All I Want For Christmas Read Free Page A

forty-five.
Okay, Dr Trevissick,
she thought grimly,
if you haven’t a home to go to, I have
. Picking up the telephone, she asked for him to be paged, requesting that he come to the crèche immediately.
    Minutes later, the door burst open. Trying not to disturb the now sleeping child she held in her arms, Lauren turned her head. Striding through the doorway, charcoal-grey jacket swirling round his narrow hips, was Rick’s lookalike.

CHAPTER TWO
    Dr Trevissick ignored Lauren, his gaze on the sleeping child she held. ‘What’s happened to Zoe?’ he demanded.
    â€˜Nothing that a little loving care won’t cure,’ Lauren replied frostily. ‘She’s very distressed, waiting over an hour for you to collect her. You do realise, Dr Trevissick, that this crèche closes at six o’clock?’
    He glanced down at his watch and his expression softened. ‘I had no idea it was so late. I really am sorry. It’s been one of those days, I’m afraid.’
    Lauren saw the corners of his mouth tilt, and the sharp planes of his angular face relax into a smile.
    â€˜Could you hang onto Zoe for another five minutes, while I give the nursing staff instructions for a change of medication? I must do it before I leave tonight.’ He caught the look on Lauren’s face. ‘I promise I won’t be longer than ten at the most.’
    Lauren sighed. She was so late already that another five minutes wasn’t going to make much difference.
    â€˜Okay then. Five minutes—no longer.’
    It was an enchanting smile, Lauren decided, after he’d gone. He certainly knew how to turn on the charm. Her mouth tightened. That was just what everyone had said about Rick.
    Zoe was becoming a dead weight on her left arm, and as Lauren moved to ease it, the little girl’s eyes flew open. ‘Mummy!’ For a second her small face was radiant, then the expression vanished.
    â€˜Daddy’s taking you home to see her any minute now. He was here—he’s just gone to speak to one of the nurses, then he’ll be back.’
    â€˜Mummy doesn’t live at our house.’
    Lauren groaned inwardly. Why on earth hadn’t she thought? Her mother and father were divorced, or separated, or something. Perhaps her mother had married again. That would explain the forthcoming baby, or babies. Zoe must have been staying with her mother over the weekend. That was why she’d brought her in this morning.
    How stupid of her to think that everyone else led a happy family life, and that only hers was a disaster. It was so common nowadays. One in three marriages ended in divorce, isn’t that what statistics said?
Why should it only be me? Every third person I meet is in the same boat. Or should that be every sixth?
she puzzled.
    â€˜So your Daddy’s going to take you home and make tea, is he?’ she asked, hoping to distract the little girl.
    Zoe nodded. ‘Fish fingers and chips. That’s what we always have.’
    â€˜Every day?’ Lauren questioned.
    The child nodded again. ‘We’ve got a microwave. Is Daddy coming soon? I’m hungry.’
    Lauren checked her watch. ‘Very soon.’
And if he doesn’t,
she thought,
there’ll be ructions, and they won’t be from Zoe.
    The door opened, cautiously this time, and Dr Trevissick came back in.
    â€˜You said five minutes—not fifteen.’
    His apologetic smile made Lauren’s anger melt.
    â€˜Oh, never mind. You’d better take Zoe home for her fish fingers and chips before she falls asleep again.’
    He frowned. ‘She’ll be lucky if she gets that tonight. I’ve been working all weekend and . . .’ He paused and raised one dark eyebrow at Lauren. ‘I overslept, which made me extremely late arriving here this morning, so I haven’t had a chance to get to the supermarket.’
    â€˜You do feed her properly, don’t you?’ Lauren