Hot Single Docs: Waiting For You: St Piran's: Prince on the Children's Ward. Carol Marinelli
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arrived.’ His tone dry, Josh helped himself to more bacon. ‘He looked as though he had all his faculties. He won’t need you for much longer.’
Tasha wondered if her brother was having another dig. ‘I’ll stay until he’s able to cope without help.’
‘Have you applied for any jobs?’
Tasha leaned forward and stacked the plates. ‘Not yet.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I don’t know what I’d say in the interview about why I left my last job. I’m worried everyone is going to think I’m a troublemaker.’ Tasha rescued the ketchup before it could tumble onto the floor. ‘I miss medicine. I miss the kids. I miss being part of a unit. I miss—all of it. I’m a doctor. I want patients.’ Aware that Alessandro was no longer smiling, she suddenly wished she hadn’t said anything. ‘Sorry, it’s just that I had this great career plan and then—poof—I managed to blow the whole thing. Well done, Tasha.’ She knew that her light tone hadn’t fooled them. ‘Anyway, I don’t know why we’re talking about me. I already have a job for the time being. Preventing Alessandro from trying to run before he can walk.’
‘I can tell you’re a paediatric doctor. You’re treating me like a kid.’
He wasn’t a kid at all. He was a grown man and she was horribly aware of every bronzed, handsome inch of him. She’d thought her anger would keep her safe, but her anger had vanished. She’d thought her feelings were all from the past. But the explosion of passion that had erupted between them had nothing to do with the past and everything to do with the present.
Fear flashed through her. If she let him, he’d hurt her again. Just as he had the first time. And she wasn’t going to let a man do that to her...
The sooner she found herself a paediatric job, the better.
‘You shouldn’t feel insecure. You’re a good doctor, Tasha.’ Josh stole the last piece of bacon. ‘Remember that little girl you saw on the unit that day you came to my office to tell me you’d resigned? Turned out you were right. It wasn’t hay fever. She had a congenital heart defect.’
Alessandro looked bemused. ‘I didn’t think Tasha worked on your unit.’
‘She doesn’t. But she walked past this girl and saw something that none of my doctors had seen.’ Josh gave a smile. ‘She’s very intuitive, my baby sister.’
Snapping out of her dream, Tasha stared at him. ‘The girl had a congenital heart defect? You’re sure?’
‘She’s already seen the cardiologist. You probably saved her life.’
‘Oh.’ She felt an ache of sympathy for the child and the mother. ‘I wish it had just been hay fever. Poor little thing.’ Suddenly she missed her job even more. She wanted to be the one looking after the child, supporting her and helping her through a difficult time. She could make a difference, she knew she could.
‘This prince-and-princess party...’ Alessandro eased his leg into a more comfortable position. ‘That must be something I can help with.’
Josh glanced at him with a frown. ‘You?’
‘You should be saving lives, not dressing up as a prince. I don’t have your medical skills, but I can do the prince bit.’ His tone was loaded with irony. ‘I’ve never dressed up in a cloak or worn a crown, but if it would help the kids I can do it. Provided someone keeps the paparazzi at a distance. I’m doing it for the children, not the press.’
‘Why keep them at a distance?’ Tasha jumped to her feet. ‘It’s a brilliant idea. Your mother wants some good publicity—what better than the prince visiting the children’s ward? You can autograph stuff for them. They can have pictures taken with you. They’d love that. I’ll come with you.’ Better to be on the children’s ward as a visitor than not be there at all, she reasoned.
‘How far from the car to the ward? I can’t walk that far on this damn leg of mine.’
Tasha opened her mouth to suggest a wheelchair but took one look at the set of his jaw and closed her mouth again. Alessandro would drag himself across the ground by his fingernails before he’d agree to use a wheelchair.
‘It’s a great idea. We can drop you right outside. And Tasha can come with you.’ Josh nodded. ‘I’ll have a word with the staff and let them know you’re coming.’
‘I’ve been thinking about a job in NICU. Is there someone there I could talk to?’
Alessandro frowned. ‘What’s NICU?’
‘Neonatal intensive care unit.’ Josh shifted in his chair. ‘Talk to Megan Phillips.’
Tasha noticed that her brother’s tone had altered and wondered if it had anything to do with Megan. Glancing up, she met Alessandro’s steady dark gaze. Clearly he was thinking the same thing. He smiled and that slow, sexy smile connected straight to her insides. Her stomach swooped and plunged, the chemistry between them as electrifying and terrifying as ever. Staring into his mahogany eyes, she opened her mouth to speak but he spoke first.
‘You’ve got me through the worst bit. Thanks to you, they let me out of that hospital. I can manage now. If you want to leave, leave.’
He was giving her a choice. And she knew it wasn’t just about caring for him.
He was making her decide whether to leave or not.
Both men were looking at her expectantly and Tasha swallowed. She didn’t know how she was going to answer until the words left her mouth.
‘I’m not in the habit of letting people down. I’ll stay until you’re fully mobile, just as I promised.’ It was easy to convince herself that that was the reason she was staying. ‘But I do need to be looking for a full-time job. I thought I’d explore NICU—except that I’m not sure I’ll get a reference.’
‘You will. I made a few phone calls this week.’ Josh leaned back against the sofa. ‘Turns out you had a lot of support at the unit. Questions are being asked. People are enraged that you were allowed to resign.’
‘Really? Why didn’t you say so before?’ Tasha brightened. ‘Enraged? Oh, I’m so pleased.’
Alessandro lifted an eyebrow. ‘You want people to be enraged?’
‘I want them to care that I’ve gone, yes. I’m human enough to want that. And I’m human enough to need to be told I did the right thing—that others would have done the same. I would love an apology from him,’ she sniffed, ‘but I doubt I’ll get that.’
‘You won’t. They guy’s an idiot. Forget about him.’ Josh leaned forward. ‘So, about the prince-and-princess party...’
Energised by the knowledge that people were supporting her, Tasha reached for her handbag. ‘Leave that to me. I’m going to pay a visit to the dressing-up shop in St Piran. Alessandro and I will see you back at the hospital.’
* * *
He’d given her the opportunity to leave and yet she’d chosen to stay.
Alessandro watched Tasha as she gathered bags and put them in the car. Her coat was buttoned from neck to hem and he wondered why she was wearing a long coat when it wasn’t cold.
‘I’ve bought tiaras and all sorts of props that should be useful.’ She slid his crutches into the boot. ‘Be careful as you get in. Sit down, then I’ll move your legs.’
She gently moved his leg into the car and helped him with his seat belt. ‘Is that comfortable?’
It was agony, but even agony wasn’t enough to dampen his response to her.
‘Alessandro?’ She lifted her eyes to his face and chemistry immediately flickered between them. Flushing, she drew back sharply. ‘Right. Well, if you’re not too uncomfortable then we’ll get going.’