Ross opened the door to the guest apartment and she walked inside, looking around. It was small but comfortable enough for a six-week stay and Laurie walked across to the windows, pulling back the drapes to let light stream in.
‘This is lovely. You’re sure it’s all right for me to stay here?’
‘Yes, it’s fine.’ He took the front door key from his keyring, handing it to her. ‘It?
??s all yours for the next six weeks. There’s a small kitchenette, but you can eat in the clinic’s restaurant. The cleaner comes in twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays.’
Laurie smiled. ‘They won’t have much to do. I don’t make a lot of mess.’
Ross had noticed that. Her room in the clinic had been impeccably tidy, with none of the usual bits and pieces that people brought with them for a long stay.
‘I don’t make a lot of noise either. I won’t be disturbing you or your mother...’
‘My mother’s away on holiday for the next couple of weeks, and my apartment’s upstairs on the other side of the building. Unless you’re planning a rave, you won’t disturb me.’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t have enough friends for a rave. The ones I do have tend to go to bed early so they can be up to train in the morning.’
He watched as she walked over to the French doors, unlocking them and stepping out onto the small paved area outside.
‘Nice view. Aren’t you worried it’ll be too much temptation for me?’
‘No. As I said, what you decide to do about your own treatment is entirely up to you. Are you worried?’
‘I’ll manage.’ Laurie gestured towards the spiral staircase that ran up to the balcony outside his apartment windows. ‘Do I need to turn a blind eye if I see someone sneaking up to your place?’
‘Such as...?’ Ross pretended he didn’t know what she meant.
‘I don’t know. If you had a thing going with one of the women at the clinic you might want to keep it quiet. Or one of the guys...’
Ross grinned. When Laurie pushed, she pushed. He was beginning to like pushing back.
‘All my guests use the front door. And, no, I don’t have a thing going with any of my staff, and I’m not gay. You?’
‘I don’t have a thing going with any of your staff either. And I’m not gay. I’ll call the police if I see anyone sneaking up there at the dead of night.’
‘I’d appreciate it. Always good to have someone keeping an eye out.’
Ross wondered whether she’d like to come upstairs to his flat and take a look through his wardrobes. If he hadn’t had a full schedule this afternoon, he would have been tempted to invite her up. But Laurie had already turned to walk back inside.
‘If you’re free tomorrow, I’d like to sit down with you for a couple of hours. Just to talk through which patients you’ll be responsible for.’
She nodded. ‘That’s fine. But I’m going to have to take a day trip back home before I start to work with them.’
Ross raised an eyebrow. Normally patients were encouraged to stay here at the clinic to promote a regular regime of rest and exercise. But then he’d just made it very clear that Laurie wasn’t a patient any more, and he couldn’t think of a reason why she should stay. Other than his growing curiosity, which wasn’t anyone’s business but his own.
‘I need clothes.’ She glanced down at the two large suitcases. ‘Work clothes, that is.’
Right. Ross imagined that she would have noticed that the staff here often wore the same kind of casual sporting wear that he’d seen Laurie in for the last week. His own chinos and open-necked shirt were about as formal as things got. Perhaps there was another reason for her day trip, but he couldn’t imagine what it could be.
‘You’ll be fine as you are.’
She shook her head. ‘No, I have work clothes and sports clothes. The two don’t overlap.’
It was a reason of sorts. And impossible to tell whether it disguised another motive.
‘Okay, I’ve got to make a trip down to London the day after tomorrow to see some patients who’ve been referred to us. You want to join me?’
Laurie eyed him, a hint of amusement playing around her lips. ‘Making sure I don’t escape?’