The Midwife's One-Night Fling. Sue MacKay

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       CHAPTER SIX

      TONIGHT IT WAS Richard who had the carbonara.

      Freya chose spaghetti, and it came with a rich, meaty tomato sauce.

      ‘You did it again,’ Richard said.

      ‘What?’

      ‘When I saw your carbonara last night I regretted my choice...’ And then he stopped, because he’d been about to say that next time they came here the spaghetti with the rich, meaty tomato sauce was what he’d want.

      But he didn’t.

      Instead he remembered he was off work tomorrow and ordered a bottle of red.

      ‘I don’t like drinking if I’m working the next day,’ he explained. ‘But I’ve got a few days off now.’

      ‘And me.’ Freya smiled.

      He wondered if she was waiting for him to suggest they do something together.

      Ah yes, The Talk, Richard reminded himself.

      Except Freya got there first.

      ‘I’m going home for a couple of days before a stint on nights,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a new lot of tenants arriving at my cottage next week.’

      ‘Holidaymakers?’ Richard said.

      ‘Yes, they’re there for two weeks and then I’ve another lot coming in. I’ve arranged for someone to come in and clean, and change the sheets and things, but I just need to sort a few things out.’

      ‘Don’t you hate having people staying at your house?’

      ‘I’ve put a lot of stuff in the cellar,’ Freya said. ‘And that’s locked. It doesn’t bother me.’

      ‘But isn’t it a hassle?’

      ‘Not really.’ Freya shrugged. ‘And even if it is at times, then it’s worth it. It helps a lot with the mortgage, though in a couple of months it’s going on the market...’ Freya halted.

      Or was it?

      She recalled that just before Richard had arrived her plans had started to change. She needed to be alone to think about that, to decide what she was going to do, and so she asked about him instead.

      ‘What about you? Do you have plans?’

      ‘I have an interview.’

      ‘Ah, that explains the haircut,’ Freya said as she twirled spaghetti around her fork.

      ‘Not really. I was well overdue for that. It’s not an interview as such—more an informal lunch to suss things out...’

      He let out a sigh and promptly forgot the reason he had brought her here. Instead he told her what tomorrow was about. No-one else knew.

      ‘There’s a role coming up.’

      ‘I thought you loved what you do?’

      ‘And I do, but it is consuming. I’m actually heading to the airport after the lunch. I’m going to Moscow tomorrow for a few nights, to get away completely.’

      ‘Moscow?’

      ‘It’s a bit drastic, I know, but I love getting away. I don’t put my phone on, so the hospital can’t call me to come in—or if they do I don’t hear it.’

      ‘Well, you don’t need to go all the way to Moscow for that. There are more than a few places in Scotland where you can’t get a signal.’

      ‘Please...’ He grinned. ‘I was teasing about changing the movie reels.’

      ‘I know you were,’ Freya agreed. ‘But, trust me, there really are plenty of places you can’t get a signal. I went away for Christmas with my family last year and we all had to keep going for walks just so we could make a call, or check emails and things. And in summer, depending on what provider they have, the tourists often can’t get a good signal. We have a wee laugh, watching them walking around with their phones in the air.’

      ‘Well, I’ll bear that in mind,’ Richard said.

      ‘So, are you keen for this job?’

      ‘I’m curious, certainly.’

      He told her the name of a very exclusive private hospital which made her look up from her pasta.

      ‘I’ve a friend, Marcus, who’s director of anaesthetics there, and there’s a position coming up—a very attractive one...’ He didn’t get to finish, for Freya had a question.

      ‘But won’t СКАЧАТЬ