Chapter Nineteen
864 Words
Tears were starting again as she walked back to work but at the last minute she turned around, about to make her way back to the staffroom, but then she saw Alex walking in.
Yes, she did like Hugh in every way.
Maybe this way, maybe if they followed Hugh’s way, she could get the best of both worlds—time with the man who made her heart flutter, safe in the knowledge it would end soon. Maybe it would be easier to get a little bit more involved knowing from the start that they had a use-by date on the box.
She could handle that, surely?
As for***?
There was an unfamiliar shiver in her stomach as she thought of it. No, it would be a terrible idea and yet...
Emily wasn’t completely closed to it either.
No.
If she was going to do this then*** had to stay off the agenda. She was doing this to cement her friendship with Hugh out of work.
A structured timeframe, company at her father’s wedding, a few Saturdays shared and then a very neat ending.
And it would be neat because, after today, she might not be back at the hospital.
Yes, it might be nice to have some time with Hugh and then a more natural break-up away from prying eyes, because she doubted she would be working here by then.
She could do that, Emily decided.
She would do that.
Emily walked into the staffroom, out of the corner of her eye she could see Alex at the urn, making a drink, and it would be very easy for Emily to think she had Hugh in the staffroom alone and so she took a deep breath and just made herself say it.
‘Hugh, did you manage to speak to Alex?’
She watched as Hugh frowned. ‘Speak to Alex about what?’
‘Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten! Hugh, you said that you would try—’
It was Alex who interrupted. ‘Talk to Alex about what?’ Alex said, and Emily jumped as if she hadn’t known that he was in the staffroom.
‘Oh, sorry.’ Emily pretended to fluster. ‘I didn’t know you were here.’
‘What did you want Hugh to ask me about?’ Alex persisted, and Emily didn’t have to fake being embarrassed as a blush started to spread over her cheeks as she spoke.
‘Hugh was going to ask if he could possibly take Friday off and join me for a part of my holiday. I’ve rented a cottage in Cornwall and I was hoping that Hugh might be able to come for a couple of days.’ She turned to Hugh, who was still frowning. ‘I’m sorry, Hugh, I know that you didn’t want anyone at work to know about us.’
‘Are you two...’ A huge grin was spreading over Alex’s face. So that was the reason for Emily’s swollen eyes that morning and Hugh’s dark mood, Alex reasoned. Yes, Alex had also heard the rumour through the grapevine about Gina and Hugh getting off with each other over the weekend. ‘I didn’t realise!’
Neither had Hugh.
In fact, it took a moment for him to work out just what Emily was doing but when it dawned he cleared his throat before answering Alex. ‘We were going to try and keep things well away from work at least until Emily started in Accident and Emergency.’ Hugh looked at Emily, a wry smile turning the edges of his lips. Well, well, his green eyes said, and Emily returned a small smile.
‘That’s lovely news,’ Alex said. ‘And Cornwall is a beautiful part of the world—Jennifer and I have often spoken about buying a holiday house there. I don’t see any problem with taking Friday off—we’re not on take at the weekend. I’m sure I can manage one day without you. Enjoy yourselves!’
‘You’re sure?’ Hugh checked.
‘Absolutely!’ Alex nodded. ‘I can’t wait to see the photos.’
Hugh dragged Emily to one side the very second that he got the chance. ‘You do realise I am going to have to come and visit you. Alex’s son, Jonathan, follows me on f*******:. That’s what Alex meant about seeing the photos.’
‘Come and visit on one of the days, then.’ Emily shrugged, unperturbed, because she’d already thought about that. ‘We can take a few selfies and post them. If we change clothes a few times and take pictures of meals and things, we can spread the posts out and pretend that you were there for the whole weekend.’
‘We could,’ Hugh said, ‘but Cornwall’s a pretty big day trip from here.’
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