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      For Zach, Hannah, Ava and Raphael.

       ‘You are so beautiful.’

      CHAPTER ONE

      VALENTINE’S DAY had fallen on a Monday. And who on earth felt like partying on a Monday?

      All the off-duty staff at the hospital apparently.

      Nurse Manager Toni Morell’s mouth lifted in a wry little twist, as she swung into the car park at the district hospital. For years now, Valentine’s had been the day set aside for the annual fundraiser organised by the social committee and excuses for non-attendance were not allowed.

      Toni just hoped she’d have enough energy at the end of her shift to get herself into party mode. It was her first day back from leave, and while her time in Sydney had been fun, it was nice to be back in the less hectic pace of the rural town of Forrestdale, where she’d now chosen to make her life.

      As she gathered her bag from the passenger seat, her thoughts flew to the day ahead. Accident and Emergency had a new relieving senior registrar, Rafe Riccardi. Toni had spoken with him only briefly at the end of her shift before she’d taken off on holidays.

      When they’d met, he’d been surrounded by board members and there had been no opportunity for a longer chat. But she recalled his handshake had been firm and he’d looked her in the eye. And she’d thought later that he could be described as tall, dark and … not handsome exactly but there’d been something about him, a presence that would be hard to ignore. Toni just hoped he was proving a good fit for their team. Her tummy swooped slightly. Staff changes at senior level always came with a niggle of uncertainty. But it wasn’t as though Dr Riccardi was here for ever. He had a three-month contract while he covered long-service leave for their usual reg, Joe Lyons.

      Toni’s mind clicked into work mode as she made her way along to the staffroom. She’d left home in plenty of time, determined to get a jump start and catch up on things generally.

      But it seemed as though the entire shift had arrived early as well and the place was buzzing. A love song was pumping out from the local radio station, helium-filled red hearts were floating against the ceiling and by the look of it, gifts of flowers had already begun arriving for some lucky recipients.

      Toni wasn’t expecting any flowers or chocolates. Not even a card. She didn’t have a special man in her life. Hadn’t for ages. But she could still dream. Dream that someday she’d meet the one.

      ‘Hi, stranger!’ Liz Carey, Toni’s senior counterpart and close friend greeted her.

      Toni’s soft laughter rippled. ‘It’s only been a week.’

      ‘Nice break, though?’ Liz’s hands spanned her coffee mug.

      ‘Sydney’s always fabulous. Spent lots of time on the beach.’

      ‘Mmm, I can see that,’ Liz deadpanned. ‘Love the tan.’

      ‘Oh, ha.’ Toni took the comment as lightly as it was meant. With her auburn hair and fair skin she had about as much chance of acquiring a tan as representing Australia at the Nationals. ‘How have things been here?’

      ‘Fairly OK.’

      ‘New reg?’

      Liz shrugged. ‘Earning his keep.’

      ‘And?’ Toni’s voice rose a notch.

      ‘And nothing,’ Liz shook her head. ‘He seems professional. Made it his business to do the rounds of the shifts early on. Had a coffee with us—well, he had a green tea. Said he wanted to get to know us all asap. Amy Chan’s back, by the way.’

      ‘Oh …’ Toni’s eyes softened. ‘How is she?’

      ‘Ask her yourself,’ Liz said. ‘Here she is.’

      ‘Ames!’ Toni dropped her bag on to a nearby table and swooped the younger woman into a hug. ‘How are you?’

      ‘I’m good, Toni.’ Amy shook back her bob of shiny black hair and smiled.

      ‘Really?’

      ‘Really,’ Amy affirmed softly.

      ‘And Leo?’

      ‘He’s fine. And thanks from both of us for—well, everything.’

      ‘Hey, no problem.’ Toni waved the other’s thanks away. As nurse manager, she regarded her team almost as family. ‘And anything you need, little break here and there, just ask, all right?’

      The young nurse nodded and then turned as Justin Lawrence, one of their junior resident doctors, stuck his head in and called, ‘Amy, these just came for you.’ He held up a ceramic pot of bright red gerberas swathed in scarlet ribbons.

      ‘For me …?’ Amy put a hand to her heart and blushed prettily. ‘They’ll be from Leo.’ She took off to collect her flowers as though her feet had wings.

      ‘Leo’s such a nice husband,’ Liz said.

      ‘Mmm.’ Toni’s gaze was faintly wistful. ‘Red in the Chinese culture is the symbol for good luck, isn’t it?’

      ‘Something like that. Heaven knows, they could do with a bit.’

      ‘Now, about the reg,’ Toni persisted, tugging Liz aside. ‘What are you not telling me?’

      Liz rolled her eyes. ‘You’re like a dog with a damn great bone. It was a rotten week, stretched all of us. Riccardi was … tetchy.’

      Toni frowned. ‘With the staff?’ She considered her team extremely well trained.

      ‘With life in general, I think. There was an accident at that demolition job on Linton Road. A beam fell on a young apprentice. He … died.’

      ‘Oh, lord.’ Toni squeezed her eyes shut for a second.

      ‘Was Riccardi called to the scene?’

      Liz nodded. ‘And that happened on Monday so it rather set the tone for the rest of the week.’

      Toni looked thoughtful. Rotten days happened in A and E. That was the nature of the department. As a senior doctor, Riccardi should know how to hack it. And if he couldn’t, why on earth had he taken the job? She was still holding the puzzling thought when the man himself strode in. Oh, wow … Toni’s

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