The Midwife's Christmas Miracle by Jennifer Taylor Read Free Book Online Page B

heart ached at the thought of what she must have been through but there was nothing he could do about it. He left the office and went to check on the two mums who’d been admitted that afternoon. One had just delivered a baby girl and there was nothing he needed to do except congratulate the parents. The other was well advanced with her labour and once again hisservices weren’t needed. Diane was on call that night so technically he was free to leave. However, there was paperwork that needed doing first.
    He went to the desk and entered Fiona Walker’s notes into the computer. It was a job that Diane would normally have done but he’d never been one to worry unduly about protocol. He sighed as he printed out a copy for the patient’s file, aware that it was merely an excuse. The truth was that he was filling in time because he didn’t want to go home and spend the evening thinking about what had happened that day.
    It was pointless going over it, time and time again. The fact was that Lucy wasn’t right for him and he most definitely wasn’t right for her. He had already taken the first step towards addressing the problem by asking someone else out and, hopefully, that should be the end of it. Once he got back into the swing of dating, he would forget about Lucy and the danger she presented to his peace of mind.
    Lucy took her time getting ready on Saturday night. She had a long soak in the bath then washed and dried her hair, brushing the chestnut curls until they gleamed. It had taken her ages to decide what to wear but she’d finally decided on a jade-green top teamed with a pair of black trousers. High-heeled black patent shoes added a touch of elegance to the outfit as well as adding a welcome couple of inches to her height. When she stepped in front of the mirror, she couldn’t help thinking that she looked more like herself than she had done in ages. The past six months had taken their toll but it felt as though she had turned a corner now. Moving to Dalverston hadbeen the right thing to do, even if it had posed a few problems she had never anticipated.
    Lucy clamped down on that thought as she fetched her coat and left the flat. There was no way that she was going to start thinking about Max again tonight. The restaurant was in the high street and she was able to walk there. Margaret and Joanna had already arrived and they decided to go inside to wait for the others rather than stand in the street. Amanda was the last to arrive, full of apologies for keeping them waiting.
    ‘Sorry, sorry! My taxi didn’t turn up and I had to phone for another one.’ She draped her coat over a chair and sat down. ‘Anyway, guess who I saw on my way here?’
    ‘No idea,’ Cathy piped up, handing her a menu. ‘So come on, tell us—who did you see?’
    ‘Only Max with that new nurse from A and E.’ Amanda grinned when everyone gasped. ‘That’s not the best bit either. I saw them going into Franco’s . ’
    ‘Franco’s?’ Margaret’s brows shot up. ‘It costs an arm and a leg in there. I should know because Jim took me there on my birthday and he’s never stopped moaning about how much it cost him ever since!’
    ‘It’s the most expensive restaurant in town,’ Amanda agreed. ‘Max must have high hopes for the evening if he’s coughing up that sort of money!’
    Everyone laughed but Lucy found it impossible to join in. The thought of Max wining and dining the other woman as a prelude to spending the night with her was almost more than she could bear.
    The thought seemed to cast a shadow over the evening. Far too often, she found herself wondering what Max was doing. Was he turning on the charm, steeringthe evening in the direction he wanted it to end? She sighed because it had nothing to do with her what he did. Max was a free agent and if he chose to sleep with every single nurse in the hospital that was up to him. She had no right to feel hurt when he was simply living up to his reputation, no rights at