Читать книгу Christmas with Dr Delicious - Sue MacKay, Sue MacKay - Страница 8

‘WHY are we doing a Life Flight pick-up?’ Fraser negotiated the ambulance through the lunchtime traffic the next day. ‘Surely two paramedics for this job is overkill?’

‘Blenheim Two’s already out on a job so there’s no one else.’ Nikki didn’t look up from her paperwork. ‘But if there’s a priority one call we’ll ditch the pick-up.’

Fraser rubbed his aching head. Another sleepless night tossing and turning after his plan to see Nikki had gone awry. He’d wheedled Nikki’s address out of Amber when she’d come on for the night shift and had headed straight around there, only to find the place in darkness. He’d returned after dinner with his parents but Nikki still hadn’t come home so he’d had no choice but to forget about talking to her last night. But he would try again tonight, and every night until she was at home and ready to listen to him.

As he drove down Middle Renwick Road towards the airport, they passed row after row after row of grapevines, some still being pruned. ‘The vines always look naked at this time of year. I’d forgotten how I always knew the season by the vines and the activities in the vineyards.’ A pang of homesickness struck Fraser, despite being back here. This was one of the things he’d come back to Blenheim for, he suddenly realised. A sigh trickled past his lips. He was home physically, but in any other respect he had a long way to go.

‘Remember when it used to be cherry and apricot orchards, and paddocks filled with carrots and peas that you drove past.’ Nikki glanced out at the passing scenery.

‘Not many of those left now. I heard that the council rates have been driven up with all the vineyards creating high prices for the land.’

‘Yep, and that’s a sore point with some of the older farmers.’ Nikki touched the icons on the screen in front of her. ‘Our patient’s been having chemo and radiation in Wellington. Bowel cancer.’

‘Ouch.’ An old, familiar tug of horror and fear grabbed at Fraser. The fear that had receded over the years since his treatment still managed to raise its ugly head at times to twist his gut. Like a warning not to get too complacent as it could come back. But, no, it would not. Must not.

Nikki continued reading aloud. ‘Glen Wright. Twenty years old. Hell, that’s terrible. He’s so young. How does someone deal with that? He’s got his whole life ahead of him.’

You have no idea. Fraser pressed his mouth tight, kept the words in. Now was definitely not the moment to be revealing his secret. Gawd, if Nik had been at home last night she’d know the answers to her questions.

She hadn’t finished. ‘I hope he’s got a good prognosis. At twenty he’ll have hardly done a thing with his life.’

Nope, he won’t have. But he sure as hell will hurry on with it the moment he’s fit enough. ‘It must’ve been dreadful for him to learn he had cancer.’

It would’ve blown the guy’s mind wide apart with fear and disbelief and shock. It would’ve stopped him eating and sleeping for days. He’d have looked out at the world with a deep longing for all that he could be deprived of. He’d wonder what he’d done so wrong to be thrown into this situation.

‘You planning on snapping that steering-wheel?’ Nikki’s eyebrows rose cutely.

‘Not today.’ He tried to relax his fingers and his brain. A return mental trip to those bleak days would achieve absolutely nothing but darkness. And the darkness was over. With the all-clear, he’d been given a fresh start on life, which he mustn’t waste.

Stopping at the security gate leading onto the tarmac, he punched in the access code Nikki reeled off and watched the gate slowly pull back. ‘I called round to see you last night.’

Nikki jerked around in her seat, her beautiful azure eyes darkening with worry, panic even. ‘Why? I thought we agreed to keep everything on a professional level.’

Why had he opened his goddamned mouth? Now he’d have to give her some reason or she’d niggle away at him all day to find out what he’d wanted to see her about. The truth but nowhere near the whole truth? ‘Thought we might discuss how we’re going to make this crewing together work without too much aggro.’

‘We can do that on the job.’ She wasn’t giving him any leeway. ‘Move, or the gate will close on us again.’

Fraser blinked. When had the gate opened fully?

Pointing to the left, Nikki told him, ‘Keep your speed at ten k’s an hour and park between that hangar and the painted circle on the tarmac.’

Easing the ambulance onto the edge of the tarmac, he watched the plane rolling along the taxiway, the wintery sun highlighting its bright red paintwork. Beyond the flat ground of the airport the rolling curves and sharp edges of the Wither Hills wore their winter green.

Fraser dropped down onto the tarmac, asked over his shoulder, ‘What’s our role here?’

‘We help transfer the patient and drive him to hospital. He’s accompanied by two nurses, who take care of him. They’ll return to their plane by taxi once they’ve handed over to the ward staff.’

‘That’s it?’

Nik came around the front of the truck and looked up at him. ‘Guess you never had to do this in Dunedin where there’s a big hospital with all the bells and whistles. Unfortunately there are many instances when local patients are sent away for major surgery or treatment. These flights save them an awful lot of discomfort getting home.’

The sound of the engines of the advancing plane drowned out anything else she might have said. As soon as the props stopped spinning a side door popped open and an elevator with a platform attached began sliding out.

Nikki told him, ‘You can move the truck closer now. Come from the back. The pilot gets antsy if he thinks his wingtip is in jeopardy.’

Yes, boss. Keep it professional. Absolutely. Fraser felt a wry smile tugging his lips. ‘On my way.’

He’d barely braked to a halt when Nikki had the back doors open and the stretcher out. A chill wind edged under the collar of his thick uniform jacket, making him shiver. ‘The sooner Glen’s inside the ambulance the better.’ The guy’s resistance to the cold would be low if he’d just finished a round of chemo. Fraser shivered, this time not from the cold but from the melancholy memories of his own chemical-ravaged body in the days after treatment.

On the platform at the plane’s side was a stretcher with Glen strapped on. He was looking around with dull, tired eyes, barely acknowledging what was going on.

‘Hey, Glen, you’re nearly home,’ one of the nurses dressed in blue overalls commented.

‘Sure,’ the guy muttered.

‘Hospital ain’t home, is it?’ Fraser gave Glen a knowing smile.

Glen’s eyelids lifted. ‘You’re damned right, mate.’

‘Let’s get you out of the wind.’ Fraser snapped buckles together to keep their patient from moving. With Glen quickly installed inside the vehicle, Fraser slid behind the steering-wheel and eased the vehicle forward, vowing to make the trip as smooth and bump-free as possible. As you do every trip.

Yeah, but this one’s special.

Nikki had just added the mussels to her paella when the door chime rang. She dropped the wooden spoon and rice splattered over the stovetop. ‘Dang. Who’s calling at dinnertime?’

Her heart stuttered. Not Fraser, surely? He’d been around last night when she’d been out at the movies. Unfortunately Amber, sensing something going on between Fraser and her, had been quick to give him their address.

Another ring from the door. ‘All right, hold on.’ She swung the front door wide. And leaned against the door-jamb as casually as tight nerves and shaking hands allowed. ‘Fraser. I thought we’d agreed to keep work at work.’ Talking was difficult with a mouth as dry as dust.

‘A six pack of lager, I think you said.’ Fraser held the pack out.

‘You overheard me talking to Jay yesterday.’ And she’d have to find a tooth to put under her pillow for the fairy.

‘But if you’re not into lager then I’ve got this.’ In his other hand was a bottle of very good Chardonnay. ‘Not knowing what you drink these days, I’m covering my options.’

‘You need me on side that much? Is this where you tell me why you didn’t turn up for our wedding?’ Gripping the edge of the door, she held herself upright through sheer determination. She’d wanted to know this for ever and yet now she shook with nerves. She could learn bad stuff that would shatter her carefully restored confidence.

‘Nik, let me in.’ His tone was gentle. ‘Please.’

Every time he called her Nik she softened towards him. Did he know that? Was that why he used her pet name? Sucking in her stomach and straightening her back, she waved him inside and shut the door. Shut Fraser inside with her. Too late to say no now. She breathed in the tang of lime aftershave and regretted her capitulation. Anything to do with Fraser always became too hard too quickly. So much for remaining calm, aloof, non-involved. It wasn’t possible whenever he came near.

So she would hear him out and move on. Then maybe she’d even manage to be happy working with him. As she pushed past him in the narrow hall, her arm slid over his, but she clamped down on the instant surge of longing that contact brought.

A strong burning smell. ‘The risotto,’ she screeched, and raced into the kitchen to snatch the deep pan off the gas ring. ‘Great, there goes my dinner.’

Fraser peered around her at the risotto. ‘Can’t you lift off the top layer carefully? It’ll only be burned on the bottom.’ His tongue did a lap of his lips. ‘It looks damned good from here.’

She raised her gaze to glare at him. ‘Help yourself.’

A wee smile lurked at the corners of his mouth. ‘You’re not afraid I’ll tell everyone you served me burned food? That could ruin your reputation as a great cook.’

‘If you’re talking about the gang at work they’ll ignore you for fear they won’t get their weekly quota of homemade cakes and biscuits.’

‘True. The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach.’ Fraser put down the wine and beer and scooped up a mouthful of risotto with the wooden spoon.

She watched as the spoon slipped into his mouth, saw his tongue clear the rice off the wooden surface. She leant against the bench for support. For the second time in two days desire spread through her like wildfire, heating her in long-chilled places, suffocating her in need. Heaven help her, it was only paella, and yet the guy made it the sexiest food out.

‘Divine. A little smoky but absolutely delicious.’ He took another spoonful, his eyes rolling and that tentative smile growing.

Resignedly, Nikki found a plate and a fork, handed them to him. ‘Help yourself.’ Tugging a bottle from the six pack, she twisted the cap off and took a long, cold drink. It cooled her throat, but nothing else. Why had she opened her front door so wide and invited Fraser in? This had not been what she’d expected, this deep need clawing its way down her body, teasing her, taunting her.

Bang. The bottom of the bottle cracked on the bench as she put it down. ‘Come on, let’s get this over with.’ Her voice came out light and squeaky. Clearing her throat, she tried again. ‘Why are you here, Fraser?’

The fork that had been about to slide into his mouth stopped, held still as Fraser studied her frankly, closely, for a long time. Like he was looking for something.