Leah Martyn - Redeeming Dr Riccardi

BACK in his office, Rafe threw aside the medical journal he’d been reading.

It may as well have been written in a foreign language for all he’d taken in.

Antonia Morell. The cameo-like picture was still there in his head. Her complexion magnolia fair against the dazzling auburn hair; the quick, intelligent air about her. And the amazing smile that outlined the sweet curve of her mouth. Her mouth …

Disconcerted, he rubbed a hand across his cheekbones. The wild feelings of want were annoying him, disturbing him. He didn’t need them. He just needed to get through the next few months, recoup his energy, regain his enthusiasm …

‘Rafe …?’ Toni popped her head around the door. He looked up and she saw at once she’d interrupted a very focused train of thought. ‘Sorry … the door was open …’

‘Come in, Antonia.’ He voice was slightly rough. ‘What’s up?’

‘You said you wanted to see Michael’s CT scan …’Toni moved towards his desk, feeling as though she was walking in sand, ankle deep. ‘He’s up in Kids now. Amy asked to special him.’

Rafe’s dark brows rose interrogatively. ‘Is that wise?’

Toni bristled at his implied criticism. ‘Are you saying I should be keeping her away from babies and toddlers?’

‘No.’ He glinted an impatient green glance at her. ‘You mentioned she’s a bit fragile at the moment, that’s all.’

‘It was her decision.’ Toni placed the large envelope on the desk in front of him. ‘In fact, she said she hoped we wouldn’t think we had to keep walking on eggshells around her.’

‘Well, that sounds positive.’ Spinning off his chair, Rafe selected the first plate and slapped it on to the viewing screen. ‘I’ll need a word with Lisa,’ he murmured almost absently. ‘Ask her to pop in and see me when you have a minute.’

‘Uh …’ Toni hesitated. ‘She’s actually not in the hospital just now.’

‘She’s gone?’ Rafe’s dark head swooped back in question. ‘She’s left her boy here and just gone off somewhere? Where are the woman’s priorities?’ He put the next plate up and studied it. ‘The whole trauma for this child is down to his mother’s failure to carry out the basic safety rules for young children in cars.’

‘You’re putting the wrong spin on it,’ Toni said heatedly and went on to explain, ‘Lisa had a phone call. Apparently, she managed to reschedule her job interview. She’s a sole parent, Rafe. She needs a full-time job not just the bits and pieces she presently has. You saw how upset she was about Michael’s accident. She doesn’t need you jumping all over her as well.’

‘You’re breaking my heart, Antonia,’ he growled, clearly unimpressed with Toni’s defence of the young mother.

‘And which heart would that be, exactly?’ she inquired tartly.

The corners of his mouth pulled down almost comically. ‘I’ve really rained on your parade today, haven’t I?’

Toni rolled her eyes heavenwards. Really, the man was impossible.

‘This all looks good.’ He drew her attention to the last of the X-rays. ‘Michael has been fortunate.’

‘He’s sporting quite a lump on his forehead, though.’ Toni positioned herself beside Rafe and looked at the screen.

‘I’ll write up some pain relief for him. That whack has possibly left the little guy with a headache. And let’s keep the neuro obs going, please? I’m not letting him go until I’m quite sure he’s stable.’

‘All noted.’ Toni swept out.

She made her way back to the nurses’ station, the busyness of the morning enveloping her. But an hour later, she was on her way upstairs to the children’s ward. Amy needed a break.

She popped her head in, turning to speak to Jennifer on the desk. ‘Michael Yates, Jen?’

The senior nurse flapped a hand. ‘Right down the end in the cot. The reg arrived a while ago to check him over. He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?’

‘Michael?’

Jennifer rolled her eyes. ‘Riccardi.’

Toni wasn’t about to go there. She still hadn’t made up her mind about anything to do with Rafe Riccardi. ‘He probably is,’ she flannelled instead. ‘If you go for tall, dark, bloody-minded men.’

‘Oh, my stars, Toni Morell!’ A teasing smile curved Jen’s mouth. ‘You fancy him!’

Toni clicked her tongue exasperatedly and skipped away, drawing to an abrupt stop when she saw Rafe and Amy, their heads together in obvious earnest conversation. She watched as Amy’s dark little head came back and she laughed at something Rafe said. And then he touched the nurse briefly on the shoulder before exiting from the door at the far end of the ward.

‘Well, ten out of ten,’ Toni murmured, feeling a tiny flicker of satisfaction. Rafe had obviously taken their talk to heart and made the effort to smooth things over with Amy. He’d kept his word. And that, as far as Toni was concerned, had earned him a large tick of approval.

Oh, heck! Impatiently, she swept her hair up from the nape of her neck and let it fall back. Surely she wasn’t actually beginning to like the man?

She walked briskly along the ward to Michael’s cot. ‘Everything OK?’ she asked softly.

‘Still a bit out of it, I think.’ Amy was sitting by the cot, stroking the toddler’s chubby little arm.

‘That’s understandable.’ Toni ran her eye over the chart. Pain relief had been administered and the child was being kept hydrated. There was little more they could do now than to monitor Michael’s neuro responses. If nothing untoward presented, Rafe would probably allow Lisa to take her son home. ‘He’ll probably drop off to sleep soon.’ Toni bent and touched a finger to the baby-soft cheek. ‘But, Amy, if for any reason you have to take him out of the cot, be sure to carry him, won’t you? We don’t want him falling.’

‘I have nursed in Kids before, Toni,’ Amy said with a wry little smile. ‘I’ll take great care of Michael.’

‘Of course you will.’ Toni made a face. ‘Sorry. I’m a bit distracted this morning.’

Amy chuckled. ‘The new reg would distract anyone.’

Toni held back a cryptic comment. Not Amy too. ‘Mel is coming up to relieve you shortly. It’s time for your break. Make sure you take it, please.’

There was a flurry around the station when Toni returned to Casualty. ‘What’s going on?’

‘These amazing roses just arrived!’ Harmony’s blonde ponytail jiggled as her head tipped from side to side in excitement.

Toni’s heart almost juddered to a stop. Surely he hadn’t …? She looked helplessly at the blooms in the florist’s basket, with the chirpy little red hearts dancing from the wicker handle. Oh, lord … There had to be dozens of roses, all colours, and the perfume was divine.

‘They’re old-fashioned garden roses,’ Liz said knowledgeably. ‘My granddad grows beauties like these. They must have cost a fortune.’

‘Who are they for?’ Toni hoped no one but her could hear the little catch in her voice.

‘Apparently, they’re for the whole staff of the A and E.’ Liz held out the card. ‘See?’

Oh, for heaven’s sake. Toni stifled a groan. It seemed as though Riccardi was tearing around like a head stockman, mending fences all over the place.

‘Someone must think we’re pretty, damned hot,’ Ed joked. ‘The dream team!’ He did a high five with Harmony.

‘Could be from the Mayor,’ Justin said. ‘Remember, Joe operated on that infected ingrown toenail just before he left on leave?’

Liz snorted. ‘Bit of an extravagant thank you for an ingrown toenail! Toni.’ She turned to her friend. ‘Any ideas?’

Plenty, Toni thought, her heart returning slowly to its rightful place. But none she could voice here. ‘Perhaps, we’ll never know.’ She sidestepped the question deftly. ‘But we should get them in water for a start.’ She turned to one of their AINs. ‘Job for you, Sam?’