The Christmas market stalls looked very festive, with strings of brightly coloured lights hanging from their awnings. When they came to a stall that was selling mulled wine, Lucy stopped.

‘Mum makes mulled wine every year on Christmas Eve. My sister and I always used to leave a glass for Santa to go with his mince pie.’

‘And did he drink it?’ Max asked, loving the way her eyes had lit up at the memory.

‘Of course—or at least somebody did.’

Max laughed. ‘Well, you can’t prove that Father Christmas doesn’t exist, can you?’

She shook her head. ‘You are completely mad. Do you know that?’

Max felt his breath catch when she smiled up at him. Bending, he placed his mouth over hers. Her lips were cool from the night air, yet he could sense the heat beneath the chill and groaned. Kissing Lucy was like nothing he had ever experienced before!

He drew back reluctantly, seeing the shock in her eyes, and knew that she was as stunned by what had happened as he was.

‘I suppose I should apologise, although I’m not sorry that I kissed you,’ he said truthfully. Reaching out, he brushed his fingertips over her lips and felt her shudder. There was a definite tremor in his voice when he continued. ‘There’s just something about you, Lucy, that draws me—even though I know how crazy it is.’

The Midwife’s Christmas Miracle

By

Jennifer Taylor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader

I always love writing Christmas stories—mainly because I love Christmas. I spend hours shopping for presents for my family, and enjoy every second. I love wrapping the gifts when I get home, and piling them under the tree. I even enjoy visiting the supermarket and buying all the food! But most of all I love the fact that the reason for all the hustle and bustle is because we are celebrating the birth of a child. That’s why I decided to set this book in the maternity unit of Dalverston General Hospital.

Consultant Max Curtis and midwife Lucy Harris have both been badly hurt in the past, and they are very wary about getting hurt again. However, as they work together, helping to deliver babies, they soon realise that they are deeply attracted to one another. Neither wants to admit how they feel. It takes a little Christmas magic to make them see that they don’t need to be afraid of falling in love.

I wish you all a happy and joyous Christmas, wherever you are.

Jennifer

About the Author

JENNIFER TAYLOR lives in the north-west of England, in a small village surrounded by some really beautiful countryside. She has written for several different Mills & Boon® series in the past, but it wasn’t until she read her first Medical™ Romance that she truly found her niche. She was so captivated by these heartwarming stories that she set out to write them herself! When she’s not writing, or doing research for her latest book, Jennifer’s hobbies include reading, gardening, travel, and chatting to friends both on and off-line. She is always delighted to hear from readers, so do visit her website at www.jennifer-taylor.com

Recent titles by the same author:

THE DOCTOR’S BABY BOMBSHELL*

THE GP’S MEANT-TO-BE BRIDE*

MARRYING THE RUNAWAY BRIDE*

THE SURGEON’S FATHERHOOD SURPRISE**

*Dalverston Weddings

**Brides of Penhally Bay

For my granddaughter, Isobel. My little ray of sunshine.

Chapter One

‘AND last but definitely not least, this is Max Curtis, our acting consultant. Max, this is Lucy Harris, the new midwife who started today.’

‘Nice to meet you, Lucy.’

‘You too, Dr…er…er…’ Lucy flushed when she realised that she hadn’t caught his surname. It was hard to disguise her embarrassment when the dark-haired man seated behind the desk laughed.

‘It’s Curtis, although most people round here call me Max.’ He smiled up at her. ‘I’m not picky, mind. “Hey you” will get my attention fast enough.’

‘That’s good to know.’ Lucy smiled back, relieved by the easy way he had accepted her gaffe. Obviously, Max Curtis wasn’t the type of person who took himself too seriously, unlike some of the consultants she had worked with. ‘Although I promise that I won’t forget your name from now on. I won’t dare!’

He chuckled softly, his dark brown eyes creasing at the corners. ‘Don’t worry about it. The first day in a new job is always a nightmare. There’s so much to take in that you don’t know if you’re on your head or your heels most of the time.’

‘That’s true,’ Lucy agreed. ‘I just hope everyone will be as understanding as you when I get their names muddled up!’

‘They will be,’ he assured her then reached for the phone when it started to ring. ‘Maternity. Max Curtis speaking.’

Lucy sighed as she moved away from the desk, hoping that would be the end of the introductory tour. She honestly didn’t think that she could cope with having to remember anyone else. Joanna, the young trainee midwife who had been delegated to show her around, grinned at her.

‘That’s it. You’ve met everyone now, apart from the staff who are working tonight and Anna Kearney, our consultant. She’s on maternity leave at the moment, so you have that pleasure to come.’

‘At least that’s one less name to forget,’ Lucy declared, rolling her eyes.

‘As Max said, nobody will worry about it,’ Joanna assured her. She led the way along the corridor, pausing outside the door to one of the delivery suites. There were four suites in total and Lucy knew that every one was currently occupied. Although the maternity unit at Dalverston General was smaller than the one she had worked on in Manchester, she had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be any less busy because of that.

‘Margaret’s going off duty soon and Amanda wants you to take over from her,’ Joanna explained, passing on the instructions the senior midwife had given her. ‘I’ve got to help sort out the breakfasts now so I’ll have to leave you here. Is that OK?’

‘Fine,’ Lucy assured her. She smoothed down her brand-new uniform top as Joanna hurried away then tapped on the door and went in, smiling at the middleaged woman standing beside the bed. ‘I believe I’m taking over from you.’

‘That’s right.’ Margaret returned her smile. ‘We were hoping that Sophie’s baby would arrive while I was still on duty but he’s proving to be a tad reluctant to make his appearance in the world.’

‘Obviously a determined little chap who knows his own mind,’ Lucy said lightly. She went over to the bed and introduced herself to the young mother-to-be. ‘Hello, Sophie, my name is Lucy Harris and I’ve just started working here today. I’ll be looking after you when Margaret goes home.’

‘You are a proper midwife, though?’ Sophie said anxiously. ‘You’re not just a trainee?’

‘No. I’ve been a midwife for four years and I’ve delivered lots of babies during that time,’ Lucy explained. It wasn’t ideal to have to hand over a patient in the middle of a delivery and she was keen to allay the girl’s fears. ‘I worked at a hospital in Manchester before I came here.’

‘Oh, I see. Well, that’s all right, I suppose.’

Sophie still sounded a little dubious but Lucy understood. The relationship between a mother and her midwife was a delicate one and needed to be based on trust if it was to be successful. She patted Sophie’s hand. ‘Everything is going to be fine, Sophie, believe me. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like Margaret to update me as to what progress you’ve made.’

Sophie closed her eyes as Lucy moved away from the bed. She looked both exhausted and extremely anxious as she settled back against the pillows. Lucy frowned as she studied the girl’s strained face.

‘When was she admitted?’

‘Just before eight p.m. last night,’ Margaret replied. ‘Her contractions were quite strong, so I was hopeful it would be a fairly speedy delivery even though it’s her first baby. Unfortunately, everything started to slow down a couple of hours later and now we’ve come to a complete standstill.’

‘How’s the baby doing?’ Lucy queried.

‘Fine. Heartbeat is strong and there’s no signs of distress. It’s just going to be one of those stop-go deliveries from the look of it, which is a pity because I was hoping to get it over as quickly as possible.’ Margaret must have seen the question in Lucy’s eyes and lowered her voice. ‘Sophie’s not got anyone with her, you see. From what I can gather, the baby’s father took off a couple of months ago and she’s not seen him since.’

‘What about family or friends?’ Lucy asked sympathetically.

‘She’s never mentioned her family so I’ve no idea what the situation is there. As for friends, well, she hasn’t lived in Dalverston all that long. Apparently, the baby’s father got a job at the industrial park and that’s why they moved here.’ Margaret sighed. ‘I feel really sorry for her because she’s been very much on her own since he disappeared off the scene.’

‘What a terrible shame.’

Lucy’s heart went out to the girl, although she couldn’t help thinking that even if Sophie had had friends and family to support her, it might not have helped. As she knew to her cost, sometimes it was the people you were closest to who let you down most of all.

The thought sent a shaft of pain surging through her but she forced it down. She refused to dwell on the past when she had moved to Dalverston to escape it. She read through the notes Margaret had made then checked Sophie’s pulse and BP, the baby’s heartbeat, all the routine tasks that were so essential to the eventual outcome. She had just finished when the door opened and Max Curtis appeared.

‘Hi! I thought I’d check to see what progress we’re making,’ he said as he came over to the bed.

Lucy stepped aside to give him room, somewhat surprised to discover how tall he was. He had been sitting down when they had been introduced so she’d had no idea that he must be at least six feet tall with a leanly muscular physique under a pair of well-cut dark grey trousers and a paler grey shirt. All of a sudden she felt unusually conscious of her own lack of inches. At a mere five feet two, she could best be described as petite, although a lushly feminine figure did make up for what she lacked in height.

‘Everything seems to have come to a dead stop, Dr Curtis,’ Sophie said forlornly. ‘I don’t understand why it’s happened.’

‘It just does sometimes, Sophie,’ he assured her. ‘It’s all systems go and then everything suddenly tails off. Are you still having contractions?’

‘No. I’ve not had one for ages now.’

‘Let me take a look and then we’ll decide what we’re going to do.’

He gently examined her, explaining what he was doing as he checked the position of the baby and how far her cervix had dilated. Lucy appreciated the fact that he didn’t rush. He appeared to have all the time in the world and she knew that it would reassure Sophie more than anything else would do. She was pleased to see that the girl looked far less anxious by the time he finished and explained that he was going to give her something to help restart her contractions.

He wrote out an instruction for an intravenous infusion of synthetic oxytocin to be administered. This would augment the naturally occurring oxytocin that caused the muscles in the uterus to contract. He handed it to Lucy after she told him that Margaret was going off duty. ‘I’ll check back with you later to see what progress we’re making. In the meantime, get the switchboard to page me if you have any concerns.’

‘I shall,’ Lucy concurred.

‘Hopefully, this should get things back on track,’ he added, slipping his pen back into his pocket. ‘We’ll give nature a bit of a boost and hope it’ll do its stuff.’

‘Always the best solution,’ she agreed. She had never been an advocate of rushing in unnecessarily and it was good to know that they were in accord in that respect.

‘It seems we’re in agreement, then.’ Max smiled at her then headed towards the door. ‘Right, now I’m off to make myself a large cup of black coffee. I need a serious injection of caffeine if I’m to get through the rest of the day.’

‘That sounds like desperation talking,’ Lucy replied lightly.

‘Oh, it is, believe me. Given half the chance, I would curl up in this doorway and fall fast asleep!’

He laughed but Lucy could tell that he was only partly joking. She frowned as she took stock of the lines etched either side of his mouth, the weariness in his dark brown eyes, and realised all of a sudden how exhausted he looked.

‘Didn’t you get much sleep last night?’

‘I didn’t get any. I was about to get into bed when I was called back here to see a patient. Eclampsia,’ he added succinctly.

‘Oh, I see.’ Lucy nodded, understanding why he had needed to rush back into work. Eclampsia was a highly dangerous condition for both a mother and her child. It could lead to convulsions and even coma and death if not treated in time. Normally, the condition was picked up as pre-eclampsia during routine antenatal screening. The combination of high blood pressure, protein in the urine and oedema—an accumulation of fluid in the tissues—were all indications of it. She was surprised that alarm bells hadn’t started ringing earlier, in fact.

‘Was there no sign beforehand that the mother was at risk?’ she asked curiously.

‘None at all. Mind you, the fact that she missed her last couple of antenatal appointments didn’t help.’ Max sighed. ‘When I asked her why she hadn’t been to the clinic, she said that she hadn’t had the time. Apparently, she had a hair appointment on the first occasion and needed to get her nails done the next time.’

‘Unbelievable!’ Lucy exclaimed.

‘Yep. I think that just about sums it up. Fortunately, her husband phoned us when she started complaining that she had a headache and that her vision was blurred. He was told to bring her straight in so she was here when she had a convulsion. We administered anti-convulsant drugs and I delivered the baby by Caesarean section. He’s in the special care baby unit, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be fine. Mum will need monitoring for the next few weeks but she should be all right too.’ He shrugged. ‘It was worth a sleepless night, all things considered.’

He sketched her a wave and left, his long legs striding along the corridor. Lucy watched him for a moment then closed the door and went to set up the drip. Funnily enough she had enjoyed talking to him. Max Curtis had a relaxed and friendly manner that had put her at her ease, made her feel more positive about the changes she had made to her life recently. Hopefully, moving to Dalverston had been the right thing to do.

She sighed as the doubts suddenly surfaced again. It had been hard to leave her last job when she had been so happy there, harder still to leave all her friends and family behind, but she’d had no choice. Although her parents had tried to persuade her not to go, Lucy knew how difficult it would have been for them if she’d stayed. After all, it wasn’t their fault that her cousin and her ex-fiancé had had an affair.

Lucy took a deep breath and quelled the moment of panic. She had made her decision and even if it didn’t work out as well as she hoped it would, at least it would give her a breathing space, time to put things into perspective. She simply had to remember how much worse it would have been if she’d found out about Richard and Amy after the wedding had taken place.

Max made his way to the staffroom then realised that he didn’t even have the energy to make himself a cup of coffee. Veering away from the door, he headed for the lift. The cafeteria should be open soon and the thought of a double espresso with his name on it was too tempting to resist.

The staff were just opening up when he arrived, so he gave them his order and sat down, feeling weariness washing over him. The long night had taken its toll, especially as it had been the second night in a row that he’d been called in. With Anna on maternity leave, he had been picking up more than his share of extra hours recently. It wasn’t a new occurrence, by any means. Working long and unsocial hours was par for the course in medicine. At one point, he’d been only too glad to work any time he was needed, too. It had been far less stressful dealing with his patients’ problems than what had been happening in his marriage.

Max frowned. It was rare that he thought about the past and it surprised him that he should do so now. He had been divorced for three years and he had closed the door on that episode in his life. OK, so he was willing to admit that it had had a knock-on effect, in that he avoided commitment these days, but to his mind that was common sense. Once bitten, twice shy seemed a sensible maxim to live by and he wasn’t going to put himself through all that heartache again.

His thoughts moved away from the less than appealing subject of his failed marriage and on to the far more interesting topic of their new midwife. Lucy Harris appeared both highly competent and extremely capable, and he was pleased that their views were in accord. Some of the older midwives were a little entrenched in their ways and it would be good to have a soul-mate on the unit.

The fact that she was also extremely pretty with those huge blue eyes and those shiny auburn curls tumbling around her cheeks was another point in her favour. Although Max shied away from commitment, he had a normal healthy interest in the opposite sex and Lucy Harris was a very attractive member of it. All of sudden his tiredness lifted and he grinned. Working with the lovely Lucy could turn out to be a real tonic.

Chapter Two

SOPHIE JONES’S baby finally made his appearance in the middle of the afternoon. Amanda, the senior midwife, helped Lucy deliver him. Lucy guessed that Amanda was keen to put her through her paces, but tried not to let it worry her. By the time Sophie and baby Alfie were transferred to a ward, she was confident that Amanda wouldn’t have any more concerns about her, and it was reassuring to know that at least one very important aspect of her life hadn’t changed.

Lucy fetched her coat at the end of her shift and left. It had started raining at lunchtime and the gutters were brimming over with water as she made her way to the bus stop. She huddled against the wall when a car sped past, sending a wave of water across the pavement, but by the time she reached the bus stop, her shoes and trousers were soaked through. She joined the queue, hoping that she wouldn’t have to wait too long. However, half an hour later she was still there when a car drew up and Max Curtis poked his head out of the window.

‘Do you want a lift?’ He glanced at her sodden trousers and grimaced. ‘You’re going to catch your death if you stand there much longer. Hop in.’

Lucy hesitated, not sure that accepting a lift would be the right thing to do. It didn’t seem fair to expect him to drive her home after the long day he’d had. However, the thought of getting out of the rain was too tempting to resist. She slid into the passenger seat and slammed the door.

‘Thanks. It’s really good of you,’ she said gratefully. ‘I don’t know what happened to the bus. I’ve been waiting ages and there’s been no sign of it.’

‘Probably two will turn up together,’ he said lightly, putting the car into gear. ‘So how was your first day then? Not too scary, I hope.’

‘No, it was fine,’ Lucy assured him. ‘Everyone was really helpful, which makes a huge difference when you’re starting a new job.’

‘It’s a good team,’ he assured her, slowing as they came to a set of traffic lights on red. ‘Most of them have worked on the unit for a while, so that helps, of course.’

‘It must do,’ Lucy agreed, turning to look at him. Although he wasn’t classically handsome, he was certainly attractive, she decided. The combination of those highly masculine features—a strong jaw, straight nose and perfectly sculpted lips—was very appealing. Rumpled dark brown hair falling across his forehead lent him a rakish air that many women would find pleasing too. She found it strangely engaging which surprised her, given what had happened recently.

‘I’m looking forward to being part of a settled team,’ she said, hurriedly squashing that thought. She certainly wasn’t in the market for another relationship. The fact that her ex-fiancé had betrayed her had destroyed her faith in men. Love, marriage and, most important of all, a family had always been her dream but not any more. She wouldn’t give any man that much power over her again. ‘The turnover of staff at my last place was a nightmare. You no sooner got used to working with someone before they left.’

‘It’s always more of a problem in the city. Staff tend to move around more than they do in rural areas. You were at the Royal, weren’t you?’ he asked, glancing at her.

‘That’s right. I was there for almost four years. It was really busy, but I enjoyed working there.’

‘So what brought you to Dalverston?’ he asked, returning his attention to the road as the lights changed. ‘Has your family relocated to this part of the world?’

‘No, only me.’

‘Really?’ He shot her a look and she saw the surprise on his face. ‘It takes guts to up sticks and leave everything behind like that.’

‘I don’t know about that. It just felt like the right thing to do,’ she hedged, not wanting to go into detail about the reasons for her decision. She sighed softly. Maybe it was silly to feel embarrassed, but what had happened had dented her confidence. She no longer saw herself as the person she had always been, but as a reject, second best. For some reason she hated to think that Max might see her like that too.

‘I realised that I was in a bit of a rut and needed a complete change of scene,’ she explained, wondering why it mattered what he thought. She barely knew him, so his opinion wasn’t going to make much difference to her. ‘When I saw the advert for Dalverston, I decided to apply for the post.’

‘And got it.’ He gave her a quick smile but Lucy could tell that he’d guessed there was more to the story than she’d admitted. ‘Well, the Royal’s loss is our gain is all I can say.’

He didn’t press her and she was glad about that. Maybe it would get easier with time but at the moment it was still too painful to talk about what had happened. They drove into the town centre and she gave him directions to where she lived from there.

Finding somewhere suitable had been harder than she’d expected. Although rent in Dalverston was less expensive than it was in Manchester, it was still a big chunk out of her monthly salary. She and Richard had signed a lease on their flat and there were still several months left to run. Richard had refused to pay his share of the rent after he’d moved out, and unwilling to make the situation even more unpleasant than it already was, Lucy hadn’t tried to persuade him. Instead, she’d been paying it all and had needed to trim her costs accordingly. She’d finally settled on a flat in one of the old terraced houses close to the high street. It wasn’t the best location but it would do for now. She would find somewhere better when she could afford it.

Max drew up outside. ‘Here you are then. Home sweet home.’ He glanced up at the building and frowned. ‘It looks a bit grim. Couldn’t you find anywhere better than this?’

‘It’s fine, really.’ Lucy reached for the door handle, not wanting to explain why her options had been so limited. ‘Thanks again for the lift. I only hope I haven’t taken you too far out of your way.’

‘Not at all. In fact, it isn’t all that far from where I live, funnily enough. I just didn’t recognise the name of the road. I don’t think I’ve been down here before.’

‘You’ve not missed much,’ Lucy assured him wryly, opening the car door. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, I expect.’

‘You will.’

He waited while she unlocked the front door then drove away, but it was a moment before she went inside. As she watched the car’s taillights disappear around a bend, Lucy felt a wave of loneliness wash over her. All of a sudden the evening stretched before her, all those empty hours to fill. She couldn’t help thinking about how her life had used to be, when she had come home from work and Richard had been there.

She sighed because she’d honestly believed they’d been happy. Even when Richard had started making excuses and going out at night, she hadn’t suspected a thing. It was only when Amy, stricken with guilt, had confessed that Lucy had discovered what had been going on. The fact that she’d felt like such a fool had made it all the more painful.

She took a deep breath and closed the door. It was all in the past now and she had moved on. Even though she didn’t feel like the same person, she would survive and build a new life for herself. Just for a moment a picture of Max Curtis appeared in her mind’s eye before she dismissed it. Max might play a small role in her life but no man was going to take centre stage ever again.

Max drove home thinking about what Lucy had told him or, rather, what she hadn’t said. He’d seen the sadness in her eyes and suspected there was more to her decision to relocate than she had admitted. Had she broken up with her partner, perhaps? If that was the case, then it must have been a very painful split if she’d felt the need to leave everything behind.

He sighed as he turned into the car park of the modern apartment block where he lived. He knew only too well how it felt to want to escape. He’d done that himself, hadn’t he? After his marriage had ended, he’d left London and come north, seeking a fresh start. Although he couldn’t change the fact that his life was never going to turn out how he’d expected it would, it had helped to meet new people and form new friendships.

Nowadays he was far more philosophical. So what if he could never father a child? It was a blow, yes, but he had come to terms with the idea now and accepted it. At least he knew the truth so there was no danger of him ruining any other woman’s life.

Marriage was off the agenda for obvious reasons and any relationships he had were strictly for fun. Maybe it wasn’t the life he’d once envisaged for himself, but he couldn’t complain. He had a job he loved, good friends and enough money to buy whatever he wanted. In fact, he couldn’t understand why he was even thinking about it. Had Lucy Harris been the trigger? But why? What was it about her that made him suddenly wish he could change things?

He had no idea but it was something he needed to bear in mind. Lovely though Lucy was, he didn’t intend to get his fingers burned a second time.

Lucy was rostered to work at the antenatal clinic the following morning. She went straight there after she’d signed in and the first person she saw was Max. He was chatting to the receptionist, laughing at something the girl was saying. He looked so relaxed that she felt her spirits immediately lift. It had been a long night and she’d had difficulty sleeping, but there was something about Max that made her feel much more positive about life.

He glanced round when he heard her footsteps and grinned at her. ‘Ahah! I see you’ve drawn the short straw, Lucy. We’ll be working together this morning. Is that OK with you?’

‘Fine.’ She returned his smile, wondering why he had this effect on her. It wasn’t anything he said, more a feeling he exuded, and it was very welcome too. ‘I’ve no problem with that.’

‘Good.’ He gave her a warm smile as he led the way to the consulting room and sat down at the desk while he brought up the list of appointments on the computer. ‘It’s rather a mixed bag this morning. Normally, we try to split the list so that one of us sees the mums who are here for their first visits while the other deals with the rest. Unfortunately, we’re short-staffed today because Diane is off sick. It means you won’t have as much time with the new mums as you’d probably like.’

‘I’ll make up for it at a later date. Most women are a little anxious when they come for their first visit to the clinic and they find it difficult to take everything in. It’s usually better to talk to them and discuss their options at their second or third appointment, I find.’

‘That’s great. I’m glad it isn’t going to cause you a problem.’ He turned his attention back to the screen, scrolling through the list of names until he came to the one he wanted. ‘This is a case I’d like you to be involved in. Mum’s name is Helen Roberts. It’s her first baby and she had pre-existing diabetes mellitus when she got pregnant.’

‘How has she been?’ Lucy asked, walking around the desk. She bent down so she could see the screen, feeling her nostrils tingle as she inhaled the citrus-fresh tang of the shampoo he’d used. She couldn’t help comparing it to the rather cloying scent of the one Richard had preferred.

‘Extremely well so far. We run a pre-pregnancy clinic at Dalverston for women with established diabetes. It’s a joint venture between us and the diabetes care team and our main aim is to ensure that blood glucose levels are under control before and at the time of conception.’

‘There’s a slightly increased risk of the baby being malformed if the blood glucose level isn’t right, isn’t there?’ Lucy questioned, straightening up. She moved back to the other side of the desk, unsure why it troubled her to make the comparison. What difference did it make if she preferred the smell of Max’s shampoo?

‘There is, which is why a woman with diabetes should seek advice before she gets pregnant. As I expect you know, there are increased risks for the mother as well as for the baby. Retinopathy can be a problem for anyone who has diabetes, as can high blood pressure, but there’s more chance of them becoming an issue when a woman is pregnant. And of course there’s a greater risk of mum suffering from pre-eclampsia, too.’

‘It must be daunting for a woman to be faced with all that,’ Lucy said quickly, determined to nip such foolishness in the bud by focusing on their patient.

Max shrugged. ‘It must be. Thankfully, Helen is a very level-headed sort of person. She’s a farmer’s wife and has a very practical approach to life. She understood the risks from the outset and has coped extremely well. We’ve been working closely with the diabetes care team and she’s undergone all the recommended tests and assessments.’

‘How about the baby?’ Lucy asked. ‘Is it much larger than normal?’

‘Slightly larger than would be expected at this stage but not worryingly so.’

‘Controlling the blood glucose level is key, isn’t it? If the level isn’t strictly controlled, there may be an increase in the amount of glucose that reaches the baby so that it grows faster than normal.’

‘Either that or its growth may be stunted,’ Max explained. ‘I’ve seen several cases like that and there were complications each time following the births.’

‘How many weeks is she?’ Lucy asked.

‘Thirty-two,’ he replied promptly, not needing to refer to his notes.

It was clear from that how interested he was in the case and she couldn’t help admiring the fact that it was obviously more than just a job to him. She’d noticed that yesterday, too, when he’d examined Sophie. His patience and refusal to rush were indications of a genuine concern for his patients. She’d worked with a lot of doctors and, sadly, some had treated the mums-to-be in a very cavalier fashion. It was good to know that Max wasn’t of that ilk.

‘As you know, it’s even more important to control blood glucose levels towards the end of the pregnancy.’ He picked up a slip of paper and handed it to her. ‘Helen has been attending the diabetes clinic on a weekly basis recently. She was there yesterday and the registrar was concerned because her glucose levels have started fluctuating. That’s why we’re seeing her today. We may need to arrange for her to have another ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid volume as well as the baby’s growth.’

Lucy quickly read the note. She sighed as she handed it back to him. ‘What a shame that it should happen now after she’s been doing so well.’

‘Isn’t it?’ He grimaced. ‘Knowing Helen, she will blame herself for this and that’s where you can help, Lucy. I want you to make her understand that it isn’t anything she’s done wrong. The last thing we want is her getting stressed. It won’t help her or the baby.’

‘Of course. I’ll do anything I can,’ she assured him.

‘Thanks.’

He gave her a quick smile and she felt a trickle of warmth flow through her when she saw the approval it held. Once again, she felt her spirits lift and it was such an odd feeling when her mood had been so downbeat recently. She wasn’t sure why Max had this effect on her and didn’t have a chance to work it out as he continued.

‘Right, now that’s sorted out we’d better make a start or we’ll still be here at midnight.’

Lucy went to the door and called in their first patient. She’d always enjoyed meeting the mums and being involved in their care and she realised that she was looking forward to it more than ever that day. Knowing that she was part of a team that really cared about these women and their babies made the job so worthwhile.

All of a sudden she was glad that she had made the move to Dalverston, and not just because she’d escaped from a difficult situation either. She would learn a lot from working here, learn a lot from working with Max, too. For the first time in ages, it felt as though she had something to look forward to.

Chapter Three

‘LUCY will have a word with you on your next visit, Rachel. You’ll be able to decide what you want to do then. Isn’t that right, Lucy?’

Max sat back in his seat while Lucy took over. They made a good team, he thought, listening as she explained how they would work out a birth plan the next time Rachel came to the clinic, before she escorted her out to Reception. Although her predecessor had been an excellent midwife, she’d been a little brusque at times. He knew that some of the younger women in particular had found her intimidating, but that definitely wasn’t the case with Lucy. She had a gently reassuring manner that put even the most nervous mums at their ease. He couldn’t remember when he’d last enjoyed a clinic so much, in fact.

He was in the process of absorbing that thought when she came back into the room. His brows lifted when he saw the frown on her face. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘I’m not sure. Apparently, Helen Roberts hasn’t turned up. From what you told me, it seems rather strange that she would miss an appointment, doesn’t it?’

‘It’s not like Helen,’ he agreed. He brought up Helen’s file on the computer and checked her phone number. ‘I’ll give her a call and see what’s happened to her.’

He picked up the phone then stopped when his pager suddenly bleeped. It was the code for the maternity unit, so he dialled their number first. ‘It’s Max. You paged me.’ His heart sank when Amanda informed him that Helen Roberts had just been admitted. ‘I’ll be right there.’

‘Problems?’ Lucy asked as he hastily stood up.

‘Helen Roberts has been rushed in by ambulance. It appears she collapsed on the bus on her way here.’

‘That explains why she didn’t keep her appointment!’ Lucy exclaimed. ‘Are you going up to Maternity to see her?’

‘Yes.’ Max picked up his jacket off the back of the chair and shrugged it on. ‘The diabetes care team will need to know what’s happened. Can you give them a call for me, please? I’ve been liaising with Adam Sanders, their registrar, so can you see if he’s available? I’d really like his input.’

‘Of course.’

Lucy reached for the receiver at the same moment as he went to pass it to her and he felt a ripple of awareness shoot through him when their hands brushed, and quickly drew back. He cleared his throat, unsure why it had happened.

‘I’ll leave you to sort it out, then. Can you phone Amanda and let her know if Adam can make it? He knows Helen and it will be easier if he reviews the case rather than bring someone else up to speed.’

‘Will do.’

‘Thanks.’ Max turned away, wondering if he’d imagined the faintly breathy note in her voice. Had that brief moment of contact affected her as much as it had affected him?

He sighed as he made his way to the lift because it was stupid to think that Lucy had even noticed what had happened. It had been the briefest touch, after all, and he had no idea why he was making such a big deal of it. It certainly wasn’t like him to behave this way.

Although he appreciated the power of sexual attraction, these days sex was merely a means to satisfy a need. There was never an emotional connection between him and the women he slept with. It had never worried him before because that was exactly what he had wanted: to remain detached. However, all of a sudden he found himself wishing for more. How good it must feel to make love to a woman and know that he was the centre of her universe.

Lucy made arrangements for the diabetes registrar to visit the maternity unit then phoned Amanda to let her know he was on his way. She offered to go back and help, but Amanda assured her they could manage and told her to go for lunch. They had a mum booked in to be induced that afternoon and she needed Lucy there.

Lucy tidied up then made her way to the staff canteen. The place was packed when she arrived but she spotted Joanna sitting at a table in the corner with a couple of her friends. Once she had paid for her lunch, she went to join them.

‘Do you mind if I sit here?’

‘Of course not!’ Joanna grinned at her. ‘So how did you get on at clinic? I bet it was busy with Diane being off sick.’

‘It was.’ Lucy sat down and started to peel the plastic film off her tuna mayo sandwich. ‘Max was brilliant, though. Even though the list was horrendous he made everyone feel as though he had all the time in the world for them.’

‘Uh-oh! It sounds as though we’ve added another member to the Max Curtis fan club,’ Joanna declared, laughing.

‘Of course not!’ Lucy blushed. She hadn’t realised that she’d sounded quite so enthusiastic and hurried to explain. ‘It’s just nice to work with someone who obviously cares so much about his patients.’

‘Ah, so that’s it, is it? You admire Max’s qualities as a doctor, nothing else?’

‘Of course not,’ Lucy stated firmly, trying to ignore the niggling little voice that was whispering it wasn’t true. Had she imagined that brief moment of awareness that had passed between them? she wondered uneasily. It had been over and done with in a nanosecond so it was hard to believe that it hadn’t been her imagination playing tricks.

‘I’m not interested in Max, if that’s what you think,’ she reiterated, as much for her own benefit as anyone else’s. She must have sounded convincing because Joanna shrugged.

‘Fair enough. It’s probably a good thing, too. At least you won’t end up disappointed.’

‘What do you mean?’ Lucy asked in surprise. ‘Why should I be disappointed?’

‘Oh, just that there’s no point setting your sights on Max, is there, girls?’ Joanna glanced at the other women who shook their heads. ‘You see, Lucy, dishy though Max is, he has one major flaw—he doesn’t do commitment. He’s quite up-front about it, mind you, makes no bones about the fact that love and marriage aren’t on his agenda, so that’s something in his favour. A lot of men string a woman along but at least whoever Max goes out with knows the score.’

The conversation moved on to something else but Lucy found it hard to concentrate. What Joanna had told her simply didn’t gel with what she had seen. Max didn’t seem like the type of man who moved from woman to woman in pursuit of personal pleasure. He cared too much about people to enjoy that kind of life in her opinion, although maybe she wasn’t the best person to judge. After what had happened with Richard, she couldn’t claim to be an expert on men, could she?

A familiar ache filled her heart but for some reason it didn’t seem as painful as it used to be. If she was honest, the thought of Max living the life of an eternal bachelor hurt far more. Maybe it was silly but she felt let down and it was worrying to know that she had made another mistake. From now on she must see Max for what he was: just another man who was out for all he could get.

‘Thanks for coming.’

Max shook Adam Sanders’s hand then went back into the side room. Helen Roberts had suffered a hypoglycaemic attack after her blood glucose levels had dropped too low. Although she was stable now, it was a blow after she had done so well. He could see the worry in her eyes when he went over to the bed.

‘It was just a blip, Helen. You heard what Dr Sanders said, that you’ve been doing too much and need to rest more. So long as you follow his advice, there’s no reason why it should happen again.’

‘I was only trying to get everything ready for when the baby arrives,’ Helen protested. ‘Martin broke his leg last week. One of the bullocks barged into him when he went to feed them, so he’s out of action at the moment. I thought I’d finish setting up the nursery—put up the cot and unpack all the baby clothes, things like that. I wasn’t doing anything more than any other mum would do.’

‘But you aren’t just any other mum,’ Max reminded her gently. ‘All that extra work knocked your glucose levels out of kilter. Add to that the growing demands of the baby, combined with the tendency for insulin resistance to increase during pregnancy and you have a recipe for disaster.’

‘I know you’re right, Dr Curtis, but it’s so hard. I want to do what other women do and get ready for when my baby arrives.’ Tears began to trickle down her cheeks and he patted her hand comfortingly.

‘I understand that, Helen. But you’ve got this far and it seems silly to take any risks. Why not let your husband do the unpacking? He’s probably sick of being laid up with nothing to do and will enjoy it.’

‘Heaven knows what state the place will be in after he’s finished!’ Helen declared. ‘Martin isn’t exactly the tidiest of men.’

‘I’m sure he’ll make a special effort if you ask him.’

‘You’re right. He will.’ Helen wiped her eyes and smiled. ‘He’s just so thrilled about this baby. We thought we might not be able to have a family because of my diabetes, you see, so it’s like a dream come true.’

‘It must be.’

Max dredged up a smile but the comment had struck a chord. He had always loved children and had assumed that he would have some of his own one day. Both his brothers had kids and he’d had no reason to think that he would be any different to them. Finding out that the chances of him ever fathering a child were virtually nil had rocked his whole world. Although he’d thought he had accepted it, he suddenly found himself thinking how marvellous it would be if a miracle happened…

He cut off that thought. He wasn’t going to put himself through all the heartache of wishing for the impossible to happen. ‘I’d like to keep you in overnight, Helen. Dr Sanders wants to monitor your blood glucose levels for the next twenty-four hours and I’d feel happier if you were here while it’s done.’

‘I understand, Dr Curtis.’ Helen sounded resigned. ‘Best to be safe rather than sorry.’

‘It’s just a precaution,’ he assured her. ‘I’ll pop back later to check on you. In the meantime, you’re to lie there and rest.’

Max made his way to the desk. Amanda was talking to Lucy when he arrived and he smiled when they both looked up. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted you to know that I’m keeping Helen Roberts in overnight. I know it means tying up the side room but I’d feel happier if she was here while everything settles down. One of the diabetes care team will be popping in at intervals to check her blood glucose levels.’

‘That’s fine,’ Amanda assured him. ‘In fact, it will be the perfect opportunity for Lucy to meet her. I know Helen was concerned when Maria left. She was worried in case her replacement didn’t have any experience of diabetic pregnancies. You can set her mind at rest, can’t you, Lucy?’

‘Of course.’

‘If there’s anything you aren’t sure about, I’d be happy to run through it with you,’ Max offered, but Lucy shook her head.

‘That won’t be necessary, thank you. I’ve worked with a number of women who had diabetes and I understand the problems they can face during the birth.’

Her tone was so cool that Max frowned. He had the distinct impression that he had upset her, although for the life of him he couldn’t think what he’d done. When she excused herself, he went to follow her then stopped when Amanda asked him about the patient they were inducing that afternoon. By the time they had sorted everything out, Lucy had disappeared.

Max was sorely tempted to track her down but in the end he decided not to bother. What could he say to her, anyway? That he was sorry for committing some unknown misdemeanour?

He sighed as he headed to the canteen for a late lunch. Lucy Harris might be a very attractive woman, but that was as far as it went. He had worked out a life-plan for himself and he had no intention of ditching it just because he suddenly found himself harbouring all these crazy ideas.

Maybe Lucy was the type of woman who’d been born to have kids, but that had nothing to do with him. The truth was that he was no use to Lucy or any other woman in that respect.

Lucy spent a productive half-hour with Helen Roberts. They discussed Helen’s birth plan and Lucy was pleased to see that although Helen hoped for a normal vaginal birth, she was realistic enough to know it might not be possible. By the time Helen’s husband, Martin, arrived, she felt they had established a genuine rapport.

‘You’ve been really great,’ Helen enthused as she gathered up her notes. ‘Maria was very nice but she could be a little intimidating at times, couldn’t she, Martin?’

‘She certainly put the wind up me,’ Martin replied drolly. ‘Put it this way, I wouldn’t have crossed her!’

‘So long as you’re happy, that’s the main thing,’ Lucy said, not wanting to be drawn into a discussion about her predecessor. It would be highly unprofessional for one thing and very unfair when she had never met the woman. ‘Now, don’t forget that if you’re at all worried then you can always phone me. If I’m tied up then leave a message and I’ll call you back.’

‘Thank you. I really appreciate that. You’ve been so kind, just like Dr Curtis has,’ Helen declared. ‘He’s really lovely, isn’t he? I can’t believe that nobody has snapped him up but one of the other mums told me that he isn’t married. Is he seeing anyone, do you know?’

‘I’ve no idea.’ Lucy summoned a smile, trying to ignore the hollow ache inside her. She wasn’t sure why she found the idea of Max’s playboy lifestyle so upsetting but she did. ‘I’ve only been here for a couple of days so I haven’t had time to get up to speed with the gossip.’

‘Well, make sure you do.’ Helen grinned at her. ‘I don’t know what your situation is, Lucy, but you and Dr Curtis would make a lovely couple, if you want my opinion.’

‘Which she doesn’t.’ Martin shook his head when Lucy blushed. ‘Now see what you’ve done, Helen. You’ve embarrassed her.’

‘Rubbish!’ Helen said stoutly. ‘It was only a bit of fun. You’re not embarrassed, are you, Lucy?’

‘Of course not,’ Lucy lied, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her. She said goodbye and left, but as she made her way to the office she couldn’t help thinking about what Helen had said. If the circumstances had been different, would she have seen Max as a potential partner?

Her heart sank because she knew it was true. On the surface, at least, Max was just the kind of man she’d always found attractive. It wasn’t just how he looked either. His relaxed and easygoing manner didn’t detract from the fact that he was deeply committed to the welfare of his patients, and that was a definite turn-on. That he didn’t pull rank and treated the nursing staff as equals was another point in his favour. It was his private life she had an issue with, and that really and truly wasn’t any of her business.

Lucy took a deep breath. What Max did in his free time was up to him.

Chapter Four

THE week rolled to an end and Max had the weekend off for once. He spent it at his brother Simon’s house in Leeds. With three boisterous children under the age of ten, it was non-stop chaos from morning till night, but he enjoyed every minute. Being part of a family was a joy, even though it did leave him feeling secretly downhearted about his own life. Although he had a great job and some wonderful friends, it wasn’t the same. He couldn’t help envying his brother his good fortune.

He drove back to Dalverston early on the Monday morning and went straight to work. When he arrived, everyone was gathered in the staffroom for the monthly team meeting so he poured himself a cup of coffee and went to join them. The meetings had been his idea. Although they were informal affairs, they gave the staff an opportunity to raise any concerns they had. He found it invaluable to be able to discuss any issues before they turned into major problems.

‘Morning, everyone.’ He took his seat and glanced around the room. Diane was back from sick leave, looking a little peaky, but obviously feeling better. ‘Good to have you back,’ he said before his gaze moved on. His heart squeezed in an extra beat when he spotted Lucy sitting in the corner. Although he had seen her only briefly in passing since she had refused his offer of help, he had found himself thinking about her frequently, especially over the weekend. As he’d played with his nieces and nephew, he had kept imagining how well she would have fitted in and it was worrying to know that he was thinking along those lines.

Since his divorce, he had kept his personal life in strictly defined compartments: one for his parents and brothers, and another for the women who made brief appearances on the scene. He had never, ever, mixed the two, yet for some reason he had found himself wishing that he could introduce Lucy to his family.

‘Good morning,’ he said with a smile that would hopefully disguise how alarmed he felt. What was it about her that made him want to break all his rules? He wished he knew because maybe then he would be able to do something about it.

‘Good morning,’ she replied politely.

Max frowned when he heard the cool note in her voice. Once again he was left with the impression that he was persona non grata and it was very strange. What had he done to offend her, he wondered, and how could he make amends? And why in heaven’s name did it matter so much?

There was no time to dwell on it right then, however. By necessity the meetings needed to be brief and there was a lot to cover. They discussed various matters but the issue that concerned everyone most of all was the difficulty they were having obtaining supplies. Recent budget cuts meant that they no longer held as large a stock of basic items in the unit and several times they had run out.

Max promised to look into it and the meeting broke up. Although the delivery rooms were empty, a couple of mums were due to be discharged that day so there was a lot to do. He tagged on the end as everyone filed out of the room. Lucy was in front of him and it struck him that it would be the ideal opportunity to have a word with her. If he had upset her, it would be better to get the problem out into the open rather than have it niggling away in the background all the time.

He caught up with her outside the office. ‘Can I have a word with you, Lucy?’

‘Of course.’

She turned to face him and Max was aware of a definite coolness about the look she gave him. Bearing in mind how well they had got on in the clinic, it seemed very strange, and he didn’t waste time beating about the bush.

‘Have I done something to upset you?’

‘Of course not,’ she replied quickly, but he saw the colour that touched her cheeks and knew that she was fibbing.

‘Are you sure?’ He smiled, hoping she would confide in him if he kept things low key. ‘Because I get the distinct impression that I’m in your bad books for some reason.’

‘You’re imagining it. Now, if that’s all, I really do need to get on.’

‘Of course. But if I have upset you, Lucy, I apologise. The last thing I want is for us to be falling out.’

‘There’s nothing to apologise for,’ she said tersely, turning away.

Max sighed as he watched her hurry along the corridor. Despite her protestations, he knew there was something wrong and it was frustrating not to be able to do anything about it. Exasperated with himself for letting it bother him, he went into the office and phoned the purchasing manager, not pulling his punches as he told him what he thought about the new system. It was rare he ever spoke so sharply but it paid dividends that day. The man immediately agreed to increase their stock limits and even promised to have extra supplies delivered by lunchtime.

Max hung up, knowing that he should be pleased that the matter had been resolved so speedily. However, it was hard to feel any pleasure when there seemed to be a cloud hanging over him. Maybe it was silly, but he hated to think that Lucy was annoyed with him. For some reason her opinion mattered to him more than anyone else’s had done in a very long time.

Lucy went straight to the ward after she left Max. Sophie and baby Alfie were being discharged that morning and she wanted to say goodbye to them. Alfie had developed a mild case of jaundice after his birth and that was why he had been kept in. Extra fluids and phototherapy had soon cleared it up and he was now well enough to go home.

She pushed open the door, doing her best to calm herself down, but she could feel her nerves humming with tension. She hadn’t known what to say when Max had asked if he’d upset her. She had never considered herself to be an overly demonstrative sort of person, so the fact that he had picked up on her mood had stunned her. Richard certainly hadn’t noticed if she’d been upset. He’d been oblivious to anything that hadn’t directly affected him, in fact. She definitely couldn’t imagine Richard worrying in case he’d offended her, let alone apologising for it!

Lucy frowned. It wasn’t the first time she had found Richard lacking, yet in the beginning he had appeared so perfect. He’d been handsome, charming, witty, attentive—everything she could have wished for. It was only after they had started living together that she’d discovered he could be incredibly selfish at times too, but she’d been so sure that he was the man she’d wanted to spend her life with that she had made excuses for him.

Was she doing the same thing again? she wondered suddenly. All week long she had struggled to reconcile the impression she had formed of Max as a caring, dedicated doctor with the playboy bachelor Joanna had described. The only explanation she had come up with was that something must have happened in his past to make him behave so differently in his private life. It would be even easier to see that as the explanation after what had happened just now, too. Max had sounded genuinely concerned in case he had upset her, but Lucy realised it would be foolish to take it at face value. It was probably all part of his act, a way to project the right image!

Pain lanced her heart as she made her way to Sophie’s bed. Even though she knew how silly it was, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed. It was an effort to smile at the girl but the last thing Lucy wanted was anyone guessing how she felt. ‘I’ve just popped in to say goodbye. I bet you’re looking forward to going home, aren’t you?’

‘I suppose so,’ Sophie muttered.

Lucy frowned when she heard the despondent note in Sophie’s voice. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘I’m just worried in case I can’t cope,’ Sophie admitted. ‘I don’t know anything about babies and there’s so much to learn.’

‘You’ll be fine,’ Lucy said encouragingly. ‘All the staff have said how brilliant you are with Alfie. And they don’t say that about all our mums, believe me!’

‘I hope they’re right,’ Sophie said miserably, lifting her son out of the crib.

‘They are,’ Lucy said firmly, hating to hear the girl sounding so downhearted. ‘I’m sure you’ll be absolutely fine, but if you do have any concerns then ask your health visitor. She’ll be visiting you every day for the next two weeks so you can discuss any problems with her. She’ll also be able to tell you when the baby clinic is open. Don’t forget that there are people there who can give you advice if you need it.’

‘I suppose so.’ Sophie still sounded very unsure. She cuddled Alfie for a moment and Lucy could see real fear in her eyes when she looked up. ‘It’s just a bit…well, scary knowing that I’m responsible for looking after him. I’m worried in case I do something wrong.’

‘Most new mums feel like that,’ Lucy assured her. ‘Is there anyone at home who can help you?’

‘No, there’s nobody.’

‘What about your family?’ she persisted gently.

‘My mum left home when I was a child and I haven’t seen her since. My dad brought me up but he died last year.’ Sophie’s eyes filled with tears. ‘I named Alfie after him.’

‘I’m sure he would have been thrilled,’ Lucy said kindly, passing her a tissue. ‘What about Alfie’s father? Will he help out?’

‘I doubt it. He’s left Dalverston and I’ve no idea where he’s living now.’ Sophie blew her nose. ‘He never wanted me to have Alfie in the first place. He was furious when I refused to have a termination. I’m glad he’s gone because I don’t want him anywhere near Alfie.’

‘I understand,’ Lucy said, feeling very sorry for the girl. She only wished there was something she could do to help her, but once Sophie left the maternity unit she was no longer their concern.

It wasn’t an ideal situation by any means and Lucy couldn’t help feeling concerned. ‘I’ll have to get back to work but don’t forget that there’s help available if you need it, Sophie. You only have to ask.’

‘Thank you.’

Sophie dredged up a smile but Lucy could tell that she was still worried. She sighed as she made her way to the desk to see what Amanda wanted her to do. Even with daily visits from the health visitor, Sophie was going to find it hard work looking after Alfie by herself. New babies needed an awful lot of attention and with no family to call on, the girl would be very much on her own.

‘Problems?’

She glanced up, feeling a wash of colour run up her cheeks when she realised that she had walked straight past Max without seeing him. Bearing in mind their earlier conversation, she felt obliged to stop. She didn’t want him apologising again, not when it might start off all that soul-searching once more. Max might project the image of a caring, committed professional but she had to remember that it was all part of his act.

‘I’m worried about Sophie Jones,’ she said quickly, not wanting to dwell on that thought.

‘Come into the office and tell me about it,’ he said immediately. He opened the office door, his brows rising when she hesitated. ‘If you’re worried about a patient, Lucy, we need to do something about it.’

‘Of course.’ She followed him into the room, pausing by the door as he walked over to the desk because it seemed wiser to maintain a little distance between them. When she was close to Max, it seemed to confuse things even more.

‘OK, shoot.’

‘It’s nothing major,’ she said quickly, refusing to allow the idea to take root. Max didn’t present any danger to her when she knew exactly what he was like. ‘I’m just a bit concerned because Sophie doesn’t have anyone to help her when she gets home. I know there are lots of young mums living on their own who do a great job of bringing up their children, but most of them have someone they can call on for back-up. Sophie hasn’t got anyone and she’s admitted that she’s worried in case she can’t cope.’

‘Hmm. It’s a difficult situation and I understand why you’re concerned,’ Max said, frowning. He went over to the filing cabinet and pulled out Sophie’s notes, shaking his head as he read through them. ‘I wish I’d noticed this before. Look.’

Lucy went to join him, bending down so she could see what he was pointing to. ‘There’s no contact details, not even a name in the space for next of kin!’

‘I know. Worrying, isn’t it?’

He straightened up at the same moment as she did and she felt heat flash along her veins when their arms brushed. He’d rolled up his shirtsleeves and the feel of his skin against hers sent a surge of electricity shooting through her. Her eyes rose to his and her breath caught when she saw the awareness they held. Max had felt it too, felt that flash of heat, the tingling jolt of electricity that had sparked between them, and it was hard to hide her dismay as she hurriedly moved away.

What had happened with Richard had hit her hard. Her confidence in herself as an attractive, desirable woman had been rocked and it would be only too easy to use this as a much-needed boost, but at what cost? From what she had heard, Max cut a swathe through women, discarding them once they had outlived their usefulness. Could she accept that, or would she end up wanting more than he was prepared to offer?

Lucy bit her lip. She couldn’t answer that question. It all depended on what she wanted from Max and she hadn’t worked that out yet.

Max could feel his whole body throbbing. It wasn’t a painful feeling but it was definitely worrying. He couldn’t remember the last time he had reacted this strongly when he had touched a woman or if, indeed, it had ever happened. Surely it couldn’t be a first?

He racked his brain but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t come up with another occasion when the feel of a woman’s skin had instantly set him on fire. It hadn’t even happened when he’d met his ex-wife, and the thought made him groan under his breath. What was it about Lucy that made him react this way?

Max had no idea what the answer was but he knew that he needed to put a rein on his feelings if he wasn’t to make a fool of himself. He glanced at the file, hoping it would help if he focused on the current problem. There was no point torturing himself by recalling how Lucy had looked at him…

‘I see that Sophie is registered with Dalverston Surgery,’ he said briskly, cutting off that thought. ‘Rachel Thompson’s her GP. That’s good news.’

‘You think it would be an idea to have a word with Dr Thompson about her?’ Lucy said quietly.

Max felt a wave of tenderness wash over him when he heard the tremor in her voice. Although she was making a valiant effort, he could tell that she was as shocked by what had happened as he was. His own voice softened because he wanted her to know that there was nothing to worry about. Even if they were attracted to one another they would take things slowly; he definitely wouldn’t rush her into his bed.

That was another thought that needed to bite the dust, fast. Max mentally ground it beneath his heel, praying that would be the last he heard of it. Getting hung up on the idea that Lucy would sleep with him was the last thing he needed!

‘Yes, I do. Rachel set up an advisory service for teenage mums in Sophie’s position a couple of years ago. Rachel was a teenage mum herself so she understands the problems better than most people do. I’ve heard a lot of good reports about the work they do.’

‘What a brilliant idea!’ Lucy exclaimed. ‘I know we hold classes for all the new mums but it’s impossible to cover everything in the time we can spend with them. The younger mums in particular could do with a lot more help.’

‘That’s why Rachel decided to set up this advisory service,’ Max told her. ‘I sat in on a session last year and it was excellent—good, sound advice presented in a way that the girls could understand but not feel as though they were being talked down to.’

‘It’s exactly what Sophie needs. She’s very capable; all the staff have said how good she is with Alfie. She just needs to gain a bit more confidence in herself.’

‘Then the classes would be ideal for her. Another plus is that she’ll meet other girls in her situation and hopefully make some friends. She won’t feel quite so alone if she has someone her own age to talk to.’

‘It’s the perfect solution. Thanks, Max. I’ll give Dr Thompson a call and see what she has to say.’

Lucy smiled at him, her whole face lighting up with delight, and Max felt another surge of heat flow through him and wash away every sensible thought he’d had. Maybe he didn’t want to rush her, but he had to start somewhere.

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