‘What? Do you hold regular meetings to discuss my whereabouts?’
Donna laughed. ‘Are you avoiding Ethan because of the way he makes you feel?’
CJ straightened her back and flicked her pigtails over her shoulder, determined to deny her friend’s words, but the instant she opened her mouth, she slouched and covered her face with her hands. It was no use. ‘He’s so nice and wonderful and caring, as well as frustrating, infuriating and…sexy.’ She dropped her hands. ‘I like the way he smells. I like the way he walks. I like the way he talks. I really like him and that scares the living daylights out of me.’
‘What’s the problem?’
‘Problem? Where do I start?’ She spread her hands wide. ‘How about the fact that his life is in Sydney and mine is here? How about the fact that I’ve already been burned by one man, that I’m not about to throw myself back into the fire. And the last reason why it just wouldn’t work.’ She pointed to her belly. ‘I’m about to have a baby! All my time and attention and care is about to be completely focused on figuring out how to be a parent.’ With her emotions in overdrive, while she’d been talking, tears had sprung to her eyes and she reached for a tissue and blew her nose. A moment later she closed her eyes and said softly, ‘Here I am, on the brink of having Quinten’s baby, and all I can think about is Ethan Janeway. I mean, what man in his right mind would be attracted to me? Look at me! I’m huge!’
‘You’re pregnant and you’re all baby. You’ve watched your weight carefully and have hardly put any extra on, even with all your late night pickle and chocolate spread snacking.’
CJ gasped. ‘He told you about that!’
‘It’s hardly a secret, CJ, but it wasn’t Ethan, it was Idris at the grocery store.’
‘Oh.’
‘Once the baby’s born, it won’t take you long to get your figure back. You’ll be your normal size again and everything will feel better.’
CJ dabbed at her eyes before blowing her nose. ‘I know. It’s all silly, it’s all emotional but…’ She sighed. ‘It was so nice to think that he might be attracted to me, especially when I’m huge like this. Do you have any idea what that did for my self-esteem?’
‘I can imagine. What’s your plan, then? To go out visiting people at night until the baby’s born?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
‘Does Ethan know where you are?’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t think so but I don’t answer to him.’
‘That doesn’t sound like you.’
‘Quinten needed to know where I was at all times and I often thought that was so sweet, that he was interested in me, and yet the truth of the matter was that he only wanted to know where I was so I wouldn’t catch him having one of his many affairs.’
‘Ethan isn’t Quinten,’ Donna pointed out softly.
CJ huffed and shrugged. ‘I know but I still don’t need to tell him where I am at every moment of the day. I don’t ask where he goes. He gets up early and is out of the house before I’ve woken up, so I’ve taken to visiting people in the evening to give him some time to work, instead of hibernating in my bedroom.’
‘That’s very considerate of you.’
‘If I didn’t, then he’d probably go out and he’s got nowhere to go.’
‘True. Or here’s a thought—you could just try talking to him.’
‘I do talk to him but there’s only so much we can say about our patients.’
Donna chuckled. ‘Listen, once the baby is born, you’ll feel better. Your life will settle down into a nice, easy rhythm and Ethan Janeway will return to Sydney and all will be forgotten.’
‘It could be my hormones that are telling me I’m attracted to him when I’m really not.’ She closed her eyes and shook her head. ‘Man, that sounds silly when I say it out loud.’
‘But why don’t we blame those troublesome hormones at the moment?’
‘Yes. Yes, I think you’re right.’
‘And after all he’s the only good-looking, single man of your age in the vicinity.’
‘True. Very true.’
‘So there you go. Opportunity and motive, all of which you had absolutely no control over. You are not to blame.’
‘Excellent.’ CJ shifted out of the chair and stood. ‘Thanks, Donna. I’m glad I came over tonight.’
‘So am I. Go home, have a snack, get a wheat bag warmed up and lie down with a good book.’
‘Sounds like the perfect prescription.’ CJ hugged her friend, then said, ‘I might just use your bathroom first. Junior’s jumping on my bladder again.’