Snowbound With The Single Dad. Laura Iding

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       CHAPTER FOUR

      CALLUM STARED AT the clock and pulled out his cellphone again. How is Drew? he typed.

      Drew had been clingy last night. Definitely not normal for him. He hadn’t wanted to go to bed and had just said he didn’t feel good.

      After a day stuck in the freezing-cold Clyde, all Callum had wanted to do was hold him close. So he’d broken all his own rules and let Drew come into bed beside him.

      There hadn’t seemed to be anything obvious wrong with Drew. His temperature hadn’t been raised. He hadn’t had a rash. But he’d had a restless night and when he’d stirred his porridge around his plate that morning Callum had looked at the pale little face and had known he couldn’t send him to school today.

      Thank goodness for good friends. Julie and Blair were always willing to help out any way they could.

      His phone buzzed.

      Not eating and a little tired. But managing to watch the TV. Don’t worry. Julie.

      Don’t worry. Fat chance.

      The door next to him opened. Jess. He stood up straight away and walked over to her. ‘How are you? Are you okay?’ She looked a little better today. There was some colour in her cheeks, her caramel-coloured hair hung in waves around her shoulders and her pink woollen jumper gave the illusion of some curves.

      There it was again. The little surge he’d felt yesterday when he’d seen her. That buzz of attraction. He hadn’t imagined it. He hadn’t imagined it at all.

      She gestured down the corridor. ‘I’m fine. Honestly. No ill effects.’ She gave him a little smile. She was definitely a little more relaxed today but, then, Parkhill was her comfort zone.

      ‘How are the kids?’

      Her expression was still serious. ‘We’ve still got two in ITU, both serious but stable. Four were allowed home yesterday, another four were kept for observation overnight but are being discharged today. The last two will be in for a few days, both have different kinds of fractures.’

      He gave her a knowing smile. ‘Busy day, then?’

      She let out a little laugh. ‘What? No way. We’ve only had another thirty admissions on top of the accident yesterday. It’s practically been a walk in the park.’

      ‘Thirty? Is there some kind of outbreak?’

      She nodded. ‘Yip.’ She handed over a set of case notes to the secretary next to them. She folded her arms across her chest. ‘It’s called a Scottish winter.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      She gave a little shrug. ‘It’s like this every year. Asthma and chest infections flare up and there’s always an outbreak of norovirus somewhere. Public health had to recommend closing two nurseries yesterday.’ She waved her hand. ‘We’ve got a baby with chickenpox in ITU. Oh, and the usual slips, trips and falls. We’re thinking of putting a sign on the door of ward 1C saying Only people in fibreglass may pass these doors.’

      He couldn’t help the smile dancing across his face. ‘It’s that bad?’

      She gave a little sigh. ‘It’s just how things are. That, and all the parents that come to the desk and give it laldy.’

      He smiled. ‘Now, there’s a word I haven’t heard in a while.’

      She rolled her eyes. ‘It’s the most accurate description. I said it the other day to one of the Spanish registrars and he was totally lost. Thing is, it’s never the parents with the sickest kids who cause a scene, it’s the ones who probably shouldn’t even be in an A and E department and don’t think they should be waiting.’

      ‘We get our fair share in the fire service too. Last month it was a guy who called 999 every time his house fire alarm went off.’