Sorry, Vicki. I made a mistake there.
Driving along the streets towards the rundown house he’d shared with four other students, he stared around. So familiar, so different. He wouldn’t like to live here again. He was a doctor now, didn’t need the shambolic lifestyle of a student. Neither did he need to hide any more. Now he could walk down any street anywhere, head held high.
Cole pulled to the side of the street and pulled on the handbrake, leaving the motor idling. He was getting closer to whatever had begun to irk him as he’d walked on the beach. It took time to make friends in a neighbourhood where everyone was intent on their families and careers and getting ahead. Especially in a huge city. Not like Cairns. Bet if he bumped into Merv or one of the other rescue crew members he’d worked alongside during the weekend, they’d stop and chat, probably suggest a beer at the pub or to go round for a barbecue. They’d certainly acknowledge him.
Am I ready for that?
More than ready, he realised. He wanted it, for himself and Vicki. For their children. To be comfortable, relaxed, and happy. The army hadn’t given him that picture. It hadn’t been bad, just not what he’d been looking for. It hadn’t included Vicki, for one. And there wasn’t anyone more important to him.
No one.
* * *
‘Jack, the crutch is not a bat,’ Vicki admonished as her patient flicked a large stone down the medical centre’s drive.
‘Not a very good one, anyway.’ Jack laughed. ‘I couldn’t get the dog’s bowl up the steps this morning.’ He’d been in to get his dressings changed.
Rolling her eyes, she grinned. ‘You’re hopeless.’
‘I hear you and your man were busy Friday night, rescuing that family from their ruined house. Everyone’s been singing your praises at the station.’
‘We did no more than the fire crew did. It was a joint effort, with good results.’
We. As in her and Cole. We.
A sigh slid across her lips, and her mood dipped. Again. Still not a word from him. She’d given up checking her phone for messages last night, tried to accept he wasn’t rushing to tell her how the interview had gone. Except every time the phone pinged her heart would leap and she snatch it up only to be disappointed. Everyone but Cole seemed to be in touch. This morning she’d left the phone in her bag and refused to take it out all day. There could be a message from Cole by now, for all she knew, but she wasn’t looking until she walked out of here in half an hour’s time to go home.
Did his silence indicate she’d got what she’d asked for? What if she was wrong to demand he sort himself out before they went any further? What if he never called her again?
Jack was still talking. ‘So the guys are wondering if you’d be interested.’
‘In what?’
Now it was Jack’s turn to do the eye-roll thing. ‘Sorry if I’m boring you.’ His smile told her he wasn’t cross. ‘Would you like to join our station as a voluntary medic?’
Become a part of the fire crews? Sounded exciting. Bit like working in an emergency department without all the modern equipment and a whole hospital to back the medics. It would fill in some more hours. ‘Yes, I think I would.’
‘Right, let Damon know. We’re having a meeting on Wednesday. I’ll put a word in for you.’
Guilt reared. ‘Um...slow down. I would like to help, but I’m not sure how long I’m here for. I might be returning to Sydney soon.’
Might. Probably won’t, because Cole has given up on me.
‘Come on board anyway. We’ll put you through the training, and if you leave town your time, and ours, won’t have been wasted. We need people like you, Vicki. We really do.’
Pride swelled in her chest. ‘Thanks. Okay, count me in for as long as I’m here.’
‘Need a doctor as well?’
Vicki spun around, lost her balance, would’ve fallen if Cole hadn’t caught her.
‘Steady, sweetheart.’ He gazed down at her with an intensity that tightened every muscle in her body.
‘You didn’t call me once.’
‘Thought it better to come in person. Far more intimate.’ He leaned closer, brushed his lips over hers.
She had to fight not to press back, to devour him with a kiss. Every cell ached with the need to touch him, feel his tenderness, to believe he really was here, holding her. ‘Cole?’
‘Yes, Vicki, I’m here, hopefully for good.’ His gaze remained on her. ‘If you’ll have me.’
‘Yes.’ Just like that? Well, she wasn’t carrying on feeling lonely and sad when this was the one person who made her happy. And he was here. ‘With some changes,’ she added through a smile.
Cole’s return smile filled her with gladness. They would make this work.
‘I can see I’m in the way here,’ Jack interrupted them. ‘I’ll get in touch tomorrow. And, yes, we can always use a doctor. Now, where’s Barbara got to?’
‘She went next door to the pharmacy,’ Vicki told him, and instinctively headed out to help him get into the car, feeling a loss as Cole’s hands slid away from her arms.
Cole followed. ‘I’m Cole Halliday, Vicki’s husband,’ he told Jack.
Jack grunted with pain as he lifted his cast leg inside the car. ‘Jack Henderson. I’ve heard about you. Talk later when you’ve got a spare moment.’ He grinned at her, then nodded to Cole. ‘Go on. Seems you’ve got things to sort out.’
‘You stay off those quad bikes, and bend down to pick up the dog bowl. There’s nothing wrong with your waist.’ She closed the door on Jack and turned to face the love of her life. Had she given in too quickly? When she shouldn’t be giving in at all?
‘Relax. I’m not here to demand we do everything my way. What time do you finish for the day?’
Joe was walking up the drive with a pharmacy pack in his hand. ‘You can go now, Vicki. I’ll cover for you if anyone needs a plaster put on a cut. Good to see you, Cole.’
‘There’s no one else booked in for me,’ she said in a wobbly voice. ‘So thanks, I’ll grab my bag and get out of here.’ She didn’t look at Cole, just headed inside as quickly as possible, her head spinning at his sudden appearance. She’d said yes, she’d have him back, without thinking it through. She’d acted on her love for him. It was right. Now she still had to make sure he understood she wasn’t backing down from her plans.
When she returned Joe and Cole were talking.
Joe held out his hand to shake Cole’s ‘Talk again.’
‘Sure.’
‘What was that about?’ Vicki asked as they walked to her car.
‘Work.’
‘Right.’ Back to not telling her what was going on? A timely reminder they hadn’t resolved everything. But...she breathed out hard... Cole was here, with her, and he wanted to fix what was keeping them apart.
Clasping her hand, he said, ‘It’s okay, I promise. I just want to start at the beginning.’
‘Then jump in and I’ll drive as fast as I can because I need to hear this.’
‘How about we find a quiet corner in a bar along the waterfront instead?’
‘Sounds like a plan.’ She knew exactly where to take them. As long as she wasn’t getting her hopes up too high. Sneaking a sideways glance, she saw that Cole appeared relaxed yet edgy at the same time, giving no clues about what had gone down in Sydney so she hung onto his words back at the medical centre and tried to relax. Yeah, right.
* * *
Cole sat beside Vicki at a table on the pavement and looked at her. There were deep shadows staining her cheeks, and her mouth drooped. Equally, her eyes gleamed with what he could only recognise as love.