A Baby to Care for (Mills & Boon Medical) (15 page)

‘The situation is—’

‘Different. I know. I know all that but still…’ He trailed off and shook his head. ‘What if I let Iris down? Let them both down? Am I strong enough?’ He looked at his friend again. ‘I told you I was confused.’

Joss nodded. ‘Fair enough. Right then, confused man, we’ll talk more later and see if you’ve come up with any answers. Now, though, I have work to do and so do you. House calls for you this week is a definite. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it—oh, and no rain dances.’ Joss had chuckled at his own joke.

Even now, Dex shook his head and closed his eyes at the memory of the conversation. Joss knew him so well and could read him like a book. Thankfully, the feeling was mutual and when Joss had been in no-man’s land over his feelings for Melissa, Dex had been able to see through all the ruses. Now Joss was a very happy man, about to marry Melissa. It was fantastic to see not only his friend but his sister that happy, and Dex was looking forward to being best man at their wedding.

The only problem was, Iris was maid of honour and the two of them would have to spend most of the day together, grinning and smiling and pretending that nothing had ever happened between them. He’d have to pretend that he wasn’t in love with Iris and make sure that he kept his distance until he absolutely had to be around her. It was paramount for his own self-preservation.

He also had the new experience of his parents and siblings coming to town for the wedding. Whilst things were good between them, it was all still new and Dex was starting to feel as though his world was closing in—on all sides. Without Iris there to support him, he wasn’t sure he was going to cope.

Dex knew all he had to do was to ask her to help him
through and she’d do it. She was that kind of person. So caring. So giving. Even though she tried to be standoffish, he knew the real Iris. He’d seen her at some very raw moments, just as she’d witnessed a few of his. He missed her. Missed talking to her. Missed sparring with her. Missed…her smile.

He heard her laugh, through the walls of the consulting rooms, the tinkling sound making music in his ears. She had the best laugh and it was great to hear her so happy. She deserved all the happiness which came her way. Unfortunately, Dex knew, for sanity’s sake, it couldn’t come from him.

Iris still hadn’t made a decision whether she was planning on stay on in Didja after her six-month contract. If she did, Dex realised he wouldn’t be able to stand being around her day in, day out with no end in sight. At least now he knew, come the middle of the year, she would leave. He only had to hold on until then and once she’d gone, taking Anya with her, his life would slowly be able to return to normal.

Although he knew it wouldn’t. He knew he’d be in love with Iris for ever but hopefully with half a country between them, the feelings would be easier to deal with.

What if she
did
decide to stay in Didja? To stay in the outback and raise her daughter? Surely it would be a better life for Anya as well as Iris with the close community support. There was no way Melbourne could offer that. If she did decide to stay, though, he wouldn’t be able to function. That he knew as a certainty.

It only left him with one option. If Iris stayed, he would have to leave.

*

It had been two and a half weeks since they’d returned from Perth and Melissa and Joss’s wedding was at the end of next week. There was so much to do, especially as she was the maid of honour. As such, it was her responsibility to organise the bachelorette party and Iris had no clue how to do this.

‘What are bachelorette parties like out here in the outback?’ she asked Bub after clinic was finished. Iris had come to collect Anya who had just woken from her afternoon nap.

‘Much the same as the ones in the city,’ Bub answered. ‘You were married once. Didn’t you have a party beforehand?’

Iris thought back. ‘Not really. I guess a few of us girls went out to dinner.’

‘Well…that’s a start.’

‘OK. So dinner, but where?’ Iris smiled down at the little girl who had well and truly taken her heart. Anya, bless her, smiled back and held out her arms, indicating she wanted to be picked up. Iris willingly obliged, snuggling the baby close.

‘How about Stiggie’s?’ Bub suggested.

‘Yes. Good. No! Aren’t the boys going there for Joss’s bachelor party?’

‘They’re going to the pub.’

‘But that’s just around the corner from Stiggie’s. We can’t have Joss and Lis fraternising on the night. Can we?’

Bub merely chuckled. ‘Well, then, darl, I’d say you have your work cut out for you.’

‘Thanks. You’ve been no help at all.’ Iris bent to pick up Anya’s baby bag, which had been a gift from Bub herself. ‘How was Anya today? No problems?’

‘None whatsoever.’ Bub caressed the baby’s downy head. ‘I love having her here. She’s a good girl.’

‘Yes, she is.’ Iris kissed Anya’s head. ‘Addictive, too.’ She transferred Anya to her hip and then picked up her briefcase. ‘Well, we’d best get off. Madam here likes to eat not too soon after she wakes up.’

‘Don’t I know it,’ Bub said. ‘Oh, and you might want to ask Dex what he’s got planned for Joss’s party. That way, the two of you can co-ordinate your schedules.’

At the mention of Dex’s name, Iris tried to ignore the way her mouth went dry and her knees went weak. She needed to
stop doing that, to stop being affected by the mere mention of him. He’d made things pretty clear that now she was a single mother, he had no interest in her at all.

‘Good idea,’ she said, knowing she needed to say something but not wanting to end up playing twenty questions with Bub as to why she probably wasn’t going to take her up on the suggestion. ‘See you tomorrow. Wave byebye, Anya.’ She picked up the little girl’s hand and waved it up and down, Anya giggling at the action.

Iris walked out of the hospital and headed to her apartment. ‘Oh, this commute is just too tough for words,’ she remarked to Anya a moment later as she put her briefcase down to unlock her apartment door.

‘I know what you mean. Some days the thought of walking a whole fifty steps from work to home can really add a lot of stress to your day,’ Dex’s rich, warm voice said from behind her, and she spun around so quickly the baby bag dropped off her shoulder. ‘Let me help you with that.’ Within two steps he was by her side and had lifted the strap off her arm and slung the bag onto his own shoulder.

‘Er…thanks.’ Her eyes devoured him. He looked so good. If she’d thought the mere mention of his name made her mouth go dry and her knees go weak, it was nothing compared to the sensations when he was standing close to her. And that scent of his. It was perfect. Wonderful. Hypnotic.

Anya wriggled on her hip and Iris looked away, belatedly realising she’d been staring at him. ‘I’d best get Missy here something to eat. She gets hungry when she—’

‘Wakes up after her afternoon sleep. I know.’

‘You do?’ Iris’s eyebrows nearly hit her hairline. How on earth did he know that? He’d been treating her as persona non grata and it had hurt. How could he know anything about her orAnya?

Dex shrugged and held open the door to Iris’s apartment, indicating she should go before him. ‘I’ve dropped in a few
times to see her at the hospital.’ More than a few, he amended silently. ‘Usually nearer the end of the day.’ Or at any time he could get. To say that Anya had secured a place in his heart would be an understatement. That little miss had him wrapped right around her little finger and as she smiled her toothy smile at him now, he knew that wasn’t about to change. It was insane to think such a small little thing had so much power. Perhaps it was the fact that she’d been left all alone that he empathised with. Perhaps it was the fact that she wouldn’t be raised by her biological parents. Perhaps it was the fact that spending time with Anya had made him feel closer to Iris.

‘Oh. I didn’t know.’ She picked up her briefcase and walked past him, being careful not to touch him in any way.

‘Is that a problem?’ He followed her in and placed the baby bag on a chair.

‘No. No. Of course not. She seems to have been adopted by the entire town. They all love her.’

‘Here.’ He held out his hands toAnya. ‘Let me hold her while you get some mushy food organised.’ To Iris’s chagrin, Anya leaned towards him, going willingly into his arms. If she knew Dex that well, how much time had he spent with her? Maybe more than he’d confessed. She didn’t blame him. Anya was definitely an adorable baby and so easy to love, yet if he had been spending time visiting her, it only made it even clearer that he wanted nothing much to do with herself. Anya—yes. Iris—no.

Deciding not to think about it whilst he was there, Iris went to work in the kitchen, puréeing pumpkin and mixing in some rice cereal. When she came out, Dex had Anya in her high-chair, making her giggle by playing peek-a-boo. She stood there for a moment, watching the two of them, her heart turning over at seeing just how wonderful he was with the baby. He would make an incredible father.

She cut that thought off. ‘Here we go. Did you want to feed her?’

‘Love to,’ Dex replied, and accepted the bowl of food from Iris.

Feeling a little stunned at his reply, Iris quickly recovered. ‘OK, then. I’ll get her bath ready. Oh, and watch—’ She cut herself off in the middle of the sentence, deciding not to warn Dex about Anya’s latest party trick, which was blowing raspberries with her tongue—usually when she had a full mouthful of food.

‘Watch what?’

Iris turned and waved her words away. ‘Never mind. Won’t be long.’ She ran the bath, laid out clean clothes and nappy and turned down Anya’s crib. Usually, Anya would eat, have a bath, play with her toys, spend some time in the baby entertainer—a gift from the Etherington family—and then be ready for her night-time bottle. By eight-thirty the baby was usually in bed and thankfully slept all the way through until five o’clock in the morning.

‘Hey!’ She heard Dex call, and then, ‘Anya!’ His warm laughter filled the air. ‘You little minx.’

Iris wetted a facecloth and headed out. ‘Hey, Iris. Do you have a—’ He stopped when she handed him the wet towel. ‘Ah…how did you know?’

Iris shrugged.

‘You could have warned me,’ he said through a broad grin.

‘And where would the fun have been in that? Is she all done?’

‘Gobbled the lot up.’

‘Good girl.’ Iris took her from the high-chair and carried her through to the change table. She’d half expected Dex to leave at any moment but he stayed right through Anya’s bath. Whilst Iris dressed the baby again and then put her down on the play mat, Dex went off to the kitchen to make them both a cup of tea.

Iris felt jittery having him here in her apartment, which was silly in a way because it wasn’t the first time he’d been in here.
It was, however, the first time he’d been this close to her since they’d got back from Perth, and now that she’d accepted her true feelings for him, it was definitely more difficult to ignore the way his closeness made her feel.

‘Here you go,’ he said, coming back into the room and handing her a cup of tea. ‘Time to sit and relax for a few minutes.’

‘Thanks.’ Iris made sure she was sitting in the armchair and not on the sofa. Being too close to Dex would be a recipe for disaster. Even sitting in the same room with him was causing her heart rate to increase and her body to turn to a boneless mass of tingles. How could he have such an effect on her?

‘I was wondering if we could chat about the pre-wedding parties we’re supposed to be organising for the bride and groom,’ he said.

‘Oh, yes. Good idea.’ At least now she didn’t have to seek him out to do it. ‘What do you have planned for Joss? I think it might be best if we don’t overlap…unless overlapping parties are what happens on a regular basis in Didja.’ She shrugged her shoulders. ‘I really don’t have a clue.’

Dex grinned, his fantastic grin, and Iris was glad she was sitting down. ‘Haven’t had much cause to plan bachelorette parties before?’

‘Not really.’ She smiled, unable to resist his charm. ‘I guess I don’t want to offend anyone by not inviting them.’

‘Oh, that part is easily taken care of.’

‘Really? How?’

‘Put an add in the
Didja Gazette.
’

‘What?’

‘Yep. That’s what I’m doing with Joss. Inviting everyone!’

‘But if you invite every male and I invite every female, then it’s going to be a certainty that we’ll all end up at the same place.’

Dex nodded. ‘The Didja pub. The centre of town. The hub of all hubs.’

Iris sighed, then slowly shook her head. ‘I have no idea
what I’m doing. Their wedding is at the end of next week. The parties are supposed to be this coming weekend.’ The pressure of everything was starting to get to her and she was having a difficult time stopping it all from overflowing. ‘Between organising this party, dress fittings, patients, house calls, Anya, dealing with my grief, wedding rehearsals, you…’ Her voice broke and she sucked in a breath. ‘I feel as though I’m falling apart at the seams. Life never used to be this difficult. I was in control. I had it all worked out and now…’

Dex watched as she tried to hold back the tears, his heart aching for the woman before him. She really had been through the wringer lately but he’d had no idea just how badly it had all been affecting her. ‘I thought you were coping. I mean, you looked to be coping with everything like some sort of super-mum.’

‘Well, I’m not.’ Iris stood and carried her cup into the kitchen, tossing the tea down the sink. She couldn’t believe she was falling apart in front of Dex
again
! What was it about the man that made her spill everything out?

‘Iris?’

She hadn’t heard him move and gripped the edge of the bench, not wanting to turn and look at him. Those gorgeous eyes of his, the way his hair would fall at messy angles, which only enhanced his good looks, those strong supportive arms…No. She wasn’t strong enough to resist him at the moment and she didn’t want to be one of those women who threw themselves at men who didn’t want them.

‘I’m sorry if I upset you.’

‘I think it’s best if you just go, Dex.’

‘I don’t. Let me help, Iris. Let me into that world of yours where you don’t let anyone.’