A Family Made At Christmas

She raised her eyebrows. Gave her best smile. The one reserved for patients in trouble. Both of them recognised it instantly.

‘Uh-oh,’ Riley muttered.

April touched Jake’s leg. ‘Well, just so you know, Jake, now that we’ve established there’s some movement and—’ she stood up ‘—your balance is gradually improving, I think I’ll have a whole new plan for you, starting tomorrow.’

Jake groaned as Riley laughed. He couldn’t quite work out why April could chat easily with patients but could barely say a word to him on a normal day.

Jake pointed at Riley. ‘This is all your fault. You’re abandoning me to this wicked, wicked woman. You know she’ll work me hard and exhaust me.’ He said the words with a twinkle in his eyes.

Riley nodded as he glanced at April. Her blue gaze met his. For the first time since he’d met her, she didn’t look away instantly. He smiled. ‘You’re right, Jake. But I’m leaving you with one of the best physios I’ve ever met. She’ll push you to your absolute limit—exactly what you need. If anyone can get you back on your feet again, it’s April Henderson.’ He put his hand on Jake’s shoulder as he leaned forward to fake whisper in his ear, ‘Even if she won’t have a drink with me.’

There was something about that bright blue gaze. Even under the harsh hospital lights that seemed to drain the colour from everyone else, April still looked good. The edges of her mouth gave just the slightest hint of turning upwards. It was the first time he’d wished he wasn’t leaving.

Jake reached up and grabbed his hand, giving it a shake. ‘Thanks, Lieutenant Callaghan. Good luck with your deployment.’ There was a tiny waver in his voice. Almost as if he knew the likelihood was he’d never make another deployment himself.

Riley clasped his hand between his. ‘I’ll look you up again when I come back.’ He started towards the door, then glanced over his shoulder and gave a warm smile. ‘You too, April.’

* * *

Her heart was acting as though she were racing along a beach, rather than sitting at the side of a patient’s bed.

Darn it.

Ever since Riley Callaghan had turned up on this ward she’d spent the last four weeks avoiding him. It was everything. The little kink in his dark hair. The smiling green eyes. The cheeky charm. Oh, lots of doctors and servicemen she’d met in the last few years had the talk, the wit, the lots of charm.

But she’d had enough to deal with. The diagnosis of her twin sister’s ovarian cancer, rapidly followed by her failing treatment, then Mallory’s death, had meant that she had found it easier to retreat into herself and seal herself off from the world. Her own genetic testing had floored her. She had decisions to make. Plans for the future.

Her last relationship had been half-hearted. Mallory had got sick and she’d realised quickly that she needed to spend time with her sister. But, since then, the last thing she wanted was a relationship.

After her own testing, she’d spent a day wondering whether she should just find some random guy, try to get pregnant, have a baby quickly and deal with everything else after.

But those thoughts had only lasted a day. She’d met the surgeon. A date for her surgery would be agreed soon. And she needed to do this part of her life alone.

Then Riley Callaghan had appeared on her ward. All cheeky grins and twinkling eyes. It was the first time in a long time she’d actually been aware of every sense in her body. Her surge of adrenaline. Every rapid heartbeat.

That was the reason she didn’t engage in small talk. That was the reason she kept to herself. She couldn’t afford to let herself be attracted to a guy at such a crucial point in her life. How did you start that conversation anyway? Oh, you want to go on a date? Great. By the way, in a few months’ time I’m going to have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed and maybe later my breasts. What? You don’t want to hang around?

It didn’t matter that she’d found herself glancing in Riley’s direction every time he’d appeared on the ward. She’d hated the way she’d started stumbling over her words around him, or had trouble looking him in the eye.

But as she watched his retreating back her mouth felt dry. Part of her wanted to grab her jacket and join the rest of the staff for a drink. But then she’d be in a pub, where her inhibitions could lower, and she could encourage the gentle flirtation that could go absolutely nowhere.

She shook her head and turned her attention back to Jake. ‘Can we get you more comfortable? I’ll work on your new programme and we’ll start tomorrow.’

Jake gave her a nod and she helped settle him in a comfortable, specially designed chair for those with spinal injuries.

Her shift was finished but it wouldn’t take long to write up her notes and make the adjustments needed for tomorrow. It wasn’t as if she had anywhere to go, right?

Half an hour later there were a few voices in the corridor behind her. This was a military hospital. When the Colonel appeared, it was never good news.

All the hairs bristled on her arms. She looked around, wondering who was about to get bad news.

‘Ms Henderson?’

She spun around in her chair and jumped to her feet. Her? How? What?

A woman with a pinched face and dark grey coat stood next to the Colonel. She didn’t even know that he knew her name.

‘Y-yes,’ she stumbled.

‘We’re wondering where Lieutenant Callaghan is.’

Her heart plummeted in her chest. Riley? They had bad news for Riley?

She glanced around. ‘He’s not here. But I know where he is. Can you give me five minutes? I’ll get him for you.’

The Colonel nodded and she rushed past, going to the changing room and grabbing her jacket. If she ran, the pub was only five minutes away.

As soon as she stepped outside she realised just how much the temperature had dipped. It was freezing and it was only the middle of November. As she thudded down the dark path a few snowflakes landed on her cheeks. Snow? Already?

She slowed her run. If spots of rain had turned to snow, then there was a chance the damp ground would be slippery.

The pub came into view, warm light spilling from its windows. She stopped running completely, her warm breath steaming in the air around her.

She could hear the noise and laughter coming from the pub already. She closed her eyes for a second. She hated that she was about to do this. To walk into a farewell party and pull Riley away for news he probably wouldn’t want. Did his family serve in the military? Did he have a brother? She just didn’t know. She hadn’t allowed herself to have that kind of conversation with Riley.

She pushed open the door to the pub, the heat hitting her instantly. It was busy. She jostled her way through the people, scanning one way then another. It didn’t take long to recognise the laugh. She picked Riley’s familiar frame out of the crowd and pushed herself towards him. Her work colleagues were picking up glasses and toasting him. She stumbled as she reached him, her hands coming out and landing square on his chest. His hard, muscular chest.

‘April?’ He looked completely surprised. ‘Oh, wow. You made it. That’s great.’ His arm had automatically gone around her shoulder. He pulled her a little closer to try to talk above the noise in the pub. ‘Can I get you something to drink?’

He frowned as he noticed she hadn’t even changed out of her uniform.

She looked up into his green eyes. ‘Riley, I’m sorry—I’m not here for the drinks.’

He pulled back a little whilst keeping his arm on her shoulder. ‘You aren’t?’

Her hands were still on his chest. She really didn’t want to move them. ‘Riley—’ she pressed her lips together for a second ‘—the Colonel is looking for you. He came to the ward.’

She felt every part of his body tense.

‘What?’ His voice had changed.

She nodded. ‘I said I’d come and get you.’

Riley didn’t even say goodbye to anyone around him. He just grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her behind him as he jostled his way through the crowd.

The snow was falling as they reached the main door. Riley spun around to face her, worry etched all over his face. ‘What did he say? Is it just the Colonel?’

April shook her head. ‘He didn’t tell me anything. And there’s an older woman with him. I didn’t recognise her.’