Their Christmas Vows (6 page)

`How long?' Annie asked, her voice wavering as she reached for a tissue.

`Eighteen months.'

`And are you all right? What's the news?'

Callie wiped away the salty wetness from her face. ['m OK,' she reassured her and filled her in on what had happened-the medical details, at least. `The oncologist is optimistic. There's no sign of any further pre-cancerous cells, and there was no spread to any tissue or nodes under my arm. They caught things early and I've been clear since. Another s months and it will be two years-the all-import milestone. I didn't need chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The DCIS-ductal carcinoma in situ-pre-cancer was of a low grade, so the risk is small,' she explained, her smile wavering again.

`Many women never have another episode-never go on to develop cancer,' Annie commented, offering her another tissue. `Are you on medication?'

Callie nodded. `I have to take it for another f months. They're going to assess it at my next check 'What about reconstruction?'

`I know...it looks horrible.' Her voice wobbled and she looked away from the sympathy in friend's blue eyes.

Annie caught her band. `That's not what I me Callie. I just wondered how you felt, but it's clear it affects you deeply.'

`The wide local incision wasn't meant to be this. They had to cut away more than expected. They tried some reconstruction, but things went wrong, I reacted badly to it and got an infection.' She sucked in a steadying breath, trying not to react to memories of that time. `At the moment I can't face trying again-even if it would help this time. I want to live my life and do my work.'

`Oh, Callie, it must have been so awful for you. about your husband? Wasn't he there to support `Hardly.' She tried to damp down the pain. 'It's why left me. He said I was no longer a complete woman.'

`Bastard!' Annie paced the small floor, her fury evident.

`He did me a favour. I'm better off without him. I don't need anyone.'

Annie's expression was sad as she turned back to `I suppose Frazer doesn't know about this, either?'

`Of course not!' She stared at her friend in horror. `No one knows. And they are not to know. Annie, promise me.'

` I promise. But if this is why you are keeping your distance from Frazer, I think you are doing him a disservice. And yourself. You'd be good together.' A speculative gleam appeared in Annie's blue eyes.

`Hardly-you know what Frazer is like, playing the field.'

'That's rumour and gossip,' Annie protested. `He's so much more than you think, Callie.'

`Well, I'm not finally divorced yet. I've been through a lot, Annie, and I'm not ready for anything else.' She might never be, she admitted to herself. But when she was, it wouldn't be with someone like Frazer, who went for model-types with perfect bodies.

She kept silent, concentrating on examining her damaged side, where bruises were already marking her skin. `I'd like you to have an X-ray, just to ensure nothing is broken, but I think you've just badly banged yourself. Don't worry,' she added, seeing the panic Callie couldn't contain. `I'll ring radiology and speak to Francesca Scott. She's lovely, Callie-truly. I'll explain and she'll be fine-not to mention one hundred per cent discreet'.

'OK.'

`Slip your flight suit back on for now while I call If Francesca isn't in yet, I know she'll be happy to help us and come straight here. Leave it with me.'

Callie did as suggested, feeling less vulnerable as she covered herself again, listening as Annie made the call. It seemed Francesca was already on her way to the hospital, and would come to Casualty first and be happy to help. Before they could speak again nurse Gina McNaught popped her head around the curtain.

`Sorry to bother you, Annie, but Dr McInnes is getting very impatient.' The young woman grinned knowingly, casting an interested eye over Callie.

`Thanks, I'11 be out in a minute.' When Gina h ad gone, Annie squeezed her hand. `I'll go and speak to him, stop him worrying, and then I'll meet up with Francesca and we'll get those X-rays sorted out.'

`You won't say anything...'

`I' m your doctor as well as your friend, Callie. M advice in both capacities is that you give Frazer chance, but I’ll respect your wishes,' she reassured her. `Thanks.'

As Annie disappeared again, Callie could do no more than sit and fret and pray that Frazer would never find out.

Increasingly frustrated, Frazer paced the waiting area. Whatever was taking so long? He'd suspected Callie was hurt, but the wretched woman had toughed it out, refusing to give in until she couldn't bide the pain any longer. Idiot. She made him so mad sometimes. He didn't know which desire to give in to -to spank her or kiss her senseless. Either would likely get his face slapped. Or his eye blackened. By Callie herself if not her husband.

At last he saw Annie pop out from behind the curtain. She glanced towards him and took a step forward, only to hesitate and turn round, setting off the opposite direction to meet up with someone.

Francesca Scott, he noted, one of the hospital's radiographers, and he frowned as both women closeted themselves in a small glass-partitioned office. Annie closed the door, but he could see them through the window, deep in discussion, although he couldn't hear what they were saying. Something was definitely not right about this situation, and his instinct was prodding him, hounding him. What was going on with Callie? Determined, he set off towards the closed curtain of the cubicle, growling in frustration as the office door opened and he was cut off at pass. Again.

`Francesca, how are you?'

`Fine thanks, Frazer. And you?'

He made a non-committal reply as the tall, athletic radiographer, who had amazing dark red hair that fell in long corkscrewcurls down her back, smiled at him. A rare smile. The Ice Maiden, as the hospital grapevine unfairly dubbed her, didn't count many people as friends, but they had a platonic history and he liked her. He knew she and Annie were friends, too, which gave weight to his suspicions that something was going on.

Before he could ask questions, Annie linked her arm through his. `Frazer, you come with me. That's Francesca.'

As the redhead disappeared behind the curtain see Callie, Frazer reluctantly allowed Annie to him towards the office. He studied her closed frowning, because her eyes seemed over-bright, as she had been crying recently.

`OK-talk.' He paced the small room. `What hell is going on?'

`Nothing: She smiled, but evaded his gaze.

`I want to know about Callie. How is she?'

Annie sat down, closing a file and leaning arms on it. Callie's file. `She's doing fine, Frazer. I asked For a precautionary X-ray, just to be on the side, but I'm sure there's nothing broken. Her side badly bruised and very sore, though. Providing X-rays are clear, as I am sure they will be, I'll be sending her home with some anti-inflammatories and painkillers and she'll be back at work in a few days.'

`And that's it?'

`That's it.'

He didn't believe her. His jaw clenched. `Annie...'

`Frazer, Callie is fine. There are just a few bruises from what happened today. That's all.'

The phone rang, curtailing his next barrage of queries, and Annie looked relieved to pick it up. He realised straight away that the call was from Francesca and that the X-rays were over.

`I'll be back in a few minutes,' Annie told him, rising to her feet. `I'm just going to check the pictures then Callie can go.'

`I'd like to see them.'

She looked shocked. `No way! You are not her doctor and you know as much about patient confidentiality as I do.'

He did, and he had no sway here to impose his way but he didn't like it. There was something Annie wasn't telling him. He just knew it. Something important about Callie. Annie was being evasive, careful she said. But why? What was going on in her life that he was not supposed to know? As he waited for Annie to return, he thought back over what had happened since Callie had been hurt.

She had been adamant that she didn't want to be examined. At first he had thought she just had an aversion to him, but she had been scared of coming to hospital in a way she never was in a work capacity. OK, so many people were nervous in medical situations. Yet this seemed more. Callie had been relieved to find Annie, a friend she trusted-as much as he thought Callie trusted anyone-and they had been in that cubicle talking for a ridiculously long lime. ..far longer than a few simple bruises warranted. Then there was the look in Annie's eyes now, the signs she'd been crying not long before. About something Callie had told her? There had also been a strange moment about next of kin, and Annie's initial rebuttal regarding Callie's husband.

A nasty thought occurred to him. Was this about the husband? Was Callie scared of him? Did he hurt her in some way? Was that why Callie didn't want anyone to see her? He didn't want to believe it, couldn't believe it, not given how feisty Callie was, how tough and capable of sticking up for herself Look how she'd floored him at their first meeting She was no shrinking violet who would allow anyone to walk all over her. But the feeling that something, was wrong with Callie's life persisted, took root refused to diminish. He didn't know what that something was, but he intended to find out.

Before he could get his wits together, and even consider the temptation of peeking at Callie's file Annie came back into the office.

`The X-rays are clear, Frazer. I've given Callie shot to make her more comfortable, now l' m just waiting for the prescribed medication to come up from the pharmacy and then you can take her home.' Tossing her dark ponytail over her shoulder, she leaned against the desk, arms folded, a knowing look in her blue eyes. `You care about her, don't you?'

`She's my flight partner.'

A chuckle escaped, and there was a mischievous mile on her elfin face. `Right.'

`It doesn't matter if I do feel anything, Annie,' he conceded with a deep sigh. `Callie's married. I don't go there. Ever.'

`I can agree with that view-if there's a husband, it's the right thing to keep away.'

`If?' The young doctor looked as if she wanted to say something more, and Frazer's eyes narrowed as she blushed and withdrew her gaze. `What is it? I know something else is going on here. I just want to help. Is it him? Her husband. Has he hurt her or something? Is that why she was scared to be examined? Is that why you said "today's injury"?'

`Frazer, I can't break a confidence, but I can assure you that you that there is no way Ed could have laid a hand on her.'

He let out a huff of relief, then Annie's choice of words began to sink in. Callie's husband couldn't lave laid a hand on her. Why not? `Annie...'

`I'm going to see if Callie is ready to go home.' She straightened, her gaze serious as she looked at him, as if trying to impart some message. `The medi cation may make Callie sleepy and disorientated. I'd be glad if she wasn't left on her own.'

`I'11 take care of it.'

She nodded, a small smile playing at her mouth. `I get off at two, so if you need to go home, or to your gran's, ring me and I'11 come by and stay with Callie.

What time does her husband get in?' His question was met with a telling silence. Frazer's attention sharpened. `Or doesn't he get in? Isn't he living her? Aren't they together?'

Annie simply raised an eyebrow before turning away to pick up the file. He watched as she went off to fetch Callie, his mind a whirl of thought as he puzzled over what had and hadn't been said. There was more going on here than he knew. She obviously couldn't tell him but Annie was clearly wanting him to read between the lines and see that all was not as it seemed in Callie's life.

There was so much more to his new flight partner than her prickly exterior. The more time he spent with her, the more he came to know her, and the more he wanted to understand, to win her trust. Callie could be distant and difficult, but damn if she didn't capture his interest. He had thought her married and out of bounds. If she wasn't... He had to know for sure. Had to know whether to stay well away or give his desire for her free rein.

He'd been with his fair share of women enjoyed them. He sure as hell enjoyed sex. But tired of the dating merry-go-round. Although done little to refute his reputation, he wished people would see the man inside, not the happy-go-lucky supposed romeo. He had never lived with a woman, had never been in love. But ever since he'd visited his sister and her family in Australia nine months ago, and played with his nieces and nephews, he'd begun to wonder if he was missing out-if maybe it was time to settle down and start thinking about a pack of kids of his own. For which he needed the right woman. He'd never really had a type. He'd been attracted to all kinds of women over the years. But what he felt Callie just seemed more. More of everything... intense, more intriguing, more urgent.

There was something different about Callie, and he'd never wanted anyone the way he wanted her. She fascinated him. Even in a baggy flight suit, with no make-up and spitting icy darts at him, she was the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen. He wanted to learn all about her, to discover the real Callie hidden behind that defensive wall and know what had happened to hurt her so badly and make her so distrustful, so alone. . .and so determined to stay that way.

Frazer enjoyed a good mystery-sorting out the clues and the secrets from the red herrings and putting pieces of the picture together until it made sense. He had a feeling that the puzzle that was Callie was going to be one of his biggest challenges to solve -and potentially the most rewarding.