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It pained him that she felt like that. That sweet, sunny Viv didn’t have anywhere to call home in her heart.
‘We reacted,’ he said firmly. ‘We reacted to...’ he smiled and flicked his fingers ‘...let’s just call it something in the air.’ His hands went back to her shoulders. ‘But we can’t let this come between us, Viv. We just can’t.’
She reached up and touched the side of his cheek. It was the lightest of touches and for a split second he was taken back to that night and the feel of her fingertips on his skin. Their gazes meshed. ‘No, we can’t,’ she whispered. For an instant he thought he could read a world in her eyes—a world of loneliness. His heart twisted for her. He wanted to fix things. He wanted her to be happy.
He could feel hormones surging through him. He wanted to sweep her into her arms and tell her that everything would be fine, that home could be here for them both. But how could he do that when he still hadn’t figured out where he wanted to stay or what he wanted to do next?
The waiter appeared with a loaded tray and Duc moved to let him past, going back to his seat and putting his hands around the frozen drink. Maybe it would chill some of the heat in his blood?
The mood had changed. The strain was starting to gradually lift between them. It wasn’t entirely natural, but he could sense they both wanted to make a concerted effort to fix this. They finished their smoothies and went back out onto the busy street, dodging the mopeds and finally entering the park.
As they moved inside Duc turned towards her. ‘Hoàn Kiem Lake really is the centre of everything around here. The lake and temple are probably the most famous places in Hanoi city. People come here to rest, enjoy the view, and have a chance to sit back and watch the rest of the world.’
Viv looked around. ‘Or get away from the traffic,’ she quipped sarcastically with a big smile. She was right, of course. The noise of the constant traffic could be wearing.
The park was dotted with people. It was busy but with enough space for everyone. ‘The streets in Hanoi are always busy with motorbikes and cars,’ Duc agreed. ‘It’s nice to get a break from it. And to see a bit of green.’ He gave her a smile. ‘You kind of forget you’re in the middle of the city in here.’
They walked amongst the dog walkers, people sitting on benches, families having picnics on blankets and tourists snapping photographs.
‘That’s Jade Island.’ Duc pointed to the structure in the middle of the lake. ‘The red bridge is called the Rising Sun Bridge and there’s a pagoda on the island. Want to visit?’
Viv shook her head. ‘It looks too busy. Too crowded with tourists. Let’s just walk through the park and go out the other side.’
He hesitated a second then slung his arm around her shoulders, holding his breath. But Viv just leaned into him, letting her arm rest around his waist as they walked.
They didn’t talk through the rest of the park. Each step seemed to give him more confidence. Hopefully the tension in the house would lighten. What he wanted more than anything was for things between them to get back to normal.
At least, that was what he should want. But there was a tiny little voice in his head that was out on a limb here. A tiny part of his brain that wondered, What if?
For the last few years he’d been so focused on being a surgeon he hadn’t made room in his life for anything else. Sure, he’d had girlfriends. But only for a few months at a time. His mind was always on a million other things.
But in these last few weeks when he’d been with Viv? In any second that he hadn’t been thinking about the hospital, his mind had been on her. There wasn’t space for anything else. Viv had captured every part of his attention. Every cell in his body had responded to her actions. He couldn’t remember ever feeling a rush of emotions like that, a connection like that. Now he was agreeing to lock all that away—to put it back in the box it had erupted out of, and not think about it any more. Could he actually do that?
The words that she’d said echoed in his head again. I don’t know where home is. I don’t even really have one.
His gut twisted with the memory that Viv felt that way. He’d been so lucky. He’d had something that she’d never experienced—a happy home life with interested and loving parents. He straightened up as they walked. It didn’t matter what his confusion was. It didn’t matter that every time she brushed against him, his cells exploded. It didn’t matter that since that kiss he’d wanted to do it again and again and again. He had so much uncertainty in his life right now, so much he needed to sort out. Did he want to go back to surgery? Should he try and make things work at May M?n? Could he offer her anything other than a few weeks of hot and heavy fun that could ruin the friendship for both of them?
He couldn’t do that to Viv. He had to put her needs first. She needed family. She needed a friend. That was his job here.
‘Want to do some sightseeing?’ he asked as they emerged from one of the other park entrances.
She looked around the busy streets. ‘What’re my options?’
A whole host of inappropriate thoughts flashed through his head. He gave his head a shake but couldn’t help but smile. He pointed in one direction. ‘A few blocks west is St Joseph’s Cathedral.’ He looked her up and down.
‘What?’ she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
‘You have to be dressed appropriately to get in. But you’ll do. No photos inside, though.’
Viv wrinkled her nose. ‘What are the rest of my options?’
Duc looked around, racking his brain. It was weird. The place he’d lived a good part of his life—and everything had just gone out of his head. Maybe it was because of the way Viv had tilted her head and was looking up at him?
He waved one hand. ‘There are other historical touristy places. There’s Hoa Lo Prison, the Vietnamese Women’s Museum and the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.’
She folded her arm across her chest. ‘You want to take me to a prison?’
He gave a shrug. ‘Only part of it exists as a museum any more. What about the puppet theatre, then?’
Viv blew a dark red strand of hair from her eyes. ‘Actually, let’s get something else to drink. I can’t believe I’ve only walked across a park and I feel as if I’m ready to keel over again.’
Duc shot her a sideways glance. ‘Coffee or wine?’
She looked at her watch just as his phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket and couldn’t help his surprise. He turned to screen towards Viv so she could see the name as he answered.
‘Ron, it’s good to hear from you.’
He waited, flicking it to speaker so Viv could hear too, expecting Ron to ask about a patient, but he didn’t. Instead he spoke slowly. ‘Duc, thank you for your offer. I wanted to call to let you know that I’ll accept. I’ve spoken to my family over the last few days and we all agreed there needs to be a work-life balance. I also want something that will challenge me again and let me feel as if I can make a difference. May M?n will do that for me. I can give you three days a week. And you had better keep that sparky Scottish midwife on duty. I like her. She has passion for her job and her patients. If you’re happy with those terms, I’ll hand in my notice today.’
Duc’s mouth was hanging open. He literally couldn’t believe it. Viv had moved over, leaning over the phone but pressing against his side so she could hear part of the conversation. She tried to hide her squeal as she jumped up and down.
‘What was that?’ asked Ron.
Duc smiled. It felt like an enormous weight had lifted off his chest. ‘That was your sparky Scottish midwife.’ He kept grinning as Viv gave him a wink and then turned a cartwheel on the pavement, much to the amusement of some passers-by.
‘Ah, good,’ said Ron, oblivious to the sight that Duc was currently seeing. ‘I look forward to keeping working with you both. Email me the contract.’
Duc agreed as Ron rang off, the
n he turned and grabbed Viv around the waist and spun her around. ‘We’ve got an obstetrician!’ he shouted.
‘We’ve got Ron!’ she shouted back, laughing.
Duc shook his head. ‘I can’t believe it. I can’t believe he’s accepted and he’s giving up his other job.’
Viv’s eyes twinkled. ‘I told you he was ready for a change.’
‘How on earth did you know?’
She kept laughing. ‘Let’s just call it women’s intuition, which means that you had no chance of sensing it. Now, weren’t we going to get a drink?’
‘Hold on,’ said Duc as he grabbed his phone again and spoke to Sen for a few moments. ‘Right, contract on its way. Let’s hold him to it before he changes his mind.’
‘Why would he change his mind? He’s getting to keep doing a job he loves, without the pressure of running a department and managing a dozen other doctors. And...’ she put her hand on her chest ‘...he gets to work with me.’
‘He does,’ Duc agreed. ‘Lucky him.’
He slung his arm back around her shoulders. ‘All of a sudden this day seems a whole lot brighter. I’ve got my best friend back, and I’ve got an obstetrician that we know and we can trust.’
Viv’s hand came up and interlinked with his hand on her shoulder. He pretended to ignore the tingle that shot across his skin.
‘Didn’t you promise me wine?’
He laughed. ‘Oh, so it’s wine now? The coffee is out the window?’
Her face looked slightly more serious. ‘I think we should celebrate,’ she said.
She was saying the words, but he could see something else going on behind her eyes.
Home. Those words were still echoing in his head. She’d never really had a home. She’d never staying anywhere long enough to let that happen.
Something stirred inside. She’d already told him she liked it here. She’d just persuaded a top obstetrician to work for May M?n permanently, and Ron wanted to work with her.
