He couldn’t bloody believe it.
Well, yes, he could bloody believe it, but it was shitty regardless.
Morosely, Blue drove away from his ex-girlfriend’s unit, leaving behind a woman, a bunch of flowers, and his ego. Not that he thought he was such a wonderful catch that no woman would ever ditch him, but hell, it was getting old. Fast.
What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he keep a woman?
Not really wanting to go home to Charley possibly chattering happily about her apparently much more successful love life, he almost took Luke up on his offer to call in, but the thought of raining all over his brother’s happy parade was not cool.
He thought about dropping in on Aaron instead, but that would be sucky, too. He was happily married, even Jason was happily married, and right now, though it would be nice to get some TLC from his sisters-in-law and soon-to-be sister-in-law, he didn’t want to walk in and make their happy evenings, well, not so happy. They wouldn’t mind but nope, he couldn’t do it.
He certainly didn’t want anyone’s pity. Not to mention they’d all been working and were now kicked back relaxing before going to bed. Ditto for his dad.
Time enough to share that bit of information tomorrow.
Looked like it was going to be a pity-party for one after all.
His stomach rumbled, a reminder that he hadn’t eaten. His appetite certainly wasn’t ruled by his heart. Well, hell, he’d wanted pizza and he was damned well going to have it.
Ten minutes later he pulled into the car park of a local pizza joint. Even though it was Monday night there were quite a few cars, but definitely not as busy as the end of the week.
Entering the warm, delicious-smelling restaurant-come-takeaway, he stood in line while studying the menu on the wall. Making up his mind fairly quickly - never a hard thing when he knew exactly what he liked - he waited patiently to be served, using the time to peruse the big room.
Only a third of the tables in the middle and the booths against the wall were taken, mostly by couples and a larger group.
It was cosy in here, the air-conditioning making up for the warm summer night, and he played with the idea of getting a pizza-to-go and crashing in his lounge with a DVD - presuming Charley wasn’t watching some TV show, hadn’t thought of that - or sitting at one of the small tables and reading one of the old magazines while he ate in rather depressed silence.
What a choice.
His gaze slid past a person sitting in a far booth, recognition pinged and his gaze backtracked. Even from this distance he recognised the woman sitting gloomily contemplating a glass of drink. Honey-blonde hair pulled back in a short ponytail, sweetly curved, and what appeared to be an invisible dark cloud hovering above her.
Someone had rained on Charlotte Carter’s parade.
Charley chose that moment to glance up, her eyes meeting his with uncanny accuracy, recognition crossing her pretty face. She smiled slightly, but yeah, it was definitely subdued, those big brown eyes not dancing happily as they’d done when he’d first met her.
Someone had rained on her parade big time.
Charley’s attention dropped to the menu on the table in front of her.
On impulse, Blue left his place in line and threaded through the tables until he drew level with the booth. “This booth taken by one or two?”
Surprised, she looked up. “Uh…one.”
“That one being you?”
She nodded.
Sliding into the seat opposite, Blue rested his folded forearms on the tabletop. “Going solo tonight?”
“Where’s your date?” she parried.
Feeling no need to hide it, he replied bluntly, “I’ve been ditched.”
“Ouch.” She winced. “Sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.” Staring past her at the back of the booth seat, he thought about his tall, leggy, platinum blonde ex-girlfriend.
“That sucks.” Charley sighed. “I think I have been, too.”
That brought his attention snapping back to her. “Really? Why?”
“I don’t fit his lifestyle.” Her smile was bitter.
Yeah, he could relate to the bitter part, but lifestyle? Oh wait, yes, he could relate to that, too. “That sucks.” He gave a small, understanding smile. “I feel your pain.”
Her smile was slight, but at least it lightened the sadness in her eyes, a faint sparkle of amusement appearing in the depths. “So we’re going to sit together and cry into our drinks?”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He spotted the waitress coming towards them. “Shall we?”
“Why not. Misery loves company.”
“That’s the spirit. We can exchange stories, curse them to billy-o, and wish bad luck and lots of regret to pour down on them in bucket loads.”
“Wow, and I thought I was bitter.”
“I’ve been building up to it for a long time.” He winked at her before turning his attention to the waitress.
The pleasantly rounded, middle-aged woman held up a pad. “What’ll it be?”
Blue gestured to Charley to go first.
“Cheese and garlic pizza,” she said. “Not like I’ve got anything to lose tonight.”
The waitress didn’t bat an eyelid. “Garlic bread?”
“Why not? Let’s just go the whole hog.”
“Anything to drink?”
“Diet Coke. Large. No ice. I’m going hard.”
Amused, Blue met Charley’s challenging expression.
“I’m bitter,” she said. “I need garlic. And I don’t care.”
“I respect your choice and mood.” He looked at the waitress. “I’ll have a chicken and bacon pizza. I’m not in the best mood, so hold the tomato sauce and give me barbecue instead.”
The woman was amazing. Not a smile cracked her face. “Garlic bread?”
“Biggest loaf you’ve got. I’m just as bitter as my companion.”
“Congratulations,” she deadpanned.
“Thank you.”
“Anything to drink?”
“Coke. Large. No ice. I’m also going hard.”
“Won’t be long.”
“We’re not in a hurry. Nowhere to go, nothing to see, no one to impress.”
“Don’t knock it,” she said. “It’s not always a bad thing.” With that surprising announcement, she snapped up the two menus and walked briskly away.
“Wow.” Charley watched her. “I like her.”
“I’ll think about it,” Blue said.
“Not your type?”
“I’m not sure what type she is.”
Charley’s attention switched to him. “What is your type?”
“Apparently not someone who is willing to stick around for the long haul.”
Folding her arms, she matched his pose by resting her forearms on the table. For several long seconds she regarded him, making him wonder what she was thinking. He met her scrutiny with a partially raised eyebrow.
Finally, she asked, “Who goes first?”
“Spilling our guts, you mean?”
“Yep.”
“You first.”
“Okay.” She looked him right in the eyes. “Gary is a lawyer on his way up, chasing the partners, hoping to be taken on as the youngest partner.”
Blue nodded encouragingly.
“I thought he was okay. A little snobby but nothing I couldn’t overlook. Heck, we all have our dark side. I figured if being a little snobbish was as bad as it got, I could deal with it.”
It certainly wasn’t the worst trait he’d ever seen in a person.
“Then we went out to dinner last night. I made several grave errors.” For the first time, her gaze shifted from his. Now she was studying his Adam’s apple while her soft lips pursed. “I chose a yellow dress.”
That had him blinking. “Pardon?”
“Let me tick off the things I did, then you’ll understand.” She held up a closed fist, stuck out her thumb, and proceeded to tick off each finger as she recounted events. “One - I know he isn’t keen on my yellow fetish and thinks I should dress more subtly, so in a blind fit of falling in love with this dress, I wore yellow.”
“Big sin,” was all Blue could think to comment. “Apparently.”
“Two - I’m an RN.”
“Being a nurse is a problem? I don’t get that.”
“Being just a nurse is the problem. He let his boss and the partners think I was much higher up in the medical field.”
“Doctor?”
“Even he’s not that dumb, but he let them have the impression that I was in some kind of managerial or Clinical Nurse position, definitely higher up the ladder.”
“Ouch.” He could just imagine Charley sitting there, her brown eyes condemning the jerk. Or at least, Blue hoped she condemned him, made the slime ball squirm.
“It gets better.” Charley tapped a third finger. “I cracked a joke that fell flat. Dead silence followed by definite frost.”
Blue grimaced sympathetically. Yep, he’d told some zingers that had fallen flat. Never a good thing.
“Four - they started discussing the charities they supported which, incidentally, helped further their husbands’ law firm rep, and I told them I supported local animal shelters only, that I liked to see where my money went, and I wanted it to go directly to the animals and the people who worked to help them.”
“Admirable.”
“Matter of opinion, apparently. Five-”
His eyes widened. “There’s more?”
“Oh yeah. Five - he tried to make me have a cocktail when he knows I don’t like them, so I gave him a kick under the table.”
That had Blue give out a bark of laughter before he could stop himself. “Sorry.” He held up a hand. “I just had this image of - never mind.”
“Mate,” Charley said seriously, “we gave each other a couple of kicks under the table. I really wanted to boot him up the arse by this time, let me assure you.”
He grinned.
“Six,” she continued, “he told me he didn’t know why he’d asked me out.”
Blue’s amusement died fast. “That was a shitty thing to say.”
“About as pleasant as being firmly removed from the restaurant and kept on a tight leash all the way to the car.” She absentmindedly rubbed her left upper arm.
Suspicion sparked as he noted the movement. Reaching across the table, he lightly snagged her wrist, his other hand brushing hers away as he slid his palm up her sleeve, pushing the material up enough to reveal five definite bruises that perfectly matched fingertips.
Anger bit, Blue’s nostrils flaring slightly. “That bastard. He did this?”
“He just wanted to make sure I didn’t linger and embarrass him anymore.” Charley shrugged. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to grip so hard.”
“He bruised you, Charley.” Blue’s jaw tightened as he released her wrist and sat back. “Where, exactly, does this dickhead live?”
“Why?”
“Because I think I should have a little chat to him about the correct way a man shows displeasure. It’s certainly not by manhandling a woman.”
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you serious?”
“About not abusing a woman? Hell yes, I’m serious. Where does he live?”
She stared at him for several seconds before smiling slowly.
“What?” he demanded.
“You’re so sweet.”
“Nothing sweet about it. Only a lowlife abuses anyone smaller and weaker than himself. It just isn’t done.”
“He wouldn’t have a clue that he left bruises.”
“Then someone should bloody well enlighten him.”
“Wow. Soldier, gentleman, rescuer of sad girls. You’re a real catch.”
Blue snorted.
The waitress arriving with their drinks stopped the conversation and he leaned back, studying Charley as she smiled up at the waitress while thanking her.
Man, how could that drongo make a sweet little thing like Charley feel so bad? Put her in such an awkward situation and then have the bloody hide to make it seem like her fault? Dickhead.
As soon as the waitress left, he said, “You had a lucky escape.”
Removing the straw, Charley tapped the drops of liquid from it before laying it aside and taking a mouthful from the glass, regarding him seriously over the rim as she did so.
He met her regard steadily. It was easy to watch her back, he liked her frankness. She was no shrinking violet, no simpering miss, not trying to impress him or anyone else. He was starting to learn that what you saw with Charley was what you got - an honest, sweet woman with a sense of honour. He respected that, because it was just that kind of thing his father had installed in his sons. Plus he liked to know where he stood with anyone, be it man or woman.
In fact, he found the woman sitting across from him refreshing.
Grabbing a paper napkin from the holder at the end of the table near the wall, Charley placed her glass neatly upon it. “Your turn.”
“Hmm?” Caught up in his thoughts, Blue raised his eyebrows.
“I told you my sob-story. Now it’s your turn. Why did your girlfriend ditch you?”
His turn to take a mouthful of Coke while regarding her across the rim.
She watched him just as steadily as he’d watched her seconds ago.
Reaching out to snag a napkin, he copied her action of laying it on the table to catch the condensation trickling on the outside of the glass.
“’Fess up,” she said. “This is a mutual cry fest, remember?”
“I don’t cry.”
“Come on, we’re having a moment, Blue. We’re both sad, both ditched, both eating fattening food and drinking soft drink. What does that tell you?”
“That I’m dangerously close to being a female.”
Charley laughed, little lines fanning out from the corners of her eyes, a testament to the fact that she laughed often. “No one could think of you as even a teeny-tiny bit female.”
“I’m eating junk food, telling sad stories. Men guzzle beer with their mates and tough it out. What does that tell you?”
“That you’re human. But right now you don’t have any mates around, there’s only me. I won’t tell if you don’t.”
The waitress arrived again, this time bearing two round trays containing pizza which she placed in the middle of the table. Pulling two sets of knives and forks from her pockets, she set them beside the pizzas and left.
Blue and Charley regarded each other across the trays.
“Are you going to chicken out on me?” she demanded.
“Nope.” He jerked a thumb in the direction the waitress had taken. “Just waiting for the rest of the food so we can talk in peace.”
“Ah. Good plan.”
The waitress returned with two plates and two baskets of garlic bread. Placing them on the table, she left again. They heaped up their plates with food.
Taking a bite of garlic bread, Blue chewed and swallowed before beginning. “So, Shona is an air hostess, flies all over Australia. Her eventual plan is to fly overseas as well.”
Eating the cheese and garlic pizza, Charley nodded interestedly.
“I met her on my last trip home, we hit it off, started going out. She Skyped me a few times, emailed. Tonight was our first date in quite a few months.” Blue sighed.
“You made plans.”
“Yeah. Fancy restaurant, flowers, night out then a night in getting reacquainted.”
“Nice plan.” She nodded approvingly.
“Only Shona told me she wanted to stay home, and I thought…” Frowning, he picked up a slice of pizza, silently cursing as a hot slick of cheese burned his thumb. Readjusting his hold, he watched the steam coil up from the delicious topping. “I thought she wanted to get all cosy. Turns out she didn’t.”
Taking a bite of the cheese and garlic pizza, Charley nodded encouragingly.
Remembering how it felt, that sense of déjà vu, Blue grimaced. “She obviously didn’t want to break the news in a restaurant that she was breaking up with me. Probably thought I’d make a scene.”
“You don’t make scenes.”
Not even wondering how she could possibly know, Blue took a careful bite of pizza. The cheese, bacon, chicken and barbecue sauce spilled warmly onto his tongue, and he spent a couple of seconds enjoying the taste before resuming the story. “Maybe she thought I’d cry and beg, embarrass her.”
“Not your style.”
“Nah, it’s not. I leave that kind of thing for when we’re alone.”
In the process of taking another bite of pizza, Charley paused.
“I didn’t,” he assured her. “Cry and beg, that is.”
“Okay. Not that that would be a bad thing,” she added quickly. “When you love someone-”
“Whoa, whoa.” He held up a hand. “We are - were - close. Love? Not sure about that, to be honest. We hadn’t spent a whole lot of time together.”
“Oh. Okay. Sorry. That was presumptuous of me.”
“Nah, it’s all good. Still hurt, though, I won’t lie. Being told it’s all over, it won’t work, she doesn’t want to be waiting around for me, only seeing me now and again.” Blue shook his head, grabbed a chunk of garlic bread. “Story of my life.”
“It’s happened before?”
“I’d recount the number of times but then I’d be crying into my Coke.”
“Duly noted.” She nodded. “Back to Shona, what about her job? She’s flying from place to place, so she’s not always home either.” Charley waved her pizza around a little as she made this point.
“She’s home more than me.”
“But she knew what you did for a living before deciding to go out with you.”
“Yeah. Well, after she hadn’t seen me for months and realised that this might be part of her life for good, she obviously decide she wasn’t prepared to accept that.” Blue dispiritedly took a mouthful of Coke.
Man, was this always going to be the way for him? Why did some of his mates have happy marriages, wives and partners waiting for them back home? How did they make it work? Maybe it was him. Maybe he expected too much. Maybe there wasn’t a Ying to his Yang or whatever the hell it was. Maybe he didn’t have a missing piece to his puzzle. Maybe he didn’t have a lifeboat in this ocean of life and was doomed to sail alone.
Maybe he should get his head out of his arse and try to look on the bright side.
Refocussing his attention on his companion, he opened his mouth to crack a joke, only to ask instead, “Why don’t you sheilas want to wait?”
Oh shit! He immediately cringed inside. Oh shit, did I really just ask her that? Instantly he stammered, “I didn’t…I shouldn’t have…It’s just that it’s happened to me several times and…Charley, I’m sorry…Bugger it!” Lowering the chunk of garlic bread, he braced himself for a mouthful of well-deserved abuse.
Charley calmly swallowed a mouthful of Diet Coke, wiped her lips with a napkin and contemplated him.
You just stuffed up a perfectly good evening. Mentally steeling himself, Blue met her gaze squarely. Take it on the chin, mate.
Waiting for the verbal blasting, he watched in astonishment as she gave a genteel little burp behind her fist.
“Sorry,” she said. “It’s the gas in the drink.”
That wasn’t what he was astonished about. “Yeah, no worries.”
“Okay.” Thoughtfully, she swirled the glass, the soft drink fizzing inside at the movement. “So, here’s the thing, Blue.”
Oh yeah, it was coming. He braced.
“It’s not all sheilas who don’t want to wait. If that was the case, then there wouldn’t be a married man left in the forces, would there?”
“Well, no, but-”
“And there are men who don’t want to wait for their women in the forces either, right?”
“Well…I hadn’t thought about it, to be honest.”
“What you’re really asking, is why won’t the sheilas wait for you?”
“Did I offend you with the ‘sheila’ part?”
“Honey, if you’d offended me, you’d be picking pizza out of your ears by now.” Charley gestured to him with the glass. “Have you ever thought that maybe you just haven’t met the right woman willing to wait for you?”
Well, that was pretty bloody obvious.
She was unbothered by his frown. “You had a lucky escape.”
He snorted. “You think?”
“You split up with someone you don’t love. How much harder would it have been if you were head-over-heels for her?”
“Yeah.” All right, he had to agree with that, so he nodded. “But-”
“And what if you’d had kids? Or were married to her? She owned half your house?” Charley shook her head. “What if you’d been overseas serving in some dangerous country, almost getting your head shot off, and you came back to camp and she dumped you over Skype?”
“I think I get the picture-”
“A ‘Dear John’ letter.”
“Okay, I do get the picture.”
“I hope you do.” She shook a finger at him. “Blue Wells, you are a good man. One day your soul mate will walk right up to you and you won’t know what hit you.”
“Hopefully not her fist.”
“I’m serious. A man like you has a perfect match out there.”
He was surprised at her confidence. “You really believe that?”
“Hell, yeah.” She grinned widely at him. “Plus, you know, you’re drop-dead gorgeous.”
His jaw dropped.
“And you’re cute when you’re stunned.”
He couldn’t help it. Mischief danced in her eyes, those apple cheeks tinted pink, lush lips curving teasingly. Blue laughed.
Hell yeah, he suddenly felt a whole lot better.
Appetite returning with a vengeance, he grabbed another slice of pizza. “Gary’s a dick to let you go. His loss, some other man’s gain.”
“Pfft.” She flicked her fingers. “Maybe I’ll just keep my single status.”
“Be a loss to mankind.”
“And my legs crossed.”
Blue choked.
“My feminine delights will no more delight any male of the species.”
He had to cough into a napkin, tears filling his eyes as he reached for his Coke, found his glass empty and snagged hers instead, draining it in two long gulps.
When he finally got his breath back, Charley said earnestly, “I think the waitress is eyeing you off. How do you feel about taking on a cougar?”
Jesus. He followed her mischievous glance to find the middle-aged waitress looking at him from across the room, shaking her head disapprovingly. Turning back to Charley, he saw the silent laughter dancing in her eyes.
“You,” he said sternly, “are going to be the death of me.”
“Awww.” She cooed, then pretended to seriously contemplate the issue. “Nah, I can’t do that. Where will I live if you die?”
He pointed at the pizza. “Just eat your food, imp.”
She winked and resumed eating.
Relaxing, he grinned back at her.
As they ate in companionable silence, he slowly realised that his tension had eased. Funnily enough, he felt a whole hell of a lot better. To be truthful, he had a lot of blessings. A job he liked, a family he loved, friends back at base, and now - yep, a woman he now considered a friend. He had a lot to be thankful for.
His pity party was over.
Pushing aside the unpleasant experience with Shona, he focussed on enjoying his holidays and time with family.
“Oh yeah,” Charley commented casually. “I forgot number seven.”
Blue stopped eating. Shit, what else had Gary done to her?
Correctly interpreting his expression, she added quickly, “Not him. I locked myself out of the house.”
“You what? When?”
“Last night.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I left my mobile in the house.”
“So how did you get in?” A thought occurred to him. “You did get in, didn’t you?”
“Oh yeah. This security guard came around.”
“Aaron’s monitoring camera. They saw you.” Blue relaxed.
“Man named Ryan.”
“Oh boy.”
“Scary bloke.”
“Know what you mean.”
~*~
“Percy, you need to take this tablet.”
The elderly man screwed up his face.
“It’s for your heart.”
“Nothing wrong with it.”
“Oh, but there is. It beats really fast.” Charley held up the tablet and glass of water. “This helps slow it down.”
“Slow it down and it’ll stop.”
“No, it’ll just work better.”
“Pshaw!” He turned his head the other way.
Charley exchanged a wry glance with Rita, the Nursing Assistant.
Rita had a try, bending down to coax him. “Come on, Percy. You told me this morning that you were trying to impress the nurses.”
“Not this one,” he sniffed.
Charley grinned.
“But she’s our only RN right now,” Rita said.
“Then the people should hire more.”
“The other RN is sick. Poor old Charley has to do it on her own.”
Percy cast Charley a suspicious glance. “I don’t know this nurse.”
He’d known her since she’d started working in the nursing home three years ago, but his lack of recognition wasn’t surprising considering his advancing Dementia.
Didn’t phase her one bit. She held out her hand. “I’m Charley. I’m working here today.”
Percy looked from her face to her hand before gingerly closing his fingers around hers, giving an extra squeeze just to let her know he wasn’t to be fooled with. “I’m Percy.”
“Hi, Percy. I’m really trying to make a good impression on the manager so I can keep my job and buy food. Can you help me?”
“By doing what?”
“Taking your medicine?” She smiled winningly. “Please?”
He eyed it suspiciously.
“Doctor Willows will be coming to see you tomorrow. I’ve got to be able to tell him that everyone is having their medicine as he prescribed.”
“He’s a quack.”
“Yes, he is,” she agreed solemnly, then winked and nudged him with her elbow. “But we won’t say that to his face, will we?”
It was just the right thing to say. Percy leaned forward conspiratorially while she obligingly lowered her head close to his.
“He’s a wanker,” Percy informed her.
“Absolutely.”
Rita choked back a laugh.
“Says I can’t have chocolate.”
The doctor had never said any such thing, but she wasn’t going to argue. Instead, she saw a way to encourage Percy to take his medicine. “Tell you what, you swallow that tablet and I’ll buy you some chocolate.”
“You will?”
“Cross my heart.” She did the gesture.
“Okay then.” He popped the tablet in his mouth, swallowing it with several sips of water.
“Thank you so much, Percy.”
Turning away, she completed doing the medication round in the dining room, well aware that by the time she finished he wouldn’t remember her or the chocolate episode, but regardless, she’d still bring him some chocolate.
Finally finished, she left the house, using the coded lock to go out into the corridor, ensuring the door had locked behind her so that none of the wandering residents could get out.
Many people would consider a locked premises abhorrent for keeping residents safe, but those working with people with Dementia knew full well the dangers of wanderers who had no realisation of dangers. Getting the balance between dignity, freedom and safety was taken seriously by the nursing home. The gardens were fenced in, but there were paths to wander, blooming plants, seats to sit on, just as the big Dementia wing was built in a huge square shape with the rooms coming off the corridors either side, enabling the residents to walk freely around the whole inside square.
Crossing into the main corridor, Charley turned into the office and sat down to update the handover sheets for the next shift. She’d only just finished when Bev arrived.
“Anything new?” Bev dropped down in the chair opposite.
“And hi to you, too.” Charley slid the updated handover sheets to her. “You want me to handover twice?”
“Huh?”
“Once to you, then again when the other nurses come on?”
“Don’t be a bitch.”
“Because you’re so special and everything?”
Bev flipped her the bird.
“So glad you understand,” Charley said.
Bev grinned. “So, anything exciting happen?”
“I want to keep you in suspense.”
“Ooh, I can’t wait.”
The sound of voices heralded the arrival of the other nurses, and within minutes four nurses aids and three ENs also stood at the table.
Bev flourished the handover sheets. “Now you can put me out of my misery.”
“That’s a loaded suggestion,” Hal said. “Can I volunteer to do it?”
“How about I volunteer you for a double shift?” Bev shot back.
“How about I just keep my mouth shut?”
“Like he could.” Jackie grinned.
“I hear you, sister,” Bev agreed.
“Is this sexual discrimination?” Hal asked. “I think it might be. I think I’m being discriminated against because I’m a bloke.”
“No, you’re a moron, and there’s no discriminating that,” Jackie replied. “In my opinion everyone’s a moron, so don’t feel left out or important.”
“Wow,” said Bev. “There’re a lot of insults flying around this afternoon.”
At Jackie’s inquiring gaze, Charley waved languidly. “Bev thinks she’s special enough to get handover first, then I can repeat myself to everyone else.”
“That’s Bev all right,” Hal said.
“I hear you,” Jackie agreed.
Bev rolled her eyes.
“Righto.” Pushing aside amusement, Charley picked up the handover sheet. “Let’s get going so the others can knock-off.”
Flicking the cap neatly off the pen with more enthusiasm than skill, Bev switched to serious mode as did everyone else.
“In Belvis House, Mavis got a skin tear but I’ve realigned the skin and dressed it as per the wound care plan. David in Harrington House has a UTI. I’ve done a UA, obtained an MSU, and Dr Harper has already started him on OABs even though the results won’t be back straight away, but we’re treating it anyway as that UA had lots of nasties in it. Vonnie in Lakeside House has that rash back, so make sure we get that cream applied before she goes to bed. Apart from that, there’s nothing new for any of the residents in the High Care section.”
“Okay, everyone, hit the houses,” Bev instructed. “Page me if you need me. Hal, I’ll be around to check on Vonnie’s rash, get a visual so I know if it starts to spread.”
“Gotcha.” Hal saluted.
As the nurses filed out, Charley took a sip of the lukewarm tea by her elbow.
“Who’s on in Karlos House, the Dementia wing?” Bev queried.
“Farrah was heading it this morning,” Charley replied. “Neville was in charge at Court House, the Low Care unit.” She proceeded to give handover for both other sections, knowing Neville and Farrah would hand over to the on-coming nurses.
When she’d finished, Bev tapped the pen against her bottom lip as she studied the handover sheets closely. “Staffing all good for this afternoon and tonight?”
“No one has reported in sick, everyone is here. Hopefully you’ll have a good shift.”
“One lives in constant hope.” Bev stretched and yawned before standing. “Okay, I better get stuck into things. Man, everyone thinks being the RN is easy.”
“One RN to the whole nursing home is tough at times,” Charley agreed. “But at least we have good ENs and nursing aides.”
“Be totally buggered without them,” her workmate agreed. “So, you got plans for this afternoon?”
“Apart from walking home?” Charley took her shoulder bag out of the cupboard. “Not really.”
“What is it with you and walking to and from work?” Bev shuddered. “I’m too buggered after running around to walk.”
“I only walk to work when I’m doing a morning shift and don’t have anything to do on the way home.” Charley headed for the door. “It’s nice, clears the head.”
“And makes you all sweaty and shit.”
“True, but you can’t have everything. Plus,” she added as she walked out into the corridor, “I wouldn’t do it if it was stinking hot.”
“It’s summer!”
“Okay, it is hot. Thanks for pointing that out to me.”
“Just doing my good deed for the day. Have a nice walk!”
Striding along the pathway away from the sprawling nursing home, Charlie breathed in deeply of the warm afternoon air. Yes, it was hot, but most of the way was dappled shade thanks to the trees growing along the footpath. Once she hit the main road the trees would stop, allowing the hot sun to beat down. Unfortunately, she’d forgotten to bring her hat so the possibility of getting some sunburn was very real.
Walking in the shade of the trees was nice, and she set her mind to enjoying that, but as she stepped out onto the sun-laden footpath she cringed a little. Argh, hot!
No sooner had the thought hit her than a car pulled up alongside her. Glancing sideways at the vehicle keeping pace with her, she did a double take at the sight of the man behind the steering wheel.
Gary was definitely the last person she’d expected to see.
The passenger window slid smoothly down. “Charley.”
Halting, she eyed him warily. “Gary.”
Inside the air conditioned car he looked cool, calm and collected, the pale grey summer suit lending to his tranquil air.
“I’m sorry I got mad the other night.” He gestured to her. “Get in.”
Lips pursed, she glanced away. After the way he’d treated her, did she really want to get in close quarters with him?
“Please, Charley,” he coaxed. “My behaviour was abhorrent. I was wrong. Please, let me make it up to you.”
“Make it up?” Her eyebrows rose. “How can you possibly make it up? You-”
A car behind Gary’s hooting sharply stopped her words, the driver indicating to drive impatiently around him.
“Let’s go somewhere quiet to talk about this.” Gary looked over his shoulder at the traffic behind him before transferring his worried gaze back to her. “Please, Charley? I want to explain.”
After a few second’s hesitation, she sighed as another car overtook his parked vehicle, the driver staring curiously at her as he passed. It was unusual for Gary to stop on a major road, he’d never done anything spontaneously in the weeks she’d known him. A phone call would be more his style, or simply turning up at her door, but to stop on a major road and basically plead for her to accompany him, well, maybe he really was sorry. Maybe he had a good explanation.
Ignoring the little as if whisper in the back of her mind, she relented. Opening the passenger door, she slid into the air conditioned interior, the leather seats hugging her gently as she settled and clipped on the seatbelt.
Gary smiled approvingly, checking the road before pulling out into the traffic. “I thought we’d go to this little café in Bellaview, have a coffee and a chat.”
“Bellaview is a little out of the way, isn’t it?”
“It’s a lovely café in the vineyards. Very discreet, very elegant.”
Oh yeah, he was all about the elegant. Biting her bottom lip, Charley stole a sideways glance at him. “We could just go to a café in town.”
He didn’t answer.
“I’m still in uniform.”
Now it was his turn to cast her a sideways glance. “No one will see us.”
“And just what is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Look…” Gary took a deep breath, managed a small smile. “Charley, let’s not get angry with each other, see double-meanings where there aren’t any. I just want to have a nice cup of coffee and a chat, all right? Talk out the disagreement the other night, come to an understanding.”
Folding her arms, she subsided back in the seat to stare out the side window as the houses grew more elegant, then further apart as they entered a more rural area.
Maybe he was right, maybe she was seeing hidden meanings where none were intended. At least he’d come to her, apologised, and even more in his favour he wanted to discuss things.
That’s what mature adults did, right? So why did she feel uneasy? A little petulant?
Uh-oh. Petulant. Ahhh. You’re still sulking. Damn, girl, you can hold a grudge. Grow up. Get a set. Wait, I can’t get a set. I don’t own a set and won’t unless I go for plastic surgery which, by the way, is not on the cards. And why am I having this ridiculous conversation with myself?
Mentally berateting herself for being childish, she managed to say pleasantly, “I think this is a good idea, Gary. We need to get our points of view out in the open.”
“We do,” he agreed quietly.
Making an effort, she switched the topic. “I haven’t been to this café before. It’s in the vineyards, you said?”
“Right smack-dab in the middle. Surrounded by vineyards on all sides.” Indicating, he turned off the main road onto a smaller road and the engine powered smoothly as he accelerated to the speed limit.
“You’ve been to it before?” Charley admired the scenery.
“A couple of times. Willard recommended it.”
Of course he did. Admirably, she refrained from repeating her thoughts aloud. “I see.”
“They serve a good wine with dinner, we’ll have to come out sometime,” he continued congenially.
“Maybe,” she said noncommittally, then, before she could continue, something darted across the road.
Horror-struck, she watched an oncoming car hit the animal, saw it disappear beneath the car, shocked when the car kept coming, passing them without stopping.
It took mere seconds.
“Stop!” she cried. “He hit it!”
“What?”
“Stop the car!”
“I don’t-”
They were almost to the scrap lying in the middle of the right lane. “Stop the bloody car!”
“All right, all right!” Gary slammed on the brakes, easing his foot up at the last second to avoid burning rubber.
The car passed the little animal lying so still on the road before coming to a stop. Charley had the seatbelt off and was out the door before he could do more than demand, “What’s the rush? What one earth is the matter? Are you sick?”
“Didn’t you see it get hit?” She hurried back along the road, closing the small distance rapidly.
Now she could see it was a cat. Thin, the tabby and white fur ruffling slightly in the warm breeze. Heart in her throat, she knelt beside it, reaching out to lay her hand under it’s paw to rest against it’s chest, rewarded by the rise and fall of the ribcage.
“Hey, kitty,” she said softly, her hands shaking slightly as she gently stroked the head.
“Charley, what one earth - oh, for God’s sake!” Repulsed, Gary recoiled back a few steps. “Leave it alone. It’s dead.”
“No, it’s still alive.” She slid her hand under the side of cat’s head, alarmed when she felt warm wetness on her skin. “It’s bleeding.”
“Diseased, probably.” He made a disgusted noise. “Come on, Charley, leave it.”
The heat from the bitumen seared the back of her hand. Of course it would be hot, no doubt burning the poor creature lying on the ground. “Have you got a towel or something in the car?” When there was no reply, she looked up to find him glaring down at the cat. “Gary? A towel?”
“No.”
There was no doubting he wasn’t going to help. There was nothing for it but to lift the little cat up without anything to wrap it in. Leaving it on the hot bitumen wasn’t an option.
Carefully sliding her hands beneath the thin body, wincing at the feel of hot road and warm blood, she lifted it up gingerly but securely, careful to support the head on her forearm as she straightened.
“For God’s sake! What are you doing?” Gary demanded.
Ignoring the blood smearing her shirt, she started back towards the car. “We have to get it to a vet.”
“Are you for real?” He strode along beside her. “That thing isn’t getting into my car.”
“Don’t be silly.” Worriedly, she cradled the unconscious cat closer to her. “We can’t leave it-”
“We bloody well can.”
Surely he didn’t mean it - he couldn’t possibly mean it - she made for the passenger door, only to stop, aghast, when he actually shoved ahead of her to block the doorway. “Gary?”
“No.” His lip curled in distaste. “Look at yourself, Charley. You’ve got that thing’s blood on your clothes.”
Wide-eyed, she stared at him. “It’s injured. We can’t just leave it.”
“It’s not getting into my car.”
Was this really happening? She swallowed. “I’ll hold it on my lap.”
“This is a fifty thousand dollar car. That diseased, mangy mongrel isn’t getting into it.”
Protectively, she hunched over the thin body in her arms. “Please, Gary. Every second counts.”
“Are you listening to yourself?” He threw his hands angrily into the air. “It’s going to die anyway. Racing around and spending money on it, spoiling our afternoon, and it’ll all end in it dying anyway.”
Her heart thudded heavily, the heat of the sun prickling her arms even as a cold chill chased through her. “Gary -”
“It’s dying,” he insisted between gritted teeth, revulsion clear on his face. “Put it down.”
“No.” Horrified, worried about the cat, unable to believe that he could actually react so cold-bloodedly, Charley shook her head. “Please, Gary. Please. I’ll be careful, I promise it won’t get blood on anything.”
“No.” Coldly, he raked her face with an unrelenting gaze, his lips tight.
Dimly she registered the sound of an approaching vehicle, but her focus remained on the man before her. “Please.”
“Put that cat down and get in the car,” he ordered. “Now.”
She shook her head again, stepping back, a lump rising in her throat. “It’s only a little cat. It’s defenceless. It’s hurt. Have some mercy, some heart.”
“I won’t tell you again,” he practically snarled. “Get in the car now. Without the cat.”
It hit her hard. The man before her, the man she’d dated over the past weeks, the debonair man who was always so correct, so in control, was cold-bloodedly expecting her to dump a defenceless, hurt animal and just drive away to enjoy a cup of coffee.
She couldn’t do it, wouldn’t do it. But the knowledge that she was going to be left here in the middle of nowhere with a bleeding cat while she waited for a taxi to come and get her, that by the time it came it would be too late, that the taxi might refuse to allow her to bring the cat, had tears filling her eyes. She tried one last time. “Gary, please.”
His eyes remained merciless. “Me or the cat, Charley.”
A tear spilled over to trickle down her cheek, but she raised her chin to meet his gaze determinedly and with no small amount of disgust. “No contest.”
A car door slammed shut but she barely noticed, fear and loathing filling her. Fear for the cat, loathing for the bastard standing before her. Hopelessness at knowing the cat would surely die before she got it back into the city to a vet. “Give me my bag, I’ll phone for help.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” His gaze shifted to the side.
Only then did she register that someone was walking around the back of the car.
“Charley?” The voice was deep, concerned.
Cat cradled against her, blood coating her fingers, she turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered figure approach. She might not be able to make out his features clearly through the haze of tears, but she knew that voice. Relief coursed through her. “Blue.” Oh, thank God.
“What’s going on?” Coming up beside her, his arm brushed against hers as he reached out to touch the cat in her arms. “Oh shit, poor little thing. Did you hit it?”
“No.” Her voice wobbled.
“Is it still alive?”
“Yes.”
“It needs to be kept warm. Here.”
She blinked the tears aside in time to see Blue shrug out of his t-shirt, powerful muscles moving smoothly beneath tanned skin as he bent toward her, his face concerned as he carefully wrapped the shirt around the cat, being so gentle yet efficient as he slid the material between the cat and her hand, allowing Charley to shift her hold so he could secure the shirt around the cat.
Gary made a sound of disgust.
“There’s a vet not far from here,” Blue said.
“It’s not going in my car,” Gary said tightly. “You take it.”
Blue straightened, his gaze narrowing contemptuously on the other man before flicking down to take in Charley’s expression. Gently, he brushed his thumb across her damp cheek. “You all right, Charley?”
“Can I come with you?” She hated her wobbly voice but was so damned relieved to see him.
“Of course-”
“Take the cat,” Gary barked out. “Charley, get in the damned car.”
There was a split second of silence and then Blue seemed to grow. Not visibly, but something around him, something in the way he went so still, his shoulders seeming suddenly bigger, the flex of powerful muscles in his arms, the sudden deadly light in his eyes.
She was afraid he’d leap on Gary, but instead he placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her gently, protectively, into his side as he said with menacing quiet to the other man, “I’ll be seeing you later.”
Gary’s mouth opened but no words came out, his skin going a shade paler, his gaze flickering between them.
Without another word, his big hand coming under hers to help support the cat, Blue led her around the car and across the road to his old battered ute. Silently, he opened the passenger door, helping her slide into the seat, leaning in and over her as he positioned the seat belt, snapping it securely closed around her.
The cat cradled in her arms, the warm brush of Blue’s skin against her, his clean, male scent filling her as he moved over her, Charley fought the insane desire to cry as relief poured through her, the knowledge she was safe, the cat was safe. The certainty that Blue would take care of them both.
Pulling back, Blue caught her gaze and wobbly smile, and with soft expression he gave her forehead a quick, unexpected kiss, a brief, reassuring brush of his lips before straightening and shutting the door. Within seconds he was in the driver’s seat sliding the sunglasses onto his nose, the engine coming to life, and then they were on the road back to the city.
Gently, she stroked the cat’s head with a finger, scared it’d die, worried about the pain it might be in. When the breaths continued to make the little chest rise and fall, she looked out the windshield at the city on the skyline.
“What happened?” Blue asked quietly.
Her finger continued to lightly stroke the cat’s head. “It got hit by a car that didn’t stop.” When he didn’t say anything, she glanced at him. “I couldn’t leave it.”
“No,” he agreed. “I wouldn’t have, either. Every life is worth saving, no matter how big or small.”
Of everything he could have said, it was this that had her relaxing a little. “Thank you.”
“Nothing to thank me for.” His gaze remained focused on the road. “Did anyone tell you about Dog?”
It took her a few seconds to realise. “Luke’s dog? Called Dog?”
“That’s the one. Do you know the story?”
“No.”
“Luke was driving along a road in the middle of nowhere and discovered Dog tied to a guide post on the side of the road. Poor little bugger was just a pup, loaded in fleas and worms and crap.” Blue smiled slightly. “Literally crap. Shit all down Luke’s jeans when he picked him up. But Luke didn’t care. He stripped off and drove back to the city in his jocks, shirt and work boots and I can tell you that was a sight for sore eyes. He rang me to bring him some clothes, and I met him just outside the city with clothes and a box for Dog.”
“He put Dog in the back of the ute?”
“No way. He had the crappy, wormy, flea-ridden, mangy scrap on the floor of the ute. Cost him a fortune at the vets. Luke and Dog have been inseparable since then. My brother loves that mutt, nothing he wouldn’t do for it. Nothing he wouldn’t do for Duchess, either, the cat he and Mikki saw tossed out of a car in a box, even though this wild, scared, tiny thing tore his hands and chest up in a panic. My brother has a way of finding strays.” Blue’s head turned and he smiled at her. Even though she couldn’t see his eyes through the dark lenses of the sunglasses, she felt the warmth of his gaze. “We were brought up to know the worth of living things, be they furry or not. You’re doing the right thing, no matter the outcome.”
“I know. But thanks.” She met his gaze seriously. “For everything.”
“It’s all good, Charley.”
Quiet filled the cabin as the road passed beneath the wheels of the ute, the city grew closer, and the injured cat, securely wrapped in Blue’s shirt, continued to breathe in Charley’s arms even as blood dampened the cloth.