Tia stared at him.
How? How could she do that? How did she know that he wasn’t going to hurt her?
She just couldn’t bring herself to take that chance.
‘We’ve got patients waiting,’ she croaked, and he gave a wry smile.
‘Of course. This is the NHS. There are always patients waiting. We need to talk, Tia, but I agree that this is not a good time.’ He stood to one side to let her pass him. ‘Who is this lady you want me to see? Is she the reason you’re upset?’
Tia walked briskly past him, ignoring his last comment. ‘It’s a booking visit,’ she told him. ‘First baby, no problems that I can see. She just needs a routine medical check.’
He followed her out of the room. ‘Will you chaperone?’
Tia nodded and took him through to meet Karen.
He talked to her calmly for a few minutes about the baby and then examined Karen’s heart and lungs.
‘That all sounds perfectly normal,’ he said finally, looping the stethoscope around his neck. He finished his examination, scribbled in the notes and then leaned against the desk.
‘So…’ His voice was warm and caressing. ‘Tia has been telling me all about your conversation.’
Tia glanced at Luca with a puzzled frown. What was he talking about? She hadn’t mentioned their conversation.
Karen laughed. ‘I’ve bored her to tears,’ she admitted with an apologetic smile. ‘All I can talk about is this baby and how much I want it. I was absolutely desperate to get pregnant and I can’t quite believe it’s finally happened.’
Luca gave her a warm smile but his eyes rested on Tia. ‘Having a baby is a wonderful thing,’ he said quietly, ‘although some women have very mixed feelings and that is very natural, of course.’
Tia’s heart started to beat more rapidly. Was he addressing his remarks to her? Had he guessed how she felt about being pregnant?
‘I don’t have mixed feelings,’ Karen stated emphatically. ‘I’m completely delighted.’
Luca shifted his gaze back to the patient. ‘Good.’ He gave her a brief smile and stood up. ‘You’re in excellent health, Karen. You’ll be going to your GP next but if you have any problems you know you can phone us.’
With a last smile he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
‘Oh, that man is totally gorgeous,’ Karen drooled as she pulled on her jumper. ‘Can you imagine being involved with someone who looks like him? I’d be in a permanent state of faint.’
Tia coloured and Karen gave a gasp and clapped her hand over her mouth.
‘Oh, no! You’re not…’ Her eyes widened and she gave a groan. ‘You are, aren’t you? And I’ve just put my foot in it.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Tia reassured her quickly. ‘And, anyway, you’re right. He is gorgeous.’
Karen looked at her dreamily, embarrassment obviously forgotten. ‘Does he speak to you in Italian?’
Tia laughed and closed the notes. ‘Sometimes. But I don’t usually understand a word of it, I’m afraid.’ She changed the subject quickly. ‘As Dr Zattoni said, your next appointment is with your GP, but you know you can always call us with any problems.’
‘Thanks.’ Karen stood up and patted her stomach. ‘Do you think I’m crazy, being so excited?’
‘No.’ Tia managed a smile. ‘Not crazy.’
Lucky.
If only her own attitude to pregnancy was so simple.
Tia watched Karen go with mixed emotions, then she worked her way through a steady list of patients and was relieved to stop for a breather when Luca caught up with her later that afternoon.
‘Sharon called for you but you were with a patient.’ He lowered his voice, aware that people were probably listening. ‘She’s invited us to supper this evening but I wasn’t sure if you’d be too tired. I said I’d call her back.’