A Mother for His Twins (9 page)

‘Who told you my age?’

Jennifer, trying desperately to ignore the way her body responded to his, opened her mouth to answer, but he’d already figured it out.

‘Sara,’ he continued.

‘Well, yes, but it’s also in your personnel file.’ Her eyes widened as she realised he might take that the wrong way.

‘Been checking on my academic transcript, boss?’

Jennifer lifted her chin slightly and Jasper couldn’t help but smile. He was coming to love it when she did that.

‘I’ve been checking up on
all
my staff, if you must know.’ But she wouldn’t tell him she’d pored over every aspect of his for quite some time. It was as though she was becoming obsessed with him, with wanting to know everything about him, thinking about him…dreaming about him. ‘It’s not uncommon for a new head of unit to want to know the capabilities of the staff, both practically and academically.’

‘No. Not uncommon at all.’ He was still smiling and he sounded as though he didn’t believe her one little bit but, thankfully, it appeared he was going to let her get away with it. They stood there, looking at each other, the atmosphere intensifying. She needed to break the moment. She knew that but the signals her brain was sending to her limbs, particularly her legs, that they should move were being interrupted by the hypnotic way Jasper was looking at her.

‘Uh…Jen.’ He cleared his throat, surprised to find he was a little nervous about asking her out.

‘Mmm?’

‘Are you free this evening?’

Her eyebrows raised. ‘Free?’

‘Not busy? And I’m not talking about paperwork. That is not a valid excuse.’

‘What would be a valid excuse, then?’

‘An emergency.’

She waited for him to give her other options but none were forthcoming. ‘That’s it? An emergency is my only form of excuse?’

‘Yes.’ He smiled, feeling more sure of himself. ‘Anyway, I have tickets.’ He dug into his trouser pocket and pulled out two tickets, showing her. ‘It’s for a concert tonight at the Sydney Opera House and I just thought that if you weren’t…’

Jennifer took a ticket from him and examined it more closely. ‘Rock ’n’ roll classics?’

‘It’s not opera or anything like that. It’s just different well-known Australian bands playing their favourite rock ’n’ roll classics. Given that you like that period of music so well, I just thought…’ he shrugged ‘…that you might like to go.’

Jennifer looked at the ticket and then back at Jasper. ‘You bought tickets?’

‘Obviously.’

‘When?’

‘Two days ago. I wasn’t sure what the rosters would be, given people were off sick.’

‘Fair enough.’

‘So?’ he prompted, when she didn’t say anything else, still staring at the ticket as though she couldn’t quite believe it. ‘Would you like to go?’

Jennifer nodded, excited by not only the prospect of going to a concert—something she hadn’t done since she’d been a med student—but of going with Jasper. ‘Yes, please.’

Jasper couldn’t believe the relief he felt at her answer. ‘Great. Excellent.’ He indicated the ticket in her hand. ‘Do you want to hold onto that or would you like me to keep it for you?’

‘Keep them together.’ She handed it back. ‘They’re a pair.’

He grinned at her words. ‘Yes, they are.’ Was that an indication that she was ready to take their own relationship up another step? To be a pair? He certainly hoped so. ‘I’ll start praying for no big emergencies tonight.’

‘You do that because there are some fantastic bands in that line-up.’

Jasper shook his head. ‘You really are quite a surprising woman, Dr Thorngate.’

‘Thanks. I think.’ She looked up at him, the distance between them still the same as before but she knew in accepting this invitation from him she’d just raised the bar on their friendship…and she was actually quite happy about it. ‘Do you want to meet for dinner before the show?’

‘I was just about to ask that. Sure. That would be great.’

‘OK. First, though, I’d suggest we get through the rest of this day, and the first step will be getting your patient X-rayed again.’ She turned and walked back to her desk, needing to put some distance between them because whenever she found
herself close to Jasper like that it was becoming far more difficult not to reach out and slip her arms about his waist. She had a date with him tonight. A real live date and she couldn’t wait.

‘That was my thought but, again, as head of unit I didn’t know whether that would be considered as not adhering to cost-effective means.’

His words helped bring her mind back onto the right track. ‘If the patient requires further X-ray then they should be entitled to it. Better to spend the money doing that rather than risk a lawsuit for ineffective treatment—or, worse, the wrong treatment.’

He looked at her for a moment, pleased with what he was hearing. ‘Agreed.’

‘Then why do you seem so surprised at my recommendation? Was my predecessor a penny-pincher?’

‘You could say that.’

‘Ah, well, no wonder I have a fan club.’ And he was president. She tried not to smile at the thought. ‘Wait a minute. Why is someone presenting to clinic with a dislocated shoulder?’

‘They didn’t. It was an A and E call requiring an orthopaedic consult.’

‘But you’re not on call. Louise is.’

‘Louise isn’t feeling too well and was only just managing to cope with clinic. When the call came in, I took it.’

‘No wonder you needed coffee. Keep me informed on Louise’s health, if you wouldn’t mind.’

Jasper shook his head and tut-tutted. ‘You’re never going to keep up your ice-queen persona if you keep caring about your staff in this way.’

‘I’m a doctor. It’s my job to care.’

‘Yes, but you’re also the department administrator. It’s
your job to squeeze the most out of your staff and protect all unnecessary expenditure.’

‘And after one whole month of being here, I’m well under budget—but don’t let that get around.’

Jasper pretended to zip his lips. ‘My lips are sealed,’ he mumbled, making her laugh. He was delighted at the sound.

‘Besides, if you act as my go-between guy, then I can keep my ice-queen image as well as surreptitiously caring for my staff.’

‘You want me to spy for you?’

‘Only on the important things.’

‘Such as…’

‘The need for a coffee-machine in the clinic, but more prominent would be the health of our colleagues.’ When he raised an eyebrow, she pressed on. ‘They hardly know me, Jasper and I’m just not good with the nitty-gritty personal stuff. Yes, I care if people are sick and suggest they actually take the sick leave they’ve no doubt accrued to get better. The department will manage as best as it can. No one is indispensable and I truly believe that’s the biggest flaw most of us doctors have. We always think we’re totally irreplaceable and therefore refuse to take a day off to actually get better. Instead, we come to work, spread our germs around to all and sundry and then wonder why we’re not getting any better. Yet if we simply followed the advice we give to our patients—i.e. go home, rest and drink plenty of fluids—we’d be back at work in no time.’

‘Whew! Don’t hold back, Jen. Tell me what you really think.’

Jennifer smiled at his words. ‘Sorry. The head of unit I worked under in Melbourne was a bully, in my opinion, for not allowing his staff days off despite the fact they were ready to drop from total exhaustion. That is
not
effective manage
ment, neither is it effective medicine, and it’s
that
type of defective management that leads to lawsuits.’

‘You have a real thing about avoiding lawsuits.’

‘I do and personally I think it’s a good trait for an administrator to have. If staff are healthy and alert—’

‘Translate—take days off and drink coffee when working…Continue.’

‘Then the department will run more smoothly. Patients will receive the care they need and everyone’s happy.’

‘Except for the lawyers. You’re leaving them with nothing to do.’

Jennifer smiled up at him and once more Jasper took a hit to his solar plexus. The woman was starting to really consume his thoughts. In the mornings he’d wonder what she was going to wear to work. At lunch he’d listen to his colleagues sing her praises, all of them totally surprised at how brilliant she was. In the evening he would wonder what she looked like as she dressed for bed, with her dark locks flowing loosely around her shoulders, softening the gorgeous structure of her face. Then he’d dream of her. Dream of kissing her. No woman had consumed him so much since he’d first met Elisha.

Jasper belatedly realised he was staring and turned away, collecting the X-rays and putting them back into the packet. ‘Um…’ He paused at the door. ‘Are you going tomorrow?’

‘Tomorrow?’

‘To Sara’s mid-winter barbecue.’

‘Oh, that. Yes. I’m going. Are you?’ She’d been wondering if she’d see him there or, more to the point, she’d been hoping she’d see him there.

‘Yes. The girls are very excited about it.’

‘No doubt.’

‘My parents will be there too, and Megan, if she can make it.’

‘Great. I’m looking forward to meeting your sister. How are the wedding plans going?’

‘Frantic, from what Mum says. I haven’t had the courage to even broach the subject with my little sis. Besides, she has enough stress on her plate.’

‘Did the girls’ dresses show up?’

‘Yes. They’ve had their final fitting and look like adorable little angels.’

‘I’m sure they do. Do the dresses come complete with halos?’

Jasper chuckled. ‘No, thank goodness, or those halos would definitely be slipping a bit on my two girls.’

‘They’re adorable, Jasper, and you know it.’

‘Adorable? Yes. A handful? Yes. Able to walk slowly down the aisle? No.’

‘They’re four. What do you expect?’

‘I expect Megan’s beginning to regret asking them.’

‘It will all be fine on the day.’

‘You think so?’ He exhaled and fiddled with his tie, smoothing it down. ‘I hope so. I don’t want to disappoint Megan.’

‘Well, it’s not your fault if you have two adorable but unruly children. Oh, wait a minute, it is,’ she joked, and Jasper merely rolled his eyes and shook his head. ‘How about if we have a practice tomorrow at Sara’s place? I’m sure Sara and I can explain it to them, how they need to be perfect young ladies and walk like princesses.’

‘Good luck.’

‘It’ll be fine,’ she repeated. ‘You’re just struggling because you don’t know how to speak female.’

‘Thank goodness you’re fluent in it.’

‘Yes.’ There was a knock on the consulting-room door and the clinic sister poked her head in.

‘There the two of you are. There are patients everywhere and you’re standing around gas-bagging. Get back to work.’

‘Yes, Sister,’ they both replied, dutifully chastised. As the sister headed off, Jasper and Jennifer smiled at each other, no words needed as they communicated they were glad they’d had these few minutes alone.

‘Action stations,’ Jasper said, and winked at her before he left. Jennifer stood where she was for a second, waiting for her heart rate to return to normal, unable to believe the way he affected her. When she felt the lub-dub of her heart was more sedate, she headed to the waiting room to call her next patient through and realised her energy was completely restored. Five minutes in Jasper’s company had done more than all the coffee she’d drunk so far that morning and she was starting to believe
he
was the healthier option.

D
INNER
had been lovely. The concert had been amazing and as they walked to Jennifer’s car, she was bouncing with life.

‘That was…so incredibly brilliant.’

‘It was,’ Jasper agreed. He’d taken her hand as they’d headed out of the venue, not wanting to lose her in the throng of people making their way down the steps of the Sydney Opera House…and he hadn’t let go. It also appeared that Jennifer was more than happy for him to continue holding her hand.

They were both dressed casually in jeans and jumpers, their coats now around them to protect from the cool evening wind. Jennifer hadn’t worn her hair loose, as he’d hoped, but it wasn’t in her usual bun either. Instead, she’d pulled it back into a French braid, keeping it tidy and out of the way.

‘That guitarist—the one who came running through the audience and then jumped up on the small stage at the back and did his guitar solo…’ She squeezed his hand tight and even wrapped her other hand about his arm, drawing him even closer. ‘Wow. It was just…Wow.’

He laughed and decided it was the perfect opportunity to let go of her hand, but only to slip his arm around her shoulders. She didn’t stop him, instead sliding her own arm around his waist.

‘Thank you so much for bringing me, Jasper.’

‘It was my pleasure.’ He looked down and winked at her as they continued to the car park. ‘Although I have to say I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this animated before.’

‘That’s because I haven’t felt this alive in years, and I mean years, Jasper. I knew coming back to Parramatta would help with the healing, but I hadn’t expected to find this.’ She hugged him close.

‘This?’

‘This bond we seem to be forging. It was the nicest thing in the world for you to get the tickets, to invite me when you knew I liked classic rock ’n’ roll. It was so thoughtful. So caring.’ She stopped walking in the middle of the footpath, pulling him to a halt before leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. ‘Thank you.’

Jasper put his other arm around her, pulling her closer, both of them uncaring of other people who were now having to walk around them. ‘Jennifer.’ He’d wanted this moment for so long, to be holding her close like this, to feel her breath mingling with his, and now that it was here he wanted to savour it, to memorise it. ‘I’m not sure whether—’

‘Shh.’ She placed a finger over his lips before sliding her hand around his neck, her fingers lacing into his hair as she urged his head down. ‘Kiss me, Jasper. Just kiss me.’

‘Never argue when the woman’s right,’ he murmured in that moment before his lips touched hers for the very first time. The moment was electrifying, mind-numbing and, oh, so perfect. Her lips were the most perfect fit for his own. His mind was most definitely numb and the energy, the need pulsing between them could have been harnessed to power a small city.

She tasted like the night, dark, sleek and seductive, and the one thing that gave him hope that what he was feeling for her
wasn’t just that of a passing fancy, was that neither of them had consumed any alcohol that evening. With not knowing if they’d be called to an emergency, it had seemed the wise course of action but now he was pleased because it meant her reaction to him was real. There were no inhibitors making her act out of the ordinary. The woman he held in his arms, the woman whose mouth was pressed so firmly to his own in the most sweetest and seductive kiss he’d ever experienced, was happy to be with him.

When they broke apart, neither of them spoke. It was as though the emotions had been too powerful, too strong for them to process in that moment, and they continued to the car park. Jasper drove the Jaguar back towards Parramatta, holding Jennifer’s hand firmly in his own.

When he turned into her driveway and cut the engine, he turned to face her. ‘Jennifer.’

‘Hmm?’

He could see she was tired and drowsy, coming down from her earlier euphoric high. It made him realise that now wasn’t the time for a talk. They were both tired. Both had a busy day tomorrow and both needed sleep. Still…tonight had changed things and he needed her to acknowledge that.

‘I had a really good time tonight.’ He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, relieved when she smiled.

‘Me, too. It was…exactly what I needed.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes.’ She gestured to her house with a jerk of her thumb. ‘Want to come in for a cup of tea?’

‘Are you awake enough to make it?’ he quizzed.

‘Probably not, so I should say that if you accept my invitation,
you’ll
be making the tea.’

He chuckled and leaned forward to brush a kiss over her lips, thrilled when she didn’t pull away or tense up. If
anything, she seemed to relax more, sighing into him, her breathing even, her eyes closed. ‘You’re exhausted,’ he declared.

‘Mmm.’

‘I’ll pass on the tea.’ He climbed from the car, coming around to the passenger side to open the door for her. When the cool night air hit her, though, she was instantly alert.

‘I had the most wonderful time, Jasper. Thank you for asking me,’ she said again.

‘Thank you for accepting.’ He pulled her into his arms and she snuggled into his warmth.

‘Mmm. You smell nice.’

‘So do you.’

‘Are you sure you don’t want a cup of tea?’

Jasper swallowed and looked at her dark house, then looked at her, illuminated by the distant porch light which was casting a soft amber glow over them. ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea just yet.’

‘It’s just tea, Jasper.’

‘You and I both know that’s not the case, Jen. Sure, we might drink tea but then things would escalate and end up leading us in a direction I don’t think either of us is ready for just yet.’

She pulled back to look at him, raising her eyebrows. ‘You’re very sure of yourself.’

He grinned. ‘I’m sure of where we both know this will eventually end…one day.’

‘But not tonight,’ she stated.

‘No. Not tonight. However, things have changed, Jen. You know that, right?’

‘I do. Things have changed, Jasper, and you have no idea how happy I am about that. What I also need, though, is time to process this change.’

‘Agreed.’ He brushed his lips across hers once more. ‘I’ll see you at Sara’s barbecue tomorrow?’

‘Yes. You and me with, no doubt, quite a few pairs of eyes watching us to see how we behave.’

‘We’ll have to be careful. Not that I’m suggesting we hide from this.’

‘No. I understand. We need to be careful. There are other people involved in this and perhaps keeping things to ourselves is the best option for now.’

‘For now.’ With great reluctance Jasper let her go, holding her hand as he walked slowly backwards until he couldn’t hold on any more. ‘For now,’ he reiterated, before disappearing into the night.

Jennifer rang the doorbell a second time, gripping the shopping bags tightly so she didn’t drop them. ‘Come on, come on,’ she muttered. It would be too much effort to put the bags down, open the door and pick the bags up again but it appeared, as no one was coming to answer the door, that that was exactly what she had to do.

‘Coming!’ she heard, and in the next instant Sara’s front door was thrown open and Jasper stood there, looking gorgeous in dark denim jeans, which had long since forgotten any shape but his, and a thick Aran jumper. He looked…delicious and for a split second Jennifer’s mind went blank.

They both stood there, staring at each other, Jasper shaken because Jennifer’s hair wasn’t pulled back in its usual severe bun. It was still back but she’d pulled it loosely into a ponytail and the ends of her dark hair were currently hanging over one shoulder, a few strands coming loose here and there. Her cheeks were pink from the cool breeze and her eyes were bright and glorious. She was beautiful. It was only when she
shifted a shopping bag that he snapped out of his trance and offered his help.

‘Here. Let me take them from you.’ He started forward, which was enough to bring her back to reality. She gripped the bags tighter.

‘I’ve got them. If I let go, I might end up dropping them.’

He shifted back to make way for her and she quickly headed into the kitchen, dumping the bags on the bench. ‘I was wondering where you were,’ Jasper commented as Jennifer began unpacking the items.

‘Sara had run out of a few things.’ She held up a large bottle of tomato sauce to prove her point.

‘A key item,’ he agreed. ‘How can you have a barbecue without tomato sauce, especially in Australia?’

‘Hence why I went to the shops. Sara’s boys go through the sauce like it’s a drink.’

‘It is an Aussie staple.’

‘True.’

They worked alongside each other, Jasper taking the items from the bags and Jennifer putting them away or out where they needed to be.

‘You look nice,’ he remarked as she closed the fridge door.

‘Oh?’ Jennifer stopped and looked down. It was then she realised she was still wearing her scarf and coat. ‘No wonder I was so warm.’ She unwound her scarf and was pleasantly surprised when Jasper helped her off with her coat. It reminded her of her first morning at work when he’d helped her on with her white clinical coat. Why did it seem so long ago? He carefully put her garments over the back of a nearby chair and looked at her again.

‘I like your hair.’

Consciously, Jennifer raised a hand to her hair and twirled her ponytail through her fingers.

He swallowed over the sudden dryness of his throat. Was he allowed to say things like that to her? He wasn’t quite sure where they stood in that department but he simply hadn’t been able to stop himself from commenting. ‘It’s…uh…longer than I thought.’ As well as being more rich and glorious than he’d imagined. The pale pink cashmere jumper she wore only made the blue of her eyes more vivid. The indigo of her jeans and the black boots with the small heel topped off her outfit and Jasper’s mouth became even drier as he allowed himself one more appraisal of her gorgeous body.

‘Jasper.’ Heat had flowed through her as his gaze had wandered over her.

‘Jennifer.’ When he lifted his eyes to meet hers, he wasn’t surprised to discover repressed desire in her blue depths. He also knew she could see the same emotion in him.

‘Don’t look at me that way.’

‘You’ve said that before but I just don’t seem to be able to stop.’ His voice had dipped to an intimate whisper and somehow the distance between them had seemed to disappear.

‘We can’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘Not here. Too many eyes.’ She glanced around her as she spoke, checking to see there weren’t any other guests…or Sara…lurking around the corner, listening to everything they said. ‘And this is hardly the time to continue our discussion. Standing in the middle of Sara’s kitchen.’

‘True.’ Jasper exhaled harshly and shoved his hands in his pockets, desperate to control the need to haul her into his arms. ‘Tomorrow?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Can we discuss this tomorrow?’

‘I’m on call.’

‘I’ll come to the hospital and help you if I have to, just so long as I can get ten minutes alone with you between cases.’

‘Jasper.’

‘Jen, I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s starting to drive me insane.’

‘I…er…can’t stop thinking about you either.’ A slight blush tinged her cheeks at the words.

His eyebrows raised at this information and the corners of his lips tugged into a small smile. ‘Really?’

‘Yes. Why are you so surprised?’

‘I’m not surprised. I’m…very pleased by this information. It means we’re both on the same page.’

‘Page? What page?’ A woman with short blonde hair and large circles beneath her eyes came into the kitchen. ‘Have you joined a book club, big brother?’ She laughed at her own joke. ‘As if you’d have time for reading anything that isn’t a medical text. That’s all I have time for. That and stupid bridal magazines.’

Jennifer had stepped back, putting distance between the two of them as the woman who was obviously Jasper’s sister had come into the kitchen.

‘Jennifer, this is my sister Megan. Megan, this is Jennifer, my new boss at the hospital.’

‘Oh, hi. I’ve heard so much about you.’ Megan shook hands with Jennifer.

‘You have?’ She looked to Jasper. Had he confided in his sister?

‘The girls told Megan how you came over for pancakes,’ he quickly clarified, seeing the look of panic that had crossed Jennifer’s face.

‘Pancakes.’ Megan said the word and nodded knowingly, as though ‘pancakes’ was a code word for something completely different.

‘They were delicious,’ Jennifer said, trying to make the point that pancakes had definitely been on the menu rather than what Megan was insinuating…even though Megan wasn’t at all far from the truth.

‘That’s how it starts,’ Megan continued, not fooled for a second. ‘Pancakes one minute, marriage proposal the next, and then, wham—a week before the wedding the groom isn’t sure he wants to go through with it.’

‘What?’ Jasper put his hands on Megan’s shoulders, instantly concerned. ‘Megsy? What’s happened?’

At that question Megan burst into tears and buried her face in her brother’s chest, his arms automatically going around her. He met Jennifer’s eyes over the top of his sister’s head and smiled sadly. ‘Tomorrow,’ he mouthed, and Jennifer nodded, leaving the kitchen to give them some privacy. She admired the way he was there to support his sister, to comfort her and to help her through what was obviously a difficult time. He was quite a man.

Jennifer busied herself helping Iris and talking to Ian, Jasper’s father, as he cooked the meat, chicken and prawns on the barbecue. Most of the people there were related in some obscure way or, like Jennifer herself, were old friends of either Sara or Matt. There were children everywhere and lots of fun and laughter, and it was just the sort of day Jennifer needed after the past hectic month.

‘Still working day and night?’ Iris asked a while later, coming to sit with Jennifer beneath the small marquee in the back yard. The two of them had seen each other a few times during the past week after Jennifer had moved into her new home. The first time she’d popped in, Iris had brought a cake to officially welcome Jennifer to the neighbourhood, and along with the cake had come two adorable girls to help eat it. Both Lola and Lilly had ended up with chocolate smeared
all over their faces, hands and Jennifer’s glass tabletop. It had been then she’d realised that her furniture was hardly child friendly and she’d made a mental note to child-proof the house so the twins would be safe when they visited.