The Perfect Husband Read Free Page A

high school and then
headed to college. I studied nursing at the University of Western
Sydney. Nigel studied medicine.”
    Mason was filled with surprise. “Nigel’s a
doctor? I’d never have believed he had it in him. He didn’t seem to
have time to remain focused on anything other than sports.”
    “Yes, being a doctor’s a long way from a
football jock, but that’s what he wanted to do. He’s now an
orthopedic surgeon.”
    “Good on him,” Mason forced himself to say.
“Where does he work?”
    “Here, at the Sydney Harbour Hospital.”
    “That must make things easier?”
    “You’d think it would, having us both
working at the same place, but it hasn’t worked out that way.” She
sighed and dropped her gaze.
    “Oh?” he asked, stepping closer, but once
again, she moved to put distance between them. He was caught
between wanting to know more, yet not wanting to listen to another
word about her life with another man.
    “We have two young children,” she explained
in a lighter tone, staring at the bright plastic sheet that passed
for a tablecloth.
    Kids. She and Nigel had kids. Mason’s
heart squeezed with pain and an old, familiar longing tightened his
chest. He struggled to breathe. All these years he’d thought he was
over her. Had convinced himself of that and moved on. He’d even
married Sue Ann, hadn’t he? And he’d cared for his wife. Just
not enough.
    Suppressing a weary sigh, Mason forced
himself to respond. “Two kids. That’s great. How old are they?”
    “Ben’s nearly six and Sophie’s just turned
three.”
    “Wow, they must keep you busy.”
    She nodded and turned her head toward him
for a brief moment. This time, her smile seemed genuine. “Yes, they
do. It’s why I only work part time. I didn’t want them spending
every day in care. Nigel looks after them on the evenings I
work.”
    “So this is one of your regular shifts?”
    “No, actually, I’m rostered to work the
night shift, but I received a call from staffing a little earlier.
They’re down on numbers. There’s a flu going around. We’re not the
only ward short-staffed. I agreed to come in and work a
double.”
    Mason whistled, impressed. “That’s very
accommodating of you, given you’re a busy mom. You’re lucky Nigel
was available to pick up the slack.”
    She grimaced and this time when she turned
her head his way, he noticed the slight swelling around her eye.
Was that bruising beneath the layer of makeup, or was it something
else? Had someone hit her? He frowned, but she spoke quietly
again, giving him no time to contemplate the disquieting
thought.
    “Actually, I was out of luck. Nigel’s
apparently stuck in the operating room until six. I had to phone
the daycare center. Fortunately, they were able to squeeze them in
for the few hours until Nigel gets off work.”
    Mason shot another look in Isobel’s
direction, but she’d turned her head away. His chest constricted on
a sudden surge of anger. If that asshole had touched her…
    He gritted his teeth and shook his head. What the hell was he thinking, drawing such a wild
conclusion? He couldn’t even be sure what he’d seen was a
bruise. It was churlish to blame Nigel for something that was
probably no more than a figment of Mason’s imagination—because he
realized, despite what he’d told himself for years, he was still in
love with the football star’s girl.
    No, she hadn’t been hit; he had to have been
mistaken. There was no way Nigel Donnelly would beat up his wife.
He might have been an asshole in high school, but that was a long
time ago and a long way from becoming a violent husband.
    Mason wasn’t prepared to admit his
willingness to think the worst of his former teammate had nothing
to do with any real belief Nigel was an abuser and everything to do
with the fact Nigel had married the only girl Mason had ever
loved.
    Dragging his gaze away from the woman in
question, he made a conscious effort to relax his clenched jaw.
Isobel’s