The Perfect Husband Read Free

so, he’d
be right to go home.
    “That’s all for now, Mason,” Georgie said as
they walked back toward the nurses’ station. She smiled. “We’ll see
what the evening brings.”
    “You run a tight ship, Georgie. I’m
impressed. And I can see how the staff look up to you. You’re a
good nurse.”
    She blushed at his words and looked away,
but he’d meant every word. It wasn’t always the case that staff
held their boss in such high esteem. Of the five nurses he’d
already met, they each appeared devoted to their patients and to
their job. It was refreshing to see and all of a sudden, he knew he
was going to enjoy working at the Sydney Harbour Hospital.
    “The staff rostered on the evening shift
have just arrived. If you have time, and you’re not all peopled
out, I’d like to introduce you to a few more of our nurses.”
    He nodded at Georgie. “Of course. It might
take me a few days to get all the names straight, but I’d like to
meet as many of them as I can. I want to make sure they know how
important they are to my team.”
    Georgie looked at him sideways. “You’re a
rare breed of doctor, Mason. It’s not often one of your kind
recognizes the contribution the nursing staff make. I like it.”
    He smiled. “I can’t speak for my colleagues,
but the way I see it, without competent nursing staff, there’s
chaos. There’s no way we’d be able to provide the quality
day-to-day care you guys do. I admire and respect you for your
ability to do what needs to done. It isn’t always pretty.”
    She chuckled. “You certainly have that
right.” She led him around the corner and came to a stop outside a
door that had a handwritten sign reading: Staff Only. With a gentle
push, she opened the door and he followed her inside.
    The room was on the small side and was
painted a nondescript gray. A large table filled most of the
available space. Nurses in uniform sat around it, talking and
drinking coffee. Upon Georgie’s entry, the chatter subsided.
    “People, I’d like you to meet Doctor Mason
Alexander. He’s started with us today and will no doubt get to know
all of you over the coming weeks. I’d like you to make him feel
welcome.”
    A chorus of friendly greetings followed
Georgie’s announcement and Mason nodded in response. His gaze
wandered over the women gathered around the table. One of them
remained still, with her back to him. When his gaze fell upon her,
his heart skipped a beat. Even from the back, she looked so much
like… No, it couldn’t be. It was some other woman with the same
shade of red hair. It was just wishful thinking…
    The nurse turned to face him and he
swallowed a gasp. Looking as stunned as he felt, she stared at him,
her eyes wide with shock.
    “Isobel West? Is that you? I don’t believe
it!” Forgetting for a moment where he was, he stepped forward and
reached out to her. She shrunk back against her seat and his
movements came to an abrupt halt. Confused and embarrassed, he
turned away.
    “I’m sorry, I must be mistaken. I… I thought
you were someone else.”
    “There’s no mistake,” came a soft reply from
a voice he hadn’t heard for a decade. “But I’m Isobel Donnelly,
now. It’s good to see you, Mason.”
    Georgie looked bemused. “Do you two know
each other?”
    “Yes,” he replied. “That is, we knew each
other in high school. We haven’t seen each other since the night of
our graduation.”
    “Wow, what a small world,” one of the other
nurses said and pushed away from the table.
    “Yes,” Isobel murmured and offered him a
tentative smile.
    “We’ll leave you to catch up,” Georgie
offered and the rest of the nurses followed her out the door.
    Too soon, the room had emptied. Mason’s
heart thumped and all of a sudden, he was right back in high school
again, yearning for the love of the girl he could never have. “So,
you and Nigel got married.”
    Isobel nodded and her smile looked a little
forced. “Yes, we married straight out of