The Consultant's Accidental Bride Read online

  ‘Well, there you are, then, darling,’ Mrs Jacobs soothed. ‘Everything’s taken care of.’

  ‘Not quite.’ Leah’s voice faltered. ‘Could you ring work for me, explain to them what’s happened? They’re not going to be very thrilled.’

  ‘That’s already been done. Dr Richardson took the number and rang them after he spoke to us, he’s going to fax through a medical certificate. So enough stressing, Leah, we’ll speak to you soon.’

  Replacing the receiver, Leah smiled as a very young, very nervous grad nurse, who’d introduced herself as Tara, started to take her blood pressure, probably intimidated by the fact that Leah was also a nurse.

  ‘All normal.’ Tara smiled, blushing as she did so. ‘What did the doctors say on their ward round?’

  ‘Not much,’ Leah sighed. ‘Apparently the big boss, Dr Crean, will be back tomorrow for his ward round, but the charge nurse seems to think that the chest tube will hopefully come out tomorrow, and if all goes well I could be home by the middle of the week.’ Even as she said it Leah let out a slightly wry laugh. The youth hostel could hardly be described as home, but that was exactly what it was going to be for the next few weeks.

  ‘Looks like you’ve got a visitor.’ Making herself scarce, the grad nurse bade the top of Cole’s head good morning and dashed off.

  ‘It’s the effect I have on women.’ Cole grinned.

  ‘The poor thing’s nervous. It’s bad enough looking after a nurse without having a consultant watch you write up your obs.’

  ‘I brought you this.’ Holding up her rather sad-looking backpack, Cole placed it beside the bed. Have you spoken to your parents yet?’

  ‘Just.’ Leah nodded. ‘I thought Mum would be having a major panic attack but she actually took it really well—too well perhaps,’ Leah added glumly. ‘If anything, they all sound quite delighted that I’m not coming home.’

  ‘They’re no such thing, so stop feeling sorry for yourself,’ Cole scolded lightly. ‘Your mum did have that major panic attack you were describing when I called her last night, but I told her she needed to calm down before she spoke to you, that the last thing you needed was more stress, so if she sounded too laid-back for your liking then you can blame me. How are you feeling?’

  ‘Better,’ Leah admitted. ‘Stupid, but better. I’ve had a sponge bath, but if my obs are still good later this morning they’re going to let me have a shower, so I’m crossing my fingers.’

  ‘Is there anything I can get you, anything you want me to bring in?’

  Leah shook her head.

  ‘There must be something.’

  ‘A couple of new nighties.’ She grinned. ‘But given that I don’t possess such a thing, it would be a tough ask. And, no, I don’t expect you to drag around the lingerie department, I’ll just have to settle for hospital gowns.’

  ‘Lemon suits you.’ He smiled, but the smile soon faded and he stood there awkwardly. She could almost feel him wishing his bleeper would go off or her phone would ring. Hospital visits were always pretty strained, and none more so than when you barely knew each other, and now the small talk had clearly run out.

  ‘I just popped up to make sure you were improving.’

  ‘I am.’

  ‘And there’s nothing you need…’

  ‘Nothing,’ Leah said brightly, too brightly. ‘Nothing at all. By the way, thanks for last night, Cole, you saved my life.’

  ‘Just doing my job.’

  She could almost feel the sigh of relief when a young woman approached, peering at the name above the bedhead.

  ‘Ms Jacobs?’

  ‘Leah.’

  ‘I’m Jasmine Paine, the social worker. Dr Donovan thought it might be helpful if we have a little chat. I’ll just get your notes and I’ll be back in a couple of minutes. Perhaps your, er, visitor might like to say goodbye.’

  Looking up, Leah couldn’t decide who was more embarrassed, the social worker or Cole, but from the blush spreading across his face it was a pretty close call.

  ‘Why the hell do I feel so guilty?’ Cole said, for once looking anything but confident. ‘She thinks I did this to you, you know.’

  ‘Well, not for much longer. Thanks again, Cole.’

  ‘I’ll come and see you later,’ he offered, but Leah shook her head.

  ‘There’s no need, you really don’t have to.’ His pager did go off and Leah accepted his apologetic smile with one of her own before he dashed off down the ward.

  The social worker seemed curiously disappointed when she found out Leah’s injury really was just the result of an accident.

  ‘What about the previous fractures?’ she asked with a note of suspicion, obviously not entirely convinced. ‘You said on admission that you were beaten.’

  ‘Which I was,’ Leah sighed. She really didn’t want to go there, really didn’t want to open up in the middle of a mixed ward with only a flimsy curtain separating her from her roommates, but she wasn’t exactly being given much choice. Perhaps more pointedly she wanted any last smidgen of suspicion to be cleared from Cole, the poor guy certainly didn’t deserve it. ‘It was a patient that beat me up.’ She watched the social worker’s reaction, concentrating on keeping her voice even, determined not to give a hint that that fateful night was still affecting her. ‘I’m a nurse. I was on duty in Emergency one night and one of the patients suddenly became violent.’

  ‘He fractured your ribs!’ The horror in Jasmine’s voice was genuine but Leah chose to ignore it. ‘And your cheekbone?’ she added glancing down at her notes. ‘That must have been awful for you.’

  ‘It was,’ Leah admitted. ‘But not only for me. One of the doctors I was on duty with had his hand stamped on. He was hoping to be a surgeon, but with the damage inflicted that seems a pretty far-off dream now.’

  ‘The hospital pressed charges, I hope?’

  Leah gave a small nod. ‘They did, but unfortunately it didn’t get us anywhere. The patient blamed his head injury, said that he didn’t know what he was doing at the time, and he got let off with a good behaviour bond. I left for Australia two weeks after the court case. I just couldn’t face working in Emergency any more. Everything just set me on edge—every drunk, every raised voice just made me go cold.’

  ‘Have you seen someone,’ Jasmine probed gently, ‘spoken to a counsellor?’

  Leah nodded. ‘My hospital was great. They arranged someone straight away and I suppose it did help a bit, made me put things into perspective…’ She chewed on her lip as Jasmine sat there quietly waiting for her to continue. ‘Everyone’s been great really—the police, the solicitors. Even Admin came to the party and provided extra security guards at night. They’ve all done their bit.’

  ‘But it isn’t quite enough,’ Jasmine suggested, but Leah just shrugged.

  ‘I can’t walk around with a bodyguard! I know the chances of it happening again are tiny, I know it was just a one-off, I know all that.’ Struggling to hold it together, it was a while before Leah continued. ‘I just want to forget about it.

  ‘Look, Jasmine, I know you’re only trying to help, I know this is your job and that you mean well, but going over and over it doesn’t change how I feel. If anything, it makes things worse.’

  ‘Fair enough.’ Standing, Jasmine gave her a sympathetic smile, which Leah neither wanted nor needed. ‘Here’s my card. If you need to talk to someone, or even if you need help arranging accommodation, you can call me.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Taking the card, Leah stared at it politely before placing it on her bedside locker as Jasmine turned to go. ‘Could you leave the curtains closed, please?’ Leah asked as Jasmine started to pull them open. ‘I’d like a moment on my own.’

  Unfortunately privacy wasn’t a priority in hospital and just as Leah let down her guard, just as a good cry about all that had happened seemed imminent, the curtains were whisked open by Tara. ‘Time for that shower, Leah. I’ve got some towels and face washers for you, but do you have a toiletry bag and a nightd
ress?’

  ‘In my backpack,’ Leah answered, hastily wiping her cheeks with the backs of her hands. ‘Or at least there’s a toiletry bag. I’m afraid I’m going to be wearing gowns while I’m here.’

  ‘But why?’ Tara asked. ‘What’s wrong with these?’ Pulling out two brand-new, very cute pairs of cotton short pyjamas, Tara gave her a curious look. ‘And this dressing-gown is divine. Why on earth wouldn’t you want to wear them?’

  ‘Don’t tell me there are slippers in there as well?’

  Smiling, Tara held up a pair. ‘Did a fairy come in the night?’

  ‘Something like that,’ Leah gulped. She had been joking when she’d said she’d wanted him to go shopping. Never in a million years had it entered her head that Cole might have already done it, and no mean feat on a Sunday morning. He must have gone to one of the major shopping centres.

  Levering herself gently off the bed, watching as Tara picked up the chest drain and then the ever-present clamps, which were essential in case the drain tube inadvertently became disconnected, she held onto her drip pole as Tara wheeled her the short distance to the shower, barely able to keep the smile off her face.

  Suddenly she didn’t feel quiet so alone any more. What had been a wretched morning didn’t seem quite so bad all of a sudden.

  And it was all down to Cole.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ‘NOW you’re sure you’ve got everything?’ Tara checked as Leah gingerly levered herself off the bed and into the wheelchair Tara was holding. ‘Painkillers, an outpatient appointment for two weeks’ time and your doctor’s letter?’

  ‘It’s all in my bag. Thanks so much for all your help with everything, Tara, you really have been great.’

  ‘You’ve been a perfect patient.’ Tara smiled. ‘When I was first allocated to you, I admit that I was terrified. Chest tubes scare me at the best of times…’

  ‘And when they’re attached to a nurse, it doesn’t exactly help!’ Leah smiled. ‘How long did the taxi say they’d be?’

  ‘Fifteen minutes or so. Would you like me to wheel you down to the taxi rank now?’

  ‘I’ll do it.’ Both women looked up as Cole approached, a tired smile on his face but still cutting quite a dash in his inevitable suit.

  ‘There’s really no need, Doctor.’ Tara flushed. ‘I’m more than—’

  ‘It’s no big deal,’ Cole broke in. ‘I was just coming past to say goodbye. The taxi rank is outside Emergency anyway.’

  Never had Leah felt more useless. Cole pushed the wheelchair at breakneck speed towards the lift and once inside he stood next to Leah, both staring at the lights flashing past the numbers in strained silence.

  It was Cole who broke it first. ‘Why are you sulking?’

  ‘I’m not,’ Leah replied, forcing a smile and hugging her backpack just a bit tighter.

  ‘I know a sulk when I see one, and you, Miss Jacobs, are definitely sulking.’ The lift door pinged and opened, but it didn’t faze Cole. He carried on talking as he glided the wheelchair along the highly polished corridor and the only saving grace on offer was the fact he couldn’t see her face as he hit the nail right on the head. ‘Is it because I didn’t come and visit you?’

  ‘Of course not,’ Leah lied.

  ‘Because,’ Cole carried on, ignoring her response, ‘if I remember rightly, you explicitly said that you didn’t want me to.’

  ‘I said that you didn’t have to,’ Leah corrected, blushing ever deeper as she did so.

  ‘And that’s why you’re sulking?’

  Leah shrugged and instantly regretted it, given that it wasn’t the most painless manoeuvre with a fractured rib. ‘Well how would you like it—stuck for four days in a mixed ward with not a single visitor? All my roommates must have thought that I was some sort of social outcast. It was embarrassing.’

  ‘Then you should have rung down to Emergency—I gave you the extension code. Leah, I’m not a mind-reader. You said you didn’t want me to visit and I complied, so the next time you need something just ask, OK?’

  ‘OK,’ she mumbled, blinking at her first glimpse of the outside world in a while. A horrible bubble of panic welled inside her at the prospect of leaving the boring but safe confines of the hospital ward and dealing with the outside world with a rib cage that felt like a rugby league player’s after a grand final game, and not a soul in the world to lean on. Four yellow cabs were lined up at the taxi rank and Leah knew there would be no prolonged goodbyes, probably not even the chance of being asked for a coffee and a catch-up, but, then, why would he? Leah reasoned. She’d been nothing but trouble for Cole since they’d met. The poor guy had practically been accused of domestic violence, thanks to her, there wasn’t a reason in the world why he shouldn’t just bundle her into a taxi and give her a cheery wave goodbye as he rolled his eyes in relief.

  ‘The taxi rank is back there.’ Leah gestured, turning frantically as they whizzed past it.

  ‘I’m well aware of that.’ He didn’t elaborate, just carried on pushing her until they arrived at what was clearly the doctor’s car park, given the massive RESERVED signs. As they pulled up at a rather impressive dark blue sports car which, given he was opening the boot and flinging her backpack in, Leah assumed must be Cole’s!

  ‘You don’t have to drive me to the youth hostel,’ Leah groaned. ‘A taxi would be fine.’

  ‘I have no intention of driving you to the youth hostel,’ Cole responded in a matter-of-fact voice. ‘You’re coming to stay at my house.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Leah started, but Cole was having none of it.

  ‘No, Leah,’ he said sharply. ‘Ridiculous is trying to recuperate after a serious chest injury in a youth hostel of all places. Ridiculous is trying to get some rest with a hundred backpackers determined to party into the small hours every night and ridiculous is thinking you’ll get through the next few weeks without picking up every cough, cold and bug that’s floating around the place.’

  ‘It’s very clean.’

  ‘I know that,’ Cole responded. ‘I went and checked it out for myself, but it’s the last place a woman in your condition should be. Surely you can see that?’

  Wearily Leah rubbed her forehead. She could see that, she wasn’t stupid after all and the prospect of lying on a hard bed in a single room for the next few weeks as parties raved on outside didn’t hold much charm. There was only a communal television room and, Cole was right, at any given time someone had a roaring cough or cold—not the ideal place to get well in. ‘It just seems such an imposition,’ Leah said lamely. ‘You barely know me.’

  ‘You’d do the same, though?’ Cole ventured. ‘If the same thing had happened to a friend of Kathy’s and Dale’s in England?’

  ‘Of course,’ Leah answered without thinking, ‘but it’s not the same, is it?’ She looked at his uncomprehending face, cringing with mortification as she continued but knowing the air had to be cleared. ‘Cole, we got on really well on the night of the wedding.’

  ‘Which will make living together easier,’ he said.

  He wasn’t making this easy. ‘I’m worried you might think…’

  ‘Think what?’

  ‘Well…’ Leah gave a small cough. ‘I was supposed to be heading back to England the next day. It was a lot easier to get on then, you know, no commitments, no strings…’

  ‘You think I’m doing this so I can sleep with you?’

  ‘Of course not.’ Leah flushed. ‘I’m just pointing out that back at the wedding, well, it would have been for one night and suddenly you’re stuck with me for the next few weeks.’

  ‘From one-night stand to live-in girlfriend?’ Cole asked, a tiny grin on his lips.

  ‘Something like that,’ Leah mumbled.

  ‘You turned me down,’ Cole pointed out. ‘You made it very clear that romance wasn’t on your agenda.’

  She wanted to correct him, to tell him that romance was very much on her agenda, it had been a one-night stand she had been opposed to,
but instead she stayed quiet. She had some pride left after all, albeit not much!

  ‘I just can’t come and stay with you,’ Leah said, though not as firmly as she would have liked, admitting to herself that if he pushed again she’d give in gracefully and accept. Looking up, she was slightly startled as he unloaded the backpack and handed it to her before pushing the wheelchair in the direction of the taxi rank.

  ‘Up to you,’ he said abruptly. ‘The last thing I want is a kidnapping charge on top of the alleged assault.’

  The taxis were looming ever closer, there wasn’t even a queue to delay her departure, and Leah had to think fast. ‘Oh, OK, then,’ she wailed, trying to sound as if she was relenting. ‘If it makes you feel better.’ But she wasn’t getting away with it that easily.

  ‘Don’t worry about how I feel.’ Even though she couldn’t see him, she knew that he was laughing at her. ‘It has to be your choice. Now, Leah, I’ll ask you once again—would you like to come and stay with me?’

  ‘Yes,’ Leah mumbled, though not very graciously. ‘Yes, please.’

  It felt strange to be back at Cole’s smart town house. Even though it had been only a few short days since she’d seen it, so much seemed to have happened since then.

  Accepting his hand, she slowly got out of the car. Walking wasn’t so much of a problem, it was standing up or sitting down that seemed to require a mammoth effort. Still, even the few steps from the car to the front door had Leah slightly breathless and it had nothing to do with Cole!

  ‘There’s a downstairs bathroom,’ Cole pointed out as they stepped inside, ‘but I’m afraid the two bedrooms are both upstairs. I could make up a bed on the sofa, though it’s a bit small,’ he added doubtfully, but Leah quickly shook her head.

  ‘Upstairs will be fine. I’ll just take my time getting there, that’s all. Dr Crean said that gentle exercise was good.’

  He was the perfect host, showing her every downstairs room, the temperamental gas stove, even where spare loo paper was kept, doing everything he could to make her feel welcome. ‘There’s a lap pool outside,’ Cole gestured and Leah’s face lit up, visions of going back to England with a tan and toned thighs brightening the day dramatically. ‘Not that you’ll be using it. Rest and more rest is the order of the day.’