New Boss New Year Bride (11 page)

The humour had drained from his face, because he knew all about court cases—especially on a personal level—and he knew just how ‘insane’ they could get. ‘I’m fine.’

‘Sorry, Joss. I was only joking about Dex. I don’t really think he’s insane.’

‘Sure.’ He tipped his head back and closed his eyes.

‘Want to talk about it?’ she ventured, unsure of what sort of response she’d get. Would it be hot or cold?

‘What?’

He looked at her, a scowl on his face. Melissa swallowed, and then took a deep breath before plunging ahead. ‘Do you want to talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you?’

‘Nothing’s bothering me.’

She held up her hands in surrender. ‘Good. Fine. Sorry. I must have grasped the wrong end of the stick.’ The Ice Man had returned. Well, it had been nice while it lasted, and she’d certainly discovered a bit more about the man she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about. ‘I guess I’ll head in. I can hibernate in the spare room if Gemma and Ron are still talking to their children.’

She took a few steps towards the door, the automatic sensor light coming on, blinding her for a moment. Joss called her name and she turned to look at him. He was so gorgeous, leaning against the railing, arms still crossed, the rain behind him framing him to perfection.

‘Don’t go on my account. You stay here. I’ll go.’

‘What? You’re going to storm out into the rain again just to get away from me?’

Joss raked a hand through his hair at her words, deciding that he probably deserved them. ‘You know, Lis, you’re not at all what I expected.’

‘What did you expect?’

‘I don’t know, but not this.’

‘Do you often find being around women difficult?’

‘Yes. Er…no. That’s not what I meant.’

‘Then what
did
you mean, Joss?’ She wasn’t angry with
him, but she was becoming increasingly frustrated. ‘I’ve been trying for days to figure you out, and all I keep doing is going around in circles.’

‘Why do you need to figure me out?’

‘So I can cope working alongside you. So I can work harder at ignoring this pull I feel towards you. So I can get on with my life, which isn’t supposed to be this complicated.’

‘Look—’ he ground out, taking a few angry steps forward but stopping before he got too close to her. Being close to Melissa wasn’t a good thing, especially when she had the appearance of an angel, framed beneath the artificial light. ‘I don’t do dating. I don’t do relationships. It’s just the way it is. I was betrayed four years ago by the woman I was going to marry and I vowed then never to trust another. Something happened—something which wasn’t my fault. The press had a field day with it. Dex, my closest friends, and of course my family stood by—me but Christina…’ He shook his head, bitterness in his tone. ‘She not only believed the lie, she helped to fuel it. Right when I needed her most.’

Melissa could feel the pain and betrayal radiating from him and her heart empathised, but she was sure he didn’t want it. ‘I understand about not being able to trust. I understand about feeling betrayed. For years I wondered why my mother had given me up for adoption. Why didn’t she want me? I guess it’s the sort of question all adopted children ask themselves. And then, when I finally got my answer, I was actually grateful that she’d given me up. You see, she hadn’t trusted herself with Dex or myself, fearing she might actually harm us. It was a brave decision to make, given she was so manically depressed.’

‘So you forgave her?’

‘Of course. If I hadn’t, I might still be walking around bitter and empty, trying to fill that void with numerous rela
tionships, not being able to come out on house-calls for fear of seeing happy families living in harmony together. I think that’s why Dex probably hates doing house-calls.’

Joss pondered her words for a moment, his anger dissipating a little. ‘That’s quite an insight. Quite spot-on, too. I actually hadn’t thought of it like that before—why he is the way he is.’ He was quiet for a moment, then asked, ‘Do you still have a void?’

‘I’m here, aren’t I? I’ve tried to fill it—oh, in so many different ways. I’ve looked for love and acceptance in many places, but after my engagement ended—after yet another setback and someone else not wanting me—I realised I was looking in all the wrong places.’

‘Hence why you’re here?’

‘Well, yes—but also no. You see, I needed to find that acceptance within myself first. I needed to accept that Renulf didn’t want to marry me because I simply wasn’t what he needed—not any more. It was different when we first met—it always is different in the beginning—and then, as time went on…’ She shrugged as she trailed off. ‘The point is, I’m still trying to like
me
. I’m a work in progress.’

‘So you don’t have time for relationships and things like that either?’

‘No.’

‘Hmm.’

They were silent again, and whilst she willed him to say more, he didn’t, and she started to feel completely stupid standing in the middle of the verandah beneath the light. Without another word, she turned on her heel and left—and this time he didn’t try to stop her.

A
FTER
dinner, things settled down quickly. The younger ones were bathed by Yolanda, and Peter checked their teeth. Ron, their father, read them bedtime stories before tucking them in. The older children stayed up talking quietly for a while, before heading off to their rooms. Melissa and Joss kept their distance from each other the entire time, neither quite sure what to do or say next.

‘Do you know where you’re sleeping?’ Joss asked.

Melissa shook her head. ‘Where are you sleeping?’

‘Out here on the sofabed.’

‘Oh.’

‘Here. I’ll show you where to go. I think Peter’s already put your overnight bag into the guest room.’

‘I was wondering where it was.’

Melissa noticed both she and Joss were being extra polite with each other, careful and particular, and trying desperately not to say anything personal.

They bumped into Peter in the hallway.

‘How are you holding up with the news about your mum? Everything all right?’ Joss asked the boy.

Peter shrugged in the nonchalant way teenagers did when they tried to pretend nothing was really bothering them.
‘Mum has to go to hospital. It happens. It means more chores for everyone, which none of us like—especially me, as most of them will become my responsibility.’

Joss chuckled. ‘Spoken like a true eldest child.’ He clapped the boy on the back. ‘You’ll do fine. I was just showing Melissa to her room.’

He nodded. ‘Bathroom’s directly opposite your room—the girls’ bathroom. Toby, Lee and I share the lower bathroom. Yolanda, Selena and Bridget share that one.’ He pointed up the hallway. ‘Mum and Dad get their own
en suite
.’ He sounded as though that wasn’t fair at all.

‘Hey. When I was at home, all eight of us had to share one bathroom. At least you have three in this house.’

Peter rolled his eyes. ‘I don’t even want to go there. Eight people? One bathroom?’ He shuddered. ‘Total torture. Anyway—night.’ He shuffled off down the hallway, and within the next instant they were left alone…again. Awkwardness filled the space between them as they both tried not to be so aware of each other.

Melissa jerked a thumb at the door behind her. ‘This is where I’m sleeping?’

‘Yes. Yes. That’s the spare room.’ Joss shoved his hands into his pockets, hoping at least this way he’d keep from hauling her into his arms and kissing her goodnight—which was exactly what he wanted to do.

‘And you’ll be on the sofabed?’ She edged back and reached for the door handle.

‘Yes. I’ve slept on it before. It’s quite comfortable.’

‘Good. Good.’

Silence.

Melissa racked her brain for something to say, but the more she searched the less she found. It was his nearness combined with his spicy scent which was turning her mind
to mush. They were close, but not too close. Far, but not too far.

Indecision. Confusion. Stress. They were all making an appearance. Heat. Need. Desire. Combine everything together and it was no wonder the tension between them could have been sliced with a scalpel.

‘Well…’ Joss eased back, taking a step down the hallway—because it would be all too easy to simply step forward and press his lips to hers. ‘I guess I’ll go check on Gemma before I turn in.’

‘Oh, that’s OK. I can do it,’ Melissa offered quickly, eager for him to be down at the other end of the house before she tried to make sense of the emotions she was experiencing. ‘I’m closer—geographically speaking.’ She pointed to Gemma and Ron’s room, just up from her own. ‘You go get your bed set up.’

Joss shrugged. It was an out and he’d take it. ‘OK, then.’ Another step away. ‘I guess I’ll see you in the morning, then.’

‘I guess you will.’ Her eyes held his. Neither of them looked away. Both of them seemed to be speaking volumes, but nothing was actually said. It wouldn’t take much to step forward and press her lips to his once more, and when his gaze momentarily dipped to look at her own mouth she almost faltered. Leaning back, she flattened herself against the door, wanting him to go before she really lost control.

‘All right. Sleep well.’

‘You too.’

Sighing, she watched him turn and walk down the hallway, back towards the living room. He had such a nice back, such a nice walk…such a nice butt. After another soulful sigh, she went into the spare room.

Her medical kit was on the bed beside her overnight bag, but she ignored it for a moment. She sat down, her whole body shaking slightly. The man was going to drive her to distrac
tion if she wasn’t careful, so careful she must be. Focusing on work would most definitely help, and after she’d taken a few deep breaths, relaxing her tense muscles, Melissa gathered the items she would need for Gemma’s check-up and made her way back out to the hallway.

She knocked on the master bedroom door and heard Gemma call, ‘Come in.’

Melissa went in and was pleased to find Gemma in bed, lying on her side, surrounded by pillows.

‘It’s already taking me ages to find a comfortable position and I’m only in the middle of the pregnancy!’ Gemma complained, but not in a bad way.

Melissa smiled and knelt down beside her patient. ‘I just need to check you over once more, and then I’ll leave you in peace to get some sleep.’ Melissa wound the blood pressure cuff around Gemma’s arm and was pleased with the result. ‘It’s lower than before, so the rest is definitely doing the two of you good.’

Ron came into the bedroom from the
en suite
bathroom. ‘How’s my girl doing?’

‘Better than before.’ She listened to both Gemma’s heart and then the baby’s. Ron and Gemma shared a special moment as they too listened to the baby’s heartbeat.

‘It sounds so healthy.’

‘It’s good, but it’s still a little fast.’ Melissa knelt on the floor and started packing up her equipment as she spoke. ‘After we’ve run some tests it may turn out that what you need to do is rest for the remainder of your pregnancy. Now, I know that will be difficult—but it’s a must. It would be ideal for you to remain here, rather than being hospitalised—which is what we want to avoid. Separating you from your family for any extended period of time won’t be good for you, but if that’s what has to happen in the end, then—’

‘That’s what has to happen,’ Gemma finished, and nodded. ‘It’s the first pregnancy I haven’t been able to carry on through. I’ve even had four of them delivered right here at home, and everything has always been fine. I just don’t understand what’s happening.’

‘And that’s why we need you to go to Didja tomorrow. The sooner we find out what’s really going on, the better.’

Gemma nodded. ‘I know. It’s all just come as a bit of a shock.’

Melissa stood, bag in hand. ‘I’ll leave you both to get some sleep, but if anything goes wrong tonight, if you have a bleed or any pain, you send Ron to get either myself or Joss or both. Understand? We
want
you to wake us up. Don’t be considerate and let us sleep. OK?’

‘Right. Be inconsiderate to the house-guests. Got it.’ Gemma smiled. Melissa turned and headed for the door before Gemma called her name. ‘Oh, and thanks.’

Melissa smiled warmly. ‘My pleasure. Goodnight and sleep soundly.’

Joss heard her call goodnight to Gemma and Ron and then head back into her room. He lay down on the sofabed, hands behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling fan whirring softly around. The rain hadn’t necessarily cooled everything down. In fact, it had made this room more humid than before. Or perhaps that was just him—sweating under the realisation that it had been so incredibly difficult not to kiss Melissa goodnight.

Had she been waiting for him to do it? Had she wanted him to do it? Was she upset that he hadn’t? He closed his eyes for a moment. He had no idea where he stood, and he wasn’t a man who liked to be unsure of his footing.

A female doctor. That was all he’d wanted for the clinic. It had been top of his priority list. A female doctor for the
female population of Didja and its surrounding communities. When he’d learned that Dex’s sister had wanted to get to know her brother and that she was a qualified OB/GYN he hadn’t been about to look a gift horse in the mouth. What he simply hadn’t counted on was the way he’d feel so protective towards her.

Of course he’d told himself it was because he wanted to make sure she concentrated on her job here, that she didn’t get side-tracked with thoughts of romance and marriage. She was here for twelve months to do a job and to get to know her brother. That was all. So why had he been so incredibly possessive of her—especially when they’d gone to the mining headquarters and Scott the Sleaze had tried to put his moves on her? It was all quite puzzling, as Joss had never been the possessive type in the past.

Still, here he was, not only feeling possessive towards his colleague but wanting to kiss her again and again. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t professional. Slowly he acknowledged the truth of the matter—he didn’t want anyone else to have her because he wanted her all for himself.

It was wrong. So wrong. And yet when they were close, when he held her, it was so incredibly right.

When he’d initially come to Didja he’d been hurting, trying to get his life back on track. The community had rallied around their new doctor and had certainly made him feel welcome, but there was one thing he’d realised: when it came to having personal relationships in small towns everyone knew everything and everyone. If he’d dated at all, he would have been under close scrutiny—and he’d already had his fair share of that back in Perth.

To be accused of medical negligence at a big city hospital, to have it plastered all over the media and then to be privately told that he was being offered as a sacrificial lamb by the head
of the hospital had been tough. He’d lost his faith in the system—not only the hospital hierarchy but also the political leaders. At least here in Didja
he
was the boss. He ran the clinic the way a clinic should be run, with truth, honesty and integrity, and he wouldn’t be made the scapegoat for any political games. Not ever again.

When the whole state, from your patients to the hospital board to the members of parliament, all thought you were some sort of ‘Doctor Death’; when your fiancée—the woman who was supposed to love you—went to the press telling lies about your personal relationship and painting you to be some sort of monster; when you went from being an upstanding member of society to being threatened with jail time, the last thing you wanted was to move to a new place for a fresh start and be once more under close scrutiny. That was how Joss had felt.

That was why he’d tried to keep to himself in the beginning—until the good people of Didja had decided to bring the pub to his house and
really
welcome him to town. Still, as far as romantic relationships went it would be impossible for the whole town
not
to become involved. But he’d been hurt on so many levels before, and for four years he’d managed to keep that part of his heart locked securely away.

Until Melissa.

He wasn’t the type of man who could just hand over his heart, give over his trust, open up all aspects of his being and love a woman unconditionally. Was he?

He thought about Christina, and the emotional trauma she’d put him through when he’d needed it the least. He couldn’t put his heart out there again and risk it getting cut into tiny little pieces before being pulverised, then liquefied, and then tipped into the sewer.

He knew Melissa wasn’t Christina, and that so far, in the
short time he’d known her, she’d displayed qualities such as loyalty, generosity and integrity, but he’d been duped before and he wasn’t about to be duped again.

People could change. Could
he
change? Could he open his heart to the beautiful blonde woman who was just up the corridor from him? The woman who felt so right in his arms, who kissed like an absolute dream, who listened and really seemed to be interested in him? Was he strong enough to take the chance?

Joss closed his eyes, pain and indecision piercing his chest. What if she hurt him? What if she didn’t? What if what they felt for each other was not only more than an initial attraction but the real deal? What if he was being given a second chance at happiness, at friendship, at love? He’d always wanted to get married, to have children of his own, but after Christina’s betrayal he’d figured that would never happen—that he’d never love another woman as much, nor would he ever trust another again.

Was Melissa his second chance? Was she worth the risk?

Melissa quickly got ready for bed, padding across to the bathroom to do her teeth before quietly settling down beneath the ceiling fan, a cotton sheet draped over her. The rain was still pattering, lightly now, outside the open window. Here she was, in the middle of the Outback, in the middle of nowhere, in a complete stranger’s house and she’d never felt safer.

She knew it wasn’t just because the Etheringtons had been so caring and welcoming. She knew it wasn’t because the Outback was a place of untamed beauty with not one scrap of artifice. No, she felt completely safe due to the man who now slept on the fold-out sofabed in the front living room of this old homestead.

Her life had certainly changed quite a bit since arriving in
Didja. The question was, was it all for the better? Was getting involved with Joss enhancing her life? All she knew was that it was definitely confusing it.

All she wanted was a man who would hold her, kiss her, want to be near her. She wanted her life to be like the Etheringtons’—to have a home, a husband, children of her own. Uncles and aunts to come and visit, bringing their own children along so the house dissolved into a mass of noise, laughter and love.

Over the years she’d invested so much of herself in relationships with others, whether it was as a loving daughter or in a more romantic way, such as the relationship she’d shared with Renulf. And yet time after time things had gone wrong. Something had always happened to change those relationships and she’d be left all alone. Again.

If it wasn’t one thing it was another, and this time around she wondered whether she was getting ready to tread on that pond of thin ice again. Letting herself stay too long in a fairytale world where everything turned out right would only end up with her getting hurt—possibly hurting both of them—and that was the last thing either of them needed.