Gold Coast Angels: Two Tiny Heartbeats. Fiona McArthur

who was looking after Sally’s baby. They both nodded at Nick but the tension between them was palpable to the other two in The lift and, fancifully, Lucy decided the air was actually shimmering.

      It seemed other people had dramas, too. The man raised his eyebrows at Nick, who didn’t change his expression, and Callie offered a forced smile to Lucy, who smiled back awkwardly.

      One floor down the late arrivals stepped out and as the doors shut Lucy let out the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding in a little whistle. She looked at Nikolai. ‘Who’s the guy?’

      Nick smiled. ‘Cade Coleman, prenatal surgeon from Boston. And you’ve met Callie Richards, the neonatal specialist. She’s in charge of the NICU here and is looking after Sally’s baby.’

      ‘Yep. I remember her. She seems nice. It was just him I didn’t know. I guess I’ll recognise everyone soon.’

      They reached the ground floor and the lift light changed to indicate ‘up’. Lucy realised she hadn’t directed the lift to take her further down to the laboratory.

      Nikolai shook his head and pressed the lower-ground button for Pathology to override the person above. He put his hand across the doors to hold them open. ‘Are you working on Monday?’

      ‘One in the afternoon.’

      ‘Perhaps you’d like to see me to get your results before you start. My rooms. Twelve-thirty? In case you forget to make the appointment.’

      Ooh. It was her turn to give him the look. ‘Fine. Thank you.’ As he took his arm away from the doors she said, ‘Are you this helpful to all your pregnant ladies?’

      He shrugged and she couldn’t read the expression on his face. ‘Only the really vague ones who forget to have their bloods done.’

      ‘Touché,’ she said cheekily, and he smiled. She watched him walk away until the doors shut and the lift sailed downwards. Well, she had been vague to forget again but she needed to sleep. As soon as she got home she was going to bed and sleeping the clock round.

      Nick’s hand tightened on his briefcase as he strode to the doctors’ car park. She had a point. But the memories of Chloe, gaunt and drawn, haunted him and when he’d seen Lucy was looking so tired it had brought it all back. He needed to stop worrying about her. She wasn’t Chloe, neither was she his responsibility. Although even Chloe would have a fit if she thought he still felt the need to keep her under his wing.

      His phone rang. His registrar. Thoughts of Lucy shifted to the back of his mind again as he turned back to the hospital.