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Arran in the snow was truly gorgeous. He hadn’t paid much attention before because snow in winter was the norm here. But somehow, seeing it through Kristie’s eyes gave him a whole new perspective on how much the whole island looked like a Christmas-card scene.
Now, as he looked out of the window as they pulled up at the hospital, he took a deep breath and let himself love everything that he could see. He always had loved this place, but the break-up with Zoe had left him living under an uncomfortable cloud. Her words had continued to echo in his head.
‘It’s an island in the middle of nowhere. There’s not a single thing to do on that place. How anyone can stay there more than one night is beyond me. I’d be bored witless in the first week.’
Those words had continued to wear away at him. The place where he’d grown up and loved hadn’t been good enough for the woman he’d loved at that time. He hadn’t been good enough for her.
His loyalties had felt tested to their limit. The loyalties and love he had for the place he’d called home, and his loyalties to his profession, his future dreams, and the woman he’d lived with.
For the first time he actually realised what a blessing it had been that things had come to a head.
He’d always wondered if the move to Arran again was just a temporary move—to fill the gap until someone else could be recruited for the GP surgery. But in the last two months things had changed and he couldn’t help but wonder if the TV show was the cause of that.
For the first time in for ever there had been applicants for the GP locum weekend cover posts that had been advertised for as long as Rhuaridh had been here. That was why he’d had cover the last time Kristie had been here. Other GPs were taking an interest in Arran. He’d had some random emails, one asking about covering Magda’s maternity leave, and another from a doctor who wanted to complete his GP training on the island. That had never happened before.
Before, he’d felt he was stuck here.
Now he knew he was choosing to stay here. And that made all the difference.
Kristie had a piece of red tinsel in her hair. ‘Are we going in, or are we sitting here?’
He smiled. ‘Let’s go. I’m going to review a few patients while we’re here.’
Gerry tagged behind a little, almost like he was giving them a bit of space. Rhuaridh wondered just how much the cameraman suspected. He’d been so tempted to give Kristie a kiss when she’d first arrived that he wondered if Gerry had noticed that.
Rhuaridh watched as Kristie entered the hospital. Her footsteps faltered a little but she held her head up high and ran her hand along the wall as she entered the building. It was like she was using it to steady herself. He paused for a second, then stopped worrying about who was around and who would see.
She’d shared with him why she was antsy around hospitals. She’d shared a part of herself. He walked alongside her and took her other hand in his, giving it a squeeze. She looked down—surprised—then squeezed back. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to.
They carried on down the corridor.
They were only in the hospital for a few minutes before one of the nursing assistants grabbed Kristie and persuaded her to help put up some more decorations.
‘We can’t put them in the clinical areas, but we can put them at the entrance and in the patients’ day room.’
‘No tree on the ward?’ he heard Kristie say. She looked quite sad.
Rhuaridh shook his head. ‘Infection control issues. Also allergies—they harbour dust. Health and safety too—they could be a fire risk.’
‘Phew.’ Kristie let out a huge sigh. ‘How do you remember so many interesting rules and regulations?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘And here was me thinking that Christmas decorations would have a place in hospitals—to improve mental health, lift spirits, and to help orientate some of the older patients to time and place.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Touché. What have you been reading?’
‘Lots.’ She smiled. ‘I’m not just a pretty face.’ Her words hung there as they smiled at each other, then she glanced over her shoulder as the nursing assistant appeared with another box. ‘Or just an objectionable reporter,’ she added quickly.
