The Doctor's Christmas Gift by Jennifer Taylor

Author:Jennifer Taylor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-09-24T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

‘MAYBE we should talk about this later, poppet. It’s getting late and Granny will be wondering where we’ve got to.’

It was Matt who smoothly changed the subject. Catherine’s cheeks were flaming as she followed him and the girls out of the hall. She had no idea what he was thinking but she knew how she felt. Mortified was the word that best summed it up—completely and utterly mortified!

He ushered the children into the car then opened the passenger door for her but she hung back. The thought of having to sit beside him and make polite conversation on the drive home was more than she could bear. ‘I can make my own way home from here. It’s not far and there’s no point taking you out of your way,’ she said stiffly, avoiding his eyes.

‘It isn’t a problem,’ he said smoothly.

Catherine bit her lip. She desperately didn’t want him driving her home but she couldn’t think of a way to get out of it without causing a scene.

‘Look, Catherine, I can see that you’re embarrassed about what just happened but there really isn’t any need.’ Matt smiled when she looked warily at him. ‘I know what Hannah is like. Once she gets something into her head then there’s no stopping her.’

‘I didn’t say anything to…well, to make her think that I wanted to…to….’ She tailed off, wishing that she hadn’t tried to explain because she was only making matters worse.

‘I know.’ Matt rested his arm on the roof of the car as he regarded her sombrely. ‘I couldn’t imagine in my wildest dreams that I’d be lucky enough to have you offer to become Hannah and Becky’s mother. Let’s just put it down to a child’s overly fertile imagination and leave it at that, shall we?’

Catherine’s heart bounced against her ribs. Had Matt really meant that he would have welcomed her making such an offer, or had it been just a polite way to spare her any further embarrassment?

All of a sudden she couldn’t bear to stand there any longer debating the point. Whether or not Matt would consider himself lucky to have her as part of his family wasn’t the issue. She should be more concerned about sticking to her decision to not get involved.

‘That sounds like the best idea.’ She summoned a smile, trying to ignore the painful ache that had settled in her heart. She didn’t want to be Hannah’s or any other child’s mother so there was no point suddenly thinking about what she might be missing.

‘Anyway, thanks for bringing me here today, Matt. I really enjoyed it but it’s time I was off.’ She quickly bent and said goodbye to the girls then stepped away from the car. ‘I’ll see you in work on Monday. Have a nice weekend.’

‘You, too. And thanks for coming with us, Catherine. We enjoyed your company.’

Matt didn’t press her again to accept a lift. He closed the passenger door and walked around the car to get into the driver’s side.

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