Country Lovers

Chapter * 1 * It was Joy, as practice manager, who struggled with the staff rota every month and with Graham Murgatroyd off with flu, and Dan hovering distractedly waiting for the birth of his son and likely to be off for at least a week, and Rhodri behaving like the lovelorn chap he most decidedly was, it was proving more than usually difficult to plan June's staffing. She sat in her office in the last week in May, planning and replanning until her head spun. It was no good, she'd have to get Duncan to take a look. Joy rested her head against the back of her chair and closed her eyes. Briefly she dropped off, drained by a long, busy day. Moments later, someone clearing his throat disturbed her. "Sorry, Joy, to disturb you but . . ." "My fault. I've developed a splitting headache trying to plan the rota for June; it should have been done days ago." She rubbed her eyes to refresh them and saw Mungo looking down at her with sympathy. Her heart raced, though not quite as wildly as it had at times during the last twenty years. She sat upright. "What can I do for you?" "Just to say I've finished operating for today and I'm going up to the flat. I know you're shorthanded, so Miriam and I are not taking this weekend away we'd promised ourselves, just in case." "That's wonderful. Thanks. If things get any worse I shall be doing the operating myself!" "You've had plenty of experience assisting me in the past. I've no doubt you'd do an excellent job." Joy laughed. "I don't think so; things have moved on since I first helped you. New techniques, new equipment. No, no, our reputation would go straight down the drain! As they say, you're only as good as your last operation." Mungo leaned across the desk and placed a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for all you do, and thanks for being such a good friend to Miriam. She does value your friendship." Joy's eyes slid away from his face. "And I hers. Must press on. I'm taking this rota home to Duncan. He'll sort it for me. There's a solution somewhere, but I can't see it." "Don't hesitate to ring if you need me. Any time, and I mean it. It's just a difficult patch, and we have to gut it out." "I'll ring, you can bet on that." Joy allowed herself to watch him leave; to smile at him when he turned to say "Be seeing you"; to enjoy his handsome bearing, his restless energy, those splendid eyes, and the gentleness of his mouth. She swallowed hard. There I go again, she thought, just when I'd begun to think he didn't matter anymore. When he'd closed the door behind him, she clenched her fist and banged it on the desk in anger. Would she never learn he loved elsewhere? That his kiss was that of a comrade and not a lover and never would be. Duncan. Duncan. She focused on Duncan's face as she'd seen it that morning when the alarm had gone, making no impression on him at all. He lay snugly tucked in right against her back, one arm laid carelessly across her waist. When she'd tried to get up, he'd held her down and grunted his contentment. But she'd managed to turn over so she could look at him. She was always surprised how young he looked first thing. Which he was, all of nine years younger. Joy said, "Got to get up. Let me go." "Five more minutes." "No." "Please." It was more of a command than a request. The arm across her waist had tightened and kept her there. Joy tolerated the five minutes and then pushed off his arm and sat up on the edge of the bed. But he followed her and was kissing the back of her neck, and his arm was around her waist again, gripping her. "Duncan. Please. I'm going to be late." Duncan turned away from her without a word. She'd stood up and headed for the bathroom and a shower and for an assessment of her allure in the bathroom mirror. It hadn't madShaw, Rebecca is the author of 'Country Lovers ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781400098224 and ISBN 140009822X.