Dr Zinetti's Snowkissed Bride

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‘The soup was delicious. She obviously knows what hungry climbers need when they come home.’

She relaxed slightly. ‘She ought to. Both my dad and my grandfather were in the mountain rescue team.’

He already knew that from the other guys, but he didn’t say so. Instead he felt a buzz of triumph that reserved, buttoned-up Meg Miller had finally revealed something personal about herself. ‘So it’s in the family.’ Dino moved to one side as the chief pharmacist hurried past. ‘Same with me. My dad used to be a mountain guide. He took people up the Matterhorn.’ Give something back. Conversation. To and fro. Try and get her to relax.

Her brow furrowed. ‘The Matterhorn is in Switzerland.’

‘Part of it is in Switzerland. The best part is in Italy. You’re lucky you have your mum to help you. Jamie’s lucky to have such close family.’ He hesitated, wondering how far he dared push it. ‘Does he ever see his father? Are you still in touch?’

He watched, cursing himself as her expression changed and her body tensed.

‘No. All he has is me. So he’s not that lucky, is he? And I really don’t understand why everyone is taking this sudden interest in my love life.’ Her voice rose and he saw the sudden flare of anguish in her eyes, which was rapidly replaced by horror that she’d revealed so much. Within seconds it was masked and she was businesslike. ‘I really have to go.’ Dodging him, she hurried along the corridor towards the emergency department, leaving Dino standing in silence, regretting bringing up the subject of Jamie’s father.

He’d touched a nerve.

And he still hadn’t asked her what he wanted to ask her. He’d had the tickets in his office for six months and he’d known instantly who he wanted to take. And he’d been waiting for the right moment to invite her.

A wry smile touched his mouth and the smile was at his own expense because this was the first time in his life he’d ever had to ask a woman a question and not been sure of the answer.

Determined to catch up with her and finish the conversation, he strode into the department and was immediately met by Ellie, one of the sisters in charge of the emergency unit.

‘Oh, thank goodness!’ She grabbed his arm and pushed a set of notes into his hand. ‘Three-month-old baby with severe breathing difficulties—I’ve taken her into Paediatric Resus. Mum’s demented with worry. Meg’s already there because you know how good she is with babies and worried mothers.’

So there would be no chance to finish their conversation for the next hour or so, Dino thought grimly as he strode towards Resus. But later…

He pushed open the door and immediately picked up the tension in the atmosphere. Meg had already attached the baby to a cardiac monitor and a pulse oximeter and was giving oxygen. Despite the obvious crisis, her voice was gentle and soothing as she talked to the mother, explaining what she was doing. For a fraction of a second Dino watched her, transfixed by the change in her. There was no sign of the prickly, defensive exterior she showed to the world. With the baby and the mother, she was gentle and warm. Infinitely reassuring. If he’d been brought in to the department injured, he would have wanted Meg by his side. Once again he remembered how good she’d been with Harry. It was as if she lowered her guard around people who were vulnerable while the rest of the time she hid behind layers of thick armour plating.

‘It happened to me,’ she was saying. ‘My Jamie was exactly three months old, just like Abby here. The oxygen levels in Abby’s blood aren’t quite as high as we’d like and she’s really having problems with her breathing, poor thing, that’s why I’m giving her some oxygen right now.’

‘Did your son recover?’ The mother’s voice wavered and Meg reached across and gave her shoulder a squeeze.

‘Celebrated his seventh birthday last week. Cheeky as ever. Addicted to superheroes. Batman, Superman, Spiderman—you name it. He saves the world at least a hundred times a day. Ah—here’s Dr Zinetti right now.’

Dino strode into the room, noticing that Meg’s anxiety and stiffness appeared to have vanished. She even looked pleased to see him.

Whatever else she might think of him, at work they were a good team.

‘Dino, she’s had a cold and runny nose for twenty-four hours and it’s been getting steadily worse. She hasn’t fed at all today, she has nasal discharge and a wheezy cough. Sats are ninety-four per cent so I’ve started her on oxygen because I can see she’s struggling.’

‘I can’t believe how quickly she’s got worse.’ Abby’s mother looked terrified, her face almost grey from lack of sleep and worry. ‘Is she going to be all right?’