Virgin Midwife, Playboy Doctor. Margaret McDonagh

pale and stressed since the upset with Nick.

      ‘I’m fine.’

      He wasn’t taken in by the brave smile she sent him. ‘You can talk to me. If you ever need to.’

      ‘Thanks.’ He saw her knuckles whiten as she gripped her hands tightly together.

      ‘I’m sorry about today. About Nick ducking out of the antenatal meeting.’

      ‘It’s not your fault.’ She tried another smile, no more successful than the last. ‘Nick and I have to work this out between us, Oliver.’

      ‘OK.’ He’d back off…for now. But he’d be keeping his eye on her just the same.

      Kate’s expression lightened as she watched him. ‘How about you?’

      ‘Me?’

      ‘I’ve noticed you seem smitten with our Chloe.’

      ‘Yeah.’ That was one way of putting it. Oliver sent Kate a rueful smile. ‘Not that I’m getting very far. Chloe treated me with the same friendliness she does everyone else for the first few days I was here but now she’s cooled and it’s almost impossible to get close to her.’

      Now Kate’s smile was genuine. ‘I think it dawned on her that you were seeing her in a way that the other doctors don’t.’

      ‘I was interested from the first moment I met her.’

      ‘Chloe wouldn’t have realised that,’ Kate commented, surprising him.

      ‘Why not? She’s a beautiful woman. Men must beat a path to her door.’

      Kate shook her head. ‘Hardly.’

      ‘What are you trying to tell me?’

      ‘Just that Chloe really is as unaware and innocent as she seems.’ Kate paused and rested a hand on his arm. ‘Tread carefully with her, Oliver.’

      He was sure there was more here than Kate was saying. ‘Tell me about Chloe.’

      The older woman’s expression contained a mixture of amusement and caution. ‘What do you want to know?’

      ‘Everything. Anything.’ He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration showing. ‘I just asked her out. She turned me down flat. She seemed to think I wanted to discuss work, but…I don’t know. I gather she has a date tonight, anyway.’

      ‘Actually, she’s watching my son for me while I run an errand.’

      ‘She is? Why didn’t she say so?’ Oliver stared at her in bemusement. ‘I know you’re friends, Kate. What do you think I should do? I didn’t plan on getting involved with anyone when I came here,’ he admitted, sitting down and resting his elbows on his knees. ‘But…well, I hadn’t counted on meeting Chloe.’

      Kate frowned, taking a chair next to his. ‘Chloe is…’

      ‘What?’ he prompted after she paused and the silence lengthened.

      ‘She’s not like the kind of women you’re probably used to mixing with.’

      He raised an eyebrow at that, irritated by the way so few people saw beyond the image. Sure, he enjoyed life, he liked to have a good time, indulge in the things he could afford and which gave him pleasure and relaxation away from the pressures and responsibilities of his work, things like surfing and jet-skiing. That didn’t mean he was a jerk.

      ‘I wanted time to settle, for the community to accept me, not judge on rumour and gossip or the family name.’ He paused, reining in his disgruntlement. It wasn’t Kate’s fault. He needed to earn a new reputation, a true one. ‘I’ve noticed you and Lauren are very protective of Chloe.’

      Kate’s expression softened. ‘Chloe is special. Be patient, Oliver. Go slowly. Don’t scare her.’

      ‘She’s frightened of me?’ Shocked, he stared at Kate in disbelief. He respected women, would never cause anyone harm. ‘I don’t understand. I’d never hurt her.’

      ‘Not intentionally, maybe.’

      ‘But—’

      ‘Chloe puts up a lot of barriers and not many people get to know the real woman,’ Kate explained. ‘Her work is her life and that has always suited her.’

      ‘She doesn’t date?’

      ‘No.’

      Confused, Oliver studied Kate’s face. ‘But why? She’s intelligent, beautiful, funny.’

      ‘I know.’ The older woman’s smile was filled with affection and a hint of sadness. ‘You’ll have your work cut out to persuade Chloe. It won’t be easy. But I think you’d be good for her.’ She hesitated a moment, biting her lip as she considered him. ‘I can’t break a confidence, Oliver, and Chloe is one of my best friends. I don’t know everything, but I do know that she has issues.’

      ‘Issues?’

      ‘I can’t say more. I would if I could—and I encourage you to persevere.’

      He mulled over the information. ‘Issues from her past? With men?’ Was that why Chloe was so skittish?

      ‘Only Chloe can explain…if she trusts you enough.’

      So, if he really wanted to take things further, he had to keep working hard to earn Chloe’s trust. Patience wasn’t his strong suit, not when he wanted something badly enough…and he did want Chloe. To her friends she was special. Hadn’t he sensed that, too? There was something different about her. Wasn’t that why he was still interested when a relationship so soon had never been on his agenda? For some reason he couldn’t yet fathom, Kate saw something in him, and was encouraging him not to give up on Chloe. He had no idea where the journey would end, but for now he was along for the ride.

      ‘Oliver, I think you should talk to Lauren. She knows much more than I do about Chloe’s past…not that she’ll divulge any secrets. But she might have some better advice on how to gain Chloe’s confidence.’ Kate hesitated, her gaze assessing. ‘If you’re serious about this. Chloe’s not a temporary kind of girl.’

      ‘I know that.’ Oliver frowned, seeking a way to explain feelings he scarcely understood himself. ‘I came here to begin a different life, Kate, to settle down. This is new to me, but I’d like the chance to get to know Chloe, to see what develops. She affects me in ways I’ve never experienced before.’

      ‘Then I think you’ll find Lauren and I will do all we can to help.’

      A slow smile curved Oliver’s mouth as hope flared inside him. He didn’t imagine wooing Chloe was going to be easy, not from the subtle, mysterious hints Kate had given him. He wasn’t even sure of himself, of what he was getting into. But giving up on Chloe was not an option.

      Kate stood outside Nick’s imposing stone built house, situated at the opposite end of the village to her own whitewashed cottage. Was she doing the right thing? She had managed to sound confident when she had told Chloe of her plans, but much of that bravado had evaporated. It was impossible to explain how hurt she was. Nick had genuine cause to be angry at the way he had found out about Jem—overhearing her confidential confession to Eloise that day at the surgery must have been a shock—but she didn’t feel it excused his behaviour towards her since. Today he had taken the easy way out in his eagerness to avoid her, but in doing so he had drawn Chloe, Oliver and a host of patients into their personal disagreement, and that wouldn’t do.

      Having worked up a fresh head of indignation, she walked along the path to the single-storey extension where the top half of the yellow-painted stable door stood open. Inside the expensively fitted kitchen, all wood and granite and steel, Nick stood at the island unit, his back to her. Before she lost her nerve, she rapped on the door. Nick swung round in surprise, his face creasing in a scowl of displeasure, the expression in his eyes cooling, leaving her in little doubt that she was not welcome. Tough.