Katy ignored her. ‘All you need to do now is relax and trust him.’

‘It’s too late,’ Libby said. ‘He’s already decided I’m a lost cause.’

Katy shook her head. ‘You really are hopeless sometimes. You can’t switch love on and off, Lib. If he loves you then he loves you. And I’m willing to bet he’s suffering as much as you are.’

‘He said that our relationship didn’t have a future.’

‘Until you learn to trust him,’ Katy finished, and Libby looked at her helplessly.

‘You make it sound so simple but I have absolutely no idea how to do that.’ She looked at her sister. ‘How do I do that?’

Katy smiled. ‘You have to believe that what you share is special. That it isn’t something he could possibly find with anyone else.’ She paused. ‘Is it special, Libby?’

Libby stared at her, remembering the way she and Andreas had connected from the first moment they’d met, the laughter they’d shared, how well they worked together—and then she remembered their incredible physical relationship.

‘It’s special,’ she croaked finally, and Katy’s smile broadened.

‘Good. Admitting that is the first step to learning to trust. Why would he damage anything so special?’

‘Because men do that all the time?’

Katy shook her head. ‘No. I disagree. There are plenty of mediocre and bad relationships out there and it’s hardly surprising that they go wrong because they were always wrong. But when a relationship is special it stays special and it doesn’t go wrong, Libby. It just grows stronger. Providing you let it.’

Libby gave a wobbly smile. ‘You’re back to your psychiatrist mode again. Are you leaving A and E?’

Katy glanced at her watch and pulled a face. ‘If I don’t get back to work soon, the answer is very probably. But I’m serious, Libby. You have to acknowledge that what you have together is something that neither of you is going to throw away.’

Libby stood still, recognising the truth in her sister’s words. What she and Andreas shared was special. ‘So what do I do?’

Katy grinned. ‘You go for it, angel. If you want him—and I know that you do—then don’t let him get away.’

‘What if he doesn’t want me any more? What if it’s too late?’

Katy sighed. ‘You’re doing it again—not trusting your relationship. Not believing in the love you have for each other. Love doesn’t die overnight, Libby. Andreas still wants you, but he wants you to believe that what you share is special, too. You need to show him that you do. You need to show him that it’s so special you’re not going to give up on it.’ She gave her sister another hug and then made for the door. ‘I want to be your matron-of-honour while I still have something resembling a waistline so you’d better get a move on.’

With that she pushed open the door of the treatment room and left Libby to return to the ward, totally distracted by their conversation.