what she’d said about wanting to leave Melbourne, he’d never understood that to mean coming to such an isolated spot as Midden Cove. He gave her a wry smile, and asked the question that had been on his mind from the moment he’d seen her. ‘Just tell me one thing. Are you really happy here, El?’

      This time she blinked. Twice. Then with a toss of her head, which sent her rich chocolate hair flying around her face, she stepped out of the car. ‘I’m perfectly happy, thank you.’ Without looking back, she slammed the door shut behind her.

      He didn’t believe her.

      Elly sat at her kitchen table and stared out through her glass patio doors, watching a little blue wren take on his reflection in a territorial battle. That settled