JENNA leant her bike against the wall near the quay, waving to Jim the ferryman.

‘Morning, Nurse Jenna. Finished your morning clinic?’ A grey haired lady with a stick ambled past her on the pavement and Jenna smiled.

‘Yes, all done, Mrs Hampton. How’s the hip?’

‘It’s a miracle. I’ve had my first good night’s sleep for four years. I was dreading the operation, if I’m honest—probably wouldn’t have gone ahead with it if Dr McKinley hadn’t encouraged me.’

‘Nurse Jenna?’ Someone touched her arm. ‘Sorry to bother you—’

The impromptu conversations continued, so that by the time she’d walked along South Quay and up to the row of terraced houses that overlooked the water she was ten minutes late.

Ryan was already there and glancing at his watch, a brooding frown on his handsome face.

Jenna quickened her pace and arrived breathless, although whether that was from rushing the last few metres or from the sight of him, she wasn’t sure. After two weeks working alongside him she knew that her body did strange things when Ryan was near. It didn’t matter that they kept every exchange strictly professional. That didn’t alter the chemistry. She hadn’t said anything, and neither had he, but they both knew it was there.

Funny, Jenna mused, that she could even recognise chemistry when she’d been with one man all her life. ‘I’m so sorry I’m late—I was waylaid.’

‘You did a clinic on the quay?’

‘How did you guess?’ Laughing, Jenna removed the clip from her hair. Smoothing her hands over her curls, she twisted it into a thick rope and secured it firmly. ‘There was a strong wind on the coast road. I must look as though I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards.’

His eyes moved from her face to her hair. ‘That isn’t how you look.’

Colour stung her cheeks and she felt a shaft of awareness pierce low in her pelvis. ‘Did you know Abby Brown is pregnant? I saw her eating a double chocolate fudge sundae in Meg’s Café to celebrate.’

Ryan gave a wry smile. ‘Let’s hope she doesn’t keep that up throughout the pregnancy. Are you ready?’ But before he could press the doorbell the door opened and a woman stood there, a baby in her arms and a harassed look on her face. ‘Hello, Elaine.’

‘Oh, Dr McKinley—come on in.’ The woman stood to one side and almost tripped over the dog which was bouncing in the hallway. As his tail hit the umbrella stand flying, the woman winced. ‘Whatever possessed me to say yes to a dog? Not only does he make Hope’s asthma worse, he knocks everything over.’

‘He’s beautiful.’ Jenna bent down and made a fuss of the dog, and the animal leaped up and tried to lick her face, sensing an ally.