'Tis the Season by Carole Mortimer

Author:Carole Mortimer [Mortimer, Carole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Rich people, Anthologies, Man-woman relationships, Anthologies (multiple authors), Contemporary, Christmas stories, General, Romance, Twins, Infants, Fiction, Short Stories, Love stories
ISBN: 9780373837410
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2010-10-11T23:00:00+00:00

RORY WAS PUTTING the finishing touches on a magnificent bandage, but he knew that Kate was returning to the desk. He could feel her approach with a curious mix of pleasure and tension.

He’d added to that tension considerably. Of course she didn’t want to marry him. And she was quite right. There was nothing unusual about women raising families on their own. Where had that idiotic suggestion of marriage come from, anyway? He’d only gone in there with the intention of taking the first step towards involvement. To offer assistance and support.

He ripped off a length of tape to hold the end of the bandage in place.

They barely knew each other. One night together. Hardly enough time to warrant even thinking of the possibility of being a couple. Except that they’d worked together for a long time. Long enough to know each other very well on a professional basis. He liked Kate. He respected her.

He was very grateful to her. And, thanks to that gratitude, she had been in his head frequently for months, and it feltcuriously as though he knew everything he needed to know about Kate Simpson.

One more strip of tape should do the trick. Rory pressed gently as he attached it to Eve’s knee.

He should have expected that fierce streak of independence in Kate. She’d been left to cope alone, and that was exactly what she’d done. What he would have expected her to do. There had always been an aura of… What was it about Kate? Peace was the best word he could come up with. She was quiet and competent, and a bit of a loner in some ways. Happy with her own company. She had rarely joined in the social events that Rory’s life had revolved around.

They had been complete op po sites.

But Rory had changed. He had faced solitude for the first time in his life, and there was nothing quite like Outback Australia to give you that experience. He’d been wrong in thinking he had to face his past tonight. He’d done that, hadn’t he? He was in a very different place than he had been six months ago.

Different enough to think that his future could change? That he could marry and have a family dependent on him?

No. If he stopped to think about it he knew the prospect would be terrifying. ‘I don’t think you need a wheelchair, but let’s see, shall we?’ Rory put Eve carefully back on the floor. ‘Testing…’ he said solemnly. ‘Weight-bearing? Check. Walking? Check.’ He tugged one of Eve’s braids gently. ‘Better?’

Eve nodded and grinned.

‘Can you say thank you?’ Lucy prompted.

Eve shook her head, but as Lucy was leading her back to the relatives’ room, she turned to smile at Rory.

‘Thank you,’ she whispered.

Rory smiled back, but he could feel a painful lump in his throat. God, he’d missed this. That touch on his heart when he’d been able to make a difference. To take away someone’s pain. To make life a little bit better. Especially for a child.

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