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Savannah nodded and tried to look nonchalant. ‘If you’re not in a hurry, I could come down and see the pigs with you now. What time do they normally eat?’ She put Benson down and descended the stairs to the boot rack.
Theo looked at Benson cringing and quivering on the verandah. He shook his head in disgust. Savannah thought she heard him say ‘Dishmop’ but couldn’t be sure.
He looked at his watch. ‘I’ve been coming around about five in the afternoon and eight in the morning, but they’re pretty flexible. If you leave them too long, they’ll let you know.’
Savannah tapped the wellingtons upside down on the ground and slipped one foot into her uncle’s gumboots.
Theo was much taller than she was and she could feel him looking down at her.
His voice was serious. ‘I had a green tree snake in one boot and a red-back spider in the other one yesterday.’
Savannah’s foot hovered over the second boot. Had she checked it well enough?
She heard him snort and glared up at him. ‘Very funny.’
His face was deadpan. ‘So you reckon you can run this farm on your own?’
That snapped her head up. ‘Why? Do you think I can’t?’
He stared at her for a moment as if she’d really offended him, his eyes narrowed. Then he shook his head once. ‘Lady, luckily, it’s not my problem.’ He turned and started to walk down the driveway to the sheds.
Macho moron. Savannah glared at the muscles of his back moulded against his shirt and clumped behind him in her uncle’s big boots. She’d have to get herself a pair she didn’t swim around in. She awkwardly skipped a couple of steps to make up some ground. Where had he learnt his social graces? The guy was a pain.
She almost laughed out loud when she remembered the rooster and what could happen to ‘pains’ around here. Theo probably wouldn’t notice if she hit him on the head with a hammer.
She caught up with him as they crossed the dirt road and entered the bottom paddock together. Savannah tried not to get her boots stuck between the rails of the cattle grid as she crossed, but it felt like there was a magnet drawing her into the broken spaces. The sheds were old but, thank goodness, made of thick hardwood planks that looked as if they’d still be standing if she had grandchildren one day.
It hit her then that she was the sole person responsible for a two-hundred-acre farm, a two-bedroom farmhouse and this menagerie of animals. She swallowed but Theo was getting away while she thought about it and she had to skip a couple more steps.
The pigs heard their approach and started to squeal and shriek in excitement. The thick smell of happy pigs cloyed the air but Savannah didn’t mind it.
It made her think of an uncle who’d paid her fifty cents per sty to hose them out, and had then taken her to the local show to spend the money. She could almost feel the tickle and taste of the fairyfloss they’d bought.
She followed Theo into the old office and stopped in front of the whiteboard nailed to the wall. Each pig’s name had a number next to it for the amount of pails of food it needed.
‘Bruce is the boar, I gather?’ She looked sideways at Theo. ‘So how come he gets three pails and Rosa only gets one and a half?’
‘Bruce has six women vying for his attention. He has to keep up his strength, poor guy. I couldn’t think of anything worse.’
‘Ah. A woman-hater. Personally, I feel sorry for Rosa and the other girls. He probably doesn’t shave.’
Why had she said that? She felt the rush of heat up her face but he didn’t even look at her.
‘They’re happy enough if you meet their material needs.’
I’ll bet there’s a story in that, she thought, but prudently restrained herself.
Theo had started instructing. ‘The pig pellets are in this drum. Make sure you put the brick back on top of the lid or the rats get trapped in there and jump out at you when you open it next.’
Savannah winced. That was one task she wouldn’t forget to do.
‘The pig’s water is piped to those drinking nipples at the side of each pen. You check the nipple as you feed to see if they’re working. The water is pumped from the river so you won’t run out.’
He looked at her from under his frown. ‘I hosed the concrete pens out early this morning but you need to do them at least every two days.’
‘My uncle usually did them daily and I’ll do the same.’
He grunted, looked at her as if to say ‘yeah, sure’, but didn’t comment. They walked the length of the big shed, doling out pails of feed from the bucket he’d filled and checking the water nipples. He stopped beside the last pen. ‘Louise’s litter is due in the next week. She should be fine.’
Savannah had had just about enough of his condescending looks. ‘I have my midwifery certificate, so I’m sure we’ll manage.’
His face twitched, then he smiled, and then he chuckled. It was deep and rumbly and infectious.
Savannah couldn’t help her own smile as she watched him in surprise. He threw back his head and she stared at the strong column of his throat as he laughed.
He wiped his eyes and dragged himself under control. And looked almost as surprised at himself as she was. ‘I’m sorry, it’s the thought of you telling the sow to breathe while you catch the piglets.’ His expression straightened. ‘I’d love to be a fly on the wall.’
His cheekbones were high and his lips were more sexy than sculpted. She wondered what those bristles would feel like against her face.
This was getting crazy. ‘Well, there seem to be a few flies already on the wall here, and I think that’s everybody fed. I need to meet the chickens.’
You coward, Savannah, she chided herself, but it was good to feel the breeze on her hot cheeks once they were outside the shed—and not just because of the smell.
They collected the eggs and he showed her the feed tin and how much to give. None of the cows were being milked so that was one chore she didn’t have to worry about.
She supposed it would be polite to offer him a drink for his help. But was it safe? She decided to take the risk. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’
‘No, thanks. I’ll be going if you haven’t any more questions.’ He tipped his hat and presented her with his gorgeous back and taut backside as he walked away. Watching him, it made her want to sign up at a gym, although at least living this far out of town she was safe from that. She had a mental picture of herself working out in gumboots and smiled.
Theo certainly wasn’t a talkative blighter and was obviously not going to be an intrusive neighbour. The strange thing was her own disappointment because he didn’t want to stay.
Savannah clumped back up the driveway to the house. She decided against more unpacking and went to shower in the soft rainwater from the tank.
When she was finished, she stood in the steamy bathroom and her towel stilled as she remembered the impact Theo had made on her as he’d laughed in the shed. And even before that. She had to admit she couldn’t remember a more arresting man.
Unfortunately he made her think of barns and hay and dappled sunlight and naked skin on naked skin. It was as if Theo had found and activated her erotic thought button—which was funny because Greg hadn’t discovered it in the two years she’d lived with him.
She jammed the towel through the rail and shivered despite the sudden flush of heat that had invaded her body. Deal with it. She didn’t need to complicate her life with a man. Especially a sinfully physical one with attitude.
This was her chance to be herself. Not trying to be the person someone else thought she was. Not expecting anything from anyone. First her mother and then her ex-fiancé Greg had hurt her—letting her assume his wife was completely out of the picture. From now on she would rely only on herself. She could do this. She could run this farm, start work next week at the small local hospital and live a full life. Be happy as she hadn’t been since the times she’d spent here.
As she glanced around the spartan room the memories crowded her mind. Memories of days filled with laughter, her uncle’s booming voice and, way back in the past, her aunt’s quieter tones that had conveyed so much warmth. Savannah was the child they’d never had and they had been the parents she’d wished had been hers.
Even after her aunt had died, her uncle had still encouraged her to come. He’d called it her crazy place where she could be the child she couldn’t be when she lived at home with her widowed mother. A place to do silly things, like trying to ride a calf, climb trees or cuddle a piglet.
She remembered catching baby turtles in the creek with Dory, the older boy down the road. He’d seemed like a god to her with his long dark hair and broad shoulders. He’d left her tongue-tied one minute and feeling woman-wiser than him the next.
When she was fourteen, it was here she’d received her first kiss and fallen in love with the first boy who hadn’t loved her back. She could still remember the devastation. Her loyal uncle had dried her tears and had vowed Dory had no taste.
The sadness welled up for a moment at her uncle’s passing, and she felt herself stiffen to hold it in. Then she loosened her shoulders. She was home, after all. She could cry if she wanted to.
Savannah wiped the moisture from her eyes and sniffed. Her uncle had always been so proud of her. If only he’d told her he was sick, she would have come to help him even if Greg had objected. But it was too late now.
She crossed the bathroom, and opened the window to let in the fresh air. She was not going to think about Greg. From now on she was her own woman and this was a new life. She couldn’t wait to start work next week!
* * *
‘And this is our resident doctor, Dr McWilliam, whom we mentioned at the interview.’
The stillness in Savannah’s face wasn’t because the old-fashioned waiting room in Bendbrook Hospital was empty and she was used to being in charge of a busy emergency department in one of Sydney’s largest hospitals. It wasn’t even the waves of hostility she felt emanating from Julia West, the now second-in-charge nurse showing her the ward. It was the blow to her solar plexus delivered by a pair of beautiful blue eyes creased at the corners and the broad shoulders of a man she’d already met.
‘So our new leader arrives. Hello, Savannah.’ There was no warmth in Theo’s voice.
Savannah worked frantically to correct the tilt in her world’s axis. McWilliam. So Theo would be Theodore. Dory. Dory McWilliam. My God!
She’d thought he would have moved or married or something. She hadn’t even recognised him. He seemed different to the man she’d met last week but if she looked hard she could see traces of the boy beneath the man. He’d been an arrogant teenager then—but she’d still fallen for him—and it didn’t look like he’d changed.
He was neat and tidy, his face was shaved—it had been a crime to hide that jaw—and his thick brown hair was now cut close to his head. He still looked incredibly sexy and she felt his impact right down to her toes. Dory McWilliam.
A metamorphosis from the boy she remembered, and she wondered what sort of a doctor he was. She’d bet he kissed differently now!
Now, that was unprofessional. Stop it!
She ignored the warmth of her cheeks, held out her hand and then instantly regretted it. Her fingers were taken, squeezed and probably left incapable of feeling anything but his touch for the next hour—and this was only the first time she’d actually touched him in fifteen years. Yep. She was in trouble!
Luckily she had her voice under control. ‘So you’re Dr McWilliam. I think I met a relative of yours a few days ago.’
‘That would be the one on holidays.’ He nodded.
‘Hmm. It’s pleasant to meet you, too.’ Actually, she was thinking, thanks for ruining my life. She’d moved from Sydney to break her chronic habit of falling for the wrong man but it seemed she’d turned full circle. Well, this could be her third chance—she’d work on a cure this time.
She forced herself to move away from him and get on with her day. It seemed a positive diversional tactic. ‘Thank you for introducing me to everyone, Julia. We should have a good morning.’
‘If you say so.’ Julia West was tall, willowy, dressed in the plain blue sister’s uniform and clearly unamused at being passed over for the top job.
Savannah gave her a sunny smile. ‘We’ll certainly work on it.’ She slid her bag into the spare cupboard under the desk and slipped the key into her pocket. At least she’d had some orientation and knew where most things were and went. It didn’t look like sweet Julia was going to be particularly helpful today. But as long as it didn’t affect the quality of care for their patients, she was entitled to it.
The sound of the first ambulance of the day drew her attention and both women walked to the emergency entrance to greet it.
Theo drained his coffee-cup, threw his stethoscope around his neck and stood up to stretch. With less than two hours of the sixteen-hour night shift to work, he was feeling remarkably awake.
In fact, he was feeling more awake than he’d felt for the last two years since he’d moved back here. Of course, he’d just had a month’s break from work, and despite the frustration and disappointment with Sam’s cancelled visit, there was novelty in change.
He grunted. Change was usually a stimulant—it had nothing to do with his new neighbour who was poured so deliciously into her floral administration uniform.
His thoughts had persistently wandered to Savannah over the weekend but he’d resisted the urge to check on her.
He’d even convinced himself she’d probably have a few disasters, although hopefully all the animals would survive. Then she’d give up and shift back to the city she’d come from. And he could ignore the shock of attraction he’d tried to forget when he’d seen her for the first time in fifteen years.
She’d come for holidays when she’d been younger, like a black-haired Madonna with her serious face. Those dark violet eyes of hers had seemed to see right through him.
Her hair had been long then, but he liked the way it curled around her face and bounced out now, like those Patty Duke movies his mother had loved to watch.
She’d certainly grown up. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just her luscious little body that grabbed his attention. There were memories, too.
Theo remembered the direct look she’d given him the first time he’d kissed her all those years ago. As if to say, So that’s what it’s all about.
When he’d found out the name of the new charge sister for the emergency department, he’d flinched and realised there were two places he had to avoid Savannah now. He’d completely forgotten that Andy had spoken of his niece being a nurse.
Of all the bad luck.
CHAPTER TWO
THEO needed to stay focused on his own agenda. Savannah Laine could not be allowed to affect his life.
Julia was on her way back to the office and he raised his eyebrows.
‘Ready for me yet?’
‘Yes.’ She slid open the filing-cabinet drawer and withdrew some patient notes. ‘You remember Mrs Reddy?’
‘Elsie with emphysema.’ He held his hand out for the old medical records.
‘That’s right. She was too breathless to stay home. Savannah...’ she rolled her eyes ‘...is settling her in.’
‘I’ll be there in a minute. I’ll have a quick look at her usual medications first.’
‘My, you’re eager for work this morning. How strange,’ she said over her shoulder as she walked away. ‘I’ll go and put the coffee-jug on as no one needs me.’
What was wrong with Julia? She wasn’t usually this moody. Theo frowned at her back and flicked through the patient’s notes.
Elsie Reddy. Last admission a month ago, also for breathlessness.
She’d been given home oxygen, a Ventolin nebuliser, fluid tablets, potassium supplement to replace what the fluid tablet took out, digoxin for heart rhythm, quinine for leg cramps—all the usuals.
He particularly remembered that she had bad veins for getting blood. But it was time for a look. He walked onto the ward.
‘Good morning, Mrs Reddy. I’m Dr McWilliam.’
‘I know.’ Elsie Reddy’s face was pale except for two spots of unhealthy colour in her cheeks, but the soft wheezing voice still held a smile. ‘Big virile man like an out-of-work stuntman.’ She took a breath. ‘Got yourself a woman yet?’ She laboured to catch her breath again.
Theo looked at Savannah who was standing by the old lady’s bed, and glared at the suppressed amusement he saw in her face. He looked back at the older woman. ‘How about you try to not talk and I’ll have a listen to your chest?’
‘When I’m not talking I’ll be dead,’ she said, but sank wearily back against the high pillows and closed her eyes.
Savannah smiled at the old lady’s dry comment. ‘Mrs Reddy’s temperature isn’t elevated but it’s pretty cold outside this morning. Her respirations are thirty-two and blood pressure’s up.’
‘You think she’s got an infection?’ He raised his head and looked at Savannah. When she nodded her hair bounced. He frowned and concentrated. ‘I’ll put a line in, get some blood gas analysis from Pathology and we’ll start some Ventolin via nebuliser and maybe antibiotics later.’
