Filling the kettle, she shook her head at him, those curls flying around her face and causing his gut to clench.
‘He looks after my gardens and hens and I give him some meals. Green dollars.’
‘Yeah, sure. Nothing to do with a kind heart or friendship?’ He couldn’t resist winking as he stood up, ready to stride out of the kitchen.
What a woman. Too darned diverting for his own good. Mickey and his eager smiles had already caught at him, so throw in Karina with her exuberant, even fiery spirit and he was knocked off his feet. He hadn’t experienced anything so normal in a long time. He didn’t want to now.
In Africa he knew his role—understood that there were no long-term connections with his patients, the women he worked with, the places he lived and worked in. He was there simply to help people less fortunate than him who needed his medical skills. Plain and simple.
Apparently others had thought he could also provide a source of money for their militant operations. Their illegal activities. The militants had got the wrong end of things when they’d kidnapped him, believing he was the son of a wealthy English lord. That lucky guy had been whisked away to safety the moment the CEO of the African Health Organisation had realised what was going on.
No wonder this place felt like a slice of heaven with its everyday normality.
Logan knew he was being a pain in the proverbial by choosing a room that Karina obviously preferred him not to have, but it suited him perfectly. He might have explained that after sharing cramped quarters with his colleagues for as long as he had he relished the idea of having space to himself. What he wouldn’t tell her was that he had to have privacy at night.
Sweat popped on his brow. Karina was right in that he should find a motel, only not for the reasons she’d been espousing. One night here and she’d be kicking him out anyway. Not to mention the awkward questions she’d be asking if he had his usual problems.
He focused on the mundane, hoping the other, darker thoughts bothering him would fade for a while.
Instead of going to get Mickey to come for lunch, he said, ‘I was under the impression Mickey went to kindergarten all day?’
‘He usually does, but a sore tummy kept him at home this morning.’ Karina lifted one shoulder. ‘After that puddle-jumping I’d say he’s fit to go this afternoon.’
‘Want me to drop him off?’
‘Sure.’
‘What time do you finish work?’ he asked when he returned with Mickey and Jonty in tow.
‘Five-thirty, give or take.’
‘Then you come home to cook dinner?’
Karina nodded and smiled. That smile pushed the darkness inside him further back.
‘I hope you’re happy with risotto?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
‘Mickey usually gets dropped off at the surgery about four. If you want to spend time with him you can collect him then.’
Her smile expanded, sending a flood of heat right down to the tips of his toes, heating all parts of his body on the way.
‘He’d love that. You’re family, Uncle Logan.’
His head dipped up and down in agreement as he swallowed the crazy need for her she’d inadvertently cranked up all too easily even while she’d been so ruthless in her comments about what he wanted to do to her haven. Again, Karina hadn’t held back on pressuring him, but he was getting used to her forthrightness. If he used it wisely it could save them both a lot of the trouble that ducking and diving around their problems would cause.
‘Mickey mightn’t understand, but I’m right beside him all the way.’ His mouth lifted into a small smile. A rare occurrence recently. ‘But you have a point. I’m not used to small boys.’
‘I’d have thought many of your patients would be small boys. Boys of any size and age, really.’
‘I used to kick a football around in the dust with plenty of young lads, but somehow getting to know Mickey seems daunting.’
Terrifying, even. There wouldn’t be any second chances. He had to get everything right from the get-go. There was a lot riding on that—things like Mickey living a happy childhood despite losing his parents.
Karina laughed, and it was as though the sun were in the room with them. Her face had that cheeky, fun quality she did so well. That wild hair was a riot of curls now that it had dried. What would it feel like to run his fingers through those coils? To feel them spring against the palms of his hands?
‘Right,’ she said. ‘That’s you sorted. Unless you’d prefer Mickey gives kindergarten a miss and stays with you?’
‘What do four-year-olds like to do with their afternoons?’ Damn, he hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
‘Believe me, Mickey will order you around and run you ragged.’
Did she have to look so pleased?
* * *
Unfortunately Karina’s smug look had turned out to be justified. Logan grimaced as he sidestepped another spray of muddy water Mickey sent his way. What was it with small boys and puddles? The rain might have stopped hours ago, but the water swamping the lawns hadn’t drained away and didn’t look as if it would any time soon. Another problem that needed looking into. Like that hole in the driveway, which definitely had to be sorted.
‘I want to see Karina.’ Mickey stood before him, staring up with those eyes that reminded him so much of James.
James. His older brother. Logan’s heart squeezed tight. They hadn’t been close, but they’d always known the other was there if needed. Hence the guardianship thing. He’d been touched when James had asked him, yet he’d thought he should have asked Mum and Dad. Apparently they’d believed Mickey needed younger guardians. They also hadn’t been comfortable at the prospect of living on remote Stewart Island with Mickey.
If he ever needed urgent medical attention, getting off the island wasn’t as simple as getting on board a boat and starting the engine. Weather ruled down there. It was a place his parents had fallen in love with, and they’d moved there the moment he’d finished school. It wasn’t a place he’d ever thought of as home.
Logan sure as hell hadn’t expected to take up the role of guardian so soon, if ever. It was only supposed to be insurance—the kind you took out but never used. If he’d known what would happen only weeks later he’d have told James to find someone better suited. Not that his brother would have listened.
A small hand wrapped around his fingers. ‘Karina’s at work.’
‘Yeah, buddy, I know. So we’ll have to wait to see her.’
Mickey shook his head. ‘No. I want to see her now. I need to go pee-pee.’
‘I’ll take you inside.’
Mickey’s head turned from side to side. ‘No. Got to go to work.’ He began tugging at Logan’s hand. ‘Come on.’
A cheerful-looking man glanced up from the counter as they walked in the front door of the medical centre. ‘Hi, Mickey. Sounds like you’ve been having fun.’ Then his gaze swooped to Logan. ‘You must be Logan. I’m David Maxwell, the current locum. Sorry I missed you earlier.’
‘Hey, good to meet you. I never had any intention of dragging you from your patients when I dropped by. I was just eyeing the set-up.’ Logan held out his hand. ‘This little guy wants the bathroom. Apparently you’ve got a better one than what’s at home.’
David chuckled. ‘What we’ve got is Karina.’
So Mickey and Karina had bonded completely. That was good for the little fellow. He was very lovable. Even after a few hours Logan knew leaving him again wouldn’t be as easy as he’d expected.
‘How does he cope when he’s at kindergarten?’
Karina answered from another room. ‘There are good days and there are not-so-good ones. His teacher’s quite strict, but sometimes I go and get him and then he sits in here with me and his colouring-in book.’
‘I need pee
-pee, Karina!’ the subject of their conversation yelled.
In the waiting area people laughed.
David grinned. ‘You’d better hurry, Karina. It’s looking a bit urgent out here.’
She appeared in an instant. ‘Come on, Mickey.’ Then over her shoulder she muttered to Logan in a very cheeky tone, ‘Think you dodged a bullet?’
He shuddered. Karina’s bullets would be comparatively harmless compared to the real thing. ‘Apparently you’re a dab hand at this.’
‘You’ll keep.’ She flapped a hand at him before following Mickey down the hall.
‘Keep?’ David asked in a hopeful tone. ‘You’re not looking to hang around permanently, by any chance?’
Hating to disappoint another person already, he shrugged, but finally had to be honest. ‘No, my contract’s still running with the organisation I work for.’
‘Motueka isn’t just a quiet town in the back of beyond. There’s always lots going on.’
That hope was fading.
‘After the places I’ve been, it’s fair heaving. If I ever did come back permanently I think I’d prefer living and working in a place like this. Big cities don’t hold any attraction for me.’