Playing With the Playboy's Sweatheart

Chapter Seventeen

‘She’s good,’ Emily said. ‘She’s happy. Well, I think she is.’

Does she ever mention me? Emily wanted to ask. And does she ever give me so much as a passing thought?

Tears were starting to sting at the back of Emily’s eyes and she quickly turned away and busied herself with the medicines she had already pulled up—she certainly didn’t want to add to Jessica’s difficult morning with her own gush of emotion.

Thankfully Hugh seemed to realise that Emily was struggling and he started chatting away to Jessica, telling her that it wouldn’t be a long procedure and he’d see her again when she woke up.

Hugh went to go. Rory had administered a stronger sedative, but the emotion in Jessica’s voice in the moment before she went under had Hugh pause at the door. ‘I missed you so much.’

Emily stared into her eyes and was honest in her response. ‘I missed you too.’

Oh, how she had.

They had been weekend and holiday sisters and losing Jessica and even Katrina had been a hurt that had gone unacknowledged by all. And there had been many more losses since then.

Emily held Jessica’s hand as she slid under and then helped wheel her through to the theatre and onto the operating table.

She glanced over to Hugh, who was scrubbing up, and he gave a small nod that said he’d take good care.

He always did.

Hugh worked on smaller procedures himself yet more and more he was honing his skills and was ready for that next step.

As he performed the procedure, an investigative laparoscopy for recurrent abdominal pain, Emily was the furthest thing from his mind.

He carefully checked the abdominal cavity and organs. Jessica had undergone many investigations and all had come back as normal.

As was this.

* * *

With the procedure over and Jessica being moved to Recovery, Hugh headed over there to check on Ernest.

‘He looks terrible...’ Hannah, his wife, was by the trolley, being comforted by their daughter, Laura.

‘He’s just had surgery, Mum, he was never going to be looking his best.’ Laura tried to reassure her mother but her eyes were anxious when they met Hugh’s. ‘I know you warned us about the tubes and things but Mum didn’t realise just how many there would be.’

‘I should never had made him go through with it,’ Hannah fretted. ‘He didn’t want the operation...’

‘He’s actually doing very well,’ Hugh said, checking through the observations. ‘I know it was a big decision but you both made it,’ Hugh said gently. ‘From what I’ve seen of your husband, he wouldn’t be talked into anything he didn’t want to do.’

He spent a few minutes reassuring Hannah but, glancing at Jessica, whose mother was being let in, his mind returned to Emily.

It was none of his business, Hugh told himself. Emily had made it very clear that she wanted no more than the relationship they had at work. Even so, he couldn’t help listening to the conversation that was taking place.

‘Emily’s here...’ They were the first words Jessica said as she struggled to sit up and take off her oxygen as a nurse gently kept her lying down.

‘Emily?’ Katrina said. Hugh wasn’t just idly listening, he was watching and not even attempting to hide that he was.

‘Emily,’ Jessica said again. ‘She’s a nurse here. Maybe you could see her, say hello...’

Katrina shook her head. ‘There’s no need for that. How are you?’

‘But Emily’s here!’ Groggy from anaesthetic, Jessica had no reserves and started pulling her oxygen mask off. ‘Why wouldn’t you want to see her?’

‘Go back to sleep.’ Katrina smiled, replacing the mask. ‘You’re a bit confused from all the medicine.’

Nice get-out, Mum, Hugh thought, but then he got back to business and headed over to let Jessica’s mother know how the procedure had gone.

Yes, he should be cross with Emily, Hugh thought a little while later, or at the very least sulk and take his lunch elsewhere, but he could see her sitting, pretending to read a magazine, and Hugh knew she’d been crying.

‘How was your morning?’ Hugh asked, taking his usual seat.

‘Busy,’ Emily said. ‘You’ve got a big afternoon coming up,’ she added, because he and Alex were doing an aneurism repair, but Hugh shook his head.