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She heard him suck in a deep breath, it was almost like he’d flicked a switch somehow ‘I need you,’ he repeated ‘There was a car accident I’ve had to fly back to Hanoi We don’t have another obstetrician, and I don’t have any midwives I can’t do this, Viv I can’t do any of this I need someone with me I need someone to help me Can you come?’

So ood, reliable medics orked at the hospitals Khiem and Hoa were ht now, that wasn’t what Duc needed to hear

Officially, she should give notice to her current eht of as unreliable But this was an eency, because Duc felt like family to her

‘I’ll sort it I’ll get there’ As she started pushing rando her heart ached for hio, he’d been full of enthusiasical and teaching fellowship in one of big cities in the US She’d almost been a tiny bit jealous about how happy he’d sounded Duc had a charood at his job No ether in the past, she’d always ridden a little on his coattails Duc was the one who ot them invites to dinner and parties Viv was just his plus one It was like he’d realised early on that she struggled with for relationships, and he would do that part for her

‘Thank you,’ his voice croaked

It halted her in her tracks and she dropped back down onto her knees

‘Of course,’ she said without question ‘I’ll go to the airport I’ll find a flight I’ll text you once I have the details’

She wanted to wrap her hands around his neck right now and give hi She wanted to breathe in the, oh, so familiar aftershave that always drifted into her senses when they were close She hated to think of her friend in pain

‘Duc?’ she whispered, before she hung up She looked at the crooked little finger on her right hand Years ago they’d adopted a quirky move from a kids movie where they intertwined their pinkies and said the phrase, ‘Friends for life’ It had beco joke between them She licked her lips ‘Friends for life,’ she said huskily, then her voice broke

There was a muted pause for a few seconds This tier ‘Friends for life,’ he repeated, before she hung up the phone

CHAPTER TWO

DESPITE LEAVING LONDON three days ago, Vivienne still wasn’t here

It could only happen to her There had been no direct flights available, so she’d taken a whole host of journeys that had bounced her halfway around the globe in order to reach hiine failure and then an air traffic control strike to contend with Duc stared at his watch, his eyes flicking back to the arrivals doors at Hanoi airport Each text had seemed just a little more frantic than the one before

His stomach was clenched in an uncoot the initial news about hisup his rented apartht from Philadelphia to Hanoi By the time he’d reached the May M?n Hospital and Lien and her new husband had rushed out to meet him, he had been numb

There had been a string of traditions and rites around the funeral to take care of So many people had visited that Duc felt as if he’d worn his white funeral clothes for three days straight He kneas because people wanted to pay their respects but keeping his expression in place had been hard

In theThe staff were distraught The leaders and one, and he could see everyone look at him ariness in their eyes

By the time he’d buried his mother and father he’d been exhausted What he really wanted to do was cli like this had ever happened He’d spent the last week hoping so would just have been sohtmare

So flickered at the side of his vision Then a sound It started as a tinkling laugh that grew into so much deeper and heartier

His heart gave a little leap There was only one person who had a laugh like that

Even though he was tall, he stood on tiptoe to try and catch his first gli crowds

There Vivienne was talking anientleh his Her red curls were tu down her back in loose waves, a white shirt knotted at her waist and a pair of cut-off denis

The original pretty woman It hat everyone said as soon as they looked at her Only her Scottish accent betrayed her similarities to the famous actress

He could see heads turn as she sauntered past Her casual grace was always noticeable There weren’t too many people here who looked like Viv

Duc watched as she guided theeasily with him as if she had known him all her life She was in nurse randfather and granddaughter, not just soirl who’d befriended the elderly ht to ed at the edges of his lips—the first tiht thehands with the the crowd until finally catching Duc’s gaze

She didn’t hesitate Her face lit up She dropped her bags at her feet and ran over to his around him She didn’t even say a word She just buried her face deep into his ne

ck and held on tight

He could see the a a pair of lovers reunited But soe to explain Just the press of her body against his felt good

He closed his eyes for a second too and just held her there, letting the heat from her body sink into his His senses were flooded as the fae blossom from her shampoo drifted around him

For an instant in time he was in an entirely different place One where he hadn’t received the call about his parents when he was about to walk into surgery One where he hadn’t had to come here and bury the ht would probably live for ever One where his current career plans weren’t up in the air as he was left with a number of hospitals to run

Nope He was in a bubble A Vivienne-sized bubble The things he’d craved in the last few days swept over him Reassurance Safety The ability to just be Duc, instead of the bereaved son putting on a brave face—that was the range of feelings that overwhelmed him Viv was here She would help hiet back to the life he truly wanted

He blinked back the tears that flooded into his eyes He’d waited days to do this To feel his friend in his arms and know that someone would have his back Part of hiht back to his room so he could crumple on the sofa

His back was stiff and every ether He’d nodded his head so many times it was now almost on autopilot He’d shaken hands with so many old and faht the coht it would

This hat he needed That hat he’d craved

She pulled her head up, her pale blue eyes just inches fro the same clothes for three days’ She jumped down

Instantly, his bubble was gone