Beth nodded. She’d have to see how that panned out in practice. ‘I’ll have to think about it.’
Matt settled back in his chair. ‘Okay. What are your reservations?’
‘Just one.’ A great big all-encompassing one. ‘I’m wondering why you chose my research.’ Matt hadn’t known her long and in that time he’d already seen her pathetically unable to cope and stupidly angry. Neither recommended her particularly as someone who would be able to run a serious, scientific study.
‘I think that we could work well together.’
‘That’s a bit flimsy to base something this important on. There are a lot of other people interested in this field who are working with mixed groups that are much closer to your patient demographic.’
He grinned at her. ‘Okay, then, if you want me to spell it out. I’ve read your previous papers and think that your research is excellent—meticulous and innovative. But what I want most of all is your passion.’
Beth wished he would stop talking about passion. Even the tips of her fingers were beginning to heat up. ‘You called it getting mad earlier on.’ Surely he couldn’t be serious about all of this.
‘Ah, yes, I did, didn’t I.’ His mouth twisted ruefully. ‘I meant it, though. Problems don’t just go away on their own, they need a bit of determined effort. I was rather counting on you getting mad at some point in the process.’ It looked as if he relished the idea.
‘Hmm. I might reserve my options on a little free and frank discussion.’
His eyes darkened suddenly. ‘Be my guest. As much as you think you can handle.’
Beth’s mobile chose that moment to vibrate in her pocket. She flipped it open, and there was a message from Jean. The last shreds of tension in the room dissolved, as more everyday concerns pushed their way to the fore. ‘I’ve got to go now. But I’m very interested in your offer. Maybe we can get together soon to discuss it a bit more.’
He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head as if to ease a knot of tension out of his shoulders. ‘I’d like that. My diary’s pretty much full, but it would be good to talk again before Christmas.’ He hesitated. ‘Perhaps I could take you out to dinner if you have a spare evening?’
No way! Dinner alone with Matt was a slippery slope that could lead to disaster. All the same, if she wanted to show him that she really was interested in his proposal, she had to come up with some alternative. ‘Are you free on Sunday? I’m going over to Marcie’s for lunch and you and Jack would be welcome to join us. She mentioned that she was going to invite you. We could talk then.’
‘I’m not sure that’s going to be possible. I haven’t heard from Marcie.’
Beth bit her lip. He wouldn’t have heard from Marcie. She had been supposed to pass on the invitation, but she had accidentally-on-purpose forgotten to do it. ‘Well, she might have thought I was going to mention it to you.’ She shifted in her seat, her cheeks getting hot again. ‘I mean, I was, but I just hadn’t got around to it yet.’
‘In that case…’ He still looked a little uncertain.
Beth turned his own tactics against him, and waved his objections away with a brief gesture of her hand. ‘Great. You’ll come, then. I’ll let Marcie know to expect you both when I call her tonight, and she’ll confirm with you tomorrow.’ She rose and pulled the straps of her bag over her shoulder. ‘There isn’t anything you don’t eat, is there?’
‘No. Jack and I eat whatever’s put in front of us. We don’t turn down home cooking when it’s offered.’
He’d let her off the hook and she grinned thankfully at him. ‘I’ll see you on Sunday, then.’
Before he could reply with anything other than a nod, she had turned to leave. Sunday would take care of itself. She had nearly two days to convince herself that this feeling of exhilaration was all about work and nothing to do with the infectious grin of the gorgeous Dr Sutherland.
CHAPTER SIX
THE roads were icy still, as the early cold snap continued. Christmas was approaching fast and lights and trees were beginning to appear in windows and along high streets. Beth arrived at Marcie and James’s converted barn at one o’clock on Sunday, to find Matt’s sleek, dark blue Mercedes already parked in the driveway.
Marcie ushered Beth through to an empty kitchen. ‘Where is everybody?’ The large open-plan space was uncharacteristically peaceful.
‘Out back. James has taken Matt down to see the pond, and the kids have gone with them.’ The old, silted-up pond was James’s pet project at the moment. He and Marcie had bought and practically rebuilt the barn, turning it into a comfortable family home, and now James was turning his attention to the half-acre of land at the back of the property, which was currently a sea of iced-up mud.
Beth’s eyes lighted on a large bunch of flowers, tastefully arranged and bound in raffia in a presentation box. ‘Secret admirer?’
‘Matt bought them for me.’ Marcie brushed her fingers across the petals of a lily, which was the centrepiece of the yellow and white arrangement, and inhaled their scent, pulling at a piece of gypsophila that had become detached from its mooring. ‘Nice, aren’t they?’
‘Lovely.’
Marcie was threading the stalk carefully back into the water and Beth left her to it, dumping her bags and the cardboard box she had brought with her onto the kitchen table. The box caught Marcie’s attention and she flipped up the top and peered inside. ‘Ah—one of your gizmos. For Jack?’
‘Yes. I thought he might like it.’ Beth pulled a large box-file from one of the canvas bags that lay on the table. ‘I brought my research notes as well.’
Marcie puffed out her cheeks. ‘Think that’ll be enough? If you make him wade through that lot, he’ll still be here to see in the New Year with us.’