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Carlo smiled. ‘That depends on when you have the babies. I will try to.’
‘Well, I certainly hope you do, and that leads me to my next question,’ Helen said promptly. ‘When do you think they’re coming? I’m going to need help with the other two and I daren’t invite my mother too far in advance or my husband will leave home, especially at Christmas. I’ve already wrapped the children’s presents and frozen enough food for an army.’
‘So it’s a wonder that your blood pressure isn’t higher,’ Carlo said dryly, finishing his examination and helping her to sit up. ‘Th
e answer to your question is that it is unusual for a twin pregnancy to last for the full forty weeks. Most women go into labour at about thirty-seven weeks, which is where you are now.’
Helen stared at him. ‘So do you think it will be soon?’
Carlo smiled. ‘In all probability, yes, but you might last until after Christmas.’
‘I hope I do.’ Helen looked worried. ‘There’s no way my husband could cope with two children under five, my mother and a raw turkey.’
Zan laughed and helped her off the couch. ‘Perhaps he’ll surprise you.’
‘Perhaps.’ Helen looked doubtful. ‘So what happens now?’
‘Everything is fine at the moment,’ Carlo told her. ‘I want you to go home and do as little as possible, which I realise is asking a great deal when you have two small children. If nothing happens then we see you again next week, but I have a suspicion that you might not be around to cook that turkey.’
‘Well, I hope you’re wrong.’ Helen walked slowly to the door, one hand on her back to relieve the pressure.
Zan followed her out to the waiting room and Helen turned to her with a wicked smile.
‘Where did you find him? He’s totally gorgeous.’ She buttoned up her coat and wound a scarf around her neck. ‘I tell you this much, if he delivers my babies then I’ll definitely know it’s Christmas. I didn’t think doctors could be that sexy.’
Zan managed a smile and walked with her towards the door. ‘You shouldn’t be thinking about sex at your stage, Helen.’
‘Well, thinking is just about my only option,’ Helen said gloomily, opening the door and shivering as the freezing air hit them both. ‘And once these are born that’ll be the end of it for ever.’
Zan laughed and gave her arm a squeeze. ‘Have a good Christmas if I don’t see you before.’
She walked back into the waiting room and gave herself a sharp talking-to. She’d known Carlo for less than twenty-four hours so she couldn’t really feel anything for him. Not really. It was just because he was so different from the doctors she usually worked with.
Exotic, exciting—Italian.
It wasn’t anything special about him.
Then she remembered the sexy look in his eyes, his gentle touch and the way he teased her, and she knew that her feelings had nothing to do with his nationality and everything to do with the man himself.
Carlo Bennett was special.
But he didn’t want her.
She’d had her chance to spend the night with him and she’d blown it.
* * *
The clinic was hideously busy, and it was past two o’clock when Kim asked Zan to go to the labour ward.
‘Vicky Morris has just come in and they reckon it’s going to be the fastest delivery on record.’
Vicky was one of Zan’s mothers and her face brightened. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful. She was desperate to be home before Christmas.’
Carlo frowned slightly. ‘You haven’t eaten lunch.’
‘This is the NHS, Carlo,’ Kim said dryly. ‘What’s lunch?’
‘I’m not hungry anyway,’ Zan said quickly, handing the last set of notes to Kim and making for the door. She was glad to get away from Carlo. ‘I’ll see you later.’
