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gripped by another contraction.

      ‘How are you doing, Matt?’ Brighde asked as she waited for Kirsty’s contraction to ease. This stage was hard on the partners; she knew he’d be feeling useless.

      ‘I’m okay but isn’t there anything to do to speed this up?’ he asked.

      ‘Sorry, not at this point. She’s very close. We’ve just got to let things take their course. Natural is best.’

      Jacqui had attached a monitor to Kirsty’s abdomen to record the contractions and Brighde checked the readout. The contractions were now two minutes apart, lasting for around sixty seconds and getting stronger.

      ‘I’m just going to take a look to see how your labour is progressing,’ Brighde said as she pulled a pair of gloves on.

      ‘Eight centimetres. You’re getting there,’ she said. ‘You’re in the transition phase now. It won’t be much longer.’

      ‘We haven’t even seen the doctor,’ Matt said.

      ‘He’s on his way. There’s nothing for him to do yet. Trust me, you don’t want the doctor in early. If things are going well you don’t need him until the end.’

      Kirsty’s labour seemed to be progressing as expected and Brighde thought they wouldn’t really need the doctor at all but she also knew that at Parkville Private the patients paid for, and expected to see, the doctor.

      Kirsty cried out as another contraction took over. She was getting restless. ‘God, it hurts.’

      ‘If you think you can manage to get onto all fours that might ease the pressure on your back,’ Brighde told her. ‘Matt, you could run a flannel under hot water and give Kirsty’s back a rub.’ That would hopefully distract Kirsty, ease her discomfort and give Matt something useful to do. ‘You’ll meet your baby soon.’

      Matt had followed her suggestion and returned from the en suite bathroom with a warm flannel. Brighde let him look after Kirsty while she checked the equipment, making sure she had everything she needed for the delivery at arm’s reach. As she worked she listened to Matt as he tried to reassure Kirsty. She could hear the love and affection in his voice, along with concern, and it made her wish that she had someone to share her life with. Someone who would love and support her. But she knew that would be asking a lot. She’d vowed long ago that she wouldn’t put someone through what she’d been through. She’d made a pact with herself that she would stay single. She wanted to be loved but she wouldn’t risk it.

      Thinking about being in love led her to thinking about her brother. After all the pledges they’d made, the promise not to get tested, Nick had fallen in love with Imogen and everything had changed. The pact she and Nick had made years before, agreeing not to have genetic testing, had ended when Nick had fallen in love. He wanted to start a family and he needed answers. Brighde couldn’t blame him for that. But now she knew her decision to stay single and free was justified. She had watched her mother’s life disintegrate and she’d vowed not to put herself or loved ones in that same position. Which meant not allowing herself to fall in love. That was the only way to avoid the heartache. To avoid the risk. She had to stick to her plan. As much as she’d like to share her life with someone, she couldn’t commit to anything more than one night.

      The last night she’d spent with someone had been with Xavier. She wondered how he was. Whether he was back in Scotland. Whether he ever thought about her. She couldn’t deny she’d been thinking about him. A lot. In the maternity suites she’d found herself comparing all the partners to Xavier. Wondering what he would be like in the same situation. Would he be the bossy, know-it-all expectant father who’d read all the books? Or would he be the kind, gentle, supportive partner who was only concerned about his wife. Not that it mattered. Her silent imaginings were a waste of time. Xavier was gone.

      She had to stick to her plan and even if she wanted to change her mind Xavier wasn’t around. That boat had sailed. That was why she’d let her hormones carry her away that night. Because she’d known she’d never see him again. But she hadn’t been able to get him out of her head, despite the fact that the night she’d spent with him was now almost eight weeks ago. She really needed to get him out of her system.

      She’d expected the sex to be good—the sparks she’d felt between them had been too huge to ignore—but she hadn’t expected it to be the best sex of her life. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have better. Xavier might have become her new benchmark but that didn’t mean someone else out there couldn’t match up or even improve on him.

      Maybe that was the answer. Maybe she just needed to have sex with someone else. She needed to erase the memory of him. Something about Xavier had got under her skin but she couldn’t afford to get fixated on someone she’d never see again. That had been the whole point. Anonymous sex was the only way to go. She didn’t get involved. She didn’t do relationships and she really didn’t have time to spend thinking about him. She needed to get this baby delivered, and however many others decided to be born tonight, and then she’d go home, get a good eight hours sleep and tomorrow she’d start to wipe all traces of Xavier from her mind. She’d go back to the old, independent Brighde. She didn’t need a man; she was fine.

      She didn’t want a man she told herself as she prepared to check Kirsty’s progress again.

      She was now nine centimetres dilated and Brighde could see the baby’s head. She wondered how far away the doctor was. If he wasn’t already here he was likely to miss the delivery altogether.

      ‘Almost there, Kirsty. You’re doing really well. Not long now.’ She stood and pulled off her gloves. ‘I’ll fetch the doctor.’

      Brighde stepped out of the delivery room and was surprised to find Sarah just outside the door. She was working a late shift too but she was working in the nursery. Maybe she was collecting a baby. But she grabbed Brighde’s arm.

      ‘Good, I’m glad I found you.’

      ‘What’s the matter?’

      ‘There’s something I need to tell you,’ her friend said as she dragged her towards the nurses’ station.

      ‘What is it?’ Brighde had no idea what could be so urgent. ‘I’m in the middle of a delivery.’

      ‘I know,’ Sarah said, ‘but this is important. Dr O’Donnell—the doctor covering for Dr Davey—you’re looking for him, aren’t you?’

      Brighde nodded.

      ‘That’s him.’ Sarah tilted her head to her left a few times in quick succession, nodding towards the nurses’ station.

      Brighde frowned. ‘Who is?’

      ‘Dr O’Donnell. It’s him. From the conference.’

      Brighde saw the back of a head. Her eyes took in the thick, dark, slightly curly hair. The tall, broad, masculine shoulders. Her stomach flipped as recognition slapped her. He wasn’t someone she knew from staff but he wasn’t a complete stranger either.

      He turned, maybe a sixth sense alerting him to the fact he was being scrutinised, and their eyes locked.

      Brighde took a deep breath and held it. The man she’d shared the best sex of her life with was standing six feet away.

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