Bride on the Children's Ward / Marriage Reunited: Baby on the Way by Lucy Clark / Sharon Archer Read Free Book Online

all lost patients now and then, and they coped with that. They’d been trained to cope. But twenty children? All at once? All with the same signs and symptoms…with more to follow? His heart ached for Eden and the empathic pain he knew she would have experienced.
    David shook his head, disgusted with himself for pushing her. He now had his answer and he knew he needed to apologise. It was also a relief to realise he hadn’t misjudged her. Eden missing Sasha’s wedding had surprised him, but he should have trusted her to have had a good reason. It did appear that in essentials Eden Caplan hadn’t changed at all.
    Clearing his throat, he closed the journals and returned them to the shelves, wondering what he could do to apologise for trampling on her emotions. Should he get her flowers? No. She didn’t like cut flowers. A pot plant? No. She wouldn’t be in town for long. He needed to think of something.
    Perhaps a nice quiet dinner at one of her favourite hangouts? That might be nice. Just the two of them. His eyes widened at the thought. He knew he’d vowed less than an hour ago to keep his distance where Eden was concerned, but his faux pas couldn’t be left as it was. Besides, they were friends. Nothing more.
    He could cope for one night.
    Without stopping to think further on his idea, he decided to be impulsive and hauled out the phone book, quickly locating the number of a small Italian restaurant she’d frequented in her teens. He knew it was still there because every time he drove past it he would think of her and the way she’d slurped spaghetti until the sauce was all over her face. She would laugh brightly and encourage Sasha to do the same. David shook his head, remembering the way Eden had unlocked the gate of his sister’s emotions. Sasha had been a girl who had been too shy to open up to anyone before Eden Caplan had entered their lives, filling it with laughter and sunshine.
    He dialled the number and made reservations for that evening, knowing he could easily cancel them if she had other plans, although he secretly hoped she didn’t. Once it was done, he realised that it was the first spontaneous thing he’d done in a long while. He’d always equated spontaneity with Eden, and here he was, back in her presence and already acting on impulse.
    He laughed at himself. ‘Really letting go, Montgomery. Dinner reservations? What a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants thing to do.’
    Now all he had to do was to get Eden to agree to come. Would she?
    Eden sat in the chair by the window, pretending to read a glossy magazine, but every so often her gaze flicked to Sasha, who was lying in bed, her eyes closed. Robert had gone to make a few phone calls, so it was just the two of them.
    Eden was pleased she felt more in control. Thanks to David she’d been able to let go, to weep for her friend, and now she was ready to be strong, to get Sasha through the next few weeks at least. She flicked a page in the magazine, barely scanning it.
    ‘Stop faking.’ Sasha’s weak words came from the bed. Eden looked at her but didn’t move.
    ‘Meaning?’
    ‘You hate those glossy things. I remember you saying if women took the money they spent on shoes and put it towards a good charity instead, poverty in the world would be less and women wouldn’t have so many painful calluses on their feet.’
    Eden smiled. ‘Well, it’s true. I mean, just look at these shoes and the price they’re asking for them.’ She held up the page so Sasha could see. ‘It’s ridiculous.’ She put the magazine down and walked towards the bed. ‘I’m not saying people shouldn’t buy shoes. Of course they need shoes to wear. But you can only wear one pair at a time.’
    Sasha laughed. ‘Same old Eden.’
    ‘You sound like David—and enough with the old. You’re the same age I am, missy.’
    Sasha reached out her hand and Eden instantly took it. ‘I know, but right now I feel ten times my age.’
    ‘Rubbish.’
    ‘Eden, it’s