‘Dr White is more attuned to sewing than digging.’ That deep, husky voice came from behind her. The edgy tone had lightened a little.
It seemed she might almost be back in favour, though why she’d actually slipped out of it because of something Tim had said, she had yet to find out. ‘And colour co-ordinating,’ she risked. Looking directly at Cody, she was rewarded with a small smile, and knew everything was right between them again. Until she took him to task about his earlier reaction. That had not been good and, if the staff hadn’t been aware they’d seen each other over the weekend, they certainly would be now.
‘Mr Gregory.’ Cody glanced at the older man. ‘What colour would you use for your bedroom if you were painting it?’
‘Aw shucks, lad, ask the missus. She says I’m hopeless at that stuff, though I don’t see anything wrong with a bit of strong colour myself.’
That set Mrs Gregory off on another tirade.
Harper hastened to finish suturing the wound, then left Cody to put a gauze cover over it while she went to print out a prescription for antibiotics and a mild analgesic for her patient.
‘That chin looks sore,’ Karin said. ‘You must’ve hit the board hard.’
‘It was the paddle that got me.’ She signed the prescription. ‘How was your weekend?’
‘Quiet. Studied a lot, saw my sister for a bit, caught up on washing. Nothing exciting. No paddle-boarding with a hunk, for sure.’
Harper’s teeth snapped tight. Then she forced herself to relax. This was no different from any other Monday morning except that she’d been with Cody over the weekend and didn’t want everyone gossiping about them. ‘I don’t think I’ll be doing it again.’
‘What? Paddle-boarding or spending time with Hottie?’
Harper’s brow tightened and she opened her mouth with a retort, only to be talked over by Karin.
‘You shouldn’t have left the pub looking like you were totally lost in each other if you didn’t want people to know you’d get together.’ The annoying woman nodded at her with a warning in her eyes. ‘Stop letting everyone get to you and they’ll soon find something or someone else to talk about.’
‘But I haven’t said anything.’
‘Only yelled at Tim, stuck up for Cody and ignored Jess when she asked you about your weekend.’ Karin laughed lightly. ‘So not like our well-mannered, polite and fun consultant at all.’
Harper pushed up from the chair. ‘Thanks for the warning. I guess I did get a bit carried away.’ But she’d been rocked by Cody’s outburst. Would he tell her what it had been about? If they saw each other this week out of work, that was. ‘Are you free to do dinner and a movie one night this week?’
‘I am. Are you?’ Karin winked and headed for the resus room.
I have no idea, Harper wondered as she headed back to Mr Gregory. Yes, I will be. I can’t cut off other friends because of one particular man. She slipped into the cubicle and the breath caught in her throat at the sight of that man gently helping their patient back into his trousers while keeping the old man’s dignity in place. ‘Where have you been all my life, Cody Brand?’
‘On a fishing trawler, getting on with my life,’ he drawled as they watched the elderly couple walk towards the exit, Mrs Gregory giving her husband an earful about being more careful in the future.
Harper would’ve felt sorry for the old man if she hadn’t noticed Mrs Gregory slip her hand into her husband’s for a brief moment. Then she really heard Cody and her head shot up. ‘Did I say that out loud?’
He nodded. ‘You did. I’d ask what you meant by it but there’s a waiting room full of patients, and a load of staff around here with ears bigger than their backsides.’ He leaned over the counter for the patient files. ‘Now, who’s next?’
‘My ears aren’t that big.’ Jess nudged him as she strolled past.
Harper took the file from Cody. ‘I’ll get this one. You two continue your discussion on ears and butts.’ She was back to normal, feeling relaxed and happy to be at work. The weekend had been one out of the box; it might or might not be repeated, minus the chin whack, and right now she was ready for anything.
As if to prove a point, the emergency phone screeched as she walked past. Though it was Cody’s job to answer it, she automatically picked up the receiver. ‘Wellington ED. Dr White.’
‘Rescue helicopter service, doctor. Bee attack in the Sounds. Patient male, sixty-five, no known prior allergies. ETA twenty-five.’ The woman called out more details.
‘We’ll be ready.’ Harper put the phone down. ‘We’ve got a severe allergic reaction coming in.’
*
Cody knew he’d overreacted to Tim’s comment, but hey. He hated when someone went off half-cocked and didn’t bother to find out the real deal. That caused people distress or at the very least unhappiness. It had happened with his mate, Jack: because of false accusations by his girlfriend about hitting her, he’d nearly ended up in jail.
Cody’s gut churned. Harper had been unhappy with his reaction, and he couldn’t blame her. There’d been searching looks from her all morning that shamed him. He should’ve shrugged Tim’s comments away, as Harper had.
Come lunchtime, he went for a walk in the blazing sun and fierce wind to get some air to clear his head. He was an idiot not to explain to Harper why he’d reacted like that. It wasn’t that big a deal, but he’d got used to keeping quiet about what mattered most to him after Sadie’s passing. Was now the time to start opening up, start letting Harper in a little?
Harper. She was getting to him. Sneaking under his skin, rattling his beliefs and worrying him stupid.
After just one weekend he was ready to spend more time with her. He’d even consider—no, he’d go with—having an affair for as long as it lasted. But that was as far as he’d go. His heart would cope with that, but no more.
So why did he feel as though he’d known her for ever? Why did the idea that they had a future together keep blindsiding him? Why the feelings of wanting to protect her, to be there for her all the time, to share everything with her? He enjoyed being with her; he wanted more and couldn’t wait to get into bed with her again. All this after such a short time.
‘You going to stand there all day looking like someone stole your coffee?’ Harper reached past him to drop a completed patient file on the desk.
‘Sorry. Having a rest on my feet.’ He looked around the department and saw nothing untoward. ‘Who’s next?’
‘A toddler with a dislocated thumb. You want to go and get him?’
‘Sure.’ He loved his job. Even on days like today. Yet right now it would be great to be able to head away and take his confusion out with a hammer as he put the boards back on the railing of his veranda. Or to slop some paint on a couple of walls. Except he had yet to decide on the colour and buy the paint. Harper’s suggestion of deep cream didn’t quite turn him on. Like he knew anything about it. Cream could be anything; what did it matter about the shade he painted the place when he couldn’t tell what it was?
Except he was determined to make his house something special, to do it up and decorate it in the style it had been built in ninety-odd years ago.
He returned to Harper. ‘Want dinner at my place tonight? I’d like to run some decorating ideas past you.’
Surprise filled her eyes, and the smile she found for him was a little lopsided as she nodded slowly. ‘I’d like that.’
‘Six o’clock suit you? I need to visit the supermarket and do a couple of jobs before you get there.’
Her smile widened and tied his gut in more knots than usual while giving his heart a nudge. The fireworks between them were unbelievably intense, like something he’d never experienced. Or had forgotten over the last few years.
He wanted more of Harper. Hadn’t even begun to have enough of her. It could be that he’d never have enough. Damn it.
*
The day was a continuous stream of patients. Harper began to wonder if three o’clock would ever arr
ive, but finally it did. ‘I’m exhausted. That’s got to have been the busiest day in a long while.’
‘You said that one day last week.’ Cody had joined her in the staff room.
‘Really? I must need a break. It would be cool to go lie on a beach somewhere for a few days.’ A beach, sun, water: it sounded wonderful. Sunburn, paddle-boards knocking her head, mosquitos… It still didn’t sound half-bad if she compared it to drug overdoses, broken bones and cut hands. She checked her phone for messages; she’d got the usual texts from the brats, and one from her sister reminding her about Levi’s birthday. ‘As if I’d forget that.’ She had a present to pick up. She might as well go to town now and then it was done, box ticked.
‘Forget what?’ Cody asked as his locker banged shut.
‘Levi’s birthday. I’m going shopping.’ Then she remembered Cody had been invited to the party. ‘Will you be joining us on the day?’
His hesitation made her hold her breath until he finally asked, ‘Would you like me to?’
‘Yes.’ Definitely. ‘Can’t think of any reason why not.’
‘Except for your family giving us a hard time, but I guess we can handle them.’ He could have sounded like he wanted that, not uncertain and wary.
‘Glad you think so. They’ve been soft on you so far.’