Their Christmas Vows (9 page)

`Next time we won't have an audience, and we'll do this properly,' he whispered huskily.

Callie felt helpless, laid bare, scared witless. Shaking, sensitised from his kiss, she wanted to tell him there couldn't be a next time, that it was impossible, but words refused to come. They stared at each other for endless moments, then Frazer turned aside, and she realised he was sheltering her from the rest of the room, giving her time to get herself back together.

Her emotions were in a whirl. This should never have happened. She had tasted forbidden fruit and now she wanted more, wanted everything, and she wouldn't have it. A shiver ran down her spine...regret, fear, anger, disappointment all bringing a chill to her mood and dampening her mood. Ignoring Frazer, she concentrated on clearing up, managing a smile for the children and staff, thankful it was time to say their goodbyes and leave. She needed time alone to shore her breached defences.

It was dark when they went outside, front descended, and she snuggled deeper into her coat. Once in the four-by-four, Hamish circled a couple of times on back seat, then curled up to snooze, and Frazer wasted no time in firing the engine and switching on the heater.

'Cold?' he asked.

Callie shrugged, increasingly uncomfortable at what had happened between them. 'A bit.'

'It will soon warm up.' She could feel his gaze on her for a moment before he turned his attention back to the road and pulled out of the car park. `We have one more stop to make.'

'OK.'

She didn't know what else to say. All she wanted was to go home, to try to decide how to cope with this latest disaster, but she didn't want Frazer to know how deeply affected and disturbed she was by their kiss.

`We're here.'

Frazer's words drew her from her thoughts, and she looked out into the darkness as he turned up a wide driveway near the broad expanse of loch that edged the town, moonlight casting a shimmering glow across the stillness of the water. He drew the vehicle to a halt outside a modem building. Callie climbed out, curious despite her distracted mood.

Hamish jumped out, too, and, having collected a couple of bags from the back of the car, Frazer disconcerted her further by taking her hand in his, linking their fingers as he walked around the ride of the building along a lighted pathway bordered by evergreen shrubs. For a moment ail her awareness centred on the point where his flesh touched hers, then he released her and inserted a key in the lock of a numbered front door, ushering her in ahead of him. Hamish bounded inside the warm, bright flat and disappeared. Closing the door, Frazer turned to face her.

'Can I take your coat?'

Callie slipped it off and watched as he hung it up, along with his leather jacket. `Where are we?' she asked, a flicker of concern tightening her verves.

`I promised the other most, important woman in my life that I'd bring you to meet her.' His dimpled smile in no way blunted the shock she felt at the words-shock that made her slow to react when he took her hand again and led her down the hall. `Come along.'

The very last thing she wanted was to meet one of his women. And she was scared to know what he meant by `the other most important woman in my life'. Callie tried to protest, to dig her heels in and insist he take her home, but they were already in a small but attractive sitting room, and her arguments died in her throat as she looked at the woman sitting in a comfy armchair by the fire, Hamish in her lap. The little dog jumped down and the woman rose stiffly to her feet, opening her arms to Frazer, a broad smile of pleasure on her face.

`Frazer, darling!'

`Hello, sweetheart.'

Callie watched as he enveloped the elderly grey; haired lady, who was as round as she was tall, inter a bear hug. When she was released, the woman turned with a smile, blue eyes twinkling with enjoyment and kindness.

`You must be Callie,' she greeted, holding out a hand in welcome. `Frazer has told me so much about you, my dear.' Her eyes twinkled with mischief. `You've made quite an impression.'

His hand resting at the small of her back, Frazer urged her forwards. `Callie, this is my grandmother Lily McInnes.'

Swept along with the introductions, Callie found herself sitting next to Lily, Hamish curled in front the fire at their feet, while Frazer made them all tea then busied himself with some festive decorations f the woman who was unmistakably his beloved gran. Discovering there was so much more to Frazer the casual playboy was dangerous. It would be much safer if she disliked him. But she didn't. Indeed, she was becoming more drawn to him by the hour.

`How are you finding Strathlochan, Callie? Are you settling in and enjoying your job?'

Although unused to such attention, Callie found herself relaxing. The elderly lady was marvellous. Full of life and humour. `I really like it here, and the job is all I hoped it would be,' she answered honestly conscious that Frazer was nearby and listening in as Lily continued to bombard her with questions.

`And what are you doing for Christmas, dear?' Surprised, Callie looked down at Hamish to hide her discomfort. `I'm not sure. I...'

`You must-come and spend the day with us,' Lily insisted, patting her hand. `No one should be alone at Christmas.

`Oh, no, I couldn't. I'll be fine. Honestly.'

She saw Lily share a look with Frazer before asking again. `Well, we'll see come the time. It's going to be our first year without the rest of the family, so we'd love your company. Frazer's sister, Fiona, married an Australian. Steve is a chef. He was working over here but they live in Melbourne now. My son and daughter-in-law, Frazer's parents, retired eighteen months ago, and last January they moved out there to be closer to their grandchildren.'

`I see,' Callie murmured, taken aback by all she was learning.

`Frazer, be a darling and check the cauliflower cheese I put in the oven. It should be ready soon, and then we can eat.'

Glancing round, she saw Frazer leave the room to follow his grandmother's bidding, but she had no opportunity to protest about staying for a meal as Lily 'as speaking again, chuckling as she gently rubbed Hamish's tummy with the rubber end of her walking stick as the dog rolled on to his back.

`Frazer had been working in London, mostly in A and E, but with a six-month stint on the helicopter with HEMS. He came back to Strathlochan when his parents left-he said it was time, but I fear it was so I wouldn't be here alone. Silly boy! He wanted me to live with him but I'd have none of it-even though we're s6 close.' Callie couldn't help but return Lily's effervescent smile. The woman was a real character. `I moved to this warden-assisted retirement place. As I said to Frazer, living with him would cramp my style.'

A laugh sounded behind them, a rich, attractive sound, and Callie turned to see Frazer's eyes spark ling, twin dimples creasing his cheeks, his affection for his grandmother obvious.

`You're a wicked woman, Gran,' he teased `Goodness knows what you'd get up to with all the single gentlemen here without me to keep an eye ors you.'

Callie tried not to be affected, to harden her hearing to this warm and endearing side of him. Concerned for his grandmother, he had given up a lucrative job and exciting lifestyle in London to come back here and make sure she was all right and had company. That, combined with his skills as a doctor, his kindness to patients and colleagues alike, meant her, view of him had changed drastically from that fit unfortunate meeting.

Unlike Frazer, she had never had any family had never known her parents, had never had a happy Christmas. Her childhood had been one of loneliness, of never belonging, of having no one to depend on or trust but herself. Life's lessons had been hard.

Anything beyond friendship with Frazer was out of the question, but day by day she was realising what might be possible here in Strathlochan...if she could just open up enough to reach out and allow herself to be drawn into the warmth of this community, to grasp the friendship offered by Frazer, Annie, Francesca and her other colleagues.

CHAPTER SIX

`RELAX between contractions, Moira,' Frazer instructed, glancing up to see Callie holding the woman's hand, encouraging her to rest before the next effort was needed.

With the helicopter grounded due to adverse weather conditions, they had answered an emergency call to this isolated farmhouse because their ail terrain vehicle was the only one that could reach the property through the deeply lying snow. A road ambulance, local GP Hannah Frost and a midwife had all been forced to turn back. It had immediately apparent when he and Callie had arrived in the early evening that there was no way to evacuate the mother to-be before the baby was delivered. Thankfully, she was only a week short of full term, this was her fifth child, and she had experienced no problems with this or any previous pregnancy. Baby number five was being born at home in the middle of a blizzard, a power cut thrown in for good measure.

`I know my others have come quickly,' Moira murmured now, panting for breath, `but I never expected this! Oh...here comes another pain!'

`You can do it, Moira,' Callie reassured her, adjusting the Entonox. `You're doing really well. Wait for the next contraction and push with it.'

`The head's showing, Moira,' Frazer told her with a smile, thankful for the battery-powered lights her husband, Dougie McStay, had been able to rig up for them.

The contraction subsided and Moira flopped back, taking a break from the gas. `Remind me never to do this again.'

Frazer chuckled. `Rest For a few moments. Has the Pain gone?' he asked, and Moira gave a weary nod. The pause didn't last for long before another contraction came and Moira cried out, reaching again for Entonox.

I need you to push hard now. Big push,' Frazer encouraged.

`I can't,' Moira sobbed. `I-'

Callie soothed her. `Yes, you can. You're nearly there now. Take a big breath.'

`Come on,' Frazer insisted, as more of the head of the face appeared. `Come on, keep going.'

`Well done, Moira. It's hard work but you're doing well,' Callie praised her, moving aside so Dougie, who had been to check that the other four children were safely sleeping in their rooms, could take her place and hold his wife's hand through t final stage.

The labour continued, and Frazer looked toward the window, unable to see out in the darkness but fleetingly concerned that the winter weather h taken another turn for the worse. They hadn't expected to be delivering the baby here, and now the deteriorating conditions threatened to prevent the driving back to Strathlochan that night. The wind whistled around the windows and snow continued pile up outside. Who knew when the power might be restored?

Under the Entonox, Moira was sleepy between contractions, and Frazer had to call to her to keep her focused. `Moira, I need you to push now.'

`Push, Moira.' Callie's voice joined his own urging the weary woman along.

`Come on, love.' Burly and awkward, but surprisingly gentle, Dougie wiped the beads of perspiration from his wife's face with the cloth in his free h `You can do it.'

`I want it over,' Moira wailed.

Frazer remained calm and understanding but authoritative, as he helped to bring her baby safely in the world. `Not long now. Pant for a few moments Good. Now, take a big breath-that's it. Come on and again. Big push...wonderful.'

Moira cried out with the effort of her labour. `Good, good.' Focused on what he was doing Frazer altered his position. Another big breath, and then a really good push with

the next contraction.' `Nearly there, Moira, the baby's head is free. One ore big, big push,' Callie extolled.

Frazer checked that the cord was not around the neck and carefully rotated to ease the shoulders out.

`Biggest push you can. You can do it. Any second now.'

`It's a boy!' announced a delighted Dougie a few moments later, leaning down to plant a kiss on his wife's flushed cheek. `After all those girls, we have a son!'

Frazer noted the shimmer of tears in Callie's stunning eyes as she gave the exhausted mother an injection to stimulate the uterus to contract and aid delivery of the placenta. He put the clamps in place and encouraged Dougie to cut the cord, the farmer beaming with pride. Smiling himself, always moved at a birth, Frazer handed the baby to Callie, who cleaned and checked him before wrapping him gently, rubbing his chest and clearing his airway. She glanced up, and he met her gaze when the first thready wail turned into a furious howl, shocked by the look of wistful longing and edge of pain on her face.

Apgar scores seven and nine at one and five minutes,' she informed him, and he breathed a sigh of relief that all was under control. `Baby is doing well.' A short while later the placenta was delivered intact, and Callie made Moira comfortable in a clean bed before settling the baby in his mother's arms.

`Sorry about this, Doc, but it looks as if you are stuck here for the night.' Dougie grimaced as he returned to the room. `It's wild out there. The warmest place in the house is the living room. I've made up the fire and put mattresses, pillows and duvets in there. There's a downstairs bathroom, too. And I've left torches and candies in the kitchen. The stove is solid fuel, so the kettle is on if you want a drink. Help yourself to anything you need.'

Frazer glanced at Callie. She looked nervous, but he couldn't deny a moment of delight at the prospect of being stranded with her for a white. He looked back at Dougie and smiled. `We'll be fine. I have my mobile phone, so I'll contact the base and let them know what's going on. Be sure to call us at any time if you are worried about Moira or the baby,' he in instructed, shaking the proud father's hand.