Logan’s eyes widened, but thankfully he remained quiet.
Shoving herself upright, she headed for the door and solitude. She needed to think about Logan and this funny hitch in her breathing whenever she looked at him.
She didn’t want another man in her life. Ian had soured her for that, with his infidelity and his other family on the side; a family he’d seemed more tied to than her. She did owe him in a way, because he’d woken her up to herself and made her see how compliant she was to his demands, which in turn had made it easy for him to control her so thoroughly. Just like her dad had done all her life.
She’d become aware of what she wanted out of her life which was not a grand lifestyle, nor a career-driven one. She’d realised she wanted to earn her own way, make her own decisions whether they be about what to have for dinner or where to live. And here she was. Happy and being strong.
‘Goodnight,’ she called over her shoulder, and refused to acknowledge the fact that Logan was watching her as she fled the room. Refused to admit to that glimmer of heat that had lit up his eyes when she’d mentioned going to bed.
Neither of them needed to get close to the other. He obviously had more than enough problems of his own without adding her to the mix.
* * *
Knock, knock. ‘Karina? Wake up.’
Karina dragged her eyes open. ‘Logan?’ What now? Had he had another nightmare? The bedside clock showed five-oh-five.
‘Can I come in?’
Her door was already opening.
‘Of course.’
Her thick brushed cotton pyjamas gave her all the decency she could wish for, and would definitely smother any residual heat he might have felt a few hours ago when she’d left him in the lounge.
She found her bedside light, flicked the switch, blinked in the sudden yellow glare. ‘What’s the problem?’
‘We’ve got a patient waiting in the kitchen. Steve Garrett.’
‘Steve? What’s he gone and done this time?’
Logan handed her the robe from the end of her bed. ‘Slipped on ice outside the fish factory and twisted his ankle. He was heading home after the night shift.’
‘Ice?’ Rain yesterday...frost today. ‘At least we’ll have a fine day.’
‘He seems to be a bit of a toughie. Doesn’t want to go to hospital for an X-ray.’
‘That’s Steve. Hates a fuss. He’ll be wanting to get strapped up so as he can go home and get some sleep before he takes over looking after the kids while Faye goes to work.’
Shoving her freezing feet into her slippers she tightened the belt of her robe at her waist, picked up her cell phone and the keys to the surgery and headed for her door, brushing Logan’s arm on her way past.
‘Welcome to general medicine, Motueka style.’
Logan strode along beside her. ‘I was surprised when I opened the door to his knocking.’
‘How come you heard him and I didn’t?’ So much for thinking she was a light sleeper.
‘I was still in the lounge.’
So he hadn’t gone back to bed. ‘Hope you kept the fire going. Eighty-year-old houses lose their heat real fast.’
Shouldn’t have said that. He’d file that small piece of info away to bring out when their arguments over selling or not selling stalled.
Steve sat at the dining table, his face screwed in pain as he stared belligerently at his right foot. He looked up the moment they walked into the room. ‘Sorry to barge in like this, but you know how it is.’
‘Sure do. How are all those kids? Keeping you busy?’
‘Running me ragged, more like. Can you strap this foot so’s I can work tonight?’ He straightened up on the chair, sucked in a sharp breath. ‘I’m not feeling so flash.’
‘What’s not right? Something apart from your ankle?’ She pulled out another chair. ‘Put your foot on that.’
‘My chest hurts when I breathe deep.’
‘Tell us more about that tumble you took.’ Logan picked up Steve’s arm, placed his finger on his wrist and began taking a pulse.
‘Not much to tell. One moment I was walking to the car, the next I was flat on my back. My right side’s sore. Must’ve landed that way.’
‘You didn’t twist sideways? Hit your chest or shoulder?’ Karina asked as Logan continued counting the pulse rate. ‘You might’ve pulled a muscle around your ribs.’
‘Could’ve. I don’t know.’ Steve held his breath as she began levering his boot off.
‘Sorry. This is going to hurt a bit.’
‘Just do it.’
Logan stopped counting. ‘Pulse is fine. Let me look at your eyes. Pupils all good. Karina, can I get a stethoscope from the surgery? I’d like to be certain that we’re only looking at a pulled intercostal muscle.’
‘Let’s move over there. We’re going to need tape to strap this ankle anyway.’ Karina crossed to the door that led through to the surgery and tugged the keys from her pocket. ‘Leave this open in case Mickey calls out.’
‘You really should have an X-ray,’ Logan told Steve once they were settled in the nurse’s room.
‘I walked on it to get here, didn’t I?’
‘You call that walking? I’ve seen ducks crossing the road more elegantly than the way you hobbled through here.’
Karina opened the store cupboard to retrieve a roll of elasticised tape.
Logan nodded at Steve. ‘I’m not going to ask how you got to the house. It’s best I don’t know that you drove that vehicle I heard pulling up at the gate minutes before you banged the front door down. But I’m thinking you’re right—a broken bone would be giving you far more grief.’
Karina began winding the tape around Steve’s swollen ankle and foot. ‘If you change your mind, give the surgery a call and David will organise an X-ray in Nelson.’
‘Pull your jersey and your shirt up,’ Logan instructed when he’d found the stethoscope. He listened to Steve’s heart, then gently felt his ribs and sternum. He was thorough and careful. ‘Does it hurt when I touch here
? Or here?’
Steve shook his head. ‘No. Only when I breathe deep, so I’ll give up breathing for a bit.’
‘Good idea. Do you want some painkillers to see you through the day?’ Logan put the stethoscope down on the desk.
‘No, I’ll be right, thanks, Doc.’
A small smile lifted the corners of Logan’s mouth. ‘You do realise that the treatment for a sprained ankle is to keep it raised for at least a couple of days?’
‘Yeah, sure. No problem.’
Karina chuckled. ‘Which means you’ll carry on as usual.’
‘You honestly think my kids are going to let me lounge around all day?’ Steve shook his head at them. ‘You have no idea. They’ll be running wild within minutes if they know I can’t catch them.’
Karina shivered in the doorway as she watched Logan walk down the drive with Steve, ready to grab him if he slipped again. Not that Logan would necessarily stay upright himself if that happened. Jack Frost had been heavy-handed this morning, leaving a thick layer of glistening ice. Mickey would have a blast later, jumping on all those puddles in the lawn to smash the ice layer on top.
Walking back to the kitchen, she looked down at herself and smiled. With her pyjamas and slippers she definitely didn’t look elegant—something she’d used to be known for. Funny how in Auckland she’d never even owned a pair of pyjamas, preferring instead lacy negligees, and yet here she didn’t care a scrap for anything that wasn’t warm and practical for getting up to Mickey.
It went to show how removed from life as she’d known it she’d become. Had she spent too long here, hiding away, not being forced to partake in that relentless round of socialising her family was famous for? Who cared? She was very happy with her lot.
She certainly didn’t miss having to have her make-up on, her hair styled, and being dressed immaculately before Ian got up.
She heard the front door close. Logan had returned. She’d liked watching him in doctor mode: so gentle and careful, yet thorough. He could no more help himself when it came to looking out for someone than she could stop worrying about where to find those thousands of dollars she needed.