And without feeling jolly uncomfortable. Pretending to fancy Mark would feel odd.
‘You’ve done it before—’
‘Mark, we’ve already established that we were in primary school at the time,’ she reminded him dryly. ‘Hardly the same thing at all.’
‘Well, just do your best.’ There was a brief silence. ‘And you’d have to live with me, of course.’
‘Live with you?’ Her voice was little more than a squeak and Mark laughed again.
‘Of course, live with me. This is the twenty-first century, Holly. People usually live together when they’re engaged. Anyway, it’s an ideal arrangement because you’d need somewhere to stay and it’s impossible to get short-term lets in Cornwall in the holiday season.’
‘I don’t know, Mark.’ Holly hesitated. ‘What if it ruins our friendship?’
‘Why on earth should it do that?’ He sounded astounded at the suggestion. ‘Holly, we’ve been friends for twenty-four years. Nothing has ever ruined our friendship.’
She frowned. ‘But this is different, Mark.’
‘“Always and for ever”,’ he reminded her softly. ‘That’s what we used to say to each other as children. Remember?’
Holly gave a soft smile. She’d never forgotten their childish promise to be friends for ever. ‘Of course I remember, you idiot.’
‘Then what’s the problem?’ His voice was gruff. ‘Nothing has ever threatened our friendship, Holly. Not even when we’ve lived miles apart and had serious relationships with other people.’
Holly bit her lip. Serious relationships? She’d never had a serious relationship. Not really. In fact, she was beginning to think that she must have totally unrealistic expectations about relationships because they were always such a colossal disappointment.
‘We haven’t lived together before.’
‘So confess all your annoying habits, then.’ He spoke in that lazy drawl that turned women weak at the knees. ‘Do you leave the top off the toothpaste? Am I going to find your undies strewn over my radiators?’
‘Surely that would be part of the fiancée role,’ Holly quipped, and he laughed.
‘Probably would. You see? You’re more attuned to it than me.’ There was a slight pause and when he spoke his voice was serious. ‘I really need you, Holly. I’m sorry to do this to you, but say yes, babe. Please?’
Her protests collapsed in a heap. Mark needed her. And when had she ever been able to refuse him? He’d always been there for her. Always.
All he needed was a fake fiancée. He wasn’t asking much really and, if she was honest, working with him again would be fun. She bit her lip. Maybe having Mark nearby would help her. Maybe living with him would get rid of some of the nightmares. Mark was so physically strong that it was hard to be nervous of anything with him around. Nobody threatened Mark.
‘Holly?’ His voice was sharp. ‘Are you still there?’
‘Yes, I’m here.’ She took a deep breath. ‘OK, Mark. I’ll do it.’
‘You’ll do it?’ She could hear the triumph in his voice and she smiled in response.
‘I think I must be mad but, yes, I’ll do it. I’ll be your “fiancée”.’
As Mark started bombarding her with instructions Holly tried to ignore the little voice inside her head which suggested that pretending to be in love with him might not be as straightforward as it seemed.
She agreed to meet the senior partner in London for an interview and then, providing all was well, travel down to Cornwall at the end of the week.
It would be all right, she told herself firmly. Of course it would. After all, they were only pretending. It wouldn’t change their relationship.
Would it?
HOLLY switched off the engine and stared at the modern red-brick medical centre with trepidation.
This was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. Why had she ever agreed to such a thing? It was never going to work. How could she walk into that surgery and greet Mark as if he were the love of her life?
She gave a groan. Why on earth hadn’t they discussed things in more detail? She had no idea what Mark was expecting. He’d asked her to arrive at lunchtime on Friday, but he hadn’t given her any more details. What was she meant to do? Throw her arms around him and kiss him passionately or was she meant to be reserved?
She must have been mad to agree to it!
But it was too late to change her mind now.
Reluctantly she climbed out of the car and walked across the car park, pinning a smile on her face as she pushed open the door that led to the reception area.
‘Yes?’ The blonde woman behind the desk gave her a cool look and Holly paused uncertainly. Hardly the most effusive welcome she’d ever received.
‘I’m here to see Dr Logan.’
‘Dr Logan has been called out on an emergency,’ the receptionist told her briskly, ‘and in any case you can’t see him without an appointment.’
‘I’m not asking for an appointment.’ Holly took a deep breath as she tried to get past that icy fa;alcade. ‘I’m—’
‘He has a space next Thursday at four o’clock.’
Next Thursday? Holly frowned. And what happened if one of his patients was desperate to see him before that?
‘As I said before, I don’t need an appointment,’ she told the woman, her voice still friendly. After all, they were obviously going to be colleagues and she didn’t want to alienate her. ‘I’m not a patient. I’m Holly Foster, the new practice nurse. I’m Dr Logan’s—’
‘Fiancée.’ The blonde woman stared at her for a moment and Holly saw her mouth tighten. ‘Of course. I should have guessed.’
Holly swallowed and managed a smile. ‘Why should you have guessed?’
‘You match his description perfectly,’ the receptionist said, frowning slightly as her eyes drifted to Holly’s left hand, ‘although you’re not wearing his ring.’
His ring? Oh, help! Neither of them had thought of that.
‘I never wear a ring at work,’ Holly said quickly. ‘It’s unhygienic and my last practice wouldn’t allow it. I thought I might have to start work straight away so I put it on my chain.’
She patted her blouse, hinting that it was hidden under her clothing, a practice common among nurses. Fortunately for her, at that moment the doors of the health centre crashed open and the ring was forgotten as the reception area was filled with screams.
‘Help me! Someone help my daughter. She needs a doctor.’ A woman struggled towards them, clutching a small girl who was shrieking hysterically. ‘She’s been bitten by a dog.’
‘We don’t have a doctor on the premises,’ the receptionist told her briskly. ‘They’re all out on calls. You’ll have to drive to the Infirmary.’
Holly gaped at her and took charge.
‘Let me have a look,’ she said to the woman, smoothing the little girl’s hair with a gentle hand. ‘You poor thing! What a scary thing to happen. I’m Holly, what’s your name?’
The little girl continued to sob hysterically and peered at Holly with scared eyes.
‘It