Christmas in the Outback Read online

  Trained hands were soon lifting Michelle gently onto the stretcher.

  ‘I was hoping she might have regained a bit of colour by now.’ Liam lent his strength to help ease the stretcher up out of the gully and into the waiting ambulance.

  Nikki’s gaze flew up to meet his. ‘Are you having second thoughts about whether she may be bleeding?’

  ‘I’m reasonably certain she’s not.’ He gnawed thoughtfully at his bottom lip. ‘Her tummy appears soft, which would seem to indicate no spleen damage. Still…’

  ‘Let’s be doubly cautious, then,’ Nikki proposed practically. ‘Put her on a heart monitor. I’ll travel with her to the hospital. That way I can keep an eye on her.’

  ‘OK, thanks.’ Liam glanced at his watch and frowned. ‘I’m due at the surgery—’

  ‘Go.’ Nikki flapped a hand at him. ‘I’ll follow with Michelle.’

  ‘Call me when you’re squared away.’ He began tossing stuff back into his medical bag. ‘I’ll collect you and get you home. I’ve really thrown you in at the deep end, haven’t I?’ he tacked on gruffly.

  Nikki’s heart thumped. ‘I’m here to work,’ she reminded him.

  ‘Mmm.’ Liam’s mouth crimped at the corners in a dry smile. ‘But I figured you’d at least have today to settle in. On the other hand…’ his eyes raked blatantly over her ‘…it felt kind of good to be working together again, didn’t it?’

  ‘Like old times.’ Hastily, she dipped her head and swung into the ambulance. In fact, it had felt wonderful!

  It took only a few minutes for the ambulance to get to the hospital. And if Anna Marshall was surprised at the accompanying doctor’s informal garb, she didn’t show it. ‘Liam said you’d be arriving this morning,’ she said, as they exchanged names and proceeded to follow the trolley along to the small resus room. ‘But what a welcome for you,’ she lamented.

  ‘Anna, it’s the nature of the job sometimes,’ Nikki countered with professional briskness. ‘I didn’t come to Wirilda expecting to attend tea parties every second day.’

  ‘That’s a relief.’ The charge nurse chuckled. ‘Because they’re a bit thin on the ground at the moment.’

  Nikki’s mouth turned up in a smile. ‘Do you have a gown I could pop on?’

  ‘Sure, but you’ll swim in it,’ Anna predicted. ‘The only sterile ones are Liam’s. But I’m sure we’ve some smaller ones in stock. I just haven’t had a chance to dig them out yet.’

  ‘No hurry.’ Nikki went to the basin in the corner. ‘Oh, Liam said there’s a water crisis…’ She looked questioningly back over her shoulder.

  ‘Not where hygiene is concerned.’ Anna plucked a faded blue gown from the pile. ‘We have it trucked in for the hospital.’

  A slight moan from the bed had them both turning. ‘She’s coming round.’ There was relief in Anna’s voice. ‘Mish…honey, you’re in hospital.’ She took Michelle’s hand and squeezed. ‘The new doctor’s here. You’ll be OK.’

  Gowned and having thoroughly washed her hands, Nikki moved across to the treatment couch. ‘Hello, Michelle.’ She smiled. ‘In case you don’t remember, I travelled with you in the ambulance. I’m Nicola Barrett,’ she added courteously, lifting her patient’s wrist and looking down at her watch to check the injured nurse’s pulse.

  ‘On the whole, you’ve been pretty fortunate, Michelle.’ Nikki’s examination had been gentle but thorough. ‘You’ll have a thumping great bruise from the impact of your seat belt but you seem to have escaped any spleen damage.’

  ‘I ache all over…’

  ‘That’s understandable. Let’s check your legs and feet now for any deficits. Good, that’s fine.’ Nikki paused with her hand on the end of the bed. ‘Be prepared for some residual whiplash in the next twenty-four hours. I’ll put you down for Nurofen as a precaution.’

  ‘You’re keeping me in?’ Michelle’s voice rose in distress.

  ‘Probably just overnight for observation. You’ve been concussed.’

  ‘But I have to get home! Danny depends on me to feed the cattle…’ She stopped and bit her lips tightly together.

  Nikki pulled up a stool and sat down next to her patient. She didn’t want to add to the young woman’s troubles but obviously there was some sorting out to be done. ‘Do you remember what happened?’ she asked gently.

  Michelle blinked confusedly. ‘I must have fallen asleep. I came off duty at seven-thirty but I waited in town for the shops to open. I needed some groceries…’

  ‘And then you tried to drive home?’

  Michelle nodded.

  ‘You don’t think you fainted?’

  ‘I know what you’re asking, Doctor, but I’m not pregnant. I only wish I was…’ Michelle’s composure began to crumple. ‘The way things are going, it’ll be years before we can afford a family.’

  Mentally, Nikki stepped back. There were a whole lot of separate issues here and emotionally Michelle was very near the edge. Nikki wasn’t about to play the heavy doctor and insist on her admission.

  ‘Perhaps we can do a deal here,’ she said, deliberately infusing lightness into her manner. ‘If you agree to take it easy and rest here until this afternoon so Anna can keep an eye on you, I promise if there’s nothing of concern presenting I’ll let you go home.’

  ‘Oh. Thank you.’ Michelle’s eyes filled. ‘I promise I’ll rest quietly.’

  ‘And I want you to take a couple of days’ leave.’

  ‘If only…’

  ‘Michelle, I’m serious about this.’

  Michelle swallowed. ‘OK, I’ve a few days owing…’ She managed a wobbly smile. ‘I guess nurses are just the worst patients, aren’t they?’

  Nikki huffed. ‘Try doctors. They’re the absolute pits.’

  ‘Tell me about it.’ Michelle began to relax visibly. ‘I’ve nursed a few in my time.’

  Nikki made her way back to the nurses’ station to fill Anna in about what she’d decided. She passed Michelle’s chart across. ‘Neuro obs for the next little while, please, Anna. I’m not expecting trouble but we certainly can’t be too careful. And it would be helpful if Michelle could get some natural sleep.’

  ‘I’ll have her moved out onto the veranda ward.’ Anna said. ‘It’s cooler and very quiet.’

  ‘And I need to contact her husband…’ Nikki tapped a finger thoughtfully across her chin. ‘I imagine you have a number on file.’

  ‘A mobile,’ Anna confirmed with a little nod. ‘I’ll just bring it up on the computer for you.’

  Nikki parked her elbows on the counter top. ‘From what Michelle indicated, he’ll have to come back early from wherever he’s working and do her chores.’

  ‘It won’t be a problem. Danny’s a nice guy. Naturally, he’ll be upset about Michelle’s mishap but on the other hand they’re both sensible enough to realise in times like this the animals will have to come first. Now, what about you?’ Anna raised a well-shaped eyebrow. ‘I’ll bet you could do with a cup of tea.’

  Nikki laughed and put a hand to her heart. ‘It would probably save my life, Anna. Thank you.’

  The charge nurse tutted. ‘Can’t have you falling over on your first day.’ She began ushering Nikki through to Sister’s office. ‘You can make your call from here. And while you’re doing that, I’ll away and see what I can rustle up from the kitchen.’

  ‘Don’t go to any trouble.’

  ‘Rubbish,’ Anna said mildly. ‘Won’t be a tick.’

  ‘Bring an extra cup?’

  ‘Will do.’ Anna laughed her delight. ‘I’m sure I can squirrel away a few minutes for a natter.’

  Nikki made a small face as she put the phone down a couple of minutes later. The signal to Danny Simpson’s mobile had been dodgy to say the least, but she’d more or less got the crux of her message through. Raising her arms to half-mast, she stretched and with a little sigh moved across to the big picture window.

  Had she done the right thing in coming here? She tried to dampen the panicky feeling tha
t had come out of nowhere. And the landscape was certainly doing nothing to lift her spirits, she thought, looking out at the drought-bare branches of several big trees etched like a child’s stick drawings against the endless blue sky.

  Perhaps the oddness of her mood was merely down to seeing Liam again and how it had affected her? She tamped down her apprehension. Allowing her thoughts to drift in that direction would do no good whatsoever. She couldn’t allow herself to go there. Not yet…

  ‘Here we are,’ Anna announced cheerfully. ‘Toasted sandwiches and a pot of tea.’

  ‘Nothing like a good old brew, is there?’ Nikki said a bit later.

  ‘It’s heaven, isn’t it? Even on a hot day.’ The two women had settled companionably over their second cup. ‘So, how come you felt the need to work right out here in the sticks?’ Anna asked with her usual frankness.

  Nikki felt goose-bumps break out all over her. How much or how little to tell? She was no good at prevaricating. She’d be bound to forget what she’d said in the first place anyway. And wasn’t there a saying that the truth always set you free? She moistened her lips. ‘Liam and I go back a long way. I…heard he was facing rather desperate times with the drought and so on.’

  ‘And you decided to lend a hand.’ Anna smiled ingenuously. ‘I think that’s wonderful. It’s certainly not easy for any of us here at the moment. But it’s a very welcoming community, Nikki. You won’t feel an outsider for long.’

  CHAPTER THREE

  SOMETHING was different about her.

  Liam stared at the X-ray he was viewing, deciding it may as well have been a pig’s trotter instead of his human patient’s foot for all the sense it was making.

  He made a sound of self-disgust as he peeled the negative off the screen, relieved he’d been focused enough to at least ascertain Jack Yardley had no broken bones. Still, the injury would keep the young stockman a bit quiet for the next little while.

  Nikki. There she was again in his head. Against everything he was telling himself, his body tautened, desire as old as time stabbing him.

  Damn her! No, damn himself. He’d been a monumental fool for letting her come here. He slammed the filing drawers shut and locked them, as if the action alone would negate the hunger stalking his loins—hunger only she could assuage.

  He turned his head up, his short, sharp expletive hitting the ceiling. As if she was about to let him anywhere near her—

  ‘Yes?’ He turned abruptly at the knock on his door.

  ‘Hi.’ Nikki popped her head in and blinked a bit uncertainly. ‘Grace said you’d finished…’

  ‘Just now,’ he countered gruffly. ‘I was about to leave for the hospital to collect you.’

  She raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, as you see, I’ve saved you the trouble. Anna pointed me in the general direction of the garage so I went along and made myself known to Wayne Cassidy. He was very obliging and I’m now in possession of my fancy little Jeep.’

  ‘Well, you never lacked initiative,’ Liam growled, smiling crookedly.

  Except when it came to hanging onto her marriage. Her mouth dried.

  ‘You OK?’ Liam’s gaze ran clinically over her.

  ‘Fine,’ she lied, shaken to the back teeth at just being in the same room with him. In a little act of bravado, she moved closer and perched on the edge of his desk.

  He looked moodily at her. ‘How’s Michelle?’

  She told him, and that she’d managed to contact Danny Simpson.

  Liam bent and fiddled with some paperwork on his desk. ‘I’ve been in contact with the police. They’ve arranged for the car to be towed to the garage. It’ll need panelbeating but otherwise seems OK. Wayne should have it back on the road fairly quickly for them.’

  ‘Michelle mentioned she’d bought groceries—they’re probably in the boot. There could be frozen stuff—’

  ‘All taken care of.’ Liam said, raising his eyes to hers. Something deep and dark shifted in them, and then he lifted a shoulder in a quick, dismissive action. ‘The sergeant said he’d drop them off at the hospital kitchen. Danny can pick them up when he collects Michelle.’

  ‘So, we’re all squared away, then.’

  ‘Seems like it.’ Liam considered his fingertips for a minute. ‘Thanks again, Nikki. Your help this morning was invaluable.’

  Nikki looked away, choking on her feelings. ‘Glad I seem to have your approval about something,’ she offloaded jerkily, and slid to her feet. ‘If you’re through here, Liam, perhaps you wouldn’t mind showing me the way home now?’

  They arrived at Liam’s place, which Nikki observed was modest, low-set and built of timber like most of the dwellings in the township.

  ‘I don’t have a lot of money to spare for luxury housing, Nikki,’ he drawled, watching her gaze fly over the simple furnishings. ‘But, then, I never did, did I?’

  Nikki ignored the stark little reminder. These days she couldn’t have given a toss about money. Having access to loads of it certainly hadn’t helped their fledgling marriage stay on its feet… ‘It’s a nice house,’ she countered. ‘And I love the verandahs.’

  ‘You’re in here,’ he said abruptly, opening the door on the front bedroom and carrying her luggage inside.

  The room was unmistakably his. Nikki’s anguished gaze darted from the bed, a serviceable king-sized ensemble, and back to Liam’s closed expression. ‘But this is your room.’

  ‘I can doss anywhere,’ he dismissed. ‘You’re not acclimatised yet, Nikki, and this is the only bedroom with air-conditioning. And if you can’t sleep,’ he rationalised, ‘you won’t be much use to me at the surgery, will you?’

  Nikki covered the roughness of his remark with an over-bright smile. ‘Well, at least you seem to have the message that I’m here to work.’ She lifted a hand, her fingers plucking at the ribbed neckline of her T-shirt. ‘It all looks very comfortable.’

  ‘Sorry, I didn’t have time to make the bed,’ he apologised gruffly. ‘There are sheets and stuff in the hall closet next to the bathroom.’

  Nikki bit her lip, staring at the thrown-back covers, the mind-blowing thought striking her that she wouldn’t have minded climbing into Liam’s bed just the way it was. And where on earth did she think she was going with that scenario?

  Unfolding her clenched hands, she held her palms against tops of her thighs. ‘Thanks. I’m sure I’ll find everything.’

  A beat of silence.

  ‘Hell…’ Liam pressed his fingertips against his eyes and then scrubbed them over his cheekbones. ‘This feels about as unnatural as trying to knit with toothpicks.’

  ‘What does?’ Her heart kicked and she swallowed.

  ‘You and me,’ he said, his eyes tangling with hers, ‘standing here discussing sleeping arrangements as though we were never more than friends.’ He gave a bleak smile. ‘Does the wanting ever stop, Nik…?’

  His throaty question sent her composure sliding every which way. She bit down on her bottom lip, recognising sickeningly the sweep of white-hot desire that ran through her. And suddenly she felt terribly afraid.

  Afraid they were about to hurt each other all over again.

  A rusty miaow at the door had them both turning. A large, beautifully striped tabby sat looking at them with an unblinking green stare.

  ‘Oh—who’s this?’ Nikki laughed off-key, feeling a surge of gratitude towards the silly puss for giving them a chance to break the crippling tension. She swooped on the animal like a long-lost friend, stroking its back and petting it under the chin.

  ‘That’s Lightning.’ Watching her, Liam’s look was half-amused. ‘He found his way here when he was not much more than a kitten. He’d been drenched in a storm.’

  ‘Hence the name, I guess.’ Nikki straightened, while the cat contented himself by rubbing against her leg and purring softly.

  ‘Well, he seems to have taken to you,’ Liam observed with a crooked grin. ‘Turned traitor on me, have you, sunshine?’ He playfully rubbed Lightning’s tummy with
the toe of his shoe and the cat miaowed again. ‘He’s probably hungry. He didn’t show up for his food this morning. Come on, puss.’ Liam led the way out into the hallway. ‘Let’s get you fed.’

  Not quite knowing what else to do, Nikki followed man and beast through to the kitchen.

  ‘Now, this had better hold you, sport, because it’s all you’re getting today,’ Liam growled half-indulgently, proceeding to open a can of pet food. He tumbled the contents into the cat’s dish and set it gently on the floor. ‘You’re a great boy, aren’t you?’ he murmured, scraping the animal between its ears with his thumb.

  Nikki’s hand went to her throat as memories as sharp as glass rose up to taunt her. ‘You really missed your animals when we went to live in that ridiculous penthouse my father insisted on buying, didn’t you?’

  ‘I wanted to please you,’ Liam murmured, ‘and you wanted to please your father.’

  Their eyes met and locked and she was trapped by the residue of tender regret in those dark depths.

  She shook her head, as if something had just occurred to her. ‘I should have supported you against my father’s arrogance. But I honestly thought he knew best…’

  Liam gave a hollow laugh. ‘You were young, Nikki, conditioned to expect the best money could buy. While I…’ He laughed again, a short, humourless sound. ‘Let’s just say we came from different worlds. And it all happened a lifetime ago.’

  Nikki couldn’t sleep. The bed was strange, the room unfamiliar, the absolute quiet, instead of relaxing her, had only succeeded in unnerving her.

  There was no hum of traffic to provide a comforting background of a world going about its business, just the blur of the cicadas drumming outside her window and the occasional mournful howl of a dingo.

  And as if that wasn’t enough, the whole essence of Liam was in the bedroom. Haunting her. Even the scent of him was on the pillow, a scent she hadn’t forgotten in all the months they’d been apart. Hugging the pillow to her, she began wallowing in memories as sensual as the lingering fragrance of his skin.

  She sniffed. Damn. Her cheeks were wet and there was something wrong with her chest, as if an elephant had placed its huge weight there.