Page 2 (2/2)
The doors at the bottoht on cue Bonnie Reid It had to be Jacob knew everyone orked here and he didn’t recognise her at all Dressed in the blue scrubs that the labour ward ht pink trainers, she had her red hair coiled up on top of her head in a strange kind of knot How on earth did she do that? That, coupled with the curves not hidden by the shapeless scrubs, reer He felt a smile form on his lips
Was she nervous? Her hands fidgeted with her security pass and she seemed to make a conscious effort to slow her steps What irritated him most of all was the fact she didn’t see for her Instead, she stopped at every roo herself to the members of staff She even disappeared for a second to obviously help with a patient
Then, she appeared with a load of laundry, which she put into the laundry bags, reorganised two of the hand scrubs outside the doors and tidied the top of the cardiac-arrest trolley on her way past
He waited until she’d almost reached him ‘Bonnie Reid?’ His voice dripped with sarcasm ‘Nice of you to finally join us’
So flickered across her face Her skin was pale under the bright hospital lights and he could see a few tiny freckles under her ood fro
She had real knockout eyes Dark, dark blue Not the pale blue normally associated with a redhead But then her hair wasn’t the average red either It was a dark deep auburn The kind of colour normally associated with Hollywood actresses who probably had a whole teaet it that colour Almost instantly he knew that Bonnie Reid’s was entirely natural She gave hilance fro time, he took a deep breath
It had been a long ti in his systeainst her pale skin? Or the look of disdain she gave him as she walked past into the treat her hands
Had he just i in her eyes told him this was a woman who had lived—had experienced life Sheher hands he glanced at her finger—no ring It had been a long time since he’d done that too
She turned to face hie Royal Maternity Unit’ Her eyebrows rose ‘And you are?’
It was her tone It rankled hiht away He’d never been a person to pull rank ‘Jacob Layton, Head Obstetrician, CRMU’
It was almost as if a box of chocolates or tray of cakes had appeared out of thin air at the nurses’ station Just about every door in the corridor opened and a whole host of previously hidden staff appeared Did they avoid hi?
Bonnie didn’t appear to notice She blinked and pointed towards his scrubs ‘You should wear an ID badge, Dr Layton You could be absolutely anyone I expect all staff members I ith to be clearly identified’
She was just here His skin prickled Patience was not his friend In any other set of circuht have said their new staff ot the distinct i to his initial barb
He didn’t knohether to give her a dressing-down or to smile ‘It’s Jacob,’ he said quietly ‘Everyone calls me Jacob’ Not true Only the few people not terrified by hiazesa little jolt around his system
More than a year That was how long it had been since he’d felt a spark with someone
She gave the slightest nod of her head and extended her hand towards his ‘Bonnie Everyone calls me Bonnie’
As soon as he connected with her skin he knew he’d ainst his Touch That hat he’d missed most of all in the last year The warmness of someone’s touch He pulled his hand back sharply as her eyes widened at his reaction
‘You’re late’ It came out much snappier than he intended Her hand was still in mid-air, suspended froaze narrowed as she took a deep breath and her shoulders went back
She aze full on ‘Yes, I’ else away He couldn’t believe howwith one woman could irk him
She was new She orking in his unit And, after talks with the director of midwifery, this was the person he was supposed to offer a pr
omoted post to If he deemed her suitable Tardiness was not an option
He felt his normal persona resuth for the last year ‘Staff and patients rely on us Lateness is not acceptable at CRMU I expected you here at nine am’
It was the first tihter to school We arrived late last night from Scotland She was upset I had to lanced over her shoulder as if she expected soe for the director of midwifery—she knew my circumstances’
Those words annoyed hi about their new employee’s ‘circu able to do a shift, or being late for work
‘We all have circumstances We all still have to be at work for nine Work is our priority Patients are our priority’
Her face flamed and her eyes sparked ‘Patients are alwaysthe ward Exactly howthere waiting for ood use of consultant time’
She was questioning hi him and she’d only been here five minutes He’d love to sack her on the spot But they desperately needed the staff right now, and if she was as competent as she was mouthy he’d be in serious trouble with the director ofhis competence Let them see how she hen someone questioned hers
‘I saw from your CV that you were a co to work in an inner city labour ward Don’t you think thatto have to refresh your skills?’
It was a reasonable question At least he felt it was He still wasn’t entirely sure why the director thought a community midas a suitable replacement for their ward sister