A Life Less Lonely (4 page)

“I’ll let you go then. Give Rafael and Luis our love and I promise to email you dates and flights and contact numbers. Maybe when I bring Josh over, I could come an hour or so before I really need to?”

“Fantastic. Give him a hug from me.”

“I will. Thank you so, so much,
Kirsty. Speak soon.”

Andrea put down the phone. Little things were often what did it, she’d said. Her friend and her architect husband had got on well with Greg.
Rafa looked upon Josh as a second son. But no way would she ever again hear Greg bringing Josh back from the leisure centre, gently scolding him for dumping his soggy swimming kit in the middle of the kitchen table. Those days were gone and she’d better face up to it.

***

Keir’s gaze focused on the expectant faces. “Are there any more questions for the moment? No? Well, thanks again for putting up with my less than perfect presentation skills. I’m sorry I’m not as computer savvy as most of you appear to be.”

A ripple of laughter travelled around the conference room.

“All right, it’s time to attack the refreshments. Get to know one another a bit better. We’re no longer Hartnett General Hospital and University of Hartnett.” He looked around the room. “We’re … erm…”

“The X Factor?’
A bearded, spiky-haired doctor offered.

“Thanks, Marcus, but no thanks. I wouldn’t recommend you giving up the day job.” He paused as people chuckled. “Any further suggestions can be fielded by my long-suffering PA and it goes without saying Lyn will be your point of contact if I’m away from the hospital. I’d like you to make known anything unusual in your findings, however trivial, as the trial progresses.”

Andrea was seated next to Richard. “He’s good,” she said as they stood up.

“Yes, he has excellent people skills. That talk impressed all of us, I think. OK, it wasn’t Panorama but I prefer good plain facts to smoke and mirrors any day.”

“Your knowledge of popular television shows never fails to impress me, Richard,” Andrea laughed.

They joined the small group helping themselves to refreshments. Andrea smiled at a petite woman, dressed in green scrubs and possessing a fiery halo of curls. “Hi,” she said. “Without checking your name badge, I think you’re Moira?
One of the nurse trio?”

The redhead passed cups and saucers to them. “That’s me,” she said.
“One of the faithful.”

Andrea noticed how Moira’s eyes assessed her swiftly before she turned to Richard. He made some quip about the biscuits being more upmarket than the ones they got at the Uni.

A man’s woman, Andrea thought, watching Moira focus on the Prof as if at that moment she considered him the centre of her world. She filled her coffee cup and moved away from the urn. The nurse who she knew was called Susie and who had a kind face was talking to the spiky-haired doctor. Andrea didn’t like to butt in. All of a sudden, a frisson of panic struck her. She put down her cup on a windowsill and stood with her back to the room, intending to find someone to talk to in a moment, once she’d succeeded in painting her professional face back in place.

“It’s very stuffy in here, don’t you think? Let’s try and open a window.”

She didn’t need to look around to know who stood beside her. Keir Harrison’s physical presence impressed her as much as it had at their first encounter. Would this present a problem over the coming months? The panicky feeling had changed into a feeling of longing for something or someone she couldn’t have, or might that be something she shouldn’t have? Her emotions were in the blender these days. Nor did it help when Keir reached overhead, the movement sending a drift of aftershave in her direction. Andrea closed her eyes briefly. She hated being battered by synthetic waves of the stuff and Keir used just enough to make her want to move closer and breathe him in.

His PA, immaculate in a silver grey trouser suit, brought him coffee. She greeted Andrea and
Keir thanked her as she bustled away.

“Lyn spoils me,” he said. “I was just about to fetch my own. Scout’s honour! I don’t just snap my fingers and expect her to pull rabbits from hats. Her theory is that my time’s more costly than hers.”

“She seems very efficient,” said Andrea, picking up her own cup and wondering whether his wife’s life kept her too busy to cosset him as his PA did.

He pulled out a chair for Andrea and seated himself beside
her. “You were with me when I got the green light to conduct the trial. Now you know what a great mix of skills we have in this team. You included.” He turned his head to look at her.

“
Keir, you really shouldn’t monopolise Dr Palmer like this.” The red-haired nurse appeared as if by magic, standing as close to Keir as physically possible without actually touching him.

She turned her attention to Andrea. “I forgot to say how much I’m looking forward to working with you, Dr Palmer,” she said.

“Thank you, Moira. Same here. You and I come from different ends of the spectrum, don’t we? Let’s wait and see if we can’t set the sparks flying.”

“If you’ll excuse me, ladies, I need a quick word with Richard.”
Keir rose and moved away, leaving the two women together.

Andrea needed to subdue a grin. The look of disappointment on Moira Haynes’ face said everything. Clearly the nurse harboured a gigantic crush on the consultant. Briefly she wondered what it must be like to be a man capable of commanding such adoration from the opposite sex.

She took pity on the other woman. “I notice from the blurb we’ve been given that you worked in Edinburgh before moving down here. I have very fond memories of the place. How has your first year down south gone? And please call me Andrea.”

Across the room,
Keir glanced at the two as he waited for Richard Bailey to finish his conversation with one of the other doctors. How different the anthropologist and the nurse were, apart from obvious things like their individual, impressive track records and the respect afforded them in their chosen careers. Each was also an attractive woman. But whereas Moira Haynes displayed an open invitation in those Persian kitten blue eyes each time she looked at him, Andrea still wore an invisible shield. Yet she was the one he longed to know better. What’s more, he didn’t only mean in a professional capacity.

This could only lead him into dangerous territory and, to his shame, the kind of thinking he’d previously accused Richard Bailey of. It was imperative to regard Dr Palmer as a professional colleague. Nor should he wonder, even for one minute, what exactly her feelings were about him.

As soon as Richard became free, Keir saw Moira glance at her watch. From across the room she nodded at him and made her exit. Moira might be a flirt but her timekeeping could land her a job minding Big Ben.

“Are you in a hurry to get away, Richard? I just need to speak to Andrea,”
Keir said. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to be rude.”

“Not a problem. I’m driving her back so I’m ready when she is.”

Keir made his way to where Andrea sat, checking her phone. She looked up as he approached.

“So,” he said. “Do you intend keeping me in suspense?”

For one wild moment she thought he meant their encounter at the lift. Neither of them had mentioned it. Was he going to try the ‘I keep thinking I’ve seen you somewhere before’ routine?

Swiftly, she focused. “You mean the clinical trial? I’ve given it a lot of thought, Dr Harrison, and my decision
is I’d very much like to be involved. Canada included.”

“That’s brilliant news, Andrea. But, please call me
Keir. It’s all about bonding these days, isn’t it?” His eyes twinkled.

She nodded. “I believe Richard’s mentioned my mother’s situation to you.”

“That’s right. I think you’ve made the right decision there too. But then, I would say that, wouldn’t I?” He held her gaze.

Andrea swallowed. How much more intense the blue of his eyes seemed when he wore a forget-me-not coloured tie. She tried in vain to think of something intelligent to say. Why did he possess the power to catapult her back into her tongue-tied teenage days?

***

Richard’s professional-looking car had an engine that purred and room to put your feet without encountering sweetie wrappers, sand, and the odd discarded plastic gun.
Little boys and toy guns - big boys and heavy artillery. When Andrea clenched her jaw it had nothing to do with the Prof’s driving skills.

“Interesting group of people,” said Richard, waiting at a junction. He glanced sideways at her. “Forgive me if I’m jumping to conclusions here, but has the nurse with that amazing hair got the
hots for Keir Harrison?”

Andrea chuckled. “You’re very naughty, Richard. What an expression to use! Far be it from me to pass comment on my professional colleagues.”

“So I’m just an old gossip? But I’d bet my lunch money I’m right.”

“Your lunch is safe. Of course you’re right. What’s more, I saw his PA looking daggers when Moira shimmied up to
Keir while he dared to speak to me. No prizes for guessing what’s going on there either.”

Richard accelerated away from the lights. “It’s difficult being a mere man, sometimes. Are you saying both those women are in love with the fellow?”

“No, of course I’m not, though I did wonder about Lyn at first. Now I think it’s more about a PA being protective towards her boss. It’s obvious how important her family are to her. We had a few words while people were arriving and she told me how nervous she felt about her daughter’s music exam today – probably more so than the little girl herself. Sometimes we can all jump to conclusions and be proved wrong.”

Richard cleared his throat. “Speaking of which, I probably shouldn’t say anything to you, Andrea. But we’ve known one another long enough for me to do so.”

She glanced at his profile. He wasn’t smiling.

“Dr Harrison asked me recently about the situation between you and me.”

She frowned. “What situation? Am I missing something here?”

The professor harrumphed. “Come on, Andrea. You’re not just a colleague. You’re also a good friend and we’re easy around one another as old friends are.
Keir obviously picked up on this but misread the body language.”

“Spoken like a true people watcher,” said Andrea.

“I’m very sorry. These are early days for you and far too soon for me to go bulldozing in like this. Forget I said anything, please.”

He turned into the
Uni car park and drove towards the far end where he had a reserved space. Richard guided the car into his parking bay and cut the engine.

Andrea remained in her seat, twiddling her handbag strap. “I don’t understand what business it is of
Keir Harrison whether you and I are friends, or not.”

Richard groaned. “You don’t?” He beat a tattoo on the steering wheel. “All right, then I’d better spell it out. His reason for quizzing me - and I understand his motive, given the closeness he hopes the team will generate and of course, this Canadian conference you’ll be attending - his reason is that he wondered whether you and I were an item, so to speak.”

Andrea gasped. “Does the man watch too many TV hospital dramas? Didn’t you tell him that you and Louise are godparents to my son? Did you explain how I’m still in bits after the devastating loss of my … my …”

“I put him right, gently but firmly,” said Richard.
“Told him our working relationship was one hundred percent professional. Yes, outside of work, we sometimes socialise, and that includes other family members. But it’s not my business to tell Keir Harrison anything about your personal circumstances. Unless of course you instruct me to do so.”

“Thank you.” Andrea felt a rush of relief. She’d overreacted. No way did she want the consultant pussyfooting round her in case he made some gaffe that might upset a recently bereaved wife. It was a bit of a nerve,
Keir having made that assumption about her and Richard. But it underlined her suspicion. Dr Harrison was a perfectionist. It proved his aim for his team to be not only squeaky-clean in their workplaces but also in their personal lives. Pick the bones out of that, Sister Moira Haynes! She felt a sugar rush of triumph.

“I wish we could offer to look after Josh for you while you’re away but Louise has plans to take her mother to the coast. You did say late May, didn’t you?”

“I did. Thanks, Richard but my friend is happy to have Josh while I’m away. You remember Kirsty and Rafa? Our boys are good mates.”

“That sounds just the ticket.
Much better idea.”

“I have no doubts about Josh having a wonderful time,’ said Andrea. As for herself, she still wasn’t totally certain as to whether she’d made the right decision about the conference. If
Kirsty hadn’t been able to help, she’d unhesitatingly have refused the invitation. Now Josh kept asking if it was time for him to pack his case. Andrea was still trying to work out why she’d agreed to fly thousands of miles away from her little boy even though she knew how many career-enhancing boxes she’d be ticking.

As for
Keir Harrison and an attachment to children, not for one moment did she imagine him as anything but married and probably the proud father of two or three high-achieving, shiny-panted children.