ago, when he’d been used as a bitter connection, a rope in domestic tugs of war where neither his mother nor his string of stepdads had worried that he might snap. Domestic harmony was for others—he wasn’t even going to try.
He’d had the odd relationship—who hadn’t? Until now he’d never wanted to push it an inch further than a casual affair.
So why was Erin different?
Because she was damaged, he told himself fiercely. He saw in her the same need he saw in his boys, maybe even in himself, but need was no basis for a relationship.
She was here as his guest, using him for refuge. Therefore he had to apply the same rules he applied to his boys. All care but no ties, so when they left there was no heartbreak on either side.
And as for the love word…When he’d known her for such a short time…That was being no better than his mother. Love at first sight was a crazy ideal, leading to heartbreak all round.
Right. He had that clear.
Maybe tomorrow he could drive her to her parents’ place himself.
Or not.
Probably not.
She’d offered to help. He needed help. There was a very sensible reason for him to accept her offer.
It was sensible for her to stay.
Yeah, right.
She slept badly, dozing and waking, dozing and waking. Once she heard Dom pad downstairs and let Marilyn out into the garden.
He was a very nice man, she told herself dreamily in her half-sleep. She listened to him leading Marilyn back to her pups, then speak softly. She couldn’t hear, but she was willing to bet there wasn’t any mention of dog pounds.
If she was seriously interested…
Dom with his needy kids…Marilyn and her needy pups…
Dom.
She was seriously interested. Dumb or not.
‘Maybe I need to go to the Antarctic for a year,’ she muttered. ‘I can hone my skills with frostbite and hypothermia, and everyone can need me solely because I wield a great roll of sticky plaster.’
But…how could she go the Antarctic when there was the faintest possibility of a repeat of that kiss?
Dumb or not, she was staying right where she was. For as long as Dom let her.
Easter Saturday.
Dom was coolly pleasant at breakfast. If he could be coolly pleasant, she could too, she decided. He didn’t say anything about leaving, and if he didn’t, neither would she.
Even though he’d told the locals he wasn’t doing calls, he was still the only doctor in the district. Patients arrived with the minortrauma of a country community. The phone never stopped. She ended up fielding calls—and enjoying it.
‘You’ve had a sore knee for months? Dr Spencer will be happy to see you, but not until Tuesday. He’s busy right now.’
Actually, the doctor was examining puppies when that call came. Dom’s vet-friend, Fiona, had found an excuse to drive over and check for herself that her instructions had been carried out. Dom and the elderly vet were checking each individual pup. Erin had been the one closest to the phone and Dom seemed okay—even grateful—that she answer it. She glanced through to the kitchen as she replaced the receiver. Dom looked a query—doctor examining patients while stretched out on the kitchen floor in front of woodstove He smiled at her. Her heart did a silly backward somersault—and she was suddenly even more determined to stay.
Any more determined they’d soon have to prise her out of here with a chisel, she thought. Superglue had nothing on how she was starting to feel.
After Fiona left, at Dom’s suggestion they took a family drive. No, make that a communal drive, she corrected herself. This was not a family—Mum and Dad in the front and kids in the back. Regardless, they headed out to her crashed car. Yesterday her feet had been too sore, she had been too shocked and Marilyn had needed supervision, but she really wanted her clothes.
In the daylight the crash scene looked appalling. She’d been dead lucky. She and the boys watched as Dom climbed down the river bank and retrieved her overnight
He’d had the odd relationship—who hadn’t? Until now he’d never wanted to push it an inch further than a casual affair.
So why was Erin different?
Because she was damaged, he told himself fiercely. He saw in her the same need he saw in his boys, maybe even in himself, but need was no basis for a relationship.
She was here as his guest, using him for refuge. Therefore he had to apply the same rules he applied to his boys. All care but no ties, so when they left there was no heartbreak on either side.
And as for the love word…When he’d known her for such a short time…That was being no better than his mother. Love at first sight was a crazy ideal, leading to heartbreak all round.
Right. He had that clear.
Maybe tomorrow he could drive her to her parents’ place himself.
Or not.
Probably not.
She’d offered to help. He needed help. There was a very sensible reason for him to accept her offer.
It was sensible for her to stay.
Yeah, right.
She slept badly, dozing and waking, dozing and waking. Once she heard Dom pad downstairs and let Marilyn out into the garden.
He was a very nice man, she told herself dreamily in her half-sleep. She listened to him leading Marilyn back to her pups, then speak softly. She couldn’t hear, but she was willing to bet there wasn’t any mention of dog pounds.
If she was seriously interested…
Dom with his needy kids…Marilyn and her needy pups…
Dom.
She was seriously interested. Dumb or not.
‘Maybe I need to go to the Antarctic for a year,’ she muttered. ‘I can hone my skills with frostbite and hypothermia, and everyone can need me solely because I wield a great roll of sticky plaster.’
But…how could she go the Antarctic when there was the faintest possibility of a repeat of that kiss?
Dumb or not, she was staying right where she was. For as long as Dom let her.
Easter Saturday.
Dom was coolly pleasant at breakfast. If he could be coolly pleasant, she could too, she decided. He didn’t say anything about leaving, and if he didn’t, neither would she.
Even though he’d told the locals he wasn’t doing calls, he was still the only doctor in the district. Patients arrived with the minortrauma of a country community. The phone never stopped. She ended up fielding calls—and enjoying it.
‘You’ve had a sore knee for months? Dr Spencer will be happy to see you, but not until Tuesday. He’s busy right now.’
Actually, the doctor was examining puppies when that call came. Dom’s vet-friend, Fiona, had found an excuse to drive over and check for herself that her instructions had been carried out. Dom and the elderly vet were checking each individual pup. Erin had been the one closest to the phone and Dom seemed okay—even grateful—that she answer it. She glanced through to the kitchen as she replaced the receiver. Dom looked a query—doctor examining patients while stretched out on the kitchen floor in front of woodstove He smiled at her. Her heart did a silly backward somersault—and she was suddenly even more determined to stay.
Any more determined they’d soon have to prise her out of here with a chisel, she thought. Superglue had nothing on how she was starting to feel.
After Fiona left, at Dom’s suggestion they took a family drive. No, make that a communal drive, she corrected herself. This was not a family—Mum and Dad in the front and kids in the back. Regardless, they headed out to her crashed car. Yesterday her feet had been too sore, she had been too shocked and Marilyn had needed supervision, but she really wanted her clothes.
In the daylight the crash scene looked appalling. She’d been dead lucky. She and the boys watched as Dom climbed down the river bank and retrieved her overnight
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