The Doctor's Engagement

‘Did you go on the helicopter?’ Helen’s eyes were like saucers and Holly smiled at her.

‘Not usually. I worked in the accident and emergency department, so we used to take care of the people after the helicopter had given them a lift. But I did go out on it a few times.’

‘Wow!’ The little girl hardly noticed as Holly carefully dressed the bite. ‘Was it very high up?’

‘Oh, very!’ Holly’s green eyes twinkled as she secured the dressing firmly. ‘The people looked like dots and I could see into everyone’s gardens. Now then, I’ll just check your notes on the computer. What’s your address, Alison, and who’s your GP?’

‘We’re with Dr Logan.’ Suddenly Alison’s eyes brightened mischievously. ‘And he’s so gorgeous it takes your breath away! But perhaps you haven’t met him yet, have you?’

Holly gave a wry smile. ‘Actually, I have. I’ve been acquainted with Dr Logan’s fatal charm since I was two years old. We were at school together and we trained at the same hospital so our paths are always crossing.’

And now they were engaged, albeit fictitiously.

‘Well, all the women in Cornwall are totally besotted with him,’ Alison told her with a laugh. ‘He’s lovely with the patients. Never makes you feel small and always acts as though he’s got plenty of time.’

Holly smiled. ‘He’s certainly a good doctor.’ She tapped away at the keyboard with sure fingers until she brought the right information up onto the screen. ‘Oh, here we are. Tell me—’ she kept her voice casual ‘—do you normally have to wait a long time to see him?’

She wanted to find out whether Caroline’s comment was typical of the time it took to get an appointment with Mark.

‘Well, that depends on the receptionist.’ Alison gave a wry smile. ‘Caroline works on the principle that if she makes you wait long enough you’ll either be dead or better by the time your appointment comes round. The others are really nice and if it’s an emergency they always seem to manage to squeeze you in.’

‘That’s good to hear,’ Holly said lightly, checking in the records that Helen had no recorded allergies or any other relevant medical history. ‘Is she allergic to any drugs, Alison?’

‘No.’ Alison shook her head. ‘Nothing.’

‘Right. I’m going to ask one of the doctors to write her a prescription.’ Holly tapped away again. ‘Can you wait for a few minutes while I find out when one of the partners is likely to be back?’

Just then the door opened and Mark strode in, a frown touching his dark brows. ‘Holl?’

‘Good afternoon, Dr Logan,’ Holly said, her voice formal in case he hadn’t realised she was with a patient. ‘Helen had a bit of an accident with a dog but we’ve sorted it out.’

Mark grinned at the little girl and for a brief moment Holly saw him as other women must see him. Tall and athletic, with broad, muscular shoulders and laughing dark eyes. With his cropped dark hair and permanently shadowed jaw he was wickedly handsome, and Holly wondered what the staid old ladies of Cornwall thought of him. Then she gave a chuckle. They probably loved him. The ones on the ward always had. She watched him curiously. Alison was right, he was gorgeous. Gorgeous and sexy. It was just that she didn’t usually see that when she looked at him. She just saw the Mark she’d known all her life.

‘Hello, tiger.’ His attention was focused on his young patient. ‘Have you come to play with my toys again?’

‘Holly rides on helicopters,’ Helen said breathlessly, and Mark laughed.

‘I know she does. Always has her head in the clouds does Holly. And what have you been doing to your arm?’

Helen’s lip wobbled. ‘Dog bit me.’

‘You poor sausage.’ Mark squatted down so that he was on her level, his dark eyes gentle as they locked with the little girl’s. ‘Did you bite it back?’

‘Of course not, silly.’ Helen giggled in spite of herself. ‘It was furry.’

Mark pulled a face. ‘Yuck! And how does that arm feel now?’

Helen stared thoughtfully at her new bandage. ‘Better,’ she said finally, and Mark smiled and ruffled her hair.

‘Good.’ He looked at Holly and raised an eyebrow. ‘Stitches?’

She shook her head. ‘I thought it was best to avoid them. I cleaned it thoroughly, though. She’s covered for tetanus but she’ll need some antibiotics as it was a puncture wound. I thought co-amoxiclav—she’s not allergic to anything, I’ve checked.’

Mark blinked and then gave a crooked smile. ‘I’d forgotten what it was like working with someone as efficient as you.’

Holly pressed the right keys on the computer and the prescription came out with a whizzing noise.

‘The wonders of technology,’ Mark murmured, signing it with a flourish. ‘Here you are, Alison. We’ll need to see that wound again—when do you think, Holly?’

Holly laughed. ‘Well, seeing as I haven’t even got my uniform on yet, I don’t really know the setup here. Is there a dressing clinic or do I just do a general session?’

Mark frowned and thought for a moment. ‘Routine dressing checks usually just get booked into your general sessions. Meg, our practice manager, will fill you in on when they are. Most mornings, I think, and then special clinics—asthma, immunisation and things in the afternoon.’

Alison scooped Helen up in her arms. ‘Gosh, you’re a lump! Too big for Mummy to carry around like this.’ She gave the child a squeeze and lowered her gently to the floor, glancing at Mark while she did so. ‘So what happened to Sister Hill? I thought the baby wasn’t due for another two months?’

‘It wasn’t, but I’m afraid her blood pressure shot up and she was advised to rest so she decided to leave earlier than expected.’

Alison picked up her bag. ‘Which left you in the lurch, I would have thought.’

‘You can say that again.’ Mark gave a wry smile and raked long fingers through his dark hair. ‘But fortunately Holly has kindly agreed to step into the breach so we should be fine now.’

‘Come back in three days and I’ll check that wound,’ Holly said. ‘Sooner if it becomes inflamed or swollen, but it shouldn’t because the antibiotics should prevent any infection.’

Alison nodded and thanked her again before ushering the little girl out and closing the door behind them.

‘Thanks for dealing with them,’ Mark said, and Holly grinned at him.

‘To be honest, I was quite relieved. I was so afraid that our first meeting was going to be in front of the practice staff and we hadn’t discussed what I was meant to do.’

‘Do?’ Mark leaned broad shoulders against the wall and started to laugh. ‘What do you mean, “do”?’

‘Well, you know...’ Holly shifted uncomfortably. ‘I wasn’t sure if I was expected to—to...’

She started to blush, which felt ridiculous. Why should she blush in front of Mark when she’d known him for ever?

‘To what?’ Mark was still laughing, his dark eyes teasing. ‘To rip my clothes off in Reception in front of the patients?’

‘It’s all right for you to laugh!’ She put her hands on her slim hips and glared at him. ‘Mark Logan, you’d better watch your step or I won’t do this for you!’

He stifled the laughter. ‘Sorry, Holl. It’s just that I had this vision of you—’

‘I don’t want to know,’ Holly said primly, switching off the computer and clearing up the mess left from the dressing. ‘As it is, we have now been reunited in private, so we can avoid touching public reunions.’

‘Shame.’ Mark gave her a wicked grin, his eyes dancing. ‘We could have run towards each other in slow motion like they do in the movies.’

Her eyes twinkled in return. ‘With the sound of the sea in the background.’

‘Something like that.’ His smile was warm. ‘It’s really good to see you, Holly.’