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Resisting the temptation to pull his phone from his pocket and stamp on it, he looked at the caller display. He shrugged and took the call, listening carefully to the instructions that the ambulance controller was reading out at the other end.
‘Got to go?’
‘Yep.’ Rafe checked the text that had just arrived, confirming the name and address of their next call. ‘Got to go.’
* * *
Men holding small fluffy animals with big eyes. Rafe, with his strong arms and gentle way, and a small fluffy animal with big eyes. It was a little too much to bear.
Maybe it was em
ptiness in her stomach causing that pang. More likely, it was the thought of Rafe’s tenderness, and her own instinctive reaction. There was only one thing that could have struck any closer to her heart.
‘Where are we headed?’ Mimi tried to switch back into professional mode.
‘One of the farms, out by the A375. Three-month-old baby.’
If Mimi had been alone, she would have screamed and buried her head in her hands. What was this? Did fate have some sort of grudge against her? If the sight of Tommy in Rafe’s arms had pushed all her buttons, then a baby was going to be even worse.
‘A baby?’ She tried to keep her tone level. Maybe Rafe would decide that it wasn’t medically necessary to pick the child up.
‘Yep. Probably just colic, but we’ll make sure.’
‘Yes. Good to make sure.’ He was going to pick it up, she just knew it. Maybe a baby throwing up all over him wouldn’t be so mind-bendingly difficult to watch. Mimi wasn’t at all sure that would be the case.
CHAPTER NINE
THE TRACK WHICH led to the farmhouse was submerged and the house itself surrounded by almost a foot of muddy water. Rafe parked on the road and got out of the car.
‘Looks as if we’re getting our feet wet.’ Mimi surveyed the muddy, rippling water in front of them. Her wellingtons were in her car, which was still parked back at the hospital.
Rafe opened the back of the SUV and leaned in, pushing bags and boxes to one side and pulling out a pair of heavy-duty wellington boots. At least he’d be keeping dry. Perhaps she could roll her trouser legs up far enough to avoid the water.
‘Want a lift?’ Rafe was grinning broadly.
No. The idea of being carried around like a rag doll didn’t much appeal to her. The idea of being carried around by Rafe... Mimi swallowed hard.
‘Come on.’ He’d obviously had second thoughts about teasing her, and was now trying to keep his face straight. Somehow that was worse. ‘We’ve got more to do today, remember? There’s no time to go home and change.’
And if she got wet, that was only going to get in the way of the job. It was a first principle. Stay safe, stay dry, because your ability to help others was compromised otherwise.
‘All right. Thanks.’ She kept her eyes fixed on the ground, feeling her muscles tense in stiff, silent protest. He tried to pick her up, but had to set her back down again.
‘Hey. Loosen up, will you. You’re going to need to bend your legs.’
‘Yeah. Sorry.’
‘One medical professional assisting another to the scene...’ He muttered the words under his breath and Mimi wondered if he believed that any more than she did.
She laced her fingers together behind his neck and he picked her up. It was actually more like taking her in his arms, holding her close. Mimi hung on tight, squeezing her eyes shut and burying her face in his shoulder.
‘That’s better.’ He started to walk, the sloshing sound of water accompanying his slow strides.
Mimi clung to him, trying to think of anything else. The shopping list for Charlie. The forms she had to fill in for her new job. That was just making things worse. Every time she went to the supermarket now, the stronger image was going to take hold and she was going to have to deal with remembering this moment.
He was walking carefully, testing each step, but a sudden eddy of water made him pause, instinctively holding her tighter. Mimi felt herself move against him, her cheek brushing his neck.
No, no, no... She felt her face redden in anguish. She hadn’t done that, had she?
