as efficiency had puddled into just about satisfactory. She really did need to put Max out of her head. She was not kissing him again. Ever. ‘I hope I’ve made things easier, but tell me if I get too bossy. It’s my first charge nurse job and I don’t want to blow it.’
‘It was manic before, but you’ve organised us. We certainly needed it.’ The woman’s eyes lit up. ‘I know, you should come on the ward trip to do the twilight kayak over to Rangitoto Island. It’s in a few weeks. Put your name down. There’s a list behind the nurses’ station.’
‘Ooh, I don’t know. A kayak? Me?’
‘You’ll be fine. And if it’s too much for you, there’s always a double kayak. I’m sure we could find a burly volunteer to paddle you across.’ Rachel winked. ‘Randy Roger the porter’s always looking for opportunities.’
Gabby was well aware of Roger the porter’s heat-seeking palms. Her backside had come into contact with them way too many times already. By accident, of course—so he’d assured her. ‘I’m sure I’ll manage.’
‘It’s great fun. We paddle over, hike up to the top of the volcano, have a picnic, then kayak back with lanterns as the sun sets. It’s gorgeous. Think about it. We’d love you to come.’
Gabby got the impression Rachel was being genuinely friendly rather than trying to suck up to her. The heat from her cheeks settled into a general warm glow all round. It had been a great idea to move here. She wished she’d done it sooner. She was surrounded by warm-hearted, fun people who accepted her and seemed to like her. Regardless of her mother’s taunts that had turned into the usual begging and manipulation, now down the telephone instead of in person, this had been a very positive move.
Across the bar the door swung open and in strolled Max. The happy vibe Gabby had been relishing wobbled, spiked, dropped, then swirled around in her stomach for a few excruciating seconds.
She felt a sharp nudge in her ribs as Rachel did a mock swoon. ‘He’s got his name down for the kayak trip... Would that entice you?’
‘Me? Max? No!’ The words came out too sharply, too quickly. If Rachel muttered anything about ‘protesting too much’ she’d just about die.
It had been a one-off thing. That had morphed into a two-off thing. But it was still no big deal. Not anything to get worked up about, despite her heart doing a silly jig.
Her friend’s eyebrows dipped. ‘Come on. What’s not to like? Those Maitland brothers make great eye candy. Double the trouble and twice the fun. Especially Dr Make-You-Weep over there.’
Her colleague had been more than happy to share her inside information on Max in the past so Gabby tried to pump her for more. Doing a silent three Hail Marys for being so sneaky, she asked, ‘So what’s the deal between the twins?’
‘Well, no one knows for sure because it all happened in Dunedin.’ Rachel cupped her hand over her mouth and leaned into Gabby’s ear. ‘But apparently Max had a thing with Mitchell’s girlfriend. Word is, they haven’t spoken a civil sentence to each other since.’
An affair? Max? With Jodi?
Now, that was interesting. Shocking. And would also explain the rift and the edge between Max and Jodi. But it didn’t seem right. He might be a player and a charmer, but Max wasn’t the kind of man to do that. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Sure as eggs is eggs. Their lives are, oh, so complicated. None of us even knew Mitchell had a child until a few weeks ago. Strange, don’t you think? There’s a lot more to their story.’
‘I don’t believe it.’
‘Don’t believe what?’ Max was leaning over her, the hint of a teasing grin fluttering over his lips.
Earth, swallow me up now. He had quintessentially bad timing. ‘Oh...er...nothing. I mean...’
‘Speechless isn’t a word I’d usually associate with you, Charge Nurse Radley.’ Placing a glass on the table—a large glass, with a paper umbrella and lime squeezed onto the rim—he grinned. ‘Your usual. Just the one. Wouldn’t want you to get drunk, now. Don’t know where that could lead.’
‘Er...but...no...thanks. I don’t...’ And he damned well knew it. Knew she was here with her work colleagues. That she had no desire to be reminded about what had happened the last time she had been in here. With him. Drinking mo-bloody-jitos. And now to top off her mortification her words had got lost somewhere en route from her brain to her