attitude.
This was her chance to be herself. Not trying to be the person someone else thought she was. Not expecting anything from anyone. First her mother and then her ex-fiancé Greg had hurt her—letting her assume his wife was completely out of the picture. From now on she would rely only on herself. She could do this. She could run this farm, start work next week at the small local hospital and live a full life. Be happy as she hadn’t been since the times she’d spent here.
As she glanced around the spartan room the memories crowded her mind. Memories of days filled with laughter, her uncle’s booming voice and, way back in the past, her aunt’s quieter tones that had conveyed so much warmth. Savannah was the child they’d never had and they had been the parents she’d wished had been hers.
Even after her aunt had died, her uncle had still encouraged her to come. He’d called it her crazy place where she could be the child she couldn’t be when she lived at home with her widowed mother. A place to do silly things, like trying to ride a calf, climb trees or cuddle a piglet.
She remembered catching baby turtles in the creek with Dory, the older boy down the road. He’d seemed like a god to her with his long dark hair and broad shoulders. He’d left her tongue-tied one minute and feeling woman-wiser than him the next.
When she was fourteen, it was here she’d received her first kiss and fallen in love with the first boy who hadn’t loved her back. She could still remember the devastation. Her loyal uncle had dried her tears and had vowed Dory had no taste.
The sadness welled up for a moment at her uncle’s passing, and she felt herself stiffen to hold it in. Then she loosened her shoulders. She was home, after all. She could cry if she wanted to.
Savannah wiped the moisture from her eyes and sniffed. Her uncle had always been so proud of her. If only he’d told her he was sick, she would have come to help him even if Greg had objected. But it was too late now.
She crossed the bathroom, and opened the window to let in the fresh air. She was not going to think about Greg. From now on she was her own woman and this was a new life. She couldn’t wait to start work next week!
* * *
‘And this is our resident doctor, Dr McWilliam, whom we mentioned at the interview.’
The stillness in Savannah’s face wasn’t because the old-fashioned waiting room in Bendbrook Hospital was empty and she was used to being in charge of a busy emergency department in one of Sydney’s largest hospitals. It wasn’t even the waves of hostility she felt emanating from Julia West, the now second-in-charge nurse showing her the ward. It was the blow to her solar plexus delivered by a pair of beautiful blue eyes creased at the corners and the broad shoulders of a man she’d already met.
‘So our new leader arrives. Hello, Savannah.’ There was no warmth in Theo’s voice.
Savannah worked frantically to correct the tilt in her world’s axis. McWilliam. So Theo would be Theodore. Dory. Dory McWilliam. My God!
She’d thought he would have moved or married or something. She hadn’t even recognised him. He seemed different to the man she’d met last week but if she looked hard she could see traces of the boy beneath the man. He’d been an arrogant teenager then—but she’d still fallen for him—and it didn’t look like he’d changed.
He was neat and tidy, his face was shaved—it had been a crime to hide that jaw—and his thick brown hair was now cut close to his head. He still looked incredibly sexy and she felt his impact right down to her toes. Dory McWilliam.
A metamorphosis from the boy she remembered, and she wondered what sort of a doctor he was. She’d bet he kissed differently now!
Now, that was unprofessional. Stop it!
She ignored the warmth of her cheeks, held out her hand and then instantly regretted it. Her fingers were taken, squeezed and probably left incapable of feeling anything but his touch for the next hour—and this was only the first time she’d actually touched him in fifteen years. Yep. She was in trouble!
Luckily she had her voice under control. ‘So you’re Dr McWilliam. I think I met a relative of yours a few days ago.’
‘That would be the one on holidays.’ He nodded.
‘Hmm. It’s pleasant to meet you, too.’ Actually, she was thinking, thanks for ruining my life. She’d moved from Sydney to break her chronic habit of falling for the wrong man but it seemed she’d turned full circle. Well, this could be her third chance—she’d work on a cure this time.
She forced herself to move away from him and get on with her day. It seemed a positive diversional tactic. ‘Thank you for introducing me to everyone, Julia. We should have a good morning.’
‘If you say so.’ Julia West was tall, willowy, dressed in the plain blue sister’s uniform and clearly unamused at being passed over for the top job.
Savannah gave her a sunny smile. ‘We’ll certainly work on it.’ She slid her bag into the spare cupboard under the desk and slipped the key into her pocket. At least she’d had some orientation and knew where most things were and went. It didn’t look like sweet Julia was going to be particularly helpful today. But as long as it didn’t affect the quality of care for their patients, she was entitled to it.
The sound of the first ambulance of the day drew her attention and both women walked to the emergency entrance to greet it.
Theo drained his coffee-cup, threw his stethoscope around his neck and stood up to stretch. With less than two hours of the sixteen-hour night shift to work, he was feeling remarkably awake.
In fact, he was feeling more awake than he’d felt for the last two years since he’d moved back here. Of course, he’d just had a month’s break from work, and despite the frustration and disappointment with Sam’s cancelled visit, there was novelty in change.
He grunted. Change was usually a stimulant—it had nothing to do with his new neighbour who was poured so deliciously into her floral administration uniform.
His thoughts had persistently wandered to Savannah over the weekend but he’d resisted the urge to check on her.
He’d even convinced himself she’d probably have a few disasters, although hopefully all the animals would survive. Then she’d give up and shift back to the city she’d come from. And he could ignore the shock of attraction he’d tried to forget when he’d seen her for the first time in fifteen years.
She’d come for holidays when she’d been younger, like a black-haired Madonna with her serious face. Those dark violet eyes of hers had seemed to see right through him.
Her hair had been long then, but he liked the way it curled around her face and bounced out now, like those Patty Duke movies his mother had loved to watch.
She’d certainly grown up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just her luscious little body that grabbed his attention. There were memories, too.
Theo remembered the direct look she’d given him the first time he’d kissed her all those years ago. As if to say, So that’s what it’s all about.
When he’d found out the name of the new charge sister for the emergency department, he’d flinched and realised there were two places he had to avoid Savannah now. He’d completely forgotten that Andy had spoken of his niece being a nurse.
Of all the bad luck.
CHAPTER TWO
THEO needed to stay focused on his own agenda. Savannah Laine could not be allowed to affect his life.
Julia was on her way back to the office and he raised his eyebrows.
‘Ready for me yet?’
‘Yes.’ She slid open the filing-cabinet drawer and withdrew some patient notes. ‘You remember Mrs Reddy?’
‘Elsie