The Consultant's Christmas Proposal. Kate Hardy

didn’t feel the same way about him. As far as she was concerned, Toby Barker was the medical student she’d met thirteen years ago—a shy, nerdy, bespectacled boy who’d become one of her two best friends. And ‘best friend’ meant no touching. Well, not touching in the way he wanted to touch her. A casual arm around her shoulder, a hug or a kiss on the cheek was fine. Saskia was the tactile sort, so it was a kind of sweet torture. Enough to make him want more, yet not enough to satisfy.

      As troubles always came in threes, that was the third thing. Saskia went through men at speed, too. They almost never lasted longer than two dates. And two dates wouldn’t be enough for Toby. Particularly as they’d mean he would be out of her life for good afterwards. At least being her best friend meant that he got to spend time with her.

      All the same, he kept wondering what it would be like to kiss her. Well, actually, he knew what it was like to kiss her. He’d done it at a Christmas party two years ago, under the mistletoe. It had blown his mind. But then he’d seen the shock and horror in her face, so he’d started slurring his words and pretending he was drunk.

      On sparkling mineral water.

      But she’d accepted it, particularly as the next day he’d claimed he had a mammoth hangover and asked her to promise him that he hadn’t done anything really embarrassing or stupid at the party the previous night. To his relief, she hadn’t mentioned the kiss. So he’d got away with it. Just.

      Though the kiss still haunted him. The softness of her skin. The way she tasted. And, oh, the way her mouth had opened under his. It wasn’t long until Christmas. The party season would start in a couple of weeks. All he had to do was make sure they went to one together, then manoeuvre her over to some mistletoe and—

      ‘Tobe, are you listening?’

      ‘No,’ he admitted. Not that he was going to tell her what he’d been thinking about. That was definitely something he needed to keep under wraps.

      ‘I said, Lyd’s fretting because she wants to see Paul. Until she can see for herself that he’s fine, she’ll be impossible. But no way can she take the kids with her. Apart from the fact that it’s a long-haul flight, you can’t expect a baby and a three-year-old to hang around a hospital all day and give Daddy lots of peace and quiet while he recovers from abdominal surgery.’

      ‘They probably haven’t arranged a passport for Helena yet, anyway,’ Toby said.

      ‘You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. She’s going to be caught right in the middle—wanting to be with Paul, but not wanting to leave the kids.’ Saskia sighed. ‘If she does go, she’ll need someone to hold the fort. Her parents are in New Zealand, visiting her sister—and Paul’s parents won’t be able to do it.’ Paul’s mother was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and they both knew it wasn’t fair to expect Paul’s father to look after his grandchildren and his wife. She drummed her fingers on her knees. ‘Which leaves me.’

      ‘Saskia, can I just remind you that you have a full-time job? You’re a senior registrar—you’ve been acting consultant since Jim’s been on sick leave, getting his hernia sorted. No way are you going to get a couple of weeks’ leave at this kind of short notice.’

      ‘I don’t need to. I’ll cope,’ she said airily.

      That was stating the obvious. Saskia never saw problems, only solutions. She was a born coper. Give her ten seconds, and she’d have the whole thing planned out.

      Toby began counting in his head. He got to three before she announced, ‘It’s easy. I’ll move into the cottage while Lyd’s away. I can drop the kids off at nursery before work, and pick them up at the end of the day.’

      ‘And when you’re on a late shift? Nurseries are open until six p.m. at the latest,’ he pointed out. ‘Actually, they don’t open until eight, so it doesn’t fit with early shift either. And even if you did manage by some miracle to get the kids into the hospital crèche until Lyd’s home again, it’s not fair to add another layer of disruption to their lives.’

      ‘I suppose so,’ she admitted, clearly unwillingly.

      ‘Look, Saskia, we all know you’re Superwoman, but you really can’t do your job, run Lyd’s house, as well as your own, and take over as a mum of two, all on your own.’ He waved her protest away. ‘It’s more than just being flung in at the deep end. If Lyd wants to go over to Paul and you take over the reins from her, you’re going to need help—preferably from someone who doesn’t work shifts, or at least someone who’s on an early when you’re on a late, so one of you can do the nursery run while the other’s at work.’

      ‘And your solution is?’

      Typical Saskia. She expected people to follow her lead and come up with answers, not questions. Well, he was a match for her on that front. ‘I’ll help you.’

      She frowned. ‘What do you know about kids?’

      He tapped his index finger thoughtfully on the steering-wheel. ‘Hmm, let me see. I’m a paediatrician.’ Not to mention that he’d been a qualified doctor for three years longer than Saskia had. ‘Does that count?’

      She snorted. ‘Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. And working in Paeds isn’t the same as living with kids, is it?’

      ‘Says the woman who works with foetuses and babies under a week old. I’ve got as much childcare experience as you have. I’ve babysat for Lyd.’ He was the first choice if Paul was away and Saskia and Lydia wanted a girly night out. In fact, now he thought about it, he’d babysat the children more often than Saskia had.

      She sighed. ‘You’re probably right.’

      ‘No “probably” about it. I couldn’t cope all on my own either. This needs teamwork.’

      She chuckled, obviously picking up on the fact that he was deliberately imitating her management style. ‘All right, all right. Thank you. I accept. But don’t tell anyone we’re living together, will you?’

      Why? Had she met someone?

      ‘Or it’ll ruin my reputation,’ she added.

      It was only then that Toby realised he was holding his breath. He grinned—more from relief that she wasn’t about to embark on another romantic disaster than in reaction to her teasing. ‘Ha, more like it’ll ruin mine. You’re the one who has strings of men and never gives any of them a third date!’

      ‘Yeah, and you’re the one who doesn’t date at all.’

      ‘Too busy with me job, luv,’ he fenced, in his best fake Yorkshire accent. Yet another lie. But how could he tell her the truth? There was only one woman he wanted. And he was waiting patiently until she realised that he was the one she’d been looking for all her life.

      It was just taking a bit longer than he’d hoped.

      ‘Thanks for coming.’ Lydia’s eyes were puffy and red. ‘I know he’s in the best place but…’

      ‘But you want to be there with him,’ Saskia said, hugging her. ‘Of course you do.’

      ‘And I can’t go.’ Lydia’s face was anguished. ‘I can’t drag Helena and Billy halfway across the world in the middle of the night—or even tomorrow morning. It wouldn’t be fair on them. And I can’t leave them. Not my babies.’

      ‘Superwoman here said you’d say that,’ Toby said dryly. ‘And she’s got a plan.’

      ‘Yep. You go to Paul: we’ll look after the kids,’ Saskia said.

      ‘But…Saskia, I can’t expect you to do that! You’re both working full time. Even if the nursery can have the kids for the extra hours, it’s—I can’t ask you to do that.’

      ‘We’re offering,’ Toby said.

      Lydia explained what they’d discussed in the car. ‘They’ll be perfectly safe with us.’

      ‘But