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‘I’ll go and phone the ward,’ she mumbled, desperate to get away from the sight of Luca talking to the glamorous SHO. In fact, she could have used the phone in Theatre but she needed some space to calm herself down.
Sharon was hot on her heels as she made for the desk. ‘Look, I’m really sorry. Believe me, I had no idea—’
‘It doesn’t matter.’ Tia sat down on the nearest chair
and took several deep breaths.
Sharon looked at her anxiously. ‘Prof told me he had a new senior reg, but I didn’t bother asking the name and I didn’t even know he was due to start today. When I rang Switchboard they just told me that a Dr Zattoni was on call—I had no opportunity to warn you.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Tia repeated, feeling a rush of relief as her stomach calmed down.
Sharon looked totally confused. ‘But he couldn’t have arranged this overnight. Did he tell you last night that he’d applied for a job here?’
‘No, of course not.’ Tia’s voice was gruff and her eyes were slightly too bright. ‘He doesn’t tell me anything, remember?’
Sharon shifted slightly and glanced back along the corridor. ‘He’s a damn good doctor, Tia—that was an incredible performance back there.’
Tia nodded, a slight frown touching her brows. She’d never seen Luca in action before and he’d certainly been impressive.
Hoping that Sharon would drop the subject, she picked up the phone and called the postnatal ward just to warn them that Dawn would be on her way shortly and to brief them on what had happened so that they could monitor her condition.
‘Well, he’s obviously not thinking of returning to Italy any time soon,’ Sharon said quietly, and Tia looked at her.
‘No.’ She summoned up a smile for the sake of appearances, trying not to think about what it would do for her pulse rate to see Luca at such close quarters every day.
‘Which means that he can’t possibly be involved with Luisa.’
‘Does it?’ Tia closed her eyes and let out a sigh.
What a mess.
Sharon sat down on the chair next to her, her voice soft. ‘He wants you, Tia.’
Tia gave a crooked smile. ‘Or does he just want the baby. If it hadn’t been for the baby, he’d have patched things up with Luisa, remember?’
Sharon sighed. ‘Tia, you have to talk to him about it.’
‘No.’ Tia lifted her chin stubbornly. ‘He has to be the one to talk to me.’
Picking up the phone to end the conversation, she called a porter to come and help with Dawn and finished completing her section of the notes.
Luca strolled up to the desk, his shoulders looking broader than ever under the white coat.
‘Have you finished your shift?’
Tia stared at him defiantly, still furious that he hadn’t told her that he’d be working in the same hospital as her.
‘No.’
‘Yes.’ Sharon corrected her with a frown, glancing across at Kim. ‘Kim, would you mind taking Dawn up to the ward? Tia’s already spoken to them so they’re expecting her.’
Tia stood up. ‘I’ll—’
‘It’s already past the end of your shift and you’re exhausted,’ Sharon said firmly, avoiding Tia’s eyes. ‘Go home.’
Tia almost growled out loud. She was more than ready to go home but she didn’t want to go with Luca.
‘All right.’ She stood up. ‘But I’ll make my own way.’
