âEveryone thinks it would be great if he stayed permanently,â she gossiped happily. âI mean, it used to be both your dads, then it was you and his dad and now it could be the two of you.â
âI donât think so.â Anna rose to her feet so rapidly she almost knocked the chair over. Aware that Heather was looking at her in surprise, Anna produced a smile. âYouâre jumping the gun, Heather. This is temporary. Just temporary.â
And she certainly didnât want that sort of gossip and speculation spreading around the village.
âWell, you never really know how things are going to turn out, do you?â Heather said sagely, standing up and reaching for her bag. âThanks, Anna. See you soon.â
She left the surgery and Anna stared after her. Heather had said, Everyone thinks . So did that mean that everyone in the village were already aware that Sam was here? Did that mean that the whole village already thought that this might be a permanent arrangement?
No, no, no.
She covered her face with her hands and stifled a groan. If it turned out to be a permanent arrangement then she would have to leave. There was no way she could spend every day working alongside Sam. Her blood pressure wouldnât be able to stand it.
But he wouldnât stay, she consoled herself, applying logic to the situation. No way. Sam had chosen a very different life for himself. The City. Bright lights. Fame and fortune. He wouldnât last five minutes in a sleepy Cornish fishing village. In fact,she doubted heâd even last the summer. Heâd already made it clear that there wasnât enough here to keep him entertained.
Cheered by that thought, she buzzed for her next patient and steadily worked her way through her afternoon list.
When she finally emerged from her surgery, she found Glenda deep in conversation with Sam who was perched on the desk, an intent expression on his handsome face.
Glenda coloured and broke off the moment she saw Anna, and Sam slid off the desk and walked towards her.
âSo, how did your surgery go, Riggs? Nothing you needed to ask me about?â
She ignored his sarcastic tone and gave him a withering look. âWhen I need help, Iâll consult a textbook.â
âHow boring,â he drawled, lifting a hand and tucking a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear. âBetter watch it, the country girl is trying to escape.â
Country girl.
It was what heâd always called her when sheâd been little. Heâd loved to tease her for being so at home in the outdoors. Unlike him, sheâd never been comfortable with bright lights and hordes of people.
Aware that his fingers were still in her hair, she jerked her head away from him with a frosty glare, handed Glenda a pile of results for filing and stalked back to her room. For a moment she just stood there, sucking in deep breaths, and then she moved over tothe wash-basin and opened the taps, splashing her face with cold water to cool her burning cheeks.
âDrowning yourself?â
She reached for the towel, dried her face and turned slowly. âJust answer me that one question, McKenna. Why? Why did you come here? We both know that a GP practice in Cornwall isnât where you see your future. So why are you here? Or have they run out of women in London?â
He strolled into the room and leaned narrow hips against her desk, wickedly handsome and altogether too dangerous for words. âYou know the answer to that. Iâm here because Dad asked me to come. And because Cornwall isnât a bad place in the summer.â
He was winding her up and she knew it. Even he couldnât fail to like Cornwall in the summer. Especially as being here would undoubtedly allow him to indulge in his favourite sports. She knew heâd be kite-surfing and windsurfing the moment heâd unpacked his suitcase.
âSo this is a free holiday.â She ground her teeth.
J. S. Cooper, Helen Cooper