Page 197 of Feathers in the Wind
‘Well, look at you!’my dear friend, Lily French, announced when I arrived late for work, breathless and disheveled. ‘The rumors must be true.’
‘What rumors?’
‘This is a hospital, Jess. There are no secrets. According to the gossip, you were seen yesterday in Northampton with a cute guy.’ She smiled. ‘And the best bit, Mark is walking around with a face like the grim reaper.’
A satisfied smile tugged at the corners of my mouth and Lily gasped. ‘Oh, it’s true. Who is he? Go on, tell.’
‘At break,’ I said. ‘I have patients waiting for me.’
When I fetched my coffee later that morning, I had to remind myself to be careful about what I said to Lily, who waited for me at a table in the canteen. Like any woman in love, I longed to share it all, but this story was one too strange for the telling. While falling in love with a man I had only met three days ago might not sound so strange, there was the little matter of an age difference that defied explanation.
‘So?’ Lily wheedled, raising a cup of canteen tea to her lips.
I shrugged. ‘What’s to tell? He’s just an old family friend who’s staying over for a little while.’
‘A little more than a friend from the grin on your face, Dr. S!’
‘It’s just a bit of fun. He’ll be heading home soon and that’ll be it.’
‘Bloody men,’ Lily said. ‘Love you and leave you. Well, you may as well enjoy it while you can. Where’s he from?’
‘The Falklands,’ I said, mentally scanning the globe for somewhere far and remote.
Lily looked taken aback but before she could respond, Jenny slid into the chair beside me.
‘Jessie, I want to know all about that gorgeous guy you were with yesterday. You should see him, Lily, eyes to drown in.’
I drained my coffee and stood. The chair scraped on the linoleum floor. ‘Nothing to tell.’ I caught the disbelieving look she shot me. ‘Really.’
Just to complete the triumvirate, on my way to my wards, Mark lumbered across my path. I wondered what I had ever seen in him. I found myself looking at his receding hairline and his paunch as if seeing him for the first time. I shivered as I remembered the delicious hardness of Nat Preston’s stomach beneath my hands....and my lips.
‘Dr. Shepherd,’ he said, stepping in front of me.
‘Mr. Westmacott? What can I do for you?’
Now he had my full attention, he seemed to forget what he had intended to ask me.
He lowered his voice. ‘I think I left some things at your house. I meant to collect them yesterday.’
‘Oh, you mean your tracksuit bottoms?’
‘And a t-shirt I was rather fond of.’
‘Oh, those. I gave them to charity,’ I said.
As I made to pass him, he grabbed my arm. I looked down at the restraining hand and said in an icy tone, ‘Let go, Mark.’
‘Who was that guy?’
I glared at him and he released me. ‘Just a friend.’
Mark stared at me, his face flushed and breathing shallow. For a moment, I almost felt sorry for him and put my hand on his arm.
‘Mark, I’m moving on. Time you did too.’
He gave me a reproachful look as he turned and stomped down the corridor.
* * *
