AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘We can meet tomorrow morning,’ she suggested finally, ‘after your surgery and before you go out on calls.’
‘Sounds good to me,’ he said casually, carefully concealing all the questions that were running through his mind. ‘Tomorrow it is, then.’
He made a mental note to ask his father why Lucy had to leave at three o’clock and then remembered that Michael had been in the middle of saying something when Ros had disturbed them.
What had Michael been about to tell him?
Joel frowned and tried to remember the conversation word for word.
Something about Lucy having…having…
Having what? He frowned and made a mental note to ask Michael over dinner.
‘Did you have to have your hair cut quite so short? You look like a hit man.’ Elizabeth Whittaker put her hands on her hips, the smile in her eyes belying her words as she frowned up at her youngest son.
‘Great to see you too, Mum.’ Joel grinned and swept her off her feet into a bear hug. ‘And while we’re at it, yes, I’ve still got the motorbike, no, I’m not planning on getting married and, yes, I’ve brought a ton of washing home. Anything else you want to nag me about while we’re at it?’
‘Cheeky boy.’ Elizabeth stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek and cast another regretful look at his cropped dark hair. ‘You look like a thug. It’s no wonder you’re not married. I should think most women are terrified of you—’
‘As if.’ Nick strolled into the room, holding a glass in his hand, closely followed by his wife Tina, who went straight over to Joel’s side and gave him a hug.
‘Hello, handsome. Good to see you again.’
Nick rolled his eyes and looked at his mother. ‘What were you saying about terrified?’
‘Joel’s not scary, and anyway women secretly love a tough man.’ Tina stretched out a hand and ruffled Joel’s hair. ‘It looks sexy short. Goes with the biceps.’
Joel grinned smugly at his brother. ‘You see? One member of the family appreciates me.’
‘Just as long as you remember that it is only the one member,’ Nick drawled, but the twinkle in his eyes took the sting out of his words.
Joel smiled at Tina. ‘So how’s the boutique? Still shocking the locals with your daring dresses?’
‘Er—yes.’ Tina’s eyes twinkled and Nick slipped an arm round her.
‘She always creates a stir does my Tina. It would help if she remembered that what works in London doesn’t always work in deepest Cornwall.’
‘Living in Cornwall doesn’t mean that we all have to dress in waders all the time,’ Tina protested, and Elizabeth raised her voice to make herself heard over the laughter.
‘Come on, everyone, dinner’s ready.’ She waved them all towards the huge conservatory at the back of the house which they used as a dining room. ‘Joel, put those biceps to good use and give me a hand to bring things through.’
Joel obediently picked up a tray laden with soup plates and hot crusty rolls, and sniffed appreciatively.
‘It’s good to be home.’
‘It’s good to have you.’ His mother gave a contented smile. ‘I can’t believe we’ve finally lured you back. I thought you might be seduced by your own PR and let yourself be persuaded to start a career in television.’
He’d had offers, and his mother was well aware of it, but she was also aware that he’d never seriously considered any of them.
Joel balanced the tray carefully. ‘I love Cornwall, Mum, you know I do. And I love medicine. I was always going to come back. I never intended to stay in London for ever.’
Tina walked across the room and looked at Elizabeth. ‘What can I do?’
‘Turn the beans down, please; they’re boiling their heads off.’ Elizabeth quickly checked the meat in the oven and then whipped off her apron. ‘Come on, let’s eat this soup before it gets cold.’
They settled down at the table and everyone raised their glasses.
‘To Joel.’
