Redeeming
Dr Riccardi
Leah Martyn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Recent titles by Leah Martyn:

DAREDEVIL AND DR KATE

WEDDING IN DARLING DOWNS

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These books are also available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk

For Zach, Hannah, Ava and Raphael.

‘You are so beautiful.’

CHAPTER ONE

VALENTINE’S DAY had fallen on a Monday. And who on earth felt like partying on a Monday?

All the off-duty staff at the hospital apparently.

Nurse Manager Toni Morell’s mouth lifted in a wry little twist, as she swung into the car park at the district hospital. For years now, Valentine’s had been the day set aside for the annual fundraiser organised by the social committee and excuses for non-attendance were not allowed.

Toni just hoped she’d have enough energy at the end of her shift to get herself into party mode. It was her first day back from leave, and while her time in Sydney had been fun, it was nice to be back in the less hectic pace of the rural town of Forrestdale, where she’d now chosen to make her life.

As she gathered her bag from the passenger seat, her thoughts flew to the day ahead. Accident and Emergency had a new relieving senior registrar, Rafe Riccardi. Toni had spoken with him only briefly at the end of her shift before she’d taken off on holidays.

When they’d met, he’d been surrounded by board members and there had been no opportunity for a longer chat. But she recalled his handshake had been firm and he’d looked her in the eye. And she’d thought later that he could be described as tall, dark and … not handsome exactly but there’d been something about him, a presence that would be hard to ignore. Toni just hoped he was proving a good fit for their team. Her tummy swooped slightly. Staff changes at senior level always came with a niggle of uncertainty. But it wasn’t as though Dr Riccardi was here for ever. He had a three-month contract while he covered long-service leave for their usual reg, Joe Lyons.

Toni’s mind clicked into work mode as she made her way along to the staffroom. She’d left home in plenty of time, determined to get a jump start and catch up on things generally.

But it seemed as though the entire shift had arrived early as well and the place was buzzing. A love song was pumping out from the local radio station, helium-filled red hearts were floating against the ceiling and by the look of it, gifts of flowers had already begun arriving for some lucky recipients.

Toni wasn’t expecting any flowers or chocolates. Not even a card. She didn’t have a special man in her life. Hadn’t for ages. But she could still dream. Dream that someday she’d meet the one.

‘Hi, stranger!’ Liz Carey, Toni’s senior counterpart and close friend greeted her.

Toni’s soft laughter rippled. ‘It’s only been a week.’

‘Nice break, though?’ Liz’s hands spanned her coffee mug.

‘Sydney’s always fabulous. Spent lots of time on the beach.’

‘Mmm, I can see that,’ Liz deadpanned. ‘Love the tan.’

‘Oh, ha.’ Toni took the comment as lightly as it was meant. With her auburn hair and fair skin she had about as much chance of acquiring a tan as representing Australia at the Nationals. ‘How have things been here?’

‘Fairly OK.’

‘New reg?’

Liz shrugged. ‘Earning his keep.’

‘And?’ Toni’s voice rose a notch.

‘And nothing,’ Liz shook her head. ‘He seems professional. Made it his business to do the rounds of the shifts early on. Had a coffee with us—well, he had a green tea. Said he wanted to get to know us all asap. Amy Chan’s back, by the way.’

‘Oh …’ Toni’s eyes softened. ‘How is she?’

‘Ask her yourself,’ Liz said. ‘Here she is.’

‘Ames!’ Toni dropped her bag on to a nearby table and swooped the younger woman into a hug. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m good, Toni.’ Amy shook back her bob of shiny black hair and smiled.

‘Really?’

‘Really,’ Amy affirmed softly.

‘And Leo?’

‘He’s fine. And thanks from both of us for—well, everything.’

‘Hey, no problem.’ Toni waved the other’s thanks away. As nurse manager, she regarded her team almost as family. ‘And anything you need, little break here and there, just ask, all right?’

The young nurse nodded and then turned as Justin Lawrence, one of their junior resident doctors, stuck his head in and called, ‘Amy, these just came for you.’ He held up a ceramic pot of bright red gerberas swathed in scarlet ribbons.

‘For me …?’ Amy put a hand to her heart and blushed prettily. ‘They’ll be from Leo.’ She took off to collect her flowers as though her feet had wings.

‘Leo’s such a nice husband,’ Liz said.

‘Mmm.’ Toni’s gaze was faintly wistful. ‘Red in the Chinese culture is the symbol for good luck, isn’t it?’

‘Something like that. Heaven knows, they could do with a bit.’

‘Now, about the reg,’ Toni persisted, tugging Liz aside. ‘What are you not telling me?’

Liz rolled her eyes. ‘You’re like a dog with a damn great bone. It was a rotten week, stretched all of us. Riccardi was … tetchy.’

Toni frowned. ‘With the staff?’ She considered her team extremely well trained.

‘With life in general, I think. There was an accident at that demolition job on Linton Road. A beam fell on a young apprentice. He … died.’

‘Oh, lord.’ Toni squeezed her eyes shut for a second.

‘Was Riccardi called to the scene?’

Liz nodded. ‘And that happened on Monday so it rather set the tone for the rest of the week.’

Toni looked thoughtful. Rotten days happened in A and E. That was the nature of the department. As a senior doctor, Riccardi should know how to hack it. And if he couldn’t, why on earth had he taken the job? She was still holding the puzzling thought when the man himself strode in. Oh, wow … Toni’s breath lodged and then came out slowly. He was as tall as she remembered. Taller, tougher, masculine to his fingertips. And his eyes, the shade of an early morning ocean, a kind of wintergreen, were tracking over her.

‘Antonia.’ He gave a formal little nod. ‘Nice to see you back.’

And that, decided Toni, was where his effort to be polite stopped.

‘Could someone turn that racket off?’ he growled, making his way to the electric urn. He selected a tea bag from a canister and slammed it into a mug. ‘Now,’ he said levelly as he waited for his mug to fill with boiling water.

Ed, one of the junior nurses, obliged and the Beatles’ version of All you need is love was strangled. ‘It’s Valentine’s Day, Doc,’ he protested with a laugh. ‘You need to get in the zone.’

Riccardi’s underbrowed look said, Are you for real?

‘We’ll all be going to the dance at the workers’ club tonight.’ Amy smiled, holding onto her little pot of flowers tightly. ‘You must come, Dr Riccardi.’

The registrar snorted. ‘I’d rather cut off my own feet.’ He dangled his tea bag briefly and then discarded it in the bin. ‘Without anaesthetic,’ he added for good measure, before he strode out.

Liz sighed. ‘Well, that went down well. Poor Amy. That was a bit unnecessary, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ Toni felt her temper fray. She’d seen Amy’s expression falter; she’d bitten her lip and looked as though she hadn’t known whether to laugh or cry. For heaven’s sake, she was only trying to be friendly. She certainly hadn’t deserved to cop the brunt of Riccardi’s foul mood. Well, she wasn’t having it! ‘Lizzie, take handover, please? I need to sort this.’

Watching her friend take off out of the room, Liz muttered, ‘Oh, you’re for it, Riccardi.’ When it came to standing up for her team, Toni was like a lioness defending her cubs.

‘Dr Riccardi?’ Toni raised her voice, moving along the corridor with the speed of light. She caught up with the registrar outside his office. ‘I’d like a word, please?’

‘It’s Rafe,’ he said shortly. ‘Is there a problem?’

‘Yes.’ Toni sucked in her breath. ‘Your attitude.’

One dark eyebrow arched and her less than diplomatic statement hung in the air between them. ‘You’d better come in, then.’

‘No, thanks.’ Toni shook her head. She didn’t want to go into his office. She just wanted to state her case and get on with her day. ‘I need time for a coffee before I start my shift.’

‘I have coffee.’ He flicked a hand towards his open office door.

Toni floundered for a second and then thought, Oh, what the heck. And followed him in.

He indicated the cafetière on the bench table near the window. ‘Maureen still insists on providing fresh coffee every morning as she did for Joe, even though I’ve told her it’s not necessary.’

Toni bit the edge of her lip through a reluctant smile. Maureen O’Dea had been Joe Lyons’s secretary for ever and definitely wasn’t about to be told to change her longstanding protocol. ‘You don’t drink coffee at all, then?’

‘Not much. Help yourself,’ he invited.

Toni did, drawing in the aroma of freshly brewed coffee as she poured. It was much nicer than the instant in the staffroom and she guessed she should be grateful for what was supposedly a small peace offering from Rafe Riccardi. But she wasn’t about to be sidetracked from her mission.

‘Have a seat,’ he offered.

Nursing her mug of coffee, Toni slipped into the chair, facing him across his desk. ‘I don’t want this to be confrontational.’

‘OK.’ He raised his mug and took a mouthful of his tea and studied her in silence for a second, then his mouth quirked. ‘I won’t bite. So, speak to me, Antonia.’

Toni took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. ‘I’m usually called Toni.’

‘Pity.’ His stormy green gaze tangled with hers. ‘Antonia is a beautiful name.’

Well, it was the way he said it, low and expressive and newly awake, early-morning sexy. And it completely trashed her defences. She regrouped jerkily. She had to say what she’d come to say. ‘Amy Chan is just getting over losing a baby at twenty weeks.’

A beat of silence.

‘And I need to know this because …?’ Riccardi leaned back in his chair and waited.

‘Because your response when she invited you to the Valentine’s party was offhand. In fact, it was bordering on rude. You embarrassed her and she’s only just returned to work—she’s still fragile. If we’re to work successfully as a team, we need mutual respect and at least a show of good manners.’

Suddenly the silence was as thick as custard. Toni tightened her fingers around her coffee mug. Had she gone too far? As the senior medical officer for the department, Rafe Riccardi’s toes were definitely not for treading on. ‘I realise you’re new to the place and getting to know everyone takes time …’ She stopped and wished she could dive under the desk and hide from his penetrating green gaze. But there was no chance of that.

‘Fine, then.’ A contained little smile played around his mouth. ‘You’ve made your point. I’ll straighten things out with Amy and with the department in general.’

‘And show your face at the Valentine dance?’ Toni jumped in where a lesser person would have feared to tread.

His jaw tensed. ‘You don’t give up, do you? What’s all the hype about St Valentine’s Day anyway? It’s for lovers, isn’t it? Then let the lovers of the world get on with it.’

Toni dropped her gaze. This was the oddest kind of conversation to be having with a man she’d only known for five minutes. She took a mouthful of her coffee and tried to marshal her thoughts. ‘I realise for some people Valentine’s Day is a pain but for the others it’s loaded with romance.’

He snorted.

‘Well, it is!’ Toni emphasised.

‘It’s commercialism at its worst.’

‘OK.’ Toni batted a hand in a kind of aggrieved acceptance. ‘We’ve established you’re not into it. But here at Forrestdale St Valentine’s Day is always set aside for the big fundraiser of the year. This year’s project is a state-of-the-art ultrasound. It will be mainly in use in Midwifery.’ Toni paused. If they’d had better scanning equipment for Amy … But that wasn’t the problem. As Amy’s Ob, Hannah Gordon, had assured the couple, the baby had just been too early, not viable. Toni blinked a bit. ‘Anyway, that’s about it. Tonight’s dinner-dance is about raising funds.’

‘I’ll give a donation,’ Rafe said flatly. And he’d make it a hefty one. Anonymously, of course.

‘Up to you.’ Toni got to her feet. There’d been a glimmer of hope she could have talked him round. She may as well have saved her breath. She placed her mug back on the side table. ‘I guess we’ll catch up sooner rather than later, then. Mondays are usually a bit full on.’

And then she turned and he caught the full force of her smile. It was so warm, so natural, as if she did it a lot. Smiled, that was. He stood courteously as she left, his breath jamming in his throat.

Antonia Morell was one sassy lady. He sank back into his chair feeling a bit dazed. He’d actually enjoyed sparring with her. And that incredible auburn hair … The way she wore it, wild and untamed, had to say so much about her personality. Out of nowhere, he imagined her on a speedboat on Sydney Harbour, cutting through the spray, her hair windblown, crazy curls all over the place streaming out behind her. Or snugly tamed inside a snow beanie with just some bright tendrils poking out. Or softly shiny spread on a pillow …

Hell. He yanked his X-rated thoughts to a halt. Get a grip Riccardi. You’re not on the prowl here, no matter how tempting the prize. You’re on a timeline. Three months to be exact. So, just keep your head down and do your job and at the end of your contract you can show those boffins on the medical board you’re fit and able to get back in the field.

Toni’s thoughts were mixed as she made her way back to the nurses’ station. Rafe Riccardi baffled her. Intrigued her. Self-contained. A bit of a loner. Could be nicer if he tried a bit harder. Oh, for heaven’s sake. She made a little sound of dismissal. She wasn’t giving him a school report.

One glance told her the department was already busy. Liz put down the phone and looked up, her well-shaped brows raised in query. ‘Is he still in one piece?’

‘Of course.’ Toni began slotting pens into her top pocket. ‘We got engaged.’

Liz smothered a squawk and then chuckled. ‘We’ve missed you.’

‘Yeah.’ Toni shook back her halo of auburn curls. ‘Now, who’s doing what?’

‘Justin’s suturing in the small treatment room. Beryl Reilly took a dive down the post-office steps this morning. Kneecap nearly split in two.’

Toni grimaced. ‘Poor old love.’ Beryl, in her seventies, was one of their regulars at A and E. ‘Why on earth was she out and about so early?’

‘Posting coupons for some cruise or other. Today was the last day to enter apparently.’

‘Oh, my lord,’ Toni sighed. ‘What would she do if she won? She’d never go on her own.’

Liz snickered. ‘She’d probably hook up with one of the old guys from their indoor bowls team and take him along.’

‘We shouldn’t laugh.’ Toni pressed a finger to her smiling lips. ‘It’s very sweet, really, the way they all look out for each other.’

‘And Beryl probably has about as much chance of winning as we do of getting a raise.’

‘OK, back to business,’ Toni said firmly. ‘Who’s assisting Justin?’

‘Harmony. Not that she wanted to,’ Liz added caustically. ‘She hates anything to do with blood.’

‘Well, she’s only newly graduated,’ Toni reasoned. ‘These days they’re not exposed to much on the wards in their training. It’s always a bit of shock when they strike the real thing. Where’s Ed?’

‘Doing an eye-wash. One of the council workers copped a load of sand and grit when they were unloading turf for the new sports oval.’

Toni nodded. ‘Amy OK?’

‘I’ve assigned her to tidy the drugs cabinet with Mel. The night shift left a tip.’

‘Well, they had two RTAs in quick succession, by the look of it.’ Toni scanned the report. ‘This one says Riccardi was the admitting MO.’

‘So?’

‘So that means he’s been here since four o’clock this morning.’ Toni made a small face. ‘No wonder he was grouchy. The man’s missing sleep.’

‘It’s his job.’ Liz was not so forgiving. ‘It’s what he signed on for.’

‘I wonder what he was doing before coming here?’ Toni mused.

‘Dunno. Don’t tell me you’re falling for him?’

‘As if,’ Toni responded with a little tsk. ‘Perhaps we should cut him a bit of slack, though. Forrestdale might be a huge lifestyle change for him.’

‘Well, there’s usually a trigger for those kinds of decisions,’ Liz pointed out pragmatically. ‘But I’m for making love, not war, so we’ll be nice to your reg.’

‘He’s not my reg,’ Toni said in exasperation. ‘Now, both Natalie and Samantha in?’ she asked, referring to the department’s assistants in nursing.

‘By the grace of God. And Dr Tennant is circulating if we need her.’

‘Excellent.’ Toni clipped on her badge and checked it was straight. ‘I’ll ask her to pop in on our eye patient. He may need an antibiotic and a medical certificate for work.’

‘Uh-oh,’ Liz sighed as their phone lit up. ‘Call from the ambulance base. Welcome to Monday!’

Toni took the details from Liz. ‘Mine, I think, and I’ll bleep the reg.’

They met at the ambulance bay and Toni relayed what details they had. ‘Unrestrained two-year-old thrown against the dashboard when his mum had to brake suddenly. He appears to have been knocked out for a second but conscious now.’

‘The child was in the front seat of the car?’ Rafe asked in disbelief.

‘Apparently.’ Toni twitched a shoulder. ‘We don’t know the circumstances. It may not be the mother’s fault.’

‘Well, we certainly can’t blame the child,’ Rafe said grimly. ‘Do we have names?’

‘Child is Michael. Mum is Lisa.’

He received the information with a curt nod. He’d have a few words to say to Lisa. Having a child unrestrained in a moving vehicle was totally irresponsible.

The ambulance arrived and reversed into the receiving bay. One glance told Toni the mother was distraught. ‘It’s all my fault!’ Lisa was all but wringing her hands. ‘The childminder is only two streets away and I was running late so I just popped him in the front seat beside me—but he’s learned how to undo the seat belt—’ She broke off, rubbing tears away with the backs of her hands. She sent a frantic look at Rafe. ‘Will I be in trouble? What will happen now?’

Despite his earlier silent disapproval at the mother’s negligence, Rafe’s heart melted at the sight of the little lad lying quietly under the blue blanket, his eyes wide and questioning.

His mouth tightened. There were extenuating circumstances and he didn’t have the stomach for a confrontation anyway. Not today. And especially not with Antonia watching his every reaction with those soulful brown eyes. He regrouped his thoughts.

‘We’ll take a look at Michael,’ he said gruffly. ‘Try not to worry. Children are remarkably resilient.’

‘Can I stay with him?’

Toni jumped in, ‘Of course you can.’

‘Oh—thank you.’ Lisa held tightly to her child’s hand as he was whisked through into a cubicle.

‘Lisa, if you could just stand back, please?’ Toni eased the mother away from the side of the bed. ‘Dr Riccardi will need room to examine Michael.’

Still visibly shaken, Lisa complied, wrapping her arms around her body almost as if she could hold herself together in some way. ‘I’m here, baby,’ she said brokenly. ‘Mummy’s just here …’

The child looked clean and well cared for, Toni noted, peeling the blanket back gently. ‘Doctor?’ She looked pointedly at Rafe.

‘Thanks.’ Rafe began his examination. ‘Let’s see how you’re doing, little mate,’ he said, his hands gentle, swift and sure as he tested the child’s neurological responses. ‘Looking good,’ he murmured, as Michael’s pupils appeared equal and responsive. Placing his pencil torch aside, he checked the little boy’s limbs for any obvious deficits and then began a careful palpation of the child’s tummy. Any hardening would indicate internal bleeding. But all seemed well. He replaced the blanket and turned to the mother.

‘Was he sick at all, Lisa?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘He just seemed out of it for a second or two and then cried a bit …’

Rafe nodded. ‘I’d like to run a scan to be on the safe side. And we’ll need to keep your son for several hours, just to make sure there are no residual effects from the accident.’

‘It really was an accident.’ Lisa stood her ground bravely. ‘This guy just shot out of his driveway without warning and I had to slam on my brakes. I realise I should have had Michael in the back in his safety seat.’

‘But you didn’t.’ Rafe continued writing on the child’s chart.

‘I was going after a new job,’ Lisa explained dispiritedly. ‘But I’ve lost my interview time now.’

‘There’ll be other jobs.’ Absorbed in Michael’s chart, Rafe curled his lips into a silent no-further-comment moue. He handed the request form for the X-ray department to Toni. ‘After Michael’s scan could you see whether Kids could take him, please? He’ll be more comfortable there. And ask Justin to check Lisa over and perhaps we could run to a coffee for her?’

Toni gave him a taut little smile. ‘I’m sure we could.’

Rafe pulled back the curtain to make his exit and then wheeled back, the light from the window illuminating the hard line of his jaw with its rapidly darkening growth. ‘I’d like to see the X-rays when they’re back, please, Antonia?’

‘Certainly, Doctor.’ Toni’s response was crisply calm but a niggle of uncertainty caught her unawares. She’d told Riccardi she was usually called Toni. Why couldn’t he just do it? Perhaps it was as simple as his not liking shortened names. She frowned a bit. Whatever his reasons, it was already setting her apart and causing the oddest trickle of awareness along her spine.

CHAPTER TWO

BACK in his office, Rafe threw aside the medical journal he’d been reading.

It may as well have been written in a foreign language for all he’d taken in.

Antonia Morell. The cameo-like picture was still there in his head. Her complexion magnolia fair against the dazzling auburn hair; the quick, intelligent air about her. And the amazing smile that outlined the sweet curve of her mouth. Her mouth …

Disconcerted, he rubbed a hand across his cheekbones. The wild feelings of want were annoying him, disturbing him. He didn’t need them. He just needed to get through the next few months, recoup his energy, regain his enthusiasm …

‘Rafe …?’ Toni popped her head around the door. He looked up and she saw at once she’d interrupted a very focused train of thought. ‘Sorry … the door was open …’

‘Come in, Antonia.’ He voice was slightly rough. ‘What’s up?’

‘You said you wanted to see Michael’s CT scan …’Toni moved towards his desk, feeling as though she was walking in sand, ankle deep. ‘He’s up in Kids now. Amy asked to special him.’

Rafe’s dark brows rose interrogatively. ‘Is that wise?’

Toni bristled at his implied criticism. ‘Are you saying I should be keeping her away from babies and toddlers?’

‘No.’ He glinted an impatient green glance at her. ‘You mentioned she’s a bit fragile at the moment, that’s all.’

‘It was her decision.’ Toni placed the large envelope on the desk in front of him. ‘In fact, she said she hoped we wouldn’t think we had to keep walking on eggshells around her.’

‘Well, that sounds positive.’ Spinning off his chair, Rafe selected the first plate and slapped it on to the viewing screen. ‘I’ll need a word with Lisa,’ he murmured almost absently. ‘Ask her to pop in and see me when you have a minute.’

‘Uh …’ Toni hesitated. ‘She’s actually not in the hospital just now.’

‘She’s gone?’ Rafe’s dark head swooped back in question. ‘She’s left her boy here and just gone off somewhere? Where are the woman’s priorities?’ He put the next plate up and studied it. ‘The whole trauma for this child is down to his mother’s failure to carry out the basic safety rules for young children in cars.’

‘You’re putting the wrong spin on it,’ Toni said heatedly and went on to explain, ‘Lisa had a phone call. Apparently, she managed to reschedule her job interview. She’s a sole parent, Rafe. She needs a full-time job not just the bits and pieces she presently has. You saw how upset she was about Michael’s accident. She doesn’t need you jumping all over her as well.’

‘You’re breaking my heart, Antonia,’ he growled, clearly unimpressed with Toni’s defence of the young mother.

‘And which heart would that be, exactly?’ she inquired tartly.

The corners of his mouth pulled down almost comically. ‘I’ve really rained on your parade today, haven’t I?’

Toni rolled her eyes heavenwards. Really, the man was impossible.

‘This all looks good.’ He drew her attention to the last of the X-rays. ‘Michael has been fortunate.’

‘He’s sporting quite a lump on his forehead, though.’ Toni positioned herself beside Rafe and looked at the screen.

‘I’ll write up some pain relief for him. That whack has possibly left the little guy with a headache. And let’s keep the neuro obs going, please? I’m not letting him go until I’m quite sure he’s stable.’

‘All noted.’ Toni swept out.

She made her way back to the nurses’ station, the busyness of the morning enveloping her. But an hour later, she was on her way upstairs to the children’s ward. Amy needed a break.

She popped her head in, turning to speak to Jennifer on the desk. ‘Michael Yates, Jen?’

The senior nurse flapped a hand. ‘Right down the end in the cot. The reg arrived a while ago to check him over. He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?’

‘Michael?’

Jennifer rolled her eyes. ‘Riccardi.’

Toni wasn’t about to go there. She still hadn’t made up her mind about anything to do with Rafe Riccardi. ‘He probably is,’ she flannelled instead. ‘If you go for tall, dark, bloody-minded men.’

‘Oh, my stars, Toni Morell!’ A teasing smile curved Jen’s mouth. ‘You fancy him!’

Toni clicked her tongue exasperatedly and skipped away, drawing to an abrupt stop when she saw Rafe and Amy, their heads together in obvious earnest conversation. She watched as Amy’s dark little head came back and she laughed at something Rafe said. And then he touched the nurse briefly on the shoulder before exiting from the door at the far end of the ward.

‘Well, ten out of ten,’ Toni murmured, feeling a tiny flicker of satisfaction. Rafe had obviously taken their talk to heart and made the effort to smooth things over with Amy. He’d kept his word. And that, as far as Toni was concerned, had earned him a large tick of approval.

Oh, heck! Impatiently, she swept her hair up from the nape of her neck and let it fall back. Surely she wasn’t actually beginning to like the man?

She walked briskly along the ward to Michael’s cot. ‘Everything OK?’ she asked softly.

‘Still a bit out of it, I think.’ Amy was sitting by the cot, stroking the toddler’s chubby little arm.

‘That’s understandable.’ Toni ran her eye over the chart. Pain relief had been administered and the child was being kept hydrated. There was little more they could do now than to monitor Michael’s neuro responses. If nothing untoward presented, Rafe would probably allow Lisa to take her son home. ‘He’ll probably drop off to sleep soon.’ Toni bent and touched a finger to the baby-soft cheek. ‘But, Amy, if for any reason you have to take him out of the cot, be sure to carry him, won’t you? We don’t want him falling.’

‘I have nursed in Kids before, Toni,’ Amy said with a wry little smile. ‘I’ll take great care of Michael.’

‘Of course you will.’ Toni made a face. ‘Sorry. I’m a bit distracted this morning.’

Amy chuckled. ‘The new reg would distract anyone.’

Toni held back a cryptic comment. Not Amy too. ‘Mel is coming up to relieve you shortly. It’s time for your break. Make sure you take it, please.’

There was a flurry around the station when Toni returned to Casualty. ‘What’s going on?’

‘These amazing roses just arrived!’ Harmony’s blonde ponytail jiggled as her head tipped from side to side in excitement.

Toni’s heart almost juddered to a stop. Surely he hadn’t …? She looked helplessly at the blooms in the florist’s basket, with the chirpy little red hearts dancing from the wicker handle. Oh, lord … There had to be dozens of roses, all colours, and the perfume was divine.

‘They’re old-fashioned garden roses,’ Liz said knowledgeably. ‘My granddad grows beauties like these. They must have cost a fortune.’

‘Who are they for?’ Toni hoped no one but her could hear the little catch in her voice.

‘Apparently, they’re for the whole staff of the A and E.’ Liz held out the card. ‘See?’

Oh, for heaven’s sake. Toni stifled a groan. It seemed as though Riccardi was tearing around like a head stockman, mending fences all over the place.

‘Someone must think we’re pretty, damned hot,’ Ed joked. ‘The dream team!’ He did a high five with Harmony.

‘Could be from the Mayor,’ Justin said. ‘Remember, Joe operated on that infected ingrown toenail just before he left on leave?’

Liz snorted. ‘Bit of an extravagant thank you for an ingrown toenail! Toni.’ She turned to her friend. ‘Any ideas?’

Plenty, Toni thought, her heart returning slowly to its rightful place. But none she could voice here. ‘Perhaps, we’ll never know.’ She sidestepped the question deftly. ‘But we should get them in water for a start.’ She turned to one of their AINs. ‘Job for you, Sam?’

‘But there are heaps!’ The youngster looked dismayed. ‘What shall I do with them all?’

‘We could send some up to Midwifery,’ Toni suggested.

‘No,’ Liz dismissed. ‘They always have plenty.’

‘I’m about to take my break,’ Ed said cheerfully. ‘Why don’t I bike some over to the aged-care home? Give the oldies a buzz?’

‘Seniors, Ed,’ Toni reminded him, and then gave one of her megawatt smiles. ‘But I think that’s a wonderful idea. Are we all agreed?’

There was a chorus of approval.

‘The roses were from him, weren’t they?’ Liz demanded, when she and Toni had a minute on their own.

‘Probably.’ Toni had given up the fight to try to remain neutral.

‘The atmosphere in the place has lightened a hundred per cent since the flowers arrived,’ Liz said. ‘What on earth did you say to him?’

‘Probably far too much.’ But he’d given back as much as he’d got. In fact, they’d matched strikes like a couple of jousting combatants. Toni smothered a reminiscent smile. She’d enjoyed it, jousting with Rafe Riccardi. She wondered if he’d felt the same …

‘But it was such a nice gesture!’ Liz shook her head in quiet amazement. ‘You must have worked a small miracle on His Grumpiness.’ She chuckled.

‘I’m sure Rafe will be more sociable when he’s caught up on sleep,’ Toni responded, and wondered why she was going to bat for him. ‘Are you coming to the dinner do?’ She changed conversation lanes deftly.

‘You bet. It’s the first night out we’ve had in weeks. Mum is babysitting Lulu and William, and Matt’s promised to leave the studios early. Or I’ll kill him,’ Liz added calmly.

Toni smiled. Liz’s husband worked as a producer at the local radio station. ‘You’re so lucky, Lizzie. Two sweet kids and a husband who comes home to you at night.’

Liz rolled her eyes. ‘What about you? Are you bringing someone?’

‘No.’ Toni was definite. ‘I aim to stay for the dinner and then take off.’

‘Not staying for the slow dancing?’ Liz waggled her brows suggestively.

‘That’s all right for young lovers and you old married folk,’ Toni dismissed. ‘If I want to get up close and personal with a bloke, I’d rather challenge him to a game of tennis.’

Liz flipped some files into an out-tray. ‘You’re such a romantic!’

Toni showed Liz the tip of her tongue. ‘You’d be surprised what you can learn about someone’s character in a sporting context—especially if they’re losing. I believe the tickets have sold really well. Half the town seems to be going along.’

‘Well, the raffle prizes are exceptional,’ Liz said chattily. ‘A couple of the motor dealers have combined and donated a new car. And the winery’s putting up six cases of their finest. The council’s come good as well and contributed a luxury weekend for two at the Gold Coast.’

‘Then let’s hope folk are feeling generous and buy zillions of tickets,’ Toni endorsed. ‘That way we might just make enough to get our scanner.’

‘It’s quiet at the moment.’ Liz checked the department with a practised eye. ‘Mind if I take the early lunch? I want to get a shampoo and blow-wave.’

‘Go.’ Toni flapped a hand. ‘And thanks for jinxing us. I bet every man and his dog will come trailing in now.’

‘Well, you’ll cope with the men.’ Liz chuckled. ‘Just send the dogs along to the vet. See you.’ She grabbed her bag and took off.

Toni leaned on the counter, allowing herself a few moments of respite. Through the big plate-glass doors at the entrance she could see the gardens the groundsman, Kenny, had such pride in. In Australia, February was the hottest month on the calendar, yet he managed to nurture the plants along and now there were riotous splashes of colour everywhere.

Toni thought on. She was glad she lived in a country town in so many ways. But what was Rafe doing here? she wondered. And would they ever get close enough for him to confide in her?

Beside Toni, the emergency phone rang, bringing her back to reality with a snap. Replacing the receiver a few seconds later, she took off at speed towards Rafe’s office. She hoped he was there.

He was, looking up in query as she popped her head in.

‘Possible arrest coming into Resus. ETA six minutes.’

He was on his feet immediately and they were moving swiftly to the resus area. ‘Do we have a name?’ he asked.

‘It’s Carol McKay. She manages the dress shop in town. Cardiac history. The paramedics have given anginine with nil effect.’

‘We’ll have to wing it, then.’ Rafe’s voice was clipped. ‘And hope we come up with the right answers. What about family? Anyone to be notified?’

‘She’s a widow. Son works at the school. I’ll chase it up.’

‘Delegate to someone else,’ Rafe was firm. ‘I want you scrubbed and ready to catheterise. If our patient is overloaded, we don’t have time to mess about. Harmony?’ He rounded on the young RN. ‘I want you involved here, please.’

Harmony’s eyes went wide. ‘Yes, Doctor.’

‘And as soon as our patient hits the deck, I need the monitor leads on pronto.’

‘If the patient arrests, you’re number three, Harmony.’ Toni was scrubbing furiously.

‘Three?’ Harmony looked agitatedly from one to the other.

‘You’ll write what drugs are being given on the whiteboard,’ Toni said calmly. ‘And help with the IV fluids where necessary. You’ll be fine.’ She sent out a brief encouraging smile to the nurse.

‘Right.’ Harmony seemed spurred on by Toni’s confidence and began to get the intubation tray ready.

And then it was time for action.

The ambulance reversed into the bay, its doors already opening.

‘Be good, team.’ Rafe’s words snapped out and Carol McKay was wheeled rapidly into Resus.

The paramedic relayed what treatment they’d given, adding, ‘She’s not looking great, Doc.’

Rafe wasted no time in supposition. They had a life to save here. His hands moved like lightning, securing a tourniquet and IV in seconds. ‘Give me sixty of Lasix,’ he barked. ‘IDC in now, please, Toni. Let’s make a dent in that fluid.’

Toni’s hands were deft and sure. In seconds the indwelling catheter was in situ.

‘Good work,’ Rafe murmured, as the crippling fluid began draining away. ‘OK, let’s clamp at eight hundred mil. Sixty of Lasix, please.’

Harmony passed the dose. ‘That’s one-twenty so far, Doctor.’

‘Adjust the oxygen to full now, please. Carol?’ Rafe leaned closer to his patient. ‘Can you hear me? You’re in hospital. Did you forget to take your medication today?’

Carol’s eyes fluttered open. ‘Mmm,’ she murmured. ‘Sorry …’

‘That’s OK,’ Rafe spoke gently. ‘So long as we know, we can treat you. Try to relax now and breathe into the mask. How’s the BP doing, Antonia?’

‘One-sixty over a hundred. Pulse a hundred and ten, resps thirty.’

Rafe acknowledged her call with a swift nod. So far so good but his gut feeling was telling him they weren’t out of the woods yet.

Toni began to sponge Carol’s forehead. She still looked very unwell, very clammy … Alarm ripped through Toni and automatically she felt for a pulse. Nothing. She hit the arrest button. There was a flurry outside and Justin appeared.

‘Will you intubate, please, Justin?’ Rafe was professional and calm. ‘And I need adrenaline ten here.’

Harmony slapped the prepared dose into his hand.

‘And another ten. Any pulse?’

‘No.’ Toni felt her nerves pull tightly.

‘Let’s defib, then, please.’

‘Charging.’ Toni’s teeth clenched on her lower lip.

‘All clear.’ Rafe discharged the paddles.

All gazes swung to the monitor.

‘Damn all …’ Rafe spat the words from between clenched teeth. ‘Let’s go again. Clear.’

This time the trace bleeped, faded and then staggered into a rhythm. ‘Yes …’ Rafe’s relief was controlled. ‘We’ve got her. Thanks, everyone.’

‘You did really well today, Harmony.’ Toni was fulsome in her praise for the younger woman.

‘Oh—thanks, Toni.’ Harmony gave a pleased smile.

They were putting the resus room back to rights, Carol McKay having been transferred to the hospital’s small IC unit. ‘I’ve had a few doubts about working in A and E,’ she confessed, stuffing the used linen into a laundry bin.

‘Well, it’s not for everyone,’ Toni agreed. ‘Is there an area you’d prefer?’

Harmony bit her lip. ‘It’s difficult to know when I’ve only just begun my nursing. We were sheltered from quite a bit in our training. It’s different when you’re actually part of the team.’

‘Well, never be afraid to ask,’ Toni counselled. ‘You’re newly graduated. You’re not expected to know everything. I think we’re about finished in here.’ She did a quick inventory. ‘Anything you want to debrief about before we go?’

Harmony hesitated. ‘Will we be transferring Carol on?’

‘Not at this stage. Rafe is presently calling her cardiologist in Sydney. We’ll know a bit more later.’

‘I … guess she won’t be able to open her shop for a while?’

‘Not sure,’ Toni said. ‘She may have someone who could stand in for her. Carol has great stock. Have you bought anything there?’

‘I actually bought a dress for the Valentine dance.’ Harmony made a small face. ‘Carol was having it altered it for me. I was supposed to pick it up after work today.’

Toni was sympathetic to the younger woman’s obvious disappointment. ‘Have you something else you could wear?’

‘Nothing new.’ Harmony shrugged dispiritedly. ‘I so wanted this dress, Toni.’ Her cheeks went pink. ‘Justin’s asked me to go with him.’

Dating a doctor. Toni gave an inward wry smile. She’d done a bit of that in her time. And it had been fun—until she’d met Dr Alex Nicol. He’d come as a relieving MO to St Vincent’s in Sydney, where she’d been working in A and E. And she’d fallen for him, beguiled by his Geordie accent, his craggy looks, his sense of humour. He’d told her he was separated and getting divorced and she’d believed him. But then it turned out, he hadn’t been truthful …

Toni stifled the unproductive trip into past. It was water under the Harbour bridge. Gone. Like Alex had gone back to England. To his wife.

‘Hey, guys.’ Amy popped her head in. ‘Need a hand to clear up?’

‘We’re about done, thanks, Amy.’ Toni jerked back to the present, refolding the blanket she’d been holding.

‘What’s up?’ Amy had caught her air of introspection. ‘Carol will be all right, won’t she?’

‘Should be,’ Toni said. ‘But with Carol away from her shop, Harmony has a bit of a dilemma about her dress for tonight.’

Amy was all attention. ‘What’s happened, Harms?’

Harmony explained her difficulty.

‘I could lend you something.’ Amy gave the junior a quick assessing look. ‘We’re about the same size. And I got some amazing clothes recently when Leo and I were over in Singapore. Why don’t we hook up after work and go back to mine? If you like something, it’s yours. OK?’

‘Are you kidding me?’ Harmony’s blue eyes widened in happy disbelief. ‘That would so be totally awesome. I love your style, Amy!’

‘Oh, thanks.’ Harmony dimpled a smile. ‘Deal, then?’

‘Deal.’

Laughing, the two walked off together, heads turned towards each other, eagerly discussing the celebrations for the night ahead.

Toni smiled after them. It was good to see Amy so upbeat. Plus, professionally, she would be an excellent role model for Harmony.

Nice outcome. Somewhat thoughtfully, Toni made her way back to the station. There were good vibes all over the place. Had it all happened because of an armful of roses?

She wondered whether Rafe realised just what effect his gesture had achieved—if indeed the roses had been from him. But of course they had to have been …

And it was a bit daunting to think he’d been spurred into action because of something she’d said.

She wasn’t about to ask him.

But he had to know that she knew.

So where did they go from here?

Toni puffed out a little breath to stem her consternation. Her heartbeat kicked up a notch. She hadn’t expected this complication on her first day back. Correction. She hadn’t expected it at all.

The afternoon ticked by. A few mild casualties trickled in that were handled competently by Justin and the nursing staff.

Liz had arrived back from the hairdresser, her hair sleek and shiny with little tendrils curling prettily from a loose knot.

‘Hair looks great,’ Toni said approvingly.

Liz sighed. ‘Wish I’d had time for a spray tan.’

‘Matt likes you just the way you are.’ Toni tipped her head enquiringly. ‘And the spark’s still there, isn’t it?’

Liz smiled mistily. ‘Oh, yeah …’

‘Well, then.’ Toni glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost the end of their working day. ‘Lizzie, will you hand over, please? I need to see Rafe about a few things before end of shift.’

‘Sure. See you tonight?’

‘If you’re there first, keep me a seat.’

Liz grinned wickedly. ‘I’ll keep two. You never know!’

Ten minutes later, Toni tapped on Rafe’s door and waited. Her eyes went heavenwards at his growled response, ‘It’s open.’ Suddenly her heart felt as though it was beating in all the wrong places in her chest. Had this been a crazy idea? Well, it was too late now.

Angling herself through the door, she moved across to his desk. ‘I pushed the boat out and got us an energy hit from the canteen.’ She passed the disposable cup across to him. ‘Hot chocolate for you, coffee for me.’

He eyed her a bit warily, seeming surprised and even a bit taken aback, and Toni wondered how long it had been since anyone had done a simple act of kindness for him. ‘Thanks. How did you know I needed this?’

‘Put it down to my powers of observation.’ Toni slid into the same chair she’d occupied that morning. Cradling her coffee between her hands, she asked, ‘What’s happening with Carol McKay?’

Rafe tilted his cup and took a mouthful of his hot chocolate. Seeming to enjoy it, he took another. ‘I had a video hook-up with her cardiologist. He’s of the opinion if there’s no further deterioration in her condition, she can be safely managed here.’

‘That should be less stressful for her anyway,’ Toni replied. ‘She can keep up with things at her business. Carol has quite a large customer base, most of whom have become her friends. They’ll be concerned for her welfare.’

‘Her son’s with her now in ICU. I imagine he’ll help her work out some kind of plan for the future.’

‘I expect so. She won’t want to lose trade if it’s at all possible.’

‘That’s not likely, is it?’

‘Probably not.’ Toni sipped her coffee. ‘It’s the only decent dress shop in town so where else are the ladies going to go?’

‘I have no idea, Antonia.’ A tiny flicker of amusement appeared behind Rafe’s eyes. ‘Online perhaps?’

‘Don’t think so,’ Toni drawled, a hint of laughter edging her voice. ‘Online shopping hasn’t hit Forrestdale to any great degree. As for the girls, they’re more inclined to want to touch before they buy, rather than just visualise it on a screen.’

‘Interesting.’ He gave a guarded kind of smile that rapidly spun out to lighten his whole face. He had no idea what they were talking about but Toni smiled right back and their smiles dallied for a moment, then caught and held. And suddenly his office was full of something neither of them understood.

Toni drew back in her chair. Her body felt tingly with electricity. Odd. And Rafe’s laughing eyes were warming her from head to toe. Oh, boy, oh, boy … This could get complicated. And she needed that like a tax bill.

In a split second Rafe decided he didn’t need whatever it was that was happening here. Were they flirting? Hell, this was a minefield. Silence permeated the atmosphere and in order to break it he swivelled his chair slightly so that he was looking through the window at the patchwork of distant gum trees, blue summer sky and high cloud. He took a deep breath to steady himself and then glanced pointedly at his watch. ‘You’d better take off, hadn’t you—if you’re going out tonight?’

Toni looked startled. Was he dismissing her? It sure seemed like it. She swallowed the last mouthful of her coffee and rose to her feet. ‘Why don’t you take an early mark as well?’ she said lightly. ‘You look bushed.’

‘Do I?’ he replied blandly.

‘Yes.’ She’d already noticed the charcoal shadows beneath his eyes and the way he’d rolled back his shoulders out on the ward as if trying to stave off a bone-crunching weariness. ‘Go home, Rafe.’

‘Hey!’ Rafe planted his feet and uncurled to his full height ‘Who’s the boss here?’

‘You, Dr Riccardi,’ Toni returned sweetly. ‘But surely you know how to delegate? There’s a competent late shift already on duty and I’m sure they’ll call you in if anything unmanageable occurs.’

Rafe stifled a hoot of raw laughter. The only thing unmanageable was Antonia Morell. But she was right. He was whacked. ‘OK, you win.’ He gave in, dragging his hands through his hair and locking them at the back of his neck.

‘I’ll take off.’

‘Have a good night, then. Although …’ Toni paused with her hand on the doorknob and shot him one of her smiles ‘… if you feel like it later, you could pop over to the dance and draw one of the raffle prizes for us.’

Rafe let out a breath of pure relief as he watched her neat little backside disappear out the door. But she’d left in her wake a whole chain of emotions that gnawed at his insides. He’d wanted this post in Forrestdale to be as straightforward as possible. No bumps in the road. No emotional involvement to leave behind. And now all that seemed turned on its head.

But only if he let it …

He whipped his medical case out of its locker. He needed to breathe in some fresh air, even swim fifty laps of the pool if that’s what it took to get his head on straight again.

Had she really done that in there? A long breath jagged its way from Toni’s lungs. Surely she hadn’t batted her eyelashes at him, had she? But she’d certainly been flirty. Perhaps he hadn’t noticed? But of course he had—he’d done it right back at her. Were they game-playing? Toni shook her head. She didn’t do games. Ever. Then what on earth had got into her just now?

She fled to the staffroom. Hauling her bag out of the locker, she headed for the car park. Good grief! Why was she letting herself get tied in knots like this? And over a man again. A man who was here today and gone tomorrow—well, in three months’ time. And she’d been down that road. Heck, she’d scrubbed the kitchen floor with one of his T-shirts!

As she slowed to accommodate the after-school traffic flow, Toni released a long calming breath. She needed something physical to unleash the frustration that was robbing her of plain common sense. She felt like thrashing someone at tennis but her club didn’t meet until Thursday evening. Well, she’d just have to run. Run and run. And hope by the end of it she’d be restored to her usual level-headed thinking.

CHAPTER THREE

TONI pushed herself, running lap after lap around the track adjacent to the park. Then, deciding she’d had enough, she leaned forward, hands on the fence railings, warming down. She jogged home leisurely, deciding she’d left herself just enough time to get ready for the Valentine party.

Showered, she blotted her hair dry and then stepped into her favourite silk underwear. She’d bought new clothes on her recent trip to Sydney. Now she just had to decide what to wear. And these days she pleased herself.

After flicking through her choices, she decided to dress simply in a sleeveless silk dress with a crossover bodice. In a dusky blush pink, it had a short draped skirt that fell just above her knees. She puffed perfume into the air and walked through it, then reached for the dress and slid it over her head.

Her make-up was minimal as usual—a touch of tinted moisturiser on her cheeks, a flick of muted shadow on her lids and lipstick in a soft coral. She slipped her feet into high-heeled sandals, pushed a broad silver bangle on her arm and stood back to get the overall picture in the mirror. The dress was gorgeous, the faint shimmer in the material pearling the fairness of her skin and highlighting her hair.

She’d do.

Toni drove across to the club. She intended to have only one glass of wine to celebrate and then she’d stay with mineral water. Besides, the evening was too warm to drink alcohol. But that wouldn’t stop most of the guests, she thought realistically.

She managed to park near the entrance of the club, which would be good for her early exit, she thought, sliding out of her car and activating the locking device on her keypad.

‘Toni!’ Hearing her name, Toni spun round to see Liz and Matt getting out of a taxi. She fluttered a wave and waited for them to catch up. ‘You look terrific, Lizzie,’ she said with a smile. Liz was wearing a bold red gown that floated to her ankles.

‘Thanks, I think.’ Liz looked doubtful. ‘It’s not too …?’ She indicated the deep cleavage.

‘It’s gorgeous,’ Toni reassured her. ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it!’

‘That’s what I told her.’ Matt stuffed his wallet into his back pocket after paying off the cabbie. ‘How are you, Tone?’ He placed a peck on her cheek.

‘I’m fine, thanks, Matt. It should be a good night.’

Chatting, they made their way inside to the club’s function room.

‘Doesn’t everything look spectacular?’ Toni gave a little cry of delight, casting her eyes around at the table settings with their crisp white cloths and tea-lights. The mandatory hearts and roses were everywhere, although Toni doubted the roses were real. Unlike the beauties they’d received at the hospital …

‘Oh, here are some of our gang now,’ Liz said as Amy and Harmony arrived with their respective partners.

‘The girls look so pretty.’ Toni smiled. Both were wearing soft, floaty florals.

‘At their age, it would be a crime not to,’ Liz responded dryly. ‘This seems to be our table here.’

‘I’ll get some drinks,’ Matt said. ‘Toni, white wine?’

Toni nodded. ‘Thanks, Matt.’

‘You look amazing, by the way,’ Liz said as they took their places at the big round table. ‘Sydney?’

‘My favourite dress shop in Rose Bay.’

‘Shame Rafe’s not coming.’

‘Actually, he seemed pretty tired.’

‘Still,’ Liz contended, ‘it would have been a good look for the department if he’d shown.’

Toni raised a shoulder stiffly. Well, she’d asked him and he wasn’t here. But she was keeping that information strictly to herself.

The Valentine fundraiser would be a success, Toni decided as the evening wore on. Folk were in a happy and giving mood and tickets for their raffle were practically sold out. And the supper set out in buffet-style had been exceptional. And now people were beginning to drift on to the dance-floor.

Their table had emptied almost as soon as the dance music had begun. Left on her own, Toni took off towards the powder room, deciding she’d stay until they’d drawn the raffle and then she’d be away to her bed.

After refreshing her lipstick, Toni left the powder room. As she passed the bar on the way back to the table, she stopped and almost froze. Rafe was standing with his hip against the bar, elbow bent as he lifted a glass of orange juice to his mouth.

Toni took a step backwards as if to regain her equilibrium. Her breathing immediately felt tight and her stomach went into freefall as she admitted honestly, that physically Rafe Riccardi pushed every one of her buttons.

Steadying herself with a long breath, she went forward. ‘Hi …’

Rafe spun round. ‘Antonia—’ In an almost jerky motion he lowered his arm and placed his glass on the bar top.

For a few seconds there was an awkward silence while they each took stock.

Sweet God, she was lovely, Rafe thought. Beautiful and warm and … sexy. And he wanted her, as he hadn’t wanted a woman in ages. Maybe years.

He certainly scrubbed up well. Toni bit gently on the soft pad of her bottom lip. Her eyes flicked to the pale blue shirt that moulded his broad shoulders, followed the tailored line of his black trousers to his black leather shoes. She pressed her clutch-bag tightly against her chest.

‘You managed to drag yourself here, then?’ Oh, lord. Toni almost groaned. That hadn’t come out right. But suddenly her tongue seemed to have a mind of its own.

Rafe gave a tight shrug. ‘Bernie Maguire put the weights on me to draw one of the raffle prizes.’

‘And you can’t very well ignore the chairman of the board,’ Toni agreed, oddly disappointed he hadn’t felt the need to respond to her invitation. ‘Our people are mostly at the table over here.’ She indicated with her hand. ‘Would you like to join us?’

‘Thanks.’ He picked up his glass. ‘Can I get you something to drink while we’re here?’

‘I’m fine, thanks.’ Toni shook her head. ‘Have you eaten?’

‘I had a steak at the pub.’

Toni flicked a tentative smile at him. ‘There’s dessert still going begging. Interested?’

‘Might be. What’s on offer?’

Well, not me. Toni’s heart began to patter. Were they playing games again? ‘There are three kinds of bread-and-butter pudding, for starters.’

His chuckle was a bit rusty. ‘My grandmother used to make bread-and-butter pudding.’

‘Not like this, she didn’t.’

‘Reckon?’ Rafe turned his head a fraction and sent her a slow, lazy smile.

Toni blinked, feeling shock waves of its aftermath right down to her toes. His smile was like the sun coming out. Shame he didn’t do it more often. They stopped at the table. ‘I’m sitting here.’ She put her clutch-bag down. ‘Park your drink and let’s find out, shall we?’

Rafe hesitated. ‘I’m not taking someone’s place, am I?’

‘I’m not here with anyone.’ Toni answered the question she assumed he was asking.

His mouth twitched. ‘Lead on, then. I need to see these puddings.’

At the buffet they bypassed a luscious tropical fruit salad, sorbet and various kinds of cheesecakes. ‘Now, here we have the bread and butter puddings,’ Toni said, hamming it up with a graceful sweep of her hand. ‘You could start with maple syrup and pecan, get a bit edgy and try the lemon curd and coconut and then give your tastebuds a real treat and finish with white chocolate and raspberry.’

Rafe clicked his tongue and sighed in mock-resignation. ‘It’s a hard call but someone has to do it. Going to join me?’

‘Of course.’ Toni’s mouth fell into a soft pout. ‘Can’t have you eating alone.’ With their selections made, they went back to the table.

‘So, where are you staying?’ Toni asked conversationally.

‘Joe and Cath kindly offered me the use of their annexe at the house.’

‘What a good arrangement. It’s a great space. They had it built for Joe’s dad originally but he didn’t stay long. Missed his mates in Sydney.’

‘It’s certainly very comfortable,’ Rafe agreed. ‘Close to the hospital. And the pool is a real bonus on these hot nights.’

‘Yes, it would be,’ Toni rejoined softly, her thoughts going into overdrive. She’d been invited to swim many times in the Lyons’ pool. And at night especially it was magical, with the lights by the pool shining back through the tropical shrubbery and edging the white jasmine with soft radiance. And the air you breathed was heavy with woodsy scents. Cath and Joe had created a very private place. Special. She wondered if Rafe found it so.

The creamy dessert slid over her tongue.

Did he swim naked …?

As if he’d divined the pattern of her thoughts, he remarked, ‘Joe said you swim at their place quite often. Don’t feel you have to stop just because they’re away.’

‘I wouldn’t want to invade your privacy.’

‘You wouldn’t be. Besides …’ His spoon paused midway from his dessert bowl ‘… it’s no fun swimming alone.’

Toni had no time to answer. Bernie Maguire materialised at the table. ‘Good, you’re both here,’ he said. ‘We’d like to get cracking if you don’t mind and draw these raffles. The mayor will be drawing the main prize and, Rafe, if you’d draw the winners for the cases of wine? And Toni …’ He looked down and gave her one of his big barracuda grins. ‘Might be a nice touch if you could draw out the winner for the luxury weekend.’

‘Me?’ Toni’s eyes went wide in alarm. ‘Bernie, I don’t think I should do it. There are more senior people at the hospital—’

‘Nonsense.’ Bernie clearly wasn’t having that. ‘It will be very appropriate having a good-looking couple from the hospital on stage. Very appropriate. Right, then.’ He rubbed his hands together, indicating mission accomplished. ‘I’ll just go and get things rolling.’

‘This is awful!’ Toni glanced despairingly at Rafe. ‘We … can’t have people thinking we’re a couple.’

Rafe shrugged. He could think of worse things. ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s small-town politics. And folk will have found something more interesting to talk about tomorrow.’

Toni had her doubts about that but with Bernie’s voice already booming from the stage, inviting everyone to return to their tables for the drawing of the raffle prizes, she got slowly to her feet. The sooner they got this over the better.

With the prizewinners announced, Rafe and Toni squeezed their way through the dancers already back on the floor. They joined Matt and Liz, who were already seated at the table. ‘We’re just taking a little breather,’ Liz said, before introducing Rafe to her husband. She looked in sorrow at her pile of ticket stubs. ‘You know, I really thought I was in with a chance to win that luxury weekend.’

‘Sorry,’ Toni said with dry irony. ‘I couldn’t seem to find your ticket when I stuck my hand in the barrel.’

The men laughed. ‘I’ll get another round of drinks in.’ Matt got to his feet.

‘I’ll come with you,’ Rafe said. ‘But I’ll stick to OJ. Antonia?’

‘Oh …’ Toni felt her cheeks warm. ‘Mineral water, thanks.’

As the men walked companionably towards the bar, Liz turned to Toni, her raised brows speaking volumes. ‘Antonia?’

Toni rolled her eyes.

Liz smirked. ‘Scrubs up well, doesn’t he?’

‘Matt?’ Toni responded innocently.’

‘Oh, ha.’ Liz made a small face. ‘Riccardi, of course. And his voice—smooth as molasses. Do you think—you know?’She rocked her hand expressively. ‘He might fancy you?’

Toni felt the nerves in her stomach clench. If the micro-currents already running between them were to be acknowledged, then perhaps she and Rafe Riccardi might just fancy each other. But she wasn’t letting Liz get a whiff of that. No way. ‘Get over yourself, Lizzy.’

‘You looked pretty cosy together up on the stage.’ Liz persisted with her banter.

‘That was none of my doing. Bernie Maguire insisted. Anyway, enough of this crazy supposition,’ Toni said. ‘Here come the men with the drinks.’

The conversation between the two couples became general and light and then Matt asked, ‘So, Rafe, where were you working before coming here to Forrestdale?’ Always the journalist, he’d had begun to sniff out a story.

Rafe looked away, dropping his gaze to his glass, giving the orange juice his riveting attention. ‘I’ve been overseas for the past year, working for Médecins Sans Frontières in Cambodia.’

Liz’s arch look at Toni silently said, So now we know.

‘I imagine the population are still suffering the effects from the reign of that dictator?’ Matt considered himself well versed in world politics. ‘How is it now?’

Rafe frowned. ‘It’s still one of the most heavily land-mined countries in the world. One in every two hundred and fifty Cambodians has one or more amputations. But for all its tragic history, it’s still a beautiful country.’

‘Got to have had repercussions for the kids, though?’ Matt pressed for more.

‘They’ve lost a whole generation of their skills and professions. Of course it’s effected the kids,’ Rafe said tersely. ‘As we speak, half the country’s children are malnourished and one in seven will die before their fifth birthday, mostly from vaccine-preventable diseases.’

Toni felt her breathing falter. Rafe was clearly unsettled. The experience had obviously disturbed him deeply. And as a doctor it would be much worse dealing with so much heartache day after day. She hoped Matt would leave it alone now but of course he didn’t.

‘What about the basic necessities?’ he asked. ‘Drinking water? Sanitation?’

‘Use your imagination,’ Rafe growled.

‘I produce a programme on local radio called Conversations.’ Matt leaned forward eagerly. ‘Your experiences working for MSF would make interesting listening. Would you feel like coming over to the studio some time and having a chat with our presenter?’

Rafe’s mouth drew in. Probably not. Definitely not. But it wouldn’t kill him to be diplomatic. Like him, Matt had a job to do. ‘I’ll think about it. There’s no rush, is there?’

‘Take your time.’ Matt’s shrug was open-handed. ‘If, after a chat with Gillian, you don’t feel comfortable with the concept, no worries.’

Toni saw Rafe relax—not much, just a slight shift of the muscles under his shirt, but enough to know he was back in control of his emotions. She watched as he drained his drink and rose to his feet.

‘I’m going to split, guys. Enjoy the rest of the night.’

Toni’s worried eyes followed his exit.

‘So, now we know where’s he’s been.’ This time Liz gave voice to her thoughts. ‘I wonder if he intends going back?’

‘Probably.’ Matt’s lips twisted into a thoughtful moue. ‘Those guys in the front line tend to get addicted to the cause.’ He bracketed the word in the air.

Toni bristled silently. Quite out of the blue she felt protective of Rafe’s privacy. None of them here knew anything about his reasons for going to work for MSF. And she thought that Matt, whatever his best intentions, had ambushed him.

Suddenly, for reasons she couldn’t explain, she felt out of sync with her friends. She dredged up an off-key smile and got to her feet. ‘All that hard work drawing the raffle prizes has done me, guys. I think I’ll call it a night as well.’

‘I’ll walk you out,’ Matt said.’

‘No need.’ Toni waved away his offer. ‘I’m parked close to the front entrance. See you tomorrow, Lizzy. And, Matt, thanks as always for the free publicity for our fundraiser.’

‘Hey, any time.’ Matt nodded his acknowledgment. ‘I’ll be sure to pass it along to our station manager. Drive safely.’

Toni fluttered a wave. ‘‘Night.’

Toni’s thoughts were unresolved as she drove home. She got that Matt was a facilitator for his programme. And that was fair enough but surely he could have laid off grilling Rafe the way he had?

Damn! Just when Rafe had seemed relaxed enough to start enjoying the evening too. And now he’d probably crawl back into shell and she’d have to start all over again to try to winkle him out so at least they could have some kind of decent working relationship.

She pulled into her carport, killed the engine and went inside. Tossing her clutch-bag on the hall table and kicking off her sandals, she went through to the kitchen. She was wound up. She crossed to the counter and looked through the window at the courtyard. The solar lights had come on, sending the baskets of ferns into feathery silhouettes.

The silvery light reminded her of the Lyons’ pool at night. And reminded her that’s what she needed right now—to dive into its cool depths and thresh the water until she’d driven off this foul mood of frustration. But she couldn’t do that.

Rafe was in residence there.

Rafe heaved himself out of the pool. Standing naked in the moonlight, he shook the moisture from his hair and then bent and picked up his towel from the sun-lounger. Giving his body a cursory wipe, he slung the towel around his hips. He felt better now, his mind freed up from all those images that Matt’s questions had dumped all over him.

Padding back along the path to the annexe, he pushed open the screen door and went inside. The place was air-conditioned but so far Rafe had refrained from switching it on. He preferred the weather as it came. And in February it was stinking hot, the air almost brittle with stillness, the pungent smell of ripening mangoes everywhere. So intrinsic of everything Australian, he couldn’t get enough of it.

For now, anyway.

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