Reclaiming Her Army Doc Husband Read online

  This was bad timing. They hadn’t resolved a thing yet, and as much as making love would be wonderful, it might make keeping on track that much harder. Reluctance warred with need as she pulled her mouth away. She so didn’t want to stop. But she had to if she was to be true to herself. Which she had to be. Or else lose everything. ‘Cole.’

  His eyes flew open, dark and excited with lust. ‘Sweetheart?’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  He blew out a lungful of air and stared at her, his disappointment so strong she nearly changed her mind. ‘Me, too.’ He didn’t drop his hands from her waist straight away, stood there, holding her, watching her with such tenderness in his gaze she felt tears building up.

  As she opened her mouth to apologise again, he placed a finger on her lips.

  ‘Don’t. You’re right. We’ve some things to resolve first.’ Then he brushed a light kiss on her cheek. ‘But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy that and wasn’t hanging out for more.’

  He knew how to make her feel better about what she’d done. She blinked, risked a smile. ‘It’s not just in the medical field we work well together.’

  His eyes widened and he actually laughed. ‘Never a truer word. Here...’ He lifted her down. ‘Go get out of the rest of those wet clothes and take a shower.’

  ‘More water? Just what I need.’ She grinned. Somehow she was comfortable, despite what had just gone down. ‘See you in the kitchen soon.’ She wasn’t about to say that if she didn’t make it to brunch he’d better look for her as she might be asleep in the shower. After that kiss, he’d be there before the water got warm, let alone cold again. She’d not be able to stop him. How she’d pulled away at all stumped her. She’d been ready for Cole to make love to her, to give back as good as she got.

  Glancing outside, she saw that the sun was heading up the sky, peeking through gaps in the clouds, trying its best to turn the gloom into refreshing light. The rain had eased to a heavy drizzle, but Damon had warned the monsoon might not be over, could be gathering strength for a final deluge. There was water every darned where. Roads, parks and fields were drowned. Here at Palm Beach homeowners had been lucky so far. No buildings were flooded. Once the storm was over, it would take days for the area to dry out. Weather like this was one of the few aspects of living in Northern Queensland she hadn’t missed when she’d headed south to Sydney.

  Under a cool temperature in the shower she scrubbed mud off all her skin that had been exposed throughout the night, and some that hadn’t. How had it got under her bra and waistband? When she shampooed her hair, brown suds filled the shower base. Hopefully, there was some softening element in mud that was good for skin and hair. Bending her head under the shower head, she leaned against the wall and let the warm water rinse her hair thoroughly. One yawn followed another, and another.

  She would fall asleep if she wasn’t careful. Then Cole would come to find her. That was not happening. Pushing the lever off, she reached for her towel. Had a moment where she imagined Cole handing it to her. Her eyes snapped open. Nope. She was alone.

  Wrapping the towel around her, she dashed to the bedroom and thought about diving under the covers, but the smell of frying bacon coming from down the hall was too tantalising to be ignored. Pulling on shorts and tee shirt, she began brushing the tangled knots out of her hair. Hopefully, it would dry before she hit the sack because she couldn’t be bothered getting out the dryer and styling the long, straight cut. If it looked too bad when she got up later she’d deal to it then.

  ‘How many eggs?’ Cole called from the other side of the bedroom door.

  ‘Two.’

  ‘Going on now.’

  ‘I’m coming.’

  Were they going to have a relaxed brunch? She hoped so. Spending time together working with people who needed their medical skills had done wonders to her stress levels. She could see herself living with Cole again with certain changes. Long talks with Julie had opened her eyes beyond the wake-up call her mother had given her. Until that time with her sister, Vicki hadn’t understood why Julie had deliberately gone so far away so as not to repeat their mother’s life.

  And now I have to stick to my guns and do the same.

  ‘Take a load off.’ Cole pointed to a comfy cane chair in the covered outdoor area near the barbecue.

  ‘I’ll make some tea first.’ That thick cushion looked tempting, but once she sank into it she’d not want to get up again.

  ‘All done. Here.’ He handed her a brimming mug.

  ‘You must’ve had a quick shower to have got all this ready.’ There was cutlery and plates, sauces and seasonings on the table. Bacon sizzled alongside the hash browns and tomatoes, eggs and mushrooms were coming up to speed on the second hot plate. She should’ve been getting everything ready while Cole cooked, not lazing in the shower.

  Cole grinned. ‘Thought I was going to have to come in with a bucket of icy water to wake you up.’

  ‘That would not have won you any favours.’ She laughed, relaxing some more. Sitting, she sipped the tea. ‘I suppose the next thing will be to get out and help people clean up the debris from yards where the waters have gone through.’

  ‘That won’t begin until the flood’s receded. A couple of days away, I imagine. It’s going to be a busy time for everyone.’ Cole began filling a plate with the most delicious-smelling food she’d had in a long time.

  ‘I’ve always been amazed at how quickly everyone gets back to normal. Except for those whose properties are damaged, of course. Still haven’t heard from Phil. The boys in blue must be busy.’

  Cole placed a laden plate on the table in front of her. ‘Here you go. Get that into you.’

  ‘Yummy. Thanks.’

  ‘I have my uses.’

  Her face heated. The number of times he’d said that to her over the years. It usually referred to time in bed, and nothing to do with sleeping. Concentrating on eating, Vicki managed to avoid looking directly at her husband until images of them making love finally faded. All she had to do was reach across the gap between them and entwine her fingers with his, and they’d be heading down the hall. Maybe getting up close and sexy would help, and they could laugh for getting so stressed about their marriage.

  ‘Hey, don’t go to sleep in your brunch,’ Cole goaded her deliberately. ‘Egg on face is not pretty.’

  Sleep was the last thing on her mind. Unfortunately. She glanced across the table, and sighed at Cole’s cheeky grin. ‘Then you’d better wipe your chin.’

  He did, then laughed when he saw there was nothing on the napkin. ‘Wretch.’

  ‘Don’t you forget it.’ She pushed her empty plate aside. ‘Just what the doctor ordered.’

  ‘Just what the doctor cooked, you mean.’

  ‘And that.’

  Cole wiped his plate clean and leaned back in his chair. He nodded in the direction of the lounge. ‘I like that painting of the Daintree. It’s new, isn’t it?’

  ‘It’s one of Mum’s. She’s getting better with each painting. I can’t wait to see what she brings back from this trip.’

  ‘Anna’s painting while on the road?’

  ‘She’s working on a series of coastal pictures. Mostly she’s taking a million photos and notes to use when she’s back home.’ Pride filled Vicki. Her mother was already achieving recognition. ‘The city gallery wants to put on a small show of her work next year and she’s panicking about getting enough done. Says she’ll lose her edge if she rushes the work. I don’t believe she will. It’s like a tap’s been turned on and there’s no stopping her.’

  ‘I can’t believe she’s waited so long to get back into following her passion,’ Cole commented.

  I can. And if I’m not careful I’ll have the same regrets when I reach my fifties. Agency, here I come.

  ‘At least she’s doing it now.’

  Her contribution t
owards getting her mother started must’ve helped. The day she’d put that easel, those paints and brushes in the lounge, ready for when her mother came home, she’d waited with a beating heart, afraid of having done the wrong thing, and that her mother might tell her off for raising her hopes. But when her mother had picked up a brush, a look of wonder on her face, she’d known she’d got it right. Then denial had hit and instantly Vicki had stepped up and pressed the brush firmly back into her mum’s hand and wrapped her fingers around the handle.

  You can do it, Mum. You have to. And so can I.

  ‘Why did she wait so long?’

  ‘Four kids and Dad’s demanding medical practice, I guess.’

  I know.

  ‘I get that, but couldn’t she have found some time for herself? A few hours here and there between washing the dirty clothes and baking the biscuits?’

  ‘Cole, that sounds like it was a hobby to fill in spare time. Mum has a special talent, and she did not want to give it a nodding glance. It was all or nothing, and because she’d committed to Dad and us it became nothing.’

  ‘My mother was a bit like that too. Must be a generational thing.’ He gathered up their plates and stood. ‘Want more tea?’

  ‘I’ll get it, and clean up.’ Wasn’t that how she used to respond?

  ‘Stay there. You look whacked.’

  ‘Okay, thanks.’ That was better. Whacked didn’t describe how she felt. Behind the eyes there was a battle going on between falling asleep and telling Cole what she thought about his comment. ‘It was quite a night.’ Generational thing, like hell. He really didn’t get what her mother had given up for her family. And if his mother had done the same, no wonder he’d thought it was normal. She hadn’t done anything different to show she wasn’t sitting around not getting on with her dreams either. ‘So, back to full-time medicine, huh?’

  A full mug appeared before her. ‘Like I said, I’d like to go into general practice, leave the emergency scene behind. I’ve seen enough to know I’d prefer being in a position where I get to know my patients a little.’ Cole began wiping down the barbecue. ‘To have the whole picture, understand what drives them, how they live, where they work. Know the whole family. That sort of thing.’

  ‘The complete opposite from working in ED then.’ Her agency would hire out temps to his practice. Her mouth tipped into a small smile. This could work. She yawned. It was unbelievable how tired she felt. Another yawn. The tea warmed her even though she wasn’t cold. Or was that Cole’s presence? ‘I’ve got some ideas for my career I’m working on that’s different to what I’ve been doing, too.’

  ‘Not retraining as a midwife? I didn’t think you wanted to do that.’

  ‘No. I’m looking at setting up my own nursing agency.’ She held her breath, waiting for the quiz.

  ‘You’d be good at that, organising people to do jobs, keeping staff busy and happy, getting them on board in the first place.’ Cole nodded as he lowered the hood of the barbecue.

  Knock me down.

  ‘You were supposed be shocked and tell me I’m nuts.’ Instead she was the one shocked.

  He smiled. ‘I figured.’ Then he came over to drop into the seat opposite her.

  ‘I’ve always thought about one day having my own agency, but I put it on hold when we married. Then one week last year when we were so busy at the emergency department, everyone doing extra shifts because there was a staff shortage due to a viral outbreak in the city, I started thinking about it again.’

  ‘Don’t the agencies already out there provide enough nurses?’

  ‘It’ll be a challenge, but it’s one I want to do. I feel this is something I would be good at.’ She stared at Cole. ‘It’s not a pipe dream. I’ve been looking into all the aspects a business like that requires. I can do it.’

  ‘I believe you can, too.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Really.’

  He still hadn’t asked why she hadn’t mentioned it before. Were they more alike than she’d realised? Vicki gasped. Yes, they were. Here she’d been getting upset because he hadn’t told her about the accident and yet she’d kept the agency idea to herself after that one time years ago.

  That was slightly different.

  She hadn’t started it up yet. The plans were coming together but she hadn’t put anything in place to shackle him with. If she’d been open, would he have been more so about his accident? And other things? Something else she’d probably never have an answer to. ‘You don’t remember me mentioning it years ago?’

  Looking baffled, Cole shook his head. ‘No, I don’t.’

  Just as she’d thought. ‘Maybe I should’ve reminded you.’

  ‘Let’s not argue over this. The important thing is I now know and can support you.’

  Gulp. It was that simple? Go with it. ‘Thanks, da—Cole.’ She nearly said darling. Actually, now that she’d got the agency thing out in the open, maybe she should’ve. He wasn’t running for the hills, or telling her it was all impossible because it wouldn’t fit in with his plans. Things were looking up.

  CHAPTER NINE

  VICKI HAD BEEN thinking about setting up her own agency? For that long? Cole shook his head to clear the surprise. He hadn’t had a clue that she might want to do something different, especially starting her own business. She loved nursing, always said it kept her grounded in reality with the wonderful and awful cases she’d worked. ‘What about nursing? If you’re running an agency there won’t be time for any of that.’

  ‘At first I’ll still be working. I’ll need the money, and I won’t be as busy as you’re suggesting. It’s going to take time to establish my name and get medical centres to call me instead of their usual source of temporary nurses.’

  She wasn’t acting overly confident, but seemed to have worked out some of the pitfalls at least. A good sign. ‘Don’t worry about start-up money. We’ll sort that between us.’ Why hadn’t she mentioned it way back before they’d begun falling apart?

  Embarrassment crept across Vicki’s face. ‘It wasn’t a hint for you to help me out.’

  ‘Didn’t cross my mind you’d stoop to that. It’s a genuine offer.’ He wasn’t asking if she wanted him on board with this, or with their marriage. He would continue to believe in them and act accordingly unless she put the brakes on. Then he’d fight tooth and nail for what they’d once had.

  ‘Thanks.’ The embarrassment deepened, her cheeks reddening.

  ‘Vicki, we can make this work. I mean everything.’

  She nodded. ‘We were once strong together. Seems we’ve got a little lost this past year, but hopefully nothing we can’t fix with a little patience.’ She was drawing circles on the tabletop with her forefinger, getting faster all the time. ‘I’m not going to change my mind about this agency, Cole. I want to achieve something for myself, something to be proud of.’

  ‘Then you will. There’s nothing stopping you.’

  Especially not me.

  Where did she want to set this up? Here in Cairns with her family nearby, or back in Sydney where they owned an apartment and their closest friends resided? Where they’d established their life after marrying? Except he hadn’t been there often enough. What about the job he was close to obtaining? Nothing seemed straightforward.

  Surprise replaced her embarrassment. ‘You think?’

  Ouch. ‘Don’t you know I believe in you?’

  ‘I think it’s more that I don’t believe in myself as much as I need to.’

  ‘Where does that come from? You’re always confident. Look how you’ve managed in Sydney while I’ve been away. That took guts and strength.’

  Her head came up instantly, and the eyes that locked on him were glittery. ‘It did, and it wasn’t enough.’

  They were back at the beginning. At why they’d got themselves into this mess. Reaching for her hands, he gripped
tight. ‘You became lonely. I get that, though you did a good job of hiding it from me in the early years.’

  She nodded. ‘At first it was fine. I managed, I was supporting you, and I had friends to spend time with. Then the wheels started coming off, and I couldn’t seem to stop the bus.’

  ‘Nice way with words.’ He smiled, though his heart was stuttering. He wanted to believe they were moving forward together, but he couldn’t help the sense of not quite understanding everything she was telling him. For every step forward there was at least another one backwards. ‘Where’s the bus now?’

  She pulled her hands free and leaned back. ‘It’s beginning to turn around.’ Then her face collapsed, tearing him in two. ‘Oh, Cole. What have we done?’

  ‘Nothing that can’t be fixed, sweetheart.’

  ‘I hope you’re right.’

  That was the first hint she might want the same as he did. He wouldn’t let the hope get out of control. ‘I’m damned sure of it.’ Lifting her hands again, he kissed her white knuckles. ‘Promise.’

  At last a smile crept over her mouth. ‘I’ll second that.’ She slumped in her chair, as though all the energy had evaporated out of her. Not that she’d been hyperactive since they’d returned from helping Karen and her family.

  A phone rang. ‘That’s mine,’ Cole said, and dug it out of his pocket, in need of a break while he digested everything Vicki had hit him with. ‘Hey, Nathan, how’s things down there?’

  Vicki sank further into her chair, her eyelids drooping. As though now she’d let out about the agency she could relax. ‘Say hi to Molly for me.’

  ‘More like, how’s things up in Cairns?’ Nathan asked. ‘Apart from wet?’

  ‘Busy.’

  Not in the way I’d expected.

  ‘Vicki and I were called out to an old guy who’d taken a tumble off his ladder late yesterday, then we spent all night working with a family trapped in their house.’ He went on to explain what had happened, and watched Vicki’s eyes slowly closing and her chin dropping onto her sternum. She was shattered. It wasn’t like her at all.