Page 23 of Prognosis Do Over

CHAPTER FOUR

Will shut and lockedthe door behind him, sat at the desk and slowly thumped his head against the wood several times. He wanted to bellow out loud, but figured the relatively thin walls in the clinic wouldn’t keep his frustration a secret.

Three weeks into his job and Will couldn’t stand it anymore. His heart, his body, were telling him he loved Lou and wanted her back. But his head knew it was insane to go there again.

He wouldn’t, damn it all.He just wouldn’t.

Things with Candy were going amazingly well. It had been a long time since they’d had such an uninterrupted bond, and he was determined to nurture that at any cost.

He would not divide his time.

One more week to go. Just one, and things should become a lot easier around here. Because with every day he saw Lou it got harder to deny himself. Despite her pregnancy becoming more and more pronounced, he wanted her. Which was crazy, because her swollen belly, more than anything, should have been a big neon flashing light telling him to forget it.

They both had kids to think about now.

His external circumstances had already ruined their relationship once. Putting his heart on the line again was not an option. Despite his feelings, it had been too traumatic, and with Lou being pregnant their situation was further complicated.

He was tired of complicated. Wary of it. He thought back to his marriage and shuddered. Learning about Delvine’s affair when Candy had been six months old had knocked the stuffing out of him. He had known Delvine hadn’t been thrilled about the pregnancy, had worried about her figure and how much a baby would tie her down, but he had never doubted their love or commitment.

The affair had been totally unexpected and completely soul-destroying. But the worst blow had been Delvine leaving shortly after and taking Candy with her. Those first six months of Candy’s life had been the most amazing time. She was simply the most precious thing he’d ever seen. One look at his bawling, wet newborn daughter and he’d been a goner.

He’d been completely caught up in the wonder of Candice — her smiles and her squeals, and her sweet, clean smell. And all the mornings he had gone and picked her up out of her cot and watched the sunrise with his little early bird.

It had been magical.

The separation from Candy had been terrible. He’d taken it for granted that she would always be there, and when she was gone he’d felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest.

Those next six months had been the worst of his life. He’d seen Candy a few days a week, but it hadn’t been enough. So when Delvine had decided out of the blue, just before Candy’s first birthday, that she didn’t want to be a mother any more, and had dumped their daughter on him, he had been ecstatic.

And then a year later it had got even better, as his relationship with Lou had budded into something amazing.

Lou had been marvellous. Had adored Candy and never griped or moaned about the fact that she’d got herself involved with a man who came with a child in tow and all the restrictions that placed on their courtship. Six months after that she’d moved in, and things had been almost perfect.

For one fabulous year they’d had Candy all to themselves, and Will had just started to think a future for him and Lou was possible. Then Delvine had returned, with a vengeance. Interfering and undermining and calculating —but being granted access in the courts, nonetheless.

Sharing custody with Delvine, having her back in his life, had been messy and stressful, and he had run himself ragged, trying to keep up with her latest legal whim and looking after Candy and not neglecting Lou. Sure, Lou had understood, but he’d known she was unhappy. They’d stuck it out over the years because they’d both known how good it could be.

But it hadn’t been fair to her.

She’d deserved to be happy, and external problems had made it almost impossible.

And today, a year after their split, their situation was still complicated. More than before. Okay, Delvine was off the scene, but there were now two children in the mix. Hell, Lou had a baby on the way.

What sort of stress would that put on any relationship he might be foolish enough to consider? It had been the breaking point in his marriage.

And Candy had to come first.

The doorknob rattled suddenly, bringing him out of the past, and he looked up, startled by the noise in the quiet room. It jiggled a few more times before the person on the other side obviously realised it was locked and knocked instead. He looked at his watch. Probably Lydia, wanting to check if he was ready for the first patient. For his sins, he was stuck with Lydia for three hours on clinic afternoon.

Still, at least it wasn’t Lou.

He leaned forward, flipped the lock and opened the door.

Damn.It was Lou. What the hell was she doing here?

‘Oh, you’re in here,’ she said. ‘I thought it mustn’t have been unlocked yet. I was just about to get the key.’

‘Yes, sorry about that.’ He grimaced. ‘Where’s Lydia?’

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