The Baby of Their Dreams (Contemporary Medical Romance) (7 page)

‘Name somewhere,’ Dominic said, ‘and I’ll be there.’

She hesitated a beat too long for his impatient mood.

‘Name somewhere,’ he said again, ‘or I’ll just keep right on talking until you do and your boss will quickly realise that I have a rather vested interest in this maternity leave position.’

‘Oliver’s,’ Cat said, referring to a small wine bar that a lot of staff at the hospital frequented. ‘It’s just down the—’

‘I’m sure that I’m capable of working it out.’

The conversation ended as Andrew joined them again.

‘How’s your mother-in-law?’ Dominic asked politely.

‘Thankfully, she’s about to head off to the ward.’ Andrew gave a sigh of relief. ‘Would you like to come and take a look at the radiology department, Dominic?’

‘I’d love to,’ he said, and then he addressed Cat. ‘It was nice to meet you.’

‘And you.’ She gave him a tight smile.

For the next couple of hours Dominic remained in the department, being shown around, observing a clinic and being introduced to staff. It was clear to Cat that Andrew had decided that he had the role.

She was busy enough to avoid him and Dominic seemed fine with that for he made no attempt to catch her eye or talk.

He did let her know, though, when he was leaving. She was sitting on a high stool, trying to write up some notes, but had just put her hands on her hips to curve her aching back and stretch it when he came in.

‘I’m heading off,’ he said, and Cat glanced around and saw that they were alone.

‘You don’t have to tell me your movements,’ she responded in a very crisp voice. Now that the shock of seeing him was starting to wear off, her own anger with him was making itself known and she let a little of it out. ‘You knew full well that I worked here. What on earth were you thinking?’

‘We’ll speak tonight,’ he said. ‘Take as long as you need for your appointment but don’t even think of not showing up afterwards. I want this sorted before we start working together.’

‘Working together?’ she checked. ‘I thought you were applying for the maternity leave position.’

‘I am but Andrew mentioned that you were short-staffed and wanted to know how I’d feel about doing a few locum shifts prior to commencing full-time.’

‘
If
you get the job.’

‘Why wouldn’t I get it? The interview went very well,’ he said. ‘I happen to be very good at what I do. Andrew seems to think I’d be an asset...’

He’d be an emotional liability, though, Cat thought. Well, she’d soon see about him working here, she decided as Dominic stalked off, though she didn’t get a chance to speak to Andrew for the rest of the day.

Instead, she sat in Gemma’s office at a quarter to six, having her blood pressure taken. Given who had just arrived on the scene, neither Gemma nor Cat were surprised to find that it was a smudge high.

‘I can’t believe that he’d just show up like that,’ Cat said as her friend undid the cuff.

‘Well, I think it’s a good thing that it’s all being brought to a head,’ Gemma said. ‘Go and lie down so I can have a feel.’

They carried on chatting as Cat did so and she opened up her wrap-over dress.

‘Ooh,’ Gemma said as Cat’s stomach danced away while she lay there. ‘Someone’s wide-awake.’

‘I just grabbed a glass of orange juice,’ Cat said. ‘I think it’s woken him up.’

Gemma examined her bump as they chatted and this evening she made an exception to their rule and was both doctor and friend.

‘He’s furious.’ Cat sighed.

‘Which makes two of you,’ Gemma said. ‘Ask him if he’s told his wife yet! That might knock him off his high horse a touch...’ Then she was kind. ‘Cat, you had many reasons for not telling Dominic. Given all you’ve been through and Mike’s reaction to the bad news, of course you’re protective of this baby...’

‘I just wanted to know it was okay before I said anything to Dominic.’ Cat admitted what Gemma already had guessed. ‘Then I wanted to get further along than I had with Thomas...’ She closed her eyes for a moment because tears were on the verge of spilling out. Getting past twenty-five weeks had been a huge milestone. ‘The last few weeks I’ve had no excuse, though.’

‘So why didn’t you tell him?’

‘It was supposed to be a one-night stand. I don’t want to discuss Thomas with a man I spent one night with. Do you know, I didn’t even particularly like him? I thought he was a bit mean and dismissive.’

Gemma said nothing.

‘Arrogant,’ Cat said. ‘Chauvinist... He wouldn’t let me pay half for dinner.’ She mimicked a deep voice. ‘“Why would you ruin a perfectly good night?” He’s all the things I don’t want in a man.’

Cat frowned as a blob of warm jelly was squirted onto her stomach. ‘What are you doing?’

‘An ultrasound.’

‘I’m not due for one. Is there a problem?’

‘No problem at all,’ Gemma said, ‘I just thought it might be nice for you to have a peek at your gorgeous baby. I’m recording it,’ she added. ‘Maybe Dominic might want to see it too.’

‘Do you think?’ Cat frowned. She loved having Gemma doing her ultrasounds—all her ultrasounds with Thomas had been fraught affairs. Mike had actually taken the probe out of the radiologist’s hand once in an attempt to take over.

‘I think that it might be a very nice olive branch,’ Gemma said. ‘It must be a shock for him and this might help him get used to the idea. When things get tense between the two of you, this might serve as a little reminder that it’s your baby you’re discussing...’

Cat nodded and looked over at the screen.

It was a fun ultrasound. Gemma wasn’t taking measurements, just a brief check that all was okay, which it was, and then they took a lovely long look.

There it was, opening its little mouth like a fish, and it was the most beautiful thing Cat had ever seen. ‘What am I having?’

‘You’re sure you want to know?’

‘I already know,’ Cat said. ‘I just want to hear it.’

‘You’re having a little girl,’ Gemma said, and Cat felt as if the examination couch had dropped from beneath her, a little like turbulence on a plane.

‘I was convinced it was a boy!’

‘I know that you were,’ Gemma said. ‘She’s beautiful. Look at those cheeks...’

It felt so different to look at the screen and to know it was her daughter that she was seeing. There she was, wiggling, waving and content in her own little world.

‘Happy?’ Gemma asked as Cat lay there.

Yes, she was dreading facing Dominic, yes, her life had been turned upside down and inside out but ‘happy’ was the right word.

Here, now, seeing her little girl, Cat was exactly that—happy.

‘You’re going to be a brilliant mum,’ Gemma said, ‘and, no matter how awkward things are between you and Dominic, I’m sure that you’ll sort it out as best you can.’

After Cat had stood up and done up her dress, Gemma handed her the recording of the ultrasound and Cat put it in her bag.

‘Good luck.’ Gemma smiled.

‘I’ll need it.’ She glanced at the clock. ‘He’s going to think I’ve stood him up.’

‘He knows you’ve got an antenatal appointment?’ Gemma checked, and Cat nodded. ‘Well, surely he knows they don’t run like clockwork...’

‘Mike was always—’

‘That was Mike,’ Gemma said.

And this was Dominic.

‘Hey, Cat,’ Gemma said as she went to go. ‘When you saw him again, did you still fancy him?’

‘Moot point—I don’t fancy married men.’

‘Did you still fancy him?’ Gemma persisted.

‘Yes,’ she admitted, ‘but that’s for this office only. The day I sit crying to my friend about whether or not I sleep with him because, of course, he and his wife never do it, or I start saying, he’s going to leave his wife after Christmas...you have my permission to shoot me.’

‘I shall and can you tell him from me that he’s an utter bastard,’ Gemma said.

‘Oh, I shall.’

Trust Gemma to make her laugh, Cat thought as she walked the short distance to Oliver’s. She was calmer than she’d expected to be as she stepped inside.

There was Dominic, sitting with a glass of wine and looking rather more rumpled than he had that morning. His tie was off, the top button of his shirt undone and his eyes were black with loathing as Cat made her way over.

She didn’t expect him to stand for her.

Very deliberately he didn’t.

It was a bit like walking into the headmaster’s office, Cat thought, but refused to be rattled. She shook off her coat and put it on the low bench opposite him and then took a seat.

‘Sorry, I’m a bit late. Gemma was running—’

‘It’s fine.’

Cat blinked at the ease of his acceptance.

It wasn’t her timekeeping that was Dominic’s concern!

‘How was the appointment?’

‘All’s well,’ Cat said.

‘She’s a good friend?’ Dominic asked, and Cat nodded as she bristled in instant defence.

‘Are you going to ask if that’s wise?’ she checked.

Dominic said nothing and she continued.

‘Everybody seems to question whether or not I’m sensible to be seeing a friend, but—’ Only then did he interrupt.

‘You’re a consultant and, from everything I heard at my interview and everything I’ve seen, you’re meticulous and thorough, possibly a bit obsessive about certain details. I’m quite sure you’ve given your choice of obstetrician very careful thought. I’m sure your friend and you both discussed the pros and the cons of having her. I don’t think there’s anything I can add that you haven’t already thought through.’

Cat felt the little bubble of indignation that she had around that topic deflate a touch.

‘She’s excellent.’

‘I’m sure she is.’

‘Have you heard from Andrew?’ Cat asked.

‘Nope,’ Dominic said. ‘I’m not really expecting to hear positive news. I’m quite sure you’ve had, or will be having, a quiet word in his ear...’ He watched the colour mount on her cheeks as a waiter poured Cat some water and gave them menus. ‘Though, if you haven’t already, please think long and hard before you do. I assume you live close to work?’

‘Sorry?’

‘I’m just thinking for handovers and things.’

‘Handovers?’

‘Access visits, or whatever they’re called.’ Then he raised his voice just a fraction and the pink on her cheeks moved to a burning red. ‘If we work at the same place, then it might make it a little easier when I want to spend time with
my
child!’

‘I was going to tell you—’ Cat attempted, but she didn’t get very far.

‘When it turned eighteen?’ He shook his head. He clearly didn’t believe her and she couldn’t really blame him a bit for that. ‘I don’t think for a moment that you were going to tell me. In fact, I’m quite sure you’d already got what you needed from me that weekend.’

Cat’s mouth gaped open. ‘You think I deliberately got pregnant? What? That I’m some psycho going around pricking holes in condoms?’ She shook her head and then met his eyes. ‘I shouldn’t be surprised. My mother thinks the same. Well, not quite that scenario but she seems to think I got bored one weekend and popped off to the sperm bank.’ She dragged her eyes from his and looked at the menu as she spoke.

‘I never set out to get pregnant.’

Dominic sat there and images of them making love danced before him—her hand rolling on a condom, another time, about to take her from behind, it had been Cat who had grabbed one and handed it to him.

If anything, it had been he who had been about to be careless, so ready had he been to take her.

It wasn’t the best thought to be having right now and he reached for a wine and gave a small nod.

‘Fair enough.

‘And I did try to contact you. I spoke to some cheery woman in Glasgow who said that Dom had moved on...’

‘It would have taken an hour tops to find me if you’d really wanted to,’ he said.

‘Have you told your wife yet?’ She smirked as she read through the menu. ‘Or were you hoping it wasn’t yours?’

‘Well, given my wife is all seeing and knowing now, I’d assume that she already knows.’ He watched her frown. ‘She’s dead.’

Cat looked up.

‘She’s been dead for more than two years.’

‘And you didn’t think to tell me?’

‘Don’t even go there, Cat. You’re the one keeping the big secret. Anyway, I
chose
not to tell you.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I didn’t want
that
look.’

He didn’t get to elaborate—the waiter was back and Cat ordered steak and a tomato salad and rolled her eyes because she really wanted seafood but it was on the list of noes that Gemma had given her. ‘I’m never going to get my paella.’

‘I’ll have it for you,’ he said, and ordered it.

‘Bastard,’ Cat said, even if she managed a small smile, but it soon faded as they got back to the serious talk once the waiter had gone.

‘I didn’t tell you at first because I wanted to make sure all the tests were okay...’ The water she took a sip of seemed to burn as it went down. ‘They were.’

‘That’s a poor excuse, Cat, because if they hadn’t been okay, a bit of notice that I’d be arranging my life around a special-needs child would have been appreciated.’

Again, his reaction surprised her. He didn’t jump on results or demand facts. He had but one question.

‘When’s your due date?’

‘The nineteenth of April.’

‘Cat, I nearly bought a house in Spain last month. I was offered a job and that was going to be the starting date.’

‘You can still take it,’ Cat said, but rather quickly wished that she hadn’t as his finger pointed in her direction and he shot out one word.

‘Don’t!’

He was doing his very best to stay level and calm but that she’d happily wave him off to Spain incensed him. ‘I was pointing out how bloody late you’ve left it. I know!’ Dominic said. ‘How about you have the baby, I take it to Spain and you can see it during your annual leave?’ He watched as her pink tongue bobbed out and she licked nervous lips. ‘Yeah, not a nice thought, is it, Cat, so don’t suggest the same for me. You need to get used to the idea that I’m not going to be some distant figure in my child’s life. I’m going to be there, not just for Christmas and birthdays. I’m going to be doing the school pick-up and homework and I’ll be there each and every parent-teacher night. You might not want me there and I fully get that we can’t stand each other, so we can do it through lawyers if you prefer...’