Not that it hadn’t been wonderful. Abbey and Janet and Jack had had the time of their lives. Ensconced in absolute luxury, with nothing to do but enjoy themselves, it would have been churlish of them to have done anything else.
Jack had revelled in having his mother and his grandma all to himself. The child had blossomed, steadied on his plump little legs, attacked the water as if he’d been born to it and had chortled and grinned the entire time.
And Janet? The creases on Janet’s forehead had faded, and even the look of perpetual pain from her arthritis had eased. She was far fitter now for surgery than she had been a week ago, Abbey thought thankfully.
And Abbey?
Abbey was rested-sort of. It was difficult to sleep, though, lying alone in a king-sized bed with the thought of Ryan Henry’s mocking smile staying with her. After the first night Abbey hauled Jack into bed with her, hoping the toddler’s faint snoring would ease her sense of loneliness. It didn’t. Her sense of isolation stayed.
She should be used to being a widow by now, she told herself fiercely over and over again. There wasn’t room in her life for a man.
There was. If that man was Ryan Henry.
But Ryan didn’t return. There were a couple of curt phone calls, enquiring as to their welfare, but that had been all.
When Abbey had rung Cairns hospital she’d been told that Sam was ‘recovering nicely from his by-pass, thank you for your enquiry’. When she’d rung Sapphire Cove hospital Eileen had told her Ryan and Steve were coping brilliantly between them and had added, ‘Get back to your honeymoon, Abbey Winner.’
Only it was hard to do that when her heart wasn’t really here. It was hard to block out the thought of someone else doing her job. Especially when that someone was Ryan.
And Janet watched her daughter-in-law with troubled eyes and knew why the circles under Abbey’s eyes hadn’t faded.
She’d seen that kiss…
‘You’ve got everything you need?’ Abbey asked, as she stowed Janet’s hospital bag in the luggage compartment of the car. ‘Though I guess I can always bring in things afterwards. I’ll be in and out so often you’ll be sick of the sight of me.’
‘I’ve got everything I need except news that the hospital’s burned down,’ Janet said grimly. ‘Why I ever let you and Ryan talk me into this darned fool procedure… ’
‘Janet, you’ll be able to walk again. Pain-free. I promise.’
‘Yeah, and next year you’ll be at me to have the other hip done.’
‘That’s right,’ Abbey agreed serenely. She and Janet had come back to the farm to pack. Now Abbey handed Jack over to Marcia and pointed to the passenger seat of the car. ‘Janet, get in. One of the world’s leading orthopaedic surgeons is waiting to perform his artistry on your leg. Let’s not keep him waiting.’
That sounds indecent,’ Janet muttered. ‘Now if it were you I’d say Ryan Henry could go ahead, no sweat.’
What on earth…? Abbey took a deep breath and fixed her mother-in-law with a defiant look. ‘Janet, what do you mean by that?’
‘I’ve got eyes in my head,’ Janet said sagely, ‘so don’t think you can pull the wool over ‘em, Abbey Wittner.’ She gave Abbey a sideways smile. ‘And you’ve been a widow for close on two years now. Don’t you even think about letting the memory of my son get in the way of what’s happening between you and that nice young man.’
Abbey licked suddenly dry lips. ‘Janet…’
Janet arched her eyebrows. ‘Yes?’
‘Janet, Ryan Henry is engaged to be married. We haven’t heard from him for nearly a week. He might even be married by now so you can stop thinking indecent thoughts about the pair of us.’
‘Well, if he’s married then I’ll stop thinking thoughts,’ Janet agreed. ‘But you’re barking up the wrong tree if you think my thoughts are indecent. I happen to be thinking thoughts that are very decent indeed.’
After that, it was hard to get any sort of thought process operating for a while. Abbey eventually pulled up in front of the hospital and there was only one thing in her mind.
She’d see Ryan again.
And he might be married.
Ryan was waiting for them. The car pulled up outside Casualty and Ryan strolled across the car park to greet them. The same Ryan. The same smile. The same twinkle in his eyes. The same impossible charm…
‘Janet…’ He greeted Abbey’s mother-in-law first, and gave her a swift hug. Making himself right at home, Abbey thought bitterly. Making my mother-in-law putty in his hands. ‘Glad you decided to trust us.’ Then he turned to Abbey. ‘You shouldn’t be driving.’
‘I have full mobility of my foot and it’s my left one anyway. My right one’s for the brake and that’s all that matters.’ She said it promptly-so promptly that Ryan laughed.
‘You’ve been rehearsing that line.’
‘I knew you’d give me a hard time.’
She did, too. Abbey looked up at Ryan and felt her heart twist. She knew him so well. It was as if the years had peeled away and there was still the same Ryan… Wealthy and respected world-wide, she could still see inside his heart.
‘How’s Sam?’ she said faintly, and blushed. Ryan was looking at her, and if he could read her like she could read him then she was in big trouble. ‘How’s your father?’
‘He’s great.’ Ryan lifted Janet’s bags from the car and took the old lady’s arm. ‘He said to thank you for the flowers and the chocolates.’ He looked at Janet, a faint smile playing at the corner of his mouth. ‘Oh, and he said to give you a message, Janet. He says he’s had a change of heart so now it’s about time you did. Do you think he was talking about your operation-or something else?’
And, to Abbey’s astonishment, Janet blushed bright crimson.
‘Get away with you,’ Janet said fiercely, but she smiled. ‘Silly old fool he is. When’s he due home?’
‘With luck, I’ll have him back at the farm by next week.’
‘Well…’ Abbey stared at her mother-in-law but Janet wasn’t meeting her eyes. No questions, her body language said, and Abbey could only acquiesce. Abbey picked up her crutches and the three of them made their way across to the hospital entrance. ‘And Felicity?’ she asked, still eyeing her mother-in-law.
‘She’s great, too,’ Ryan said curtly.
‘Are you married yet?’ Janet demanded, and Ryan shook his head.
‘Nope. Don’t worry. You’ll get an invitation. Now, Janet, have you been nil by mouth since midnight?’
‘If you mean has Abbey let me eat anything then the answer is not a drop,’ Janet said bitterly. ‘Not even my breakfast cup of tea. Well, what have you done with this Felicity if you haven’t married her?’
Ryan grinned. ‘You make it sound like I’ve stuffed her in a cupboard. You’ll meet her soon enough,’ Ryan promised, ‘but, meanwhile, you and I have a date with a new hip.’ He smiled across at Abbey. ‘Abbey, Steve’s giving the anaesthetic. He’s done his first part anaesthetics and is good-but I wondered if you’d like to scrub and assist. Can you manage it, do you think?’
There was nothing Abbey would like better. To sit out in the waiting room-to play the anxious relative instead of doctor-would just about kill her. She gave Ryan her very best smile and nodded.
‘Watch you work? I’d love to.’
‘Just count the swabs, Abbey girl,’ Janet growled. ‘I’ve heard all about surgeons who leave things behind. What goes in has to come out, and I’m depending on you to see to it.’
‘Yes, ma’am.’
Ryan’s preparations left Abbey stunned.
For a start, Ryan had the theatre as Abbey had never seen it. Designed to cope only with emergency surgery, there was equipment here now that Abbey had had no idea could be begged, borrowed or bought on Sapphire Cove’s limited budget
‘It’s borrowed,’ Ryan said briefly when Abbey queried it. ‘Some from Cairns and some from Brisbane.’