Hot Single Docs: London's Calling: 200 Harley Street: The Proud Italian / 200 Harley Street: American Surgeon in London / 200 Harley Street: The Soldier Prince. Lynne Marshall

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ Rafael grinned. ‘Short. If we were in Italy they’d go on till midnight and nobody would get a chance to dance.’

      Abbie hoped the length of the best man’s speech hadn’t been due to the lingering tension between the brothers. ‘It was a nice thing that he said,’ she offered. ‘About you always looking out for him. You must have been an awesome big brother to have.’

      Leo’s smile looked wry. ‘Whether he wanted it or not,’ he murmured. ‘It wasn’t always appreciated.’

      Abbie raised her eyebrows but Leo didn’t get a chance to answer the silent query. A dramatically glamorous woman, dripping in diamonds, was sailing towards him as gracefully as only an aging prima ballerina could.

      ‘Leo...darling... You must come with me. Tony and I are dying to talk to you.’ With her arm firmly linked with his, Leo was hustled away.

      Abbie had to smile. There would be no prizes for picking her as one of the clinic clients who’d scored an invitation. Everybody knew about Francesca, who had to be in her early seventies now, and had had her first plastic surgeries with Leo and Ethan’s father, James.

      And that thought led her back to Leo’s cryptic comment. She turned to Rafael.

      ‘Whether he wanted it or not? And it wasn’t always appreciated? I wonder what that was about?’

      Rafael shrugged. ‘I’ve heard the father was a complete bastard. I suspect being the big brother made life pretty tough for Leo.’

      ‘He looks happy now.’

      ‘He just got married to a beautiful woman. Of course he’s happy.’

      ‘Where’s Ethan?’

      ‘I saw him heading for the restroom a while back.’

      ‘So did I.’ Abbie frowned. ‘Was it my imagination or was he limping more than usual?’

      Rafael mirrored her frown. ‘Maybe I should go and check that he’s all right.’

      ‘I’ll come with you.’

      They slipped out of the crowd unnoticed because the music had started and Leo was leading Lizzie onto the dance floor.

      They found Ethan in a hallway near the restrooms. Leaning against the wall, with his eyes closed, he didn’t see them approach.

      ‘Are you okay?’ It was Abbie who asked.

      Ethan’s eyes snapped open. ‘I’m fine,’ he said.

      He didn’t look fine. There were deep lines around his eyes and his skin looked slightly grey. He looked like a man who was dealing with something physically painful.

      ‘Great speech,’ Rafael said. ‘Well done.’

      Ethan gave a noncommittal grunt. ‘I didn’t say much.’

      ‘Sometimes it doesn’t need much,’ Abbie said. ‘It just needs the right words.’

      That brought the ghost of a smile to Ethan’s face. ‘What are you two doing out here, anyway?’ he asked. ‘You should be in there, having a good time.’ His smile twisted a little. ‘Or at least finding the right words.’ He pushed himself off the wall and headed back towards the ballroom. ‘I’m going to find another Scotch.’

      Abbie and Rafael looked at each other.

      ‘Shall we go back?’ Rafael asked. ‘Would you like to dance?’

      Abbie shook her head. ‘I think I might have had enough of so many glamorous people. And I’ve certainly had enough champagne.’

      Rafael’s face emptied of expression. Was he waiting for her to say that she needed to get back to the hospital? To Ella?

      ‘You know what I’d really like to do right now?’

      ‘No. What?’

      Abbie reached out and took his hand. Her heart skipped a beat. This was how she could show Rafael how much she wanted to try and fix things.

      ‘I’d like to go home,’ she whispered. ‘With you.’

       CHAPTER EIGHT

      STEPPING THROUGH THE door of the apartment in Gloucester Avenue was a bit like sitting with Rafael and waiting for Leo and Lizzie’s wedding to begin.

      Stepping back in time.

      They’d been so excited when they’d found this place. It was perfect. A period conversion that had retained all the character of its origins but had been modernised enough to make it a joy to live in. Tall windows let in lots of light and the polished floorboards made it feel warm and homely. The kitchen and bathrooms had everything they could have wished for. There was central heating and the private garden was walled in and safe for young children. The location was ideal, pretty much halfway between the two places they both worked in—the Hunter Clinic and the Lighthouse Children’s Hospital. Best of all, they had Regent’s Park and all it had to offer within a few minutes’ walk.

      It was no surprise that their offer on the apartment was accepted because it was meant to be. So much in love, life just couldn’t get any better. The stars were aligned and their perfect future together was just getting started.

      So very, very different to the way things were now.

      The furniture was all the same, right down to that controversial couch with its big blue throw, but the atmosphere was weird. Empty feeling. There was no excitement about the future lurking in any corners. This felt...awkward.

      ‘There’s wine in the fridge.’ Rafael was turning on the gas fire to add to the background warmth of the central heating. Did he, too, feel the odd chill of the joy that had gone from these rooms? ‘Can I get you a drink?’

      ‘No.’ Abbie took off her coat and draped it over one arm of the couch, dropping her handbag beside it. ‘I had more than enough champagne at the reception. But you get something if you want to.’

      ‘Maybe later.’ Rafael stood with his back to the fire. The intensity of his gaze was unsettling.

      It had been Abbie’s suggestion to come home with him but now that they were here together for the first time in so many months she wasn’t sure that it had been the best idea. What was she going to do now? Throw herself into his arms?

      No. That would feel as unnatural as standing here feeling like a stranger in her own home.

      Rafael was still staring at her. ‘Would you rather go back to the hospital? Are you worried about Ella?’

      ‘No.’ Abbie shook her head quickly. ‘I know she’ll be fine. She won’t even wake up until morning. And they’d ring me, anyway, if there was a problem. Oh...’ She reached for the handbag she’d discarded. ‘I forgot that I’d turned my phone off for the wedding ceremony. I’d better switch it back on.’

      ‘I haven’t had СКАЧАТЬ