f-560d-98f9-791f7a627711">
Sam shook his head in wonder. ‘You’re a truly amazing woman, Ruby.’
His mouth curved, lightening his features in a way that made her heart begin to thump in an erratic rhythm. ‘You have a unique way of motivating everyone at work. They all miss you.’
She gave a soft sigh. ‘I’m sorry about that.’ He was stirring up emotions in her that she would rather lay dormant: restlessness, guilt, and a faint sorrow for what she had abandoned. She was torn by all the demands being made on her.
He wouldn’t let her turn away, though. Instead he drew her closer to him, so that she had no choice but to listen to what he had to say. She was all too aware of the warmth emanating from him, of the sheer male energy and drive that gave him an inherent authority over everyone who happened to come within his orbit. ‘That’s just it, Ruby,’ he murmured. ‘I’m discovering every day exactly how much the department needs you at its helm. I can only do so much, but with you on my team we can work wonders.’
She was finding it hard to think straight while he was holding her this way. His hands were slowly smoothing over the silk of her skin, as though he would mesmerise her and coax her into accepting what he had to say.
His gaze meshed with hers. ‘If I were to offer you a solution to all your troubles, would you consider coming back to the hospital?’
When Joanna Neil discovered Mills & Boon®, her life-long addiction to reading crystallised into an exciting new career writing Medical™ Romance. Her characters are probably the outcome of her varied lifestyle, which includes working as a clerk, typist, nurse and infant teacher. She enjoys dressmaking and cooking at her Leicestershire home. Her family includes a husband, son and daughter, an exuberant yellow Labrador and two slightly crazed cockatiels. She currently works with a team of tutors at her local education centre, to provide creative writing workshops for people interested in exploring their own writing ambitions.
Recent titles by the same author:
POSH DOC, SOCIETY WEDDING
HOT-SHOT DOC, CHRISTMAS BRIDE
THE REBEL AND THE BABY DOCTOR
THE SURGEON SHE’S BEEN WAITING FOR
New Surgeon At Ashvale A&E
by
Joanna Neil
Table of Contents
Chapter One
‘WELL, poppet, here we are at last. A little later than I’d planned, but at least we’ve arrived.’ Ruby made a neat turn into the parking slot in the hospital grounds and turned off the ignition. From the rear of the car, a response came in the form of a soft gurgle, and she swivelled around to gaze for a moment at the baby. Becky was lying contentedly in her car seat, blowing bubbles while doing her best to grasp her toes with her fingers.
Smiling, Ruby slid out of the driver’s seat and went around to the rear of the vehicle to retrieve the infant.
‘It’s a good thing you’re such a happy soul,’ she murmured. ‘It makes life so much easier. After all, much as I love you, I hadn’t planned on bringing you with me today.’
Becky wriggled, her arms, legs and whole body moving in excited anticipation, a beaming smile lighting her chubby face at the prospect of her aunt coming close.
Ruby began to unclip the seat restraint. ‘I’ve no idea where your mother could have disappeared to,’ she said softly, ‘and yet she promised me faithfully that she would come and fetch you so that I could go along to my meeting.’ She lifted her palms in a questioning gesture. ‘But where is she? I haven’t a clue. Your guess is as good as mine.’
Becky chuckled, her blue eyes bright, as Ruby lifted the child seat out of the car. ‘As for you, you don’t have a care in the world, do you, little one?’ Ruby smiled indulgently. ‘What does it matter to you that I have to go and listen to my new boss challenge us to cut costs to the bone and find all sorts of impossible ways of doing it? And what’s he doing there anyway taking my place? I had my name pinned on that job, and I’m pretty sure I would have made things work for us without any of this argy-bargy and bad feeling.’
Becky studied her, a small frown appearing on the soft skin of her brow, as though she was trying very hard to make sense of the flow of words. Ruby laughed softly. ‘Yes, I know. Your auntie’s as mad as a hatter. Why else would she be going to a conference with a baby in tow?’ She leaned over and tickled the child, her chestnut-coloured hair falling in a silky swathe about her shoulders. Becky giggled and grasped a handful of hair.
‘Ow…ow…ow,’ Ruby exclaimed, pretending to be caught.
‘Mum…mm…mum.’ Six-month-old Becky blew raspberries from her pink lips and cooed, finally letting go of Ruby’s hair and beginning to suck on a small fist.
‘Yes, you’re absolutely right,’ Ruby murmured, straightening up. ‘Your mum’s not herself these days, and we just have to try to make the best of things, don’t we? When all’s said and done, we can probably slip in quietly somewhere near the back of the room. With any luck, no one will even notice that I’ve brought an uninvited guest