Redeeming Dr Riccardi

Redeeming
Dr Riccardi
Leah Martyn

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Recent titles by Leah Martyn:

DAREDEVIL AND DR KATE

WEDDING IN DARLING DOWNS

OUTBACK DOCTOR, ENGLISH BRIDE

These books are also available in eBook format from www.millsandboon.co.uk

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 breath lodged and then came out slowly. He was as tall as she remembered. Taller, tougher, masculine to his fingertips. And his eyes, the shade of an early morning ocean, a kind of wintergreen, were tracking over her.

‘Antonia.’ He gave a formal little nod. ‘Nice to see you back.’

And that, decided Toni, was where his effort to be polite stopped.

‘Could someone turn that racket off?’ he growled, making his way to the electric urn. He selected a tea bag from a canister and slammed it into a mug. ‘Now,’ he said levelly as he waited for his mug to fill with boiling water.

Ed, one of the junior nurses, obliged and the Beatles’ version of All you need is love was strangled. ‘It’s Valentine’s Day, Doc,’ he protested with a laugh. ‘You need to get in the zone.’

Riccardi’s underbrowed look said, Are you for real?

‘We’ll all be going to the dance at the workers’ club tonight.’ Amy smiled, holding onto her little pot of flowers tightly. ‘You must come, Dr Riccardi.’

The registrar snorted. ‘I’d rather cut off my own feet.’ He dangled his tea bag briefly and then discarded it in the bin. ‘Without anaesthetic,’ he added for good measure, before he strode out.

Liz sighed. ‘Well, that went down well. Poor Amy. That was a bit unnecessary, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ Toni felt her temper fray. She’d seen Amy’s expression falter; she’d bitten her lip and looked as though she hadn’t known whether to laugh or cry. For heaven’s sake, she was only trying to be friendly. She certainly hadn’t deserved to cop the brunt of Riccardi’s foul mood. Well, she wasn’t having it! ‘Lizzie, take handover, please? I need to sort this.’

Watching her friend take off out of the room, Liz muttered, ‘Oh, you’re for it, Riccardi.’ When it came to standing up for her team, Toni was like a lioness defending her cubs.

‘Dr Riccardi?’ Toni raised her voice, moving along the corridor with the speed of light. She caught up with the registrar outside his office. ‘I’d like a word, please?’

‘It’s Rafe,’ he said shortly. ‘Is there a problem?’

‘Yes.’ Toni sucked in her breath. ‘Your attitude.’

One dark eyebrow arched and her less than diplomatic statement hung in the air between them. ‘You’d better come in, then.’

‘No, thanks.’ Toni shook her head. She didn’t want to go into his office. She just wanted to state her case and get on with her day. ‘I need time for a coffee before I start my shift.’

‘I have coffee.’ He flicked a hand towards his open office door.

Toni floundered for a second and then thought, Oh, what the heck. And followed him in.

He indicated the cafetière on the bench table near the window. ‘Maureen still insists on providing fresh coffee every morning as she did for Joe, even though I’ve told her it’s not necessary.’

Toni bit the edge of her lip through a reluctant smile. Maureen O’Dea had been Joe Lyons’s secretary for ever and definitely wasn’t about to be told to change her longstanding protocol. ‘You don’t drink coffee at all, then?’

‘Not much. Help yourself,’ he invited.

Toni did, drawing in the aroma of freshly brewed coffee as she poured. It was much nicer than the instant in the staffroom and she guessed she should be grateful for what was supposedly a small peace offering from Rafe Riccardi. But she wasn’t about to be sidetracked from her mission.

‘Have a seat,’ he offered.

Nursing her mug of coffee, Toni slipped into the chair, facing him across his desk. ‘I don’t want this to be confrontational.’

‘OK.’ He raised his mug and took a mouthful of his tea and studied her in silence for a second, then his mouth quirked. ‘I won’t bite. So, speak to me, Antonia.’

Toni took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. ‘I’m usually called Toni.’

‘Pity.’ His stormy green gaze tangled with hers. ‘Antonia is a beautiful name.’

Well, it was the way he said it, low and expressive and newly awake, early-morning sexy. And it completely trashed her defences. She regrouped jerkily. She had to say what she’d come to say. ‘Amy Chan is just getting over losing a baby at twenty weeks.’

A beat of silence.

‘And I need to know this because …?’ Riccardi leaned back in his chair and waited.

‘Because your response when she invited you to the Valentine’s party was offhand. In fact, it was bordering on rude. You embarrassed her and she’s only just returned to work—she’s still fragile. If we’re to work successfully as a team, we need mutual respect and at least a show of good manners.’

Suddenly the silence was as thick as custard. Toni tightened her fingers around her coffee mug. Had she gone too far? As the senior medical officer for the department, Rafe Riccardi’s toes were definitely not for treading on. ‘I realise you’re new to the place and getting to know everyone takes time …’ She stopped and wished she could dive under the desk and hide from his penetrating green gaze. But there was no chance of that.

‘Fine, then.’ A contained little smile played around his mouth. ‘You’ve made your point. I’ll straighten things out with Amy and with the department in general.’

‘And show your face at the Valentine dance?’ Toni jumped in where a lesser person would have feared to tread.

His jaw tensed. ‘You don’t give up, do you? What’s all the hype about St Valentine’s Day anyway? It’s for lovers, isn’t it? Then let the lovers of the world get on with it.’

Toni dropped her gaze. This was the oddest kind of conversation to be having with a man she’d only known for five minutes. She took a mouthful of her coffee and tried to marshal her thoughts. ‘I realise for some people Valentine’s Day is a pain but for the others it’s loaded with romance.’

He snorted.

‘Well, it is!’ Toni emphasised.

‘It’s commercialism at its worst.’

‘OK.’ Toni batted a hand in a kind of aggrieved acceptance. ‘We’ve established you’re not into it. But here at Forrestdale St Valentine’s Day is always set aside for the big fundraiser of the year. This year’s project is a state-of-the-art ultrasound. It will be mainly in use in Midwifery.’ Toni paused. If they’d had better scanning equipment for Amy … But that wasn’t the problem. As Amy’s Ob, Hannah Gordon, had assured the couple, the baby had just been too early, not viable. Toni blinked a bit. ‘Anyway, that’s about it. Tonight’s dinner-dance is about raising funds.’

‘I’ll give a donation,’ Rafe said flatly. And he’d make it a hefty one. Anonymously, of course.

‘Up to you.’ Toni got to her feet. There’d been a glimmer of hope she could have talked him round. She may as well have saved her breath. She placed her mug back on the side table. ‘I guess we’ll catch up sooner rather than later, then. Mondays are usually a bit full on.’

And then she turned and he caught the full force of her smile. It was so warm, so natural, as if she did it a lot. Smiled, that was. He stood courteously as she left, his breath jamming in his throat.

Antonia Morell was one sassy lady. He sank back into his chair feeling a bit dazed. He’d actually enjoyed sparring with her. And that incredible auburn hair … The way she wore it, wild and untamed, had to say so much about her personality. Out of nowhere, he imagined her on a speedboat on Sydney Harbour, cutting through the spray, her hair windblown, crazy curls all over the place streaming out behind her. Or snugly tamed inside a snow beanie with just some bright tendrils poking out. Or softly shiny spread on a pillow …

Hell. He yanked his X-rated thoughts to a halt. Get a grip Riccardi. You’re not on the prowl here, no matter how tempting the prize. You’re on a timeline. Three months to be exact. So, just keep your head down and do your job and at the end of your contract you can show those boffins on the medical board you’re fit and able to get back in the field.

Toni’s thoughts were mixed as she made her way back to the nurses’ station. Rafe Riccardi baffled her. Intrigued her. Self-contained. A bit of a loner. Could be nicer if he tried a bit harder. Oh, for heaven’s sake. She made a little sound of dismissal. She wasn’t giving him a school report.

One glance told her the department was already busy. Liz put down the phone and looked up, her well-shaped brows raised in query. ‘Is he still in one piece?’

‘Of course.’ Toni began slotting pens into her top pocket. ‘We got engaged.’

Liz smothered a squawk and then chuckled. ‘We’ve missed you.’

‘Yeah.’ Toni shook back her halo of auburn curls. ‘Now, who’s doing what?’

‘Justin’s suturing in the small treatment room. Beryl Reilly took a dive down the post-office steps this morning. Kneecap nearly split in two.’

Toni grimaced. ‘Poor old love.’ Beryl, in her seventies, was one of their regulars at A and E. ‘Why on earth was she out and about so early?’

‘Posting coupons for some cruise or other. Today was the last day to enter apparently.’

‘Oh, my lord,’ Toni sighed. ‘What would she do if she won? She’d never go on her own.’

Liz snickered. ‘She’d probably hook up with one of the old guys from their indoor bowls team and take him along.’

‘We shouldn’t laugh.’ Toni pressed a finger to her smiling lips. ‘It’s very sweet, really, the way they all look out for each other.’

‘And Beryl probably has about as much chance of winning as we do of getting a raise.’

‘OK, back to business,’ Toni said firmly. ‘Who’s assisting Justin?’

‘Harmony. Not that she wanted to,’ Liz added caustically. ‘She hates anything to do with blood.’

‘Well, she’s only newly graduated,’ Toni reasoned. ‘These days they’re not exposed to much on the wards in their training. It’s always a bit of shock when they strike the real thing. Where’s Ed?’

‘Doing an eye-wash. One of the council workers copped a load of sand and grit when they were unloading turf for the new sports oval.’

Toni nodded. ‘Amy OK?’

‘I’ve assigned her to tidy the drugs cabinet with Mel. The night shift left a tip.’

‘Well, they had two RTAs in quick succession, by the look of it.’ Toni scanned the report. ‘This one says Riccardi was the admitting MO.’

‘So?’

‘So that means he’s been here since four o’clock this morning.’ Toni made a small face. ‘No wonder he was grouchy. The man’s missing sleep.’

‘It’s his job.’ Liz was not so forgiving. ‘It’s what he signed on for.’

‘I wonder what he was doing before coming here?’ Toni mused.

‘Dunno. Don’t tell me you’re falling for him?’

‘As if,’ Toni responded with a little tsk. ‘Perhaps we should cut him a bit of slack, though. Forrestdale might be a huge lifestyle change for him.’

‘Well, there’s usually a trigger for those kinds of decisions,’ Liz pointed out pragmatically. ‘But I’m for making love, not war, so we’ll be nice to your reg.’

‘He’s not my reg,’ Toni said in exasperation. ‘Now, both Natalie and Samantha in?’ she asked, referring to the department’s assistants in nursing.

‘By the grace of God. And Dr Tennant is circulating if we need her.’

‘Excellent.’ Toni clipped on her badge and checked it was straight. ‘I’ll ask her to pop in on our eye patient. He may need an antibiotic and a medical certificate for work.’

‘Uh-oh,’ Liz sighed as their phone lit up. ‘Call from the ambulance base. Welcome to Monday!’

Toni took the details from Liz. ‘Mine, I think, and I’ll bleep the reg.’

They met at the ambulance bay and Toni relayed what details they had. ‘Unrestrained two-year-old thrown against the dashboard when his mum had to brake suddenly. He appears to have been knocked out for a second but conscious now.’

‘The child was in the front seat of the car?’ Rafe asked in disbelief.

‘Apparently.’ Toni twitched a shoulder. ‘We don’t know the circumstances. It may not be the mother’s fault.’

‘Well, we certainly can’t blame the child,’ Rafe said grimly. ‘Do we have names?’

‘Child is Michael. Mum is Lisa.’

He received the information with a curt nod. He’d have a few words to say to Lisa. Having a child unrestrained in a moving vehicle was totally irresponsible.

The ambulance arrived and reversed into the receiving bay. One glance told Toni the mother was distraught. ‘It’s all my fault!’ Lisa was all but wringing her hands. ‘The childminder is only two streets away and I was running late so I just popped him in the front seat beside me—but he’s learned how to undo the seat belt—’ She broke off, rubbing tears away with the backs of her hands. She sent a frantic look at Rafe. ‘Will I be in trouble? What will happen now?’

Despite his earlier silent disapproval at the mother’s negligence, Rafe’s heart melted at the sight of the little lad lying quietly under the blue blanket, his eyes wide and questioning.

His mouth tightened. There were extenuating circumstances and he didn’t have the stomach for a confrontation anyway. Not today. And especially not with Antonia watching his every reaction with those soulful brown eyes. He regrouped his thoughts.

‘We’ll take a look at Michael,’ he said gruffly. ‘Try not to worry. Children are remarkably resilient.’

‘Can I stay with him?’

Toni jumped in, ‘Of course you can.’

‘Oh—thank you.’ Lisa held tightly to her child’s hand as he was whisked through into a cubicle.

‘Lisa, if you could just stand back, please?’ Toni eased the mother away from the side of the bed. ‘Dr Riccardi will need room to examine Michael.’

Still visibly shaken, Lisa complied, wrapping her arms around her body almost as if she could hold herself together in some way. ‘I’m here, baby,’ she said brokenly. ‘Mummy’s just here …’

The child looked clean and well cared for, Toni noted, peeling the blanket back gently. ‘Doctor?’ She looked pointedly at Rafe.

‘Thanks.’ Rafe began his examination. ‘Let’s see how you’re doing, little mate,’ he said, his hands gentle, swift and sure as he tested the child’s neurological responses. ‘Looking good,’ he murmured, as Michael’s pupils appeared equal and responsive. Placing his pencil torch aside, he checked the little boy’s limbs for any obvious deficits and then began a careful palpation of the child’s tummy. Any hardening would indicate internal bleeding. But all seemed well. He replaced the blanket and turned to the mother.

‘Was he sick at all, Lisa?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘He just seemed out of it for a second or two and then cried a bit …’

Rafe nodded. ‘I’d like to run a scan to be on the safe side. And we’ll need to keep your son for several hours, just to make sure there are no residual effects from the accident.’

‘It really was an accident.’ Lisa stood her ground bravely. ‘This guy just shot out of his driveway without warning and I had to slam on my brakes. I realise I should have had Michael in the back in his safety seat.’

‘But you didn’t.’ Rafe continued writing on the child’s chart.

‘I was going after a new job,’ Lisa explained dispiritedly. ‘But I’ve lost my interview time now.’

‘There’ll be other jobs.’ Absorbed in Michael’s chart, Rafe curled his lips into a silent no-further-comment moue. He handed the request form for the X-ray department to Toni. ‘After Michael’s scan could you see whether Kids could take him, please? He’ll be more comfortable there. And ask Justin to check Lisa over and perhaps we could run to a coffee for her?’

Toni gave him a taut little smile. ‘I’m sure we could.’

Rafe pulled back the curtain to make his exit and then wheeled back, the light from the window illuminating the hard line of his jaw with its rapidly darkening growth. ‘I’d like to see the X-rays when they’re back, please, Antonia?’

‘Certainly, Doctor.’ Toni’s response was crisply calm but a niggle of uncertainty caught her unawares. She’d told Riccardi she was usually called Toni. Why couldn’t he just do it? Perhaps it was as simple as his not liking shortened names. She frowned a bit. Whatever his reasons, it was already setting her apart and causing the oddest trickle of awareness along her spine.