long time yet though.”
They exchanged smiles as combined laughter rippled from the sitting room where Rosemary and Lizzie were watching a DVD.
“Keeping your mother in familiar surroundings plus having someone to keep an eye on her and escort her to her hospital sessions sounds ideal. It’s looking good. I’ll send you a copy of my report.”
“Thank you,” said Andrea. She checked her watch. “I must let you get on.”
The nurse grinned. “I’d like to quiz you about this trial but of course that’s not possible. Rosemary’s GP couldn’t stop talking about the whole concept when I spoke to her last.”
“I know.” Andrea stood up.
He rose with her, reminding her how much he resembled a walking Everest rather than someone in the caring profession.
“This has been really helpful,” she said. “I feel a lot more positive about Mum’s situation now.”
He stuffed his file into a bulging briefcase. “I’ve met Dr Harrison once or twice at case conferences. He seems a nice guy as well as being brilliant at what he does.”
As Andrea walked him to the front door, she wondered whether Keir had a dark side. Surely no one could be as Teflon-coated as everyone seemed to assume.
***
“Timed to perfection,” said Keir. “Thank you, Lyn. I’ll check out the hotel website later.”
“The King George has a spa area and pool. If you have any time for leisure, that is,” she added.
“A quiet morning swim will be worth getting up early for.” He closed the folder she’d handed him.
She shuddered. “If you say so. Now, when the tickets arrive I’ll keep them in the safe until the day before you travel.’
“You know me so well.” He tapped his pen against his teeth. “How’s the guinea pig list coming along?’
“It should be ready for you by this afternoon. I’m waiting on one GP surgery to get back to me.”
Keir nodded. “I won’t keep you, then.” He straightened his tie. “If you let me have Dr Palmer’s itinerary, I may as well hand it to her when I’m over there later.”
“Of course,” said Lyn. “I’ll bring it through now, in case I’m away from my desk when you leave.”
Mission completed, Keir placed the folder in his briefcase. He was due to meet Andrea and the Prof in Richard’s office that afternoon. He and she would run through their joint presentation, with Richard on the sidelines, having promised not to heckle unless provoked.
This opportunity to be in Andrea’s company again gave Keir an extremely non-professional buzz. He had no one to confide in. Neither of his parents was still around and his younger brother worked as a pilot for an overseas airline, which meant they got together very infrequently. The move to Hartnett General after his wife and daughter emigrated with Keir’s replacement had seemed sensible in terms of a fresh start and buying a smaller house. The idea of being the spare part at dinner parties or, even worse, being the available male for every hostess’ unmatched friends, had repelled him. Somehow he’d negotiated job interviews, house selling and purchasing plus divorce proceedings and settled into his new life. Occasionally he might ring one of his former colleagues or email a couple of buddies from his old squash club but still he lacked a confidant.
Keir bit his lip. He and Andrea would be spending hours in each other’s company. He didn’t want to touch raw nerves therefore it seemed sensible to keep off the personal stuff. Now he knew about her elderly mother, clearly Andrea’s understandable concern for her mum’s safety had shown in her expression the day they almost cannoned into each other at the elevator. Now she’d agreed to speak with him at the Montreal conference, this must mean she’d arranged for her mother’s needs to be dealt with as well as those of her husband and any children she might have. There was no need to probe further.
If only he could focus upon her solely as a colleague. Perhaps he should
They exchanged smiles as combined laughter rippled from the sitting room where Rosemary and Lizzie were watching a DVD.
“Keeping your mother in familiar surroundings plus having someone to keep an eye on her and escort her to her hospital sessions sounds ideal. It’s looking good. I’ll send you a copy of my report.”
“Thank you,” said Andrea. She checked her watch. “I must let you get on.”
The nurse grinned. “I’d like to quiz you about this trial but of course that’s not possible. Rosemary’s GP couldn’t stop talking about the whole concept when I spoke to her last.”
“I know.” Andrea stood up.
He rose with her, reminding her how much he resembled a walking Everest rather than someone in the caring profession.
“This has been really helpful,” she said. “I feel a lot more positive about Mum’s situation now.”
He stuffed his file into a bulging briefcase. “I’ve met Dr Harrison once or twice at case conferences. He seems a nice guy as well as being brilliant at what he does.”
As Andrea walked him to the front door, she wondered whether Keir had a dark side. Surely no one could be as Teflon-coated as everyone seemed to assume.
***
“Timed to perfection,” said Keir. “Thank you, Lyn. I’ll check out the hotel website later.”
“The King George has a spa area and pool. If you have any time for leisure, that is,” she added.
“A quiet morning swim will be worth getting up early for.” He closed the folder she’d handed him.
She shuddered. “If you say so. Now, when the tickets arrive I’ll keep them in the safe until the day before you travel.’
“You know me so well.” He tapped his pen against his teeth. “How’s the guinea pig list coming along?’
“It should be ready for you by this afternoon. I’m waiting on one GP surgery to get back to me.”
Keir nodded. “I won’t keep you, then.” He straightened his tie. “If you let me have Dr Palmer’s itinerary, I may as well hand it to her when I’m over there later.”
“Of course,” said Lyn. “I’ll bring it through now, in case I’m away from my desk when you leave.”
Mission completed, Keir placed the folder in his briefcase. He was due to meet Andrea and the Prof in Richard’s office that afternoon. He and she would run through their joint presentation, with Richard on the sidelines, having promised not to heckle unless provoked.
This opportunity to be in Andrea’s company again gave Keir an extremely non-professional buzz. He had no one to confide in. Neither of his parents was still around and his younger brother worked as a pilot for an overseas airline, which meant they got together very infrequently. The move to Hartnett General after his wife and daughter emigrated with Keir’s replacement had seemed sensible in terms of a fresh start and buying a smaller house. The idea of being the spare part at dinner parties or, even worse, being the available male for every hostess’ unmatched friends, had repelled him. Somehow he’d negotiated job interviews, house selling and purchasing plus divorce proceedings and settled into his new life. Occasionally he might ring one of his former colleagues or email a couple of buddies from his old squash club but still he lacked a confidant.
Keir bit his lip. He and Andrea would be spending hours in each other’s company. He didn’t want to touch raw nerves therefore it seemed sensible to keep off the personal stuff. Now he knew about her elderly mother, clearly Andrea’s understandable concern for her mum’s safety had shown in her expression the day they almost cannoned into each other at the elevator. Now she’d agreed to speak with him at the Montreal conference, this must mean she’d arranged for her mother’s needs to be dealt with as well as those of her husband and any children she might have. There was no need to probe further.
If only he could focus upon her solely as a colleague. Perhaps he should
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