took pity on his bewilderment and went on, ‘He and my sister-in-law were involved in a bad motorway accident. They were travelling back from a reception organised by his firm when it happened, so, in one way, perhaps it was fortunate that they were on their own in the car. The children were staying with friends.’
‘I’m so sorry, Alex.’ He reached for her hand, covering it with his palm. ‘That must have been a terrible shock for you.’
‘Yes, it was.’ She tried not to think about the way his gentle touch evoked warm ripples of sensation and sent them coursing along the length of her arm. ‘I suppose, in the end, I’m just thankful that they survived. It was bad, but it could have been worse.’
‘Yes, it could. But at least the children were safe. I suppose that became the immediate priority.’
She nodded. She was finding it hard to concentrate with his long fingers clasping hers. It was a gesture of comfort and support, and it made her feel good inside, as though he was letting her know he was there for her and that she need not be alone in all this. It had been a long while since she’d felt that way.
‘There was no one to look after the children, and Beth was desperate that they shouldn’t go into care, so I stepped in. I love my family and I want to do the best for them.’
‘Of course you do.’ He frowned. ‘So what was the reason for you buying the house?’ he asked in a puzzled tone. ‘Didn’t they have a place of their own?’
‘They did. They’d all moved into rented accommodation some six months ago when Ross took up a new job in the area, but the lease expired and the landlord didn’t want to renew it. So I had to look for a place with enough room for all of us.’
He shook his head. ‘It sounds as though you had a hefty task on your hands. I can’t imagine having to juggle all those problems at once. You must have worked wonders to hold it all together.’
She gave him a faint smile. ‘I don’t know about holding it all together. Sometimes I worry that I’ve taken on too much, especially with the house. But at least the children were already settled at school. That was one less problem to sort out.’ Her brows drew together. ‘All I have to worry about now are the school holidays. I’m going to have to sort out some full-time care for them. I don’t want to ask Jane, because she seems so unwell.’
‘That’s true, but I’m sure you’ll find someone very capable and willing to look after them. Obviously it will be better if it’s someone you know.’ He frowned. ‘And this job must be an extra worry for you. You’ve taken on a big responsibility.’
She sighed. ‘Yes, but I’m sure things could work out well if we just put our heads together and try to sort things out…’ she sucked in a breath ‘…which reminds me, weren’t we going to discuss those budget cuts?’
‘It’s true, we were.’ He straightened up, reluctantly sliding his hand away from her. Then he swallowed the remains of his coffee and glanced down at his pager. ‘But it appears that I’m wanted in Resus.’ He glanced at her. ‘Sorry to have to break things up, but I must go.’
Alex stared at him. ‘I didn’t hear your pager go off.’
‘No,’ he said, ‘you wouldn’t. I set it to silent alarm.’ He showed her the text message that was displayed on the pager’s screen and then gave her an encouraging smile. ‘But not to worry, perhaps we can do this another day? I’ll come up with all the figures you want, I promise. Meanwhile, why don’t you stay here and finish your coffee? It’s been good to see you relax for a while. I’m sure a little longer will do you the world of good.’
He stood up and made for the door, and Alex was filled with frustration as she watched his disappearing back. It seemed that all her efforts to get the job done were fated where he was concerned.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘I F ONE more ball goes flying over the fence into next door’s garden,
‘I’m so sorry, Alex.’ He reached for her hand, covering it with his palm. ‘That must have been a terrible shock for you.’
‘Yes, it was.’ She tried not to think about the way his gentle touch evoked warm ripples of sensation and sent them coursing along the length of her arm. ‘I suppose, in the end, I’m just thankful that they survived. It was bad, but it could have been worse.’
‘Yes, it could. But at least the children were safe. I suppose that became the immediate priority.’
She nodded. She was finding it hard to concentrate with his long fingers clasping hers. It was a gesture of comfort and support, and it made her feel good inside, as though he was letting her know he was there for her and that she need not be alone in all this. It had been a long while since she’d felt that way.
‘There was no one to look after the children, and Beth was desperate that they shouldn’t go into care, so I stepped in. I love my family and I want to do the best for them.’
‘Of course you do.’ He frowned. ‘So what was the reason for you buying the house?’ he asked in a puzzled tone. ‘Didn’t they have a place of their own?’
‘They did. They’d all moved into rented accommodation some six months ago when Ross took up a new job in the area, but the lease expired and the landlord didn’t want to renew it. So I had to look for a place with enough room for all of us.’
He shook his head. ‘It sounds as though you had a hefty task on your hands. I can’t imagine having to juggle all those problems at once. You must have worked wonders to hold it all together.’
She gave him a faint smile. ‘I don’t know about holding it all together. Sometimes I worry that I’ve taken on too much, especially with the house. But at least the children were already settled at school. That was one less problem to sort out.’ Her brows drew together. ‘All I have to worry about now are the school holidays. I’m going to have to sort out some full-time care for them. I don’t want to ask Jane, because she seems so unwell.’
‘That’s true, but I’m sure you’ll find someone very capable and willing to look after them. Obviously it will be better if it’s someone you know.’ He frowned. ‘And this job must be an extra worry for you. You’ve taken on a big responsibility.’
She sighed. ‘Yes, but I’m sure things could work out well if we just put our heads together and try to sort things out…’ she sucked in a breath ‘…which reminds me, weren’t we going to discuss those budget cuts?’
‘It’s true, we were.’ He straightened up, reluctantly sliding his hand away from her. Then he swallowed the remains of his coffee and glanced down at his pager. ‘But it appears that I’m wanted in Resus.’ He glanced at her. ‘Sorry to have to break things up, but I must go.’
Alex stared at him. ‘I didn’t hear your pager go off.’
‘No,’ he said, ‘you wouldn’t. I set it to silent alarm.’ He showed her the text message that was displayed on the pager’s screen and then gave her an encouraging smile. ‘But not to worry, perhaps we can do this another day? I’ll come up with all the figures you want, I promise. Meanwhile, why don’t you stay here and finish your coffee? It’s been good to see you relax for a while. I’m sure a little longer will do you the world of good.’
He stood up and made for the door, and Alex was filled with frustration as she watched his disappearing back. It seemed that all her efforts to get the job done were fated where he was concerned.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘I F ONE more ball goes flying over the fence into next door’s garden,
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