The Accidental Romeo. Carol Marinelli

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СКАЧАТЬ the most surprising thing to see was that the once terribly sexy, laid-back Harry was now late and clearly rushing with a little boy and girl hanging off each hand as Lillian made the introductions.

      ‘This is Marnie Johnson, the new nurse unit manager. You didn’t manage to come in for her interviews.’

      ‘No, I was on night duty for the first and on a day off for the other,’ Harry explained, ‘but Dr Vermont has said many good things about you.’ He let go of his daughter and shook Marnie’s hand, albeit briefly, because the little girl, as soon as she was let loose, started to wander off.

      ‘Charlotte!’ Harry warned, giving a brief eye-roll to Marnie before retrieving his daughter’s hand. ‘How many times do I have to tell you? You’re to stay with me.’

      ‘But I’m hungry.’

      ‘That’s because you didn’t eat your cornflakes,’ Harry said to his daughter as he returned to the group, and Marnie watched as Lillian’s lips pursed in disapproval. Marnie couldn’t see that there was an issue—clearly, Harry had just arrived for work and was taking his children to day care. It was hardly his fault that there was a group to meet him.

      ‘You and Marnie might already have met.’ Lillian pushed on with the conversation when really it would be far easier to make the introductions once Harry didn’t have his children with him. ‘Marnie, didn’t you train at Melbourne Central?’

      Harry frowned. He looked at Marnie’s raven hair and china-blue eyes and couldn’t quite believe they might have worked alongside each other for three years and that he didn’t recognise her at all.

      ‘No,’ Marnie corrected Lillian. ‘I only did my first year of training at Melbourne Central. After that I transferred to the Royal.’ She turned to Harry. ‘I do remember you, though…’ Marnie said, and suppressed a smile at the slight flare of concern in his eyes—perhaps Harry might be a little uncomfortable with people who could remember him in his wilder days.

      Perhaps, Marnie thought, noticing again, after all these years, his stunning green eyes, it was time for some fun. Dr Vermont was talking to Harry’s son and Lillian was briefly distracted by her pager going off and Marnie simply could not resist a tease, even though they had barely ever spoken. ‘You remember me, though, don’t you?’

      ‘Actually…’ Harry let go of Charlotte’s hand again as he rather worriedly scratched at the back of his neck. ‘Now I think back on it…’

      ‘Surely you remember,’ Marnie implored, enjoying herself.

      ‘Charlotte!’ Harry called, but Marnie could hear the relief in his voice at a brief chance of escape.

      ‘I’m just about to take Marnie on a tour and introduce her to everyone,’ Lillian interrupted the fun. ‘Marnie, do you want to go and get your jacket before I show you around?’

      ‘I’m fine.’ Marnie shook her head. ‘We’ll just get on.’

      But Lillian had other ideas. ‘We actually like the managers to wear their jackets, especially for things like formal introductions—it adds a nice authoritative touch.’

      ‘I don’t need a jacket to be authoritative,’ Marnie responded, and it was Harry who was suppressing a smile now as he watched her walk off.

      Not many people spoke to Lillian like that.

      Clearly Marnie was setting the tone.

      ‘I think,’ Dr Vermont said as Marnie clipped off with Lillian moving fast to catch up, ‘that Marnie Johnson might be just what the doctor ordered—did you see Lillian’s face when she said that she didn’t need a jacket?’

      ‘I did.’ Harry grinned.

      ‘So, do you remember her from Melbourne Central?’

      ‘I don’t.’ Harry swallowed, paying great attention to Adam and failing to see the twinkle in Dr Vermont’s eyes.

      ‘She seems to remember you!’

      ‘I’d better get these two over to day care,’ Harry said, again glad of the excuse of the twins to escape. He walked behind Marnie and Lillian on his way to day care, trying and failing not to notice her very petite, trim figure in the navy dress. She had stopped to shake hands with Juan Morales, one of the new consultants who was just finishing up after a night shift. ‘And Dr Cooper starts when?’ Harry heard Marnie asking as he walked past.

      ‘In four weeks’ time, I believe,’ Juan answered.

      Harry didn’t hang around to hear the rest of the conversation. Just wait until Lillian and Marnie found out that he had approved Juan’s annual leave, commencing in one week’s time! Yes, the place was almost running well with Juan finally on board, but it was all about to go to pot again some time soon.

      Harry signed his name alongside Charlotte’s and Adam’s in the day-care register and tried to focus on today instead of worrying about the weeks ahead.

      Since Jill had died, he had learnt that it was the best he could do.

      ‘Are you picking us up?’ Adam asked.

      ‘I’ll do my best to be here at six,’ Harry said. ‘But if it looks as if I won’t be able to get away on time, I will ring Evelyn and she’ll pick you up.’

      Harry could not stand Adam’s nod, or that his son was trying not to cry. He knelt down to look Adam in the eye. ‘We had a good weekend, didn’t we?’

      They’d had a brilliant weekend—the first in ages.

      With Juan working, both Harry and Dr Vermont had finally had a full, undisturbed weekend without being rung for advice or called in urgently. Dr Vermont had taken his wife away to celebrate their upcoming wedding anniversary, which fell today. He himself had taken his children to the beach on the Saturday and had spent Sunday finally tackling the garden then watching movies in the evening.

      Simple pleasures perhaps, but they hadn’t shared a weekend so straightforward in ages.

      ‘I just…’ Adam started, but he didn’t finish and Harry waited. He was worried about Adam’s talking, or rather the lack of it. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Adam said.

      Oh, but it did.

      Harry looked at Adam’s dark, serious eyes, so like his mum’s. And, like Jill, Adam never complained about Harry’s ridiculous work hours, which only served to make Harry feel worse. ‘Hey,’ Harry said. ‘Tonight we’re going to take those bruised bananas and make banana bread.’ It was completely off the top of his head. ‘So tomorrow you and Charlotte will have something nice waiting for breakfast that you can eat in the car if we’re in a hurry.’

      ‘Promise?’ Adam checked.

      ‘As much as I can promise,’ Harry said, because the very nature of his job meant that nothing could be guaranteed. ‘But if we don’t get to make it tonight then the bananas will be even blacker tomorrow and the banana bread even sweeter.’

      Finally, Adam smiled.

      ‘I hate banana bread!’ Charlotte, the louder of the two, had to have her say as Harry gave her a kiss СКАЧАТЬ