Playing the Playboy's Sweetheart. Carol Marinelli

      Happily, his reaction had calmed and the theatre list had gone ahead, Emily trying and failing not to dwell on the fact that he was naked and bald beneath his scrubs.

      ‘What will I do without you?’ Hugh asked, still smiling as he recalled that day.

      ‘Inject your own antihistamine!’

      ‘That was a long time ago, Emily.’

      Yet she remembered it like it was yesterday.

      The hurt, the jealousy, the itch of her own that she simply refused to scratch.

      ‘If I don’t catch up with you properly,’ Hugh said, ‘then I’ll see you Friday.’

      ‘Okay.’

      Friday found her in the staff changing room, getting ready to go to Imelda’s, a nice casual bar that did amazing food and, on weekends, had a band.

      Emily was tired before the night had even started but, given it was her leaving do, she did her best not to show it.

      Louise and she changed at work. Emily into a tube skirt and top, Louise into the tightest red dress and high heels. They were close friends now.

      Louise looked stunning, especially when she topped it off with dark red lipstick.

      ‘Tart,’ Emily said.

      ‘A happy tart, though.’ Louise smiled.

      ‘Are you?’ Emily checked. Louise was coming out of a terrible break up and had been very subdued but finally she seemed to be finding herself again.

      ‘I’m getting there,’ Louise said. ‘Come on.’

      They walked out of Theatre and down the corridor and there, coming towards them, was Anton, the new Italian obstetrician who had hearts thumping everywhere.

      ‘Hi, Anton.’ Louise smiled.

      ‘Evening.’

      ‘We’re heading over to Imelda’s—there will be quite a few of us.’ Louise gave a smile that could be described as sweet were it not for the wanton red lips, but it was barely returned.

      ‘I’m working,’ Anton said, and strode off.

      ‘You’re subtle,’ Emily commented.

      ‘He’s fresh off the plane,’ Louise said. ‘I was just doing my social duty. God, don’t you want to just grab him by the stethoscope and climb up it?’

      ‘No.’ Emily laughed. ‘Not in the least, he’s far too moody for me.’

      They had booked a room at the back of the restaurant and it was actually really nice to be among friends and colleagues. Hugh hadn’t arrived but that was possibly a good thing as Emily didn’t really want to meet whomever it was that he was dating now.

      Surely he was seeing someone.

      Two months single for Hugh would be a record.

      Or maybe he was just enjoying the off-season and sleeping around, though, for once, Emily had heard nothing on the grapevine about him.

      Emily sat between Louise and Alex’s wife Jennifer and, as it turned out, Louise had news of her own.

      ‘It will be my leaving do next,’ Louise said.

      ‘You’ve just done your internal rotation.’ Emily frowned.

      ‘No, mine will be for real.’ Louise’s blue eyes were shining. ‘I’m going to work in Maternity.’

      ‘When did you decide that?’

      ‘It’s been brewing for a while,’ Louise admitted. ‘I can’t wait to get back there.’

      ‘It wouldn’t have anything to do with Anton?’ Emily teased.

      ‘God, no! I’m not that shallow,’ Louise said, because despite walking a little on the wild side she took her work seriously. ‘I’m just ready for a change. I love the Caesareans we have in Theatre and lately it’s just not been enough for me. I want to be more involved with the mothers and babies.’ She smiled at Emily. ‘You like the cool of Theatre, don’t you?’

      ‘I do,’ Emily said.

      ‘I just want back out there …’ Louise admitted.

      ‘Have you told Miriam?’

      ‘Not yet.’ Louise winced at the very thought. ‘I haven’t actually applied for a position yet, I’m just putting out feelers, but I don’t think Miriam will be very pleased—a lot of staff have left recently.’

      ‘Well, she should have thought of that before she moved the goalposts for getting a promotion,’ Emily said, but as Louise went to open her mouth to respond she stopped her. ‘If another person tells me I’ll be great and that it will fly by, I won’t be responsible for my response.’

      ‘I’ll say nothing, then.’ Louise smiled. ‘I’ll get you a drink instead.’

      Hugh arrived just as dessert was being served. Emily was sitting chatting to Alex and Jennifer when Hugh came over. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, which was a bit uncalled for, but, yes, at the time Emily put it down to the fact that it was her leaving do.

      ‘Sorry, I tried to get here earlier …’ Hugh said.

      ‘It’s fine.’

      ‘I got stuck up on ICU …’

      ‘Really, Hugh, it’s fine,’ Emily said. She had no idea why he was making such a fuss about not getting here on time—a lot of her colleagues were only dropping in for a drink after all.

      ‘I’ll get you a drink,’ Hugh offered.

      ‘I don’t want one …’ Emily said, only Hugh wasn’t listening. He headed off to the bar and returned with something very icy and bubbly and so not what Emily wanted. She’d had a bit too much icy and bubbly and she wasn’t a big drinker at the best of times but everyone seemed determined to buy her one tonight.

      ‘You’ll be dancing on the tables in a few weeks,’ Hugh said, squeezing a chair into the tiny gap between herself and Louise.

      ‘Why?’

      ‘I’m here tomorrow night with the emergency mob for Gina’s thirtieth—believe me, the theatre staff’s nights outs are very civilised in comparison to that lot.’

      Emily went over to speak with Connor, another theatre nurse, but Hugh was like an annoying wasp and hanging around her like some lovesick teenager. Frankly, he was starting to really annoy her.

      ‘What?’ Emily snapped, when still Hugh hovered. ‘What’s going on, Hugh?’

      ‘Can I have that ten minutes now?’

      ‘Fine,’ Emily sighed, and turned to him.

      ‘Outside.’

      ‘Hugh, it’s my leaving do, I’m not going to—’

      ‘Ten minutes.’

      Emily headed outside.

      ‘I want to ask you something. You know what I said about us still being single—do you want to give us a try?’

      Emily was taken aback by his directness.

      ‘No.’

      ‘Can I ask why?’

      ‘I don’t need to give a reason.’ She went to head back but Hugh caught her arm.

      ‘I’ve still got nine minutes of your time left.’

      ‘Use them wisely, then,’ Emily said.

      ‘Okay.’ Hugh took a breath. ‘Second question. Would you consider pretending to go out with me?’

      ‘Pretend?’

      ‘I