The Night They Never Forgot
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Scarlet Wilson
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CHAPTER ONE
CAITLIN MCKENZIE’S HEART skipped more than a few beats as she ran up the last couple of stairs and threw open the doors to the helipad on the roof of St Aelina’s. Against a too-dark night sky the glittering lights of Barcelona twinkled around her. The wind caught her hair instantly, her ponytail flapping around and several strands escaping against the warm breeze of the May night.
Usually, she loved this view. Few people knew that this was her escape. When things got too much in Theatre, when the stresses and strains of the job threatened to crack her strong veneer, Caitlin always escaped to the roof of the Santa Aelina University Hospital in Barcelona. From here she could gaze over the city, marvel at the outline of the Sagrada Família, raise her eyes towards Montjuïc Castle or turn and look out across the ocean and sometimes dream of back home in Scotland, where, doubtless, the temperature would be much colder.
No one would really believe her, but the similarities between Glasgow and Barcelona were not lost on her. Both were vibrant cities, full of colourful characters, multinational residents, fabulous restaurants and bars and a complete zest for life that she found hard to capture with words.
Barcelona had welcomed this Scottish girl like a warm hug and she’d be grateful for ever. It had taken her a few years to find her feet. She’d mastered the language, and her specialist role within the hospital as a cardiothoracic surgeon meant she could take referrals from all across Spain.
Just like this one.
She licked her dry lips and clenched her hands into fists as she watched the flashing lights of the approaching helicopter.
She couldn’t believe she was about to set eyes on a link to Javier Torres again. It had been twelve long years. Her skin prickled, and it wasn’t the stiff breeze from the incoming helicopter.
It was the memory of waking up next to those dark brown eyes and that warm-skinned too-handsome-for-words guy. Her stomach plummeted. They’d been rivals all through their time together at medical school in London, constantly pushing each other in the pursuit of one triumphing over the other. It had been relentless but strangely helpful. Caitlin had never stopped working hard. The thought of someone nipping at her heels for the best placements, the best opportunities had kept her at the top of her game. She’d spent her life at home keeping her head down and staying out of the firing line of her argumentative parents, who’d barely noticed she was there and never encouraged her. Attracting the attention of the good-looking, articulate Spanish young man had seemed odd to Caitlin. But he’d been straight with her right from the start. ‘I’m keeping my eye on you. Apart from me, you’re the brightest in the class. I need to make sure you stay beside me and not ahead of me,’ he’d teased within a few days of meeting, and then for the next six years.
It was safe to say that at times Javier Torres had driven her completely crazy, challenging her, questioning her, teasing her and occasionally fighting with her. They’d even had a few stand-up rows, much to the amusement of the rest of their class. But he’d always respected her, and she him. At every exam time she’d checked her own marks first, then Javier’s second. He was the only person who’d rivalled her.
The night they’d spent together when they’d graduated had been the result of years of pent-up attraction, relief, exhilaration and exhaustion, coupled with a few bottles of expensive champagne. It was a night that she would never, ever forget—the look in his eyes, the feel of his skin next to hers, the lack of inhibitions and the overwhelming sensations of finally connecting with her perfect rival. But as the sun emerged after hours of connection the glow she’d felt earlier had seemed to vanish. The confused emotions and awkwardness of the next morning had sat like a cold, heavy lump in her chest ever since. And if Caitlin could go back and do that morning over, she would. It might not change the eventual outcome of hurried goodbyes and the immediate loss of their momentary closeness, but at least she would have tried.
And at least then she might not still be nursing a broken heart.
How dramatic.
She shook her head at herself as the helicopter moved in to land. This wasn’t about her. This wasn’t about him. This was about the fact that the patient she’d agreed to see, assess and potentially operate on was Javier’s sister, Natalia.
The request hadn’t come from Javier. It had come from the Condesa de Maravilla, Javier and Natalia’s mother. That might have stung a little—that Javier hadn’t asked himself—but Caitlin didn’t know how much Javier was involved in his sister’s care.
There was an obvious conflict of interest. As a fellow cardiothoracic surgeon, Javier couldn’t possibly operate on, or treat, his own sister. Part of her wondered if he’d recommended her to his mother...but that might be pushing things too far.
She’d always known that coming to live and work in his homeland, and both working in the same specialty field, it was likely their paths would cross at some point.
They’d had mutual patients. Their personal assistants often referred patients between them, on their behalf. But Spain was central to most of Europe so referrals also came from other sources. Caitlin’s reputation for excellence, alongside a newly developed procedure within valve surgery, had meant that her surgical skills were greatly admired.
She was proud of herself. Growing up in a small flat in Glasgow, with a mum and dad who’d dropped in and out of her life, meant that Caitlin had worked hard, securing a scholarship to land her place at medical school at London. Most of her school friends had been surprised at her choice. University fees were paid in Scotland. She had easily achieved the grades to meet the requirements for any of the Scottish medical schools. But, instead, she’d chosen to study in England, where fees were higher and not completely covered for those from Scotland. But Caitlin had been determined. The medical school in London was linked with a prestigious hospital where cardiothoracic surgery excelled. She’d known from an early age where she wanted her career to go, and training in that medical school meant that Caitlin had met all the right people, learned from the best and made many contacts that would help her excel in her career.
She’d had to sign a contract to say she wouldn’t take a part-time job during her studies. The university wanted their students to spend all their time studying. But her scholarship had only covered her fees, books and boarding. Caitlin had still needed to eat. So, when Javier had come into the bookshop and discovered her secret Caitlin had been distraught. Her biggest rival now had a chance to get her expelled from school.
She’d been worried sick as he’d pasted a smile on his face and walked across the bookstore towards her. ‘Looks like you’re working?’ he’d said.
It was his casual stance. Those dark, knowing eyes. The teasing glare.
‘I have to eat,’ was all she could say as she’d grabbed the biggest stack of books she could and walked in the other direction.
He’d followed her around the quiet shop as she’d slotted them onto the shelves. ‘Is this where you’ve been going after class? I thought you were taking extra lessons—or studying.’
‘I study in the early hours of the morning,’ she’d snapped. ‘There’s not enough hours in the day to do everything I need to.’ She narrowed her gaze and stared hard at him. ‘Not all of us are dripping with gold.’
Javier had looked momentarily stunned. Then he’d leaned back and looked at her again.
‘Are you going to report me?’ she’d snapped.
His answer was instantaneous. ‘Why would I do that?’ Before she had a chance to say anything, he’d continued in an almost offhand way, ‘If I get you kicked out, how will I prove that I’m the better surgeon?’ He’d raised his eyebrows and turned and walked out of the door, while her stomach turned over and over.
And that was it. Javier had been as good as his word. He’d told no one about Caitlin’s job, and even made a few excuses for her when she’d missed non-compulsory labs due to shifts. And his assistance meant that Caitlin was able to study and work in order to keep her place at the medical school of her dreams.
She would always feel as if she owed him for that. And that made it rankle even more.
Her hair was tossing in the wind like crazy; with each auburn strand she pulled away from her vision, another one instantly replaced it. Her ponytail band was no match for the fierce force from the helicopter rotor blades as the vehicle glided to a halt on the landing pad.
A few particles of dust hit her eyes and she averted her head as she rubbed them, still taking steps towards the body of the helicopter. The irony was she could do this with her eyes closed. She’d met many choppers, in countless emergency situations, and the only difference this evening was the patient.
A warm hand landed on her shoulder. ‘Okay, doc?’
Marco, one of the cardiac technicians, was beside her. She nodded and blinked a few times, until the particles of dust finally freed themselves from her eyes. Her actions were automatic now and she reached the door of the helicopter in seconds, her arm thrusting the sliding door back with force.
A female voice started speaking instantly. It was the doctor doing the transfer—a serious-looking woman in her mid-forties, with her hair pulled back in a slick bun. This woman was used to helicopter travel. She kept talking, relaying medical details while pushing the end of the mobile stretcher towards Caitlin. The legs with wheels automatically extended to the ground as she pulled the stretcher closer, her on one side and Marco on the other. Another member of Caitlin’s team appeared from the side, grabbing the portable monitor and oxygen cylinder attached to the patient and clipping them into place on the stretcher. The doctor kept talking, giving all transfer information for her patient, reporting heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation and the results of her latest X-ray.
Amongst the noise, the wind and the dark, Caitlin’s focus was unwavering, her eyes fixed on her patient—Natalia Torres. Her long dark hair, usually lustrous, was limp and damp and her Spanish skin was paler than usual. But her dark eyes were bright and interested and her hand clasped Caitlin’s instantly. ‘Hola, mi amiga,’ she said, a smile painted on her face.
Caitlin bent down and kissed Natalia’s cheek, returning her greeting in Spanish. She’d known Natalia ever since she’d met Javier eighteen years earlier. She’d even spent a few holidays at the grand ancestral family estate in Spain and got to know Javier’s sister a little better. They’d remained in touch, meeting for lunch or dinner a few times a year, if both were available to catch up. Their friendship had vexed Javier, Natalia respecting the woman who challenged her brother and Javier sighing that ‘now he had to deal with his sister being best friends with his rival’. But the subject of Javier rarely came up between the two women. It was clear that Natalia realised something had once happened between them, but she was too classy to ask questions and for that Caitlin had always been grateful.
The doctor jumped down from the helicopter and Caitlin started to walk alongside the stretcher, just like she always did, to get her patient down to the fourth-floor cardiology unit as soon as possible, but something stopped her.
She couldn’t even say what it was. It was like a charge. A lightning bolt in the sky that only she could see.
The helicopter blades had slowed but hadn’t quite stopped yet. But she could sense someone else on the roof with her.
She was conscious of her thin, pale pink scrubs, hugging every curve of her body, and the continual unruly behaviour of her untamed hair. As she turned around, she tugged her ponytail band from her hair, and froze.
The black and gold scrunchie dropped from her hand.
Javier. Javier had emerged from the pilot’s seat of the helicopter. Javier was the pilot? She hadn’t even looked at the person in the pilot’s seat—the dust had distracted her and she’d never for a second imagined it might be someone that she knew.
She couldn’t move. His brown eyes were locked onto hers. So much recognition, so much depth—so much more. She drank in everything about him in an instant. White shirt, dark trousers, short dark jacket. For all intents and purposes, it could have looked like a regular pilot’s uniform. But nothing about Javier Torres was regular. Not the way his broad shoulders filled out the jacket, nor the way the white shirt revealed the planes of his chest or how the dark trousers rippled against his muscular thighs in the wind.
At university they’d both been runners, pounding the paths and tracks at ridiculous times of the day and night—conscious of the fact a healthy body and mind contributed to cardiovascular health. It was clear that Javier, like her, was still a runner.
All of this taken in, in a blink of an eye.
And whilst Caitlin took in all of Javier’s familiar form, her eyes were fixed on his face. She could see something else in his dark eyes—worry. Of course, he was here with his sister. Natalia’s surgery would be complicated and had to be carefully planned. Caitlin had scheduled a full two weeks of preparation time to allow her to assess Natalia fully, and be sure about how to proceed. As a fellow surgeon he understood the risks in a way that most people didn’t.
She should feel embarrassed. Last time she’d seen Javier he’d been naked, and so had she. In her head she’d always imagined she’d meet him again one day, probably at a conference with their cardiac contemporaries. In those daydreams of course she’d be in a sharp suit, with razor heels, perfect make-up and her auburn hair straightened and tamed. In every way she’d hoped she would look perfect—perfect enough that Javier might have paused to wonder what might have happened between them. She would have oozed confidence and sophistication. She would be polished and presenting at the conference, with everyone in awe at her expertise. Yes, those dreamlike imaginations generally occurred late at night, after a glass of wine, while she was curled up in her pyjamas. But a girl could dream—couldn’t she?
Javier blinked. That single tiny action brought her back to the real world. One of the edges of his lips was turned upwards. Was he amused that she’d been frozen in space and time, staring at him with the whole of her life and regrets likely on display across her face?
A swift blast of cold air made her body react. She ran to catch up with the stretcher, catching more of the report from the staff doing the transfer.
Her brain was full. She needed to concentrate on her patient, not the man on the roof. It was ridiculous. Of course he would want to monitor his sister’s condition.
But the shock of seeing him again meant her body was reacting in a way she hadn’t expected. Her skin was tingling. Her whole skin. As if an army of centipedes were marching in formation over every single cell. It was affecting her focus and concentration, sparking off a million memories she normally kept locked tight inside.
One of his fingers tracing down the length of her spine as they’d lain tangled together. His mouth nuzzling at the base of her neck. The brush of his jaw with his overnight growth scratching the skin on her cheek. All things that had been imprinted in her brain for the last twelve years and refused to move.
Part of her brain still couldn’t really understand how it had all happened. Their fellow students had always called them the ‘frenemies’. And they’d been right. She’d just never imagined that so much had bubbled beneath the surface between them, just waiting to erupt. And when it had...
It wasn’t that she’d lived the life of a nun after her night with Javier. She’d dated, had a few short-term relationships, then a longer-term disaster. Trouble was, in the back of her mind, none of them had ever lived up to what she’d experienced and shared with Javier.
Sometimes she wondered if she’d romanticised that night. Remembered too much with affection that hadn’t actually been there. But she hadn’t mistaken the awkwardness between the two of them the next morning. That horrible feeling was also imprinted on her brain, in a way she’d always wanted to erase.
She’d instantly been defensive. Desperate to not lose face in front of her rival. She’d said the first words she’d thought of, turning their night of passion into something so much less. ‘Well, at least we got that out of our system,’ she’d tried to joke. ‘Now we can go back to doing what we do best—fighting for the best roles and opportunities.’
His face had been unreadable. But he’d murmured something in agreement and she’d pretended that her heart hadn’t plummeted straight down to her very bare feet as she’d scrabbled to find her clothes. That moment had stayed with her for far too long.
The way the edges of his lips had just turned up flashed back into her mind. Why was Javier here? To toy with her? They’d had virtually no contact for twelve years. That didn’t make sense. Or maybe, like herself, he’d just had a flashback to that night.
That would give her a bit more comfort. To know that the night she’d never forgotten was imprinted in his brain, just as much as it was in hers. But after twelve years, it was unlikely.
Javier had always liked to surprise her. She should have expected this. It used to be that she’d known this man like the back of her own hand. Twelve years couldn’t have changed him that much, surely?
The elevator doors slid closed behind her, sealing her into an instantly quiet and wind-free space and leaving Javier behind for now. The ability to hear properly again made her ears pop. As the elevator started its smooth descent, she glanced at the monitor to watch Natalia’s heart tracing. For someone like Caitlin, the PQRST wave of the heartrate told her just as much as a carefully written instruction manual.
The doors opened again to the bright white straight lines of the state-of-the-art cardiac unit. Caitlin knew how lucky she was to work here. In Spain, there were two cardiac units that everyone held in esteem. One was here, St Aelina’s in the middle of Barcelona, the second was in Madrid, the unit that Javier worked in.
They’d always tried to impress each other before. He’d clearly heard about her heart valve research. But she was quite sure that Javier was doing cardiac research of his own. Him being here was unsettling. How much was he going to be around?
She gave a little shiver as the shock of seeing him again caught up with her. She glanced down as she clamped her hands onto the rail of the stretcher and pushed it along the corridor to the already organised private room.
‘Okay?’ Marco was looking at her from the other side of the stretcher. The experienced older cardiac technician missed nothing.
Caitlin glanced down at her pale pink scrubs again, grimacing at her appearance as she gave Marco a quick nod. She tugged back her hair, feeling in her pockets for another scrunchie to no avail. At this rate she’d end up with an elastic band in her hair and it wouldn’t be the first time. Her make-up had likely slipped from her face around six hours ago. She wouldn’t know; she hadn’t had a chance to consider her appearance since she’d got showered and dressed at six this morning. Even her multicoloured flat shoes that were her trademark at work didn’t amuse her. It didn’t matter that she had around ten different pairs, and they were as comfortable as slippers. Her whole appearance was about as far away from the message she’d wanted to convey to Javier Torres the next time she saw him as it could possibly be.
Too late now.
She put a wide smile on her face and touched Natalia’s arm as the stretcher slid into the room. It was the largest on the fourth floor. All centralised monitoring was installed and a wide internal window gave a clear view of the nurses’ station but could be shaded if required. There was an accompanying easily accessible bathroom and, whilst this was still a hospital, the Condesa had already organised a private chef and a team of private nurses to assist with Natalia’s care.
It had already been a bit of a battle. Caitlin had high standards for any staff that she worked with; she’d had to approve the nursing staff, to make sure they were suitably qualified for the tricky intensive care work they would have to undertake. She needed to trust the staff, and she’d made sure that the team of nurses had done all the training they required.
Caitlin gave out her standard list of instructions. New ECGs, a cardiac echo, another chest X-ray. A whole host of blood tests and a few other specialised tests that could only be performed within her unit, by her team. She liked to be thorough.
In the bright light, Natalia looked even paler. For a woman with a normally warm complexion, the effect was stark. Caitlin finished her instructions and gave a nod to the rest of the team as they moved Natalia seamlessly over to her more comfortable hospital bed and got her settled.
Caitlin concentrated on her patient. Natalia’s condition was serious. She needed surgery—there was no doubt about that. The latest tests would put the final pieces into the jigsaw puzzle of exactly how delicate the surgery would need to be and, more importantly, the chance of success. Caitlin was nervous. She’d thought hard before accepting the referral. She knew Natalia and considered her a friend. But Natalia wasn’t a member of her family, or Caitlin’s best friend in the whole world. She knew she could treat her appropriately, and not let boundaries blur. She also knew she was the best doctor in Spain for this particular issue. It didn’t make sense to send her anywhere else. So, even though they’d known each other for a number of years, she was certain she was the best person to treat Natalia.
‘I’m glad you got here safely. How was the helicopter trip?’ she asked.
Natalia smiled. ‘With my brother as the pilot I wouldn’t dare say anything other than it was very smooth.’
Caitlin tried to suppress all the questions she really wanted to ask about how and why Javier had landed on the roof of St Aelina’s.
‘What can I do to make you more comfortable?’
Natalia blinked her clearly tired eyes. ‘Keep my brother busy. You know what he’s like. He’ll fret over every detail. I really appreciate you agreeing to be my surgeon. You’re probably the only person who can keep him in check. Anyone else he would likely hound to death with questions.’
Caitlin wasn’t quite sure how she was supposed to keep Javier busy. Her mind flew to a place it definitely shouldn’t go and she could feel her face flush at the thought. There was no way she could let thoughts like that invade her brain. She had no idea what Javier’s relationship status was. For all she knew he could be married. Whilst she knew he was a fellow surgeon who worked in Madrid, she’d made a point of never making any enquiries about his private life. She’d decided long ago it was better not to know. She didn’t want a life full of regrets. But Natalia’s words made her curious. Was there something else going on she didn’t know about?
She spent some more time talking to Natalia, leaving the subject of Javier and getting a better overview of the condition that was beginning to affect Natalia’s daily functioning. It was definitely time to intervene. She finally left when the personal chef appeared with a light supper for Natalia. She had other patients to review, and tests results to read.
Caitlin made her way to her office at the end of the cardiac floor. She was lucky; it was set on the corner, with two wide windows overlooking the city. Her own apartment didn’t have the same views, but since she spent more time in her office than her apartment it didn’t really matter. She had a comfortable fold-down sofa in her office, as well as a built-in cupboard where she stored some spare clothes and toiletries, and an en-suite bathroom with shower.
She opened the cupboard and glanced at the mixture of clothing in there. Some professional jackets, skirts and blouses. A few dresses. Some yoga pants, more scrubs, running gear, a pair of jeans and some casual tops.
Nothing wowsome. Nothing that might have the effect she might want.
For a few moments she stared out across the dark, twinkling city and cursed herself. Why was she even letting her brain go there? For all she knew, Javier had taken off in his helicopter again and was halfway back to wherever he’d come from. The chance of the big impact she’d wanted to have after all these years was gone. Instead of smart, sophisticated perfection, he’d got crumpled scrubs, unruly hair and multicoloured flats.
She sighed and sat down, flicking her computer on and starting on a new email. As soon as she started concentrating, all thoughts went to her patients. The part of her brain that focused on Javier would have to wait.
An hour later a smell drifted towards her room. Caitlin rubbed her nose, wondering if she was imagining things. A few moments later, a shadow appeared on the floor. She looked up. Javier was standing in her doorway, a plate in his hands.
It appeared that he hadn’t left after all.
He’d known this would happen—the fact that his tongue would be tied just being in Caitlin’s presence again.
One glance at her on the rooftop after twelve long years had literally taken his breath away.
‘I bring gifts,’ he said, a slight awkwardness to his words that made him want to cringe. Twelve years since he’d last seen her. The girl who’d been his best rival and, even though she didn’t know it, his best friend. The girl who’d stolen his heart. The proud, independent, feisty Scottish girl who’d slipped into his life at medical school and he never should have let her slip back out.
Twenty-three-year-old Javier had been an absolute fool.
That first glance of her waiting on the hospital helipad with her auburn hair flapping madly in the wind had made his heart flap in a similar manner. Now she was here. In her office. The place she’d fought for, worked hard for and rightly won. He couldn’t be prouder—though, of course, he’d never tell her. Then she might feel victorious, and Caitlin was unbearable when she was feeling victorious. He almost smiled at the thought.
She blinked and stood up. ‘Hi,’ was all that seemed to form on her lips.
Maybe her brain was as confused as his was right now. It would be nice to think that, but did he really want her confused over a night from long ago when he needed her at the top of her game to operate on his sister?
He paused then took a few hesitant steps inside her office, hoping he would keep his normal confident disguise in place.
He held out the plate. ‘I asked our chef to make your favourites, as a thank you.’
She crossed the room and looked down at the plate. He hoped the white chocolate and raspberry muffins were assaulting her senses in all the right ways. It was a poor attempt at bribery, but he’d try any measure.
‘I’m surprised you remember,’ she said softly.
He felt a pang in his heart. Had she honestly thought he would forget the little details of her that were embedded in him? His reply was soft too. ‘Why would I forget?’
Her body gave the tiniest shiver. There was unintended weight to those words that she hadn’t expected. And he knew immediately she wasn’t ready for this. Not now. Not here. She had patients to concentrate on.
She lifted her eyes and stared at him for a moment. He had no idea what was going on behind those green eyes of hers as they looked up and down the length of his body in a way that made him feel as if she were undressing him. But her voice was light-hearted when she said, ‘New job, Javier—flying private charters? Hope it pays well.’
She was joking with him. Something they’d used to do on a regular basis. He had the oddest sensation of coming home. He glanced down at his attire and held out his hands. ‘Didn’t realise it looked like a uniform. Wasn’t thinking when I got ready. Guess I’m just trying to be a regular guy.’ He tried to hide his smile.
‘Does a Count get to be a regular guy?’
This was how it used to be. At medical school hardly anyone had known he was from a wealthy aristocratic family. But Caitlin had known. And had never once tried to use it to her advantage. In fact, it had the opposite effect on her and on the few occasions he’d offered to help her out financially when he’d known she was struggling she’d point blank refused. She had far too much pride to ever ask for help.
He rolled his eyes and nodded at the muffins. ‘Sure, a regular guy with a private chef. When my sister’s health is at stake, bribery is allowed, you know.’
She met his gaze. There was so much there. Twelve lost years between them. She lifted a muffin from the plate and walked around her desk, gesturing to the seat at the other side as she moved to flick some switches on her coffee machine.
He could sense she was trying to decide how to play this. He’d turned up unexpectedly. They’d had literally no contact since that last awkward morning after graduation. He’d replayed that day over and over in his head so many times. It had seemed clear that Caitlin had thought they’d made a mistake; she’d made a quick comment—‘at least we got that out of our system’—and that they could get back to being rivals again. He hadn’t said a word. Hadn’t told her how much that cheapened what had happened between them and how, after one taste of Caitlin, she would never be out of his system. He’d let the hurt feelings go; he’d wanted to respect her wishes. The embarrassing retreat and hasty exit he’d had to make had been imprinted in his soul. He’d lost the person he’d been closest to for six years. It shouldn’t have been worth it. Not for one night.
But, strangely, that night had meant everything. And he was still glad they had gone there. Even if the next morning had been a disaster.
He couldn’t help it. His eyes went to her left hand. No ring. The sense of relief was unexpectedly overwhelming.
Ridiculous. And he knew that. He also knew he couldn’t take a lack of ring to mean anything at all. Caitlin might well be married and just not want to wear a ring—she was a surgeon after all. She could also be in a long-term relationship. But he couldn’t help but hope not...no matter how shallow that might make him.
He swept his arm around the room. ‘Corner office? They must like you.’
‘Of course they do. I’m their shining star.’
It was the way she said those words. The confidence in herself that had brought him here.
He glanced out at the dark view of the beautiful city of Barcelona, with all the familiar structures easy to pick out.
‘You’ve done really well for yourself.’ He said the words with a hint of pride. When any other physician mentioned Caitlin he always said that they’d trained together, and that she was a fine surgeon.
‘I like to think so.’ Her gaze narrowed slightly. She was getting suspicious of the small talk.
‘We should catch up?’
Her eyebrows raised.
‘I mean, twelve years is a long time. You could be married, divorced, a mother of ten.’
Her eyes widened. She clearly hadn’t expected this line of questioning. ‘None of the above,’ she said quickly. She pointed to the small array of figures from a popular sci-fi movie. ‘Can’t you see, I have an empire to take care of.’
He laughed and leaned forward. ‘You still collect these?’ He couldn’t believe it. Caitlin had always been a sci-fi fan. He used to laugh at her joy at finding the then thirty-year-old figures. It seemed her passion was still there.
He couldn’t pretend there wasn’t a wave of relief that she wasn’t happily married. Maybe that was selfish. He was working on the assumption there wasn’t a significant other, because surely that would have been her opportunity to mention it.
‘What are you doing here, Javier?’ Caitlin asked as she put some cups under the machine. It gurgled quietly, brewing coffee and steaming milk in small streams into the cups.
He gave a gentle laugh, trying to keep things simple. ‘What do you think I’m doing here? I’m here to make sure my sister’s treatment goes well.’
She raised one eyebrow and he realised how that had sounded and lifted one hand in acknowledgement.
He sighed. ‘It was a last-minute plan. Natalia’s condition has deteriorated quicker than expected. As you know, there aren’t many cardiothoracic surgeons, so it made sense for me to assist in the transfer. I didn’t want to hire an outside firm—we’re trying to keep our presence here a secret to avoid any media interest. I want to be here during her surgery, and after, to make sure everything goes smoothly. But don’t worry; I won’t be idle. I’ve asked if I can work night shifts on a temporary basis at St Aelina’s.’
She looked as if he’d stung her. ‘Who did you ask?’
‘Your director, Louisa Gerard. She was happy for the offer; apparently you have one colleague on maternity leave and another with long-term sick issues.’ He gave her a worried smile. ‘Don’t worry. She’s told me I have to defer to you as the Head of Department.’
She didn’t seem to be taking this news well. Maybe, after twelve years, she still couldn’t bear to have him around. This might be more awkward than he’d thought. He’d imagined if she’d accepted the referral to do Natalia’s surgery, surely she must have realised he would want to be close by?
Caitlin carried the coffee cups over and glanced at her computer and her tense shoulders relaxed slightly. ‘Louisa hasn’t spoken to me this evening. But I can see she’s sent me an email. I guess it must be the news about you.’
‘Your mother—’ she started, but Javier cut her off.
‘I recommended you to do the surgery. You’re the best. You know you’re the best—well, apart from me.’ He gave a short laugh as he picked up the coffee cup, trying to allay some of the awkwardness surrounding them.
Caitlin sat down opposite him, peeling the wrapper from her muffin. She stared him straight in the eye, her rich Scottish accent thicker than normal. ‘I can see your ego hasn’t changed much.’
He sat up straighter, knowing what might come next. Caitlin’s accent got thicker when she was annoyed.
‘Are you here to check up on me? Don’t you trust me to operate on your sister?’ He could see the indignant feelings breaking through her careful veneer.
Javier was surprised. ‘I wouldn’t have told my mother you were the best if I had any doubts about you.’ He didn’t doubt her skills or competence for a second. She was a rising star. She’d already had a number of papers published on the technique she’d developed around valve surgery. There wasn’t a single other person on the planet he would trust with his sister’s life.
‘But I don’t need your help,’ she said firmly. ‘I’ll keep you informed of how Natalia does. You know you can’t have anything to do with your sister’s care. It’s a direct conflict of interest.’
‘I know that,’ he insisted. ‘But is this really so unusual? Most families want to be nearby if a loved one is having major surgery. Why would this be any different?’ He was starting to get annoyed. This wasn’t going exactly as planned. Then again, there really hadn’t been much time to plan. ‘I was also told that because of the sick leave and maternity leave you had a waiting list—one they wanted to help bring down by scheduling some night-time surgeries.’
Caitlin blinked. She knew him better than this, and she hated people trying to hoodwink her. It was an expression he’d learned from the many hours he’d spent in her company.
‘So, should I expect the Condesa too?’
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, knowing instantly it was a mistake. That was the problem of knowing someone so well. She knew him just as well as he knew her. She’d know he wasn’t being entirely truthful. He gave another sigh. ‘No.’
‘Why not?’
‘My mother is at home, looking after the estate. I’m here because Natalia asked me to come with her. She knew my mother couldn’t come.’
Her gaze narrowed. ‘This must have been a very short notice decision. Don’t you have your own patients to see in Madrid?’
‘Yes, of course I do. But I have a team who can cover in my absence. They know I need to be here with my sister.’
Caitlin tilted her head to the side and gave him a strange glance. ‘Why is your mother looking after the estate?’
His heart squeezed in his chest and his skin chilled. She didn’t know. He’d made an assumption that she might have seen something in the press. Or that Natalia would have told her. But he had no idea how much in touch she’d been with his sister.
He licked his lips and took a sip of his coffee. It didn’t help with the dry feeling in his mouth. He raised his head again.
There was something cathartic about this. About seeing the woman he’d remembered in his head for the last twelve years. Her laugh. Her smile. Her accent. The little quirky things about her—how she hated anyone taking the last chocolate biscuit, or how she relentlessly pursued purchasing a certain brand of tea that was only made in Scotland, no matter how ridiculous the delivery costs. Or her insistence on only eating one brand of baked beans. The passion for her patients. The way her brain worked, never switching off, and her endlessly questioning how to improve procedures and care for patients.
He said the words that still hurt. ‘My father died unexpectedly three years ago. Natalia has been running the estate since, and doing an excellent job. But I’m worried all the extra stress has exacerbated her condition.’ He gave her a sad smile. ‘I inherited the title as well as the estate. My parents, and now Natalia, have allowed me the dream of training to be a surgeon. But in the end I’m going to have to go back to take over. My mother is doing the job temporarily. But once Natalia recovers from her surgery I’ll take her home and put plans in place to take charge.’
Caitlin sank back in her chair, clearly stunned by his words. Her brow furrowed and she shook her head. ‘I am so sorry. I had no idea about your father. I was joking when I called you the Count—just like I always did.’
She was embarrassed by the blunder, and he gave a conciliatory nod. ‘It’s fine.’
She leaned forward instantly. ‘But it’s not fine. You can’t give up what you do. It’s too important. Too many people need your help. Our skills are unique, Javier. We’re not instantly replaceable; it takes years to learn what we have.’
‘I know that,’ he agreed, his heart weighing heavy in his chest. ‘And I’ve been through all this in my head a million times. But I have to put my family first. No one else will.’
She sat stock-still in her chair. He watched as she clearly processed what he’d just told her. He was surprised she hadn’t known about his father. There was a pang deep down inside him. Maybe she didn’t know the rest of his story either. The prolonged, and then broken, engagement to a family friend—an engagement his mother and father had approved of. But he’d never really loved Herzogin Elisabeth, nor she him. He’d tried his best to love her, to feel anything like the attachment he’d had to Caitlin. Their breakup had been a shock to his parents, and Javier was guilt-ridden in case that had in part impacted on his father’s health.
Javier had never really been able to explain things properly. How could he tell his parents that the ‘perfect’ couple, the man who would be a Count and the woman who was already a Duchess in Germany, the darlings of the press, just didn’t love each other? Elisabeth was intelligent, pretty and charming; his parents had adored her. Everywhere they’d gone, photographers had clamoured to take pictures, all asking about the date of the wedding that had never happened.
To the outside world they’d seemed like the fairy tale couple. But Javier knew better. Fairy tales weren’t real. He’d tried twice. And failed miserably both times.
In a flash he could picture Caitlin lying next to him in bed, her auburn hair strewn across the pillow, her soft breathing at his neck as he’d stared at the tiny freckles on her nose.
The memory pricked sharply and he stood up just as Caitlin started to speak. ‘You know that I’ll take good care of your sister, Javier. You can trust me.’
But he’d already turned away. Maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea after all. If he worked here for the next few weeks he would likely be flooded with memories of Caitlin. The friend who’d regretted their night together. The one who’d been imprinted on his brain for ever.
As he reached the door the phone started to ring. He heard Caitlin pick it up. Her voice was steady but he recognised staccato words and knew instantly something was wrong. She replaced the receiver. ‘Louisa has cleared you? You can already work here?’
He nodded in response and pulled out the ID badge he’d collected in the last hour.
‘Then don’t go anywhere, Javier. I’m going to need some help.’
