The Fling That Changed Everything. Alison Roberts

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      Or was it the storm brewing? The wind picking up and those bad-tempered-looking clouds just waiting for an excuse to spark an outburst?

      No. It felt deeper than anything as external as work or the weather. The shadow was more like an empty space in his soul. The alone space.

      But he’d come here to this remote part of the Pacific Ocean to escape in the first place, and being alone was the ultimate escape, wasn’t it?

      Turning away from the view, Sam automatically looked around, forgetting for a moment that he hadn’t brought Bugsy with him this time. The dog was a part of the hospital family here, and his care was shared amongst others, including him, when his owner was back on the mainland. One of the nurses had him today so Sam hadn’t had the pleasure of taking him out for his daily walk.

      That’s what it was, he decided. That’s why he had this sudden, inexplicable sense of loneliness.

      Maybe it was time he got a canine companion of his own. A Portuguese water dog, perhaps, who would love boats and fishing expeditions and swimming at the tiny, perfect beach that had been why he’d fallen in love with the island he now owned.

      That way he’d have the best job in the world in a place where he could live happily ever after, and he’d have company to share it with. Company that would expect no more of him than his love.

      What more could anybody want?

      * * *

      There was only one chair empty at the table as Lia went back into the kitchen. Plates were being passed, laden with the delicious layers of meat and cheese and pasta that had given Adriana Roselli’s lasagne its well-deserved reputation of being the best.

      ‘What did Bruce want?’ Elena reached for a thick, warm slice of bread and added it to her plate. ‘Was he asking you out for a date?’

      ‘Bruce is old enough to be my father,’ Lia said sternly. ‘And I’m old enough to know how ridiculous that would be.’

      ‘Oh, give it a rest,’ Elena snapped. ‘Mike’s only thirty-nine.’

      ‘And you’re only twenty-six. Thirteen years, Lena. Count them. It’s almost a generation.’

      ‘At least I’ve got a boyfriend. You’re turning into an old maid, Lia.’

      ‘That’s enough,’ Adriana ordered. ‘Sit down, Lia. Eat. You’re far too skinny these days. I can see your bones from here.’

      Lia ignored the comments from both her mother and her sister. She slid into the seat beside Angel’s wheelchair.

      ‘Look at the way you’re holding your spoon, darling. Good girl... Don’t forget to blow on it. That lasagne looks hot.’ She leaned sideways to demonstrate but Angel giggled and tipped her spoon and the food fell off to land on her lap.

      ‘Thanks for that, Lia.’ But Angel’s mother, her sister Fiona, was smiling as she wiped up the small accident. ‘Let’s try that again, shall we, Angel?’

      ‘So what did Bruce want?’ Nico was picking at his food and clearly hoping for a distraction from his own thoughts.

      ‘He offered me a job for two weeks. On a helicopter crew on an island about two hundred miles northwest of Cairns. It’s called Wildfire.’

      ‘An island?’ Adriana shook her head. ‘Pff...what for? A holiday?’

      ‘There’s a hospital there, Mamma. It looks after a big population of people over a huge area. Bruce said it would be great experience for me. I’d have to do things I’d probably never get the chance to do here. And, if I liked it, I could go onto a regular roster to fly in for two-week stints.’

      ‘You can’t go,’ Elena declared. ‘Nico’s going to be going into hospital for his surgery any day now and you know what Mamma’s like around hospitals. You’re the only one who can explain things properly and stop her crying. And even if you’re here for the operation, what about the chemo? It’ll be horrendous.’

      ‘No, it won’t.’ Lia sent her sister a warning glance before turning to smile at her brother. ‘You’re going to fly through this, Nico. I know it’s scary but testicular cancer has a really high cure rate and you’re going to be one of those success stories. It’ll be okay.’

      ‘Promise?’ Nico, like the rest of the family, looked to Lia as his medical expert.

      Lia’s smile was one of genuine reassurance. ‘Promise.’ Even if the treatment didn’t go as well as hoped, she would make it okay. Somehow.

      ‘Do you want to go?’ Fiona’s query was sceptical.

      ‘It would be exciting,’ Lia admitted. ‘Even the name of the island is cool. Wildfire...’

      ‘They have fires?’ Adriana shook her head. ‘You don’t want to go somewhere that has fires.’

      ‘Wildfire Island? Wasn’t that in the news not long ago?’ Guy put down his fork to fish his phone out of his pocket. ‘I’m sure I heard something about a mine exploding or something.’

      ‘Well, that’s that.’ The spoon clanked against the crockery dish as if Adriana’s statement was final. ‘I’m not having you going off into exploding mines.’

      ‘No, it didn’t explode.’ Guy sounded disappointed. ‘Just collapsed. People got hurt and there was a big rescue mission but it’s okay now. And why would Lia be going down a mine, anyway?’

      ‘I wouldn’t,’ Lia said reassuringly. ‘And what makes it really attractive is what they pay. I’d earn three times what I usually do in a fortnight. Imagine how far that would get us in buying those new walking aids for Angel.’

      ‘No...’ Adriana handed a laden plate to Lia. ‘It still sounds dangerous. Flying helicopters around islands miles from anywhere? What if you crash?’

      ‘It’s no different from what I do here. Apparently the head pilot is someone Bruce knows and he’s top of his game. It’s my job, Mamma—you know that. And I love it.’

      ‘It’s not natural,’ Adriana sighed. ‘You’re thirty-two, Lia. You should be married and having bambinos by now. Look at your sister. She was a mamma already by your age.’

      ‘Mmm.’ Lia and Fiona shared a rueful glance that took in how well that had worked out. Angel had been born prematurely and the lack of oxygen during a difficult birth had been responsible for her cerebral palsy. Her father had walked out of their lives as soon as he’d learned of her disability.

      ‘The money’s amazing.’ Guy spoke with his mouth full. ‘I’d do it if I were you. Hey...you could get the roof fixed and I wouldn’t have to trip over that bucket in my bedroom every time it rains.’

      Her father had been silent throughout the discussion, his gaze on his plate, but he looked up as Guy spoke and Lia could see the СКАЧАТЬ