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‘No? We worked together. I was the SHO and he was the registrar on the children’s ward.’
‘Here?’ he questioned. ‘So it was the guy who was consultant before me?’
‘No. Different hospitals. I moved here a couple of years back.’ She dragged in a breath. ‘Everyone knew what had happened when we split up. And it was awful, Rhys. The atmosphere on the ward was terrible. Nearly everyone took my side, apart from this one woman who…Well, it turned out she fancied Pete and thought that if she took his part he might, um, show some interest in her.’
‘It sounds as if they deserved each other,’ Rhys said.
‘Probably. I have no idea if they got together or not and I really don’t care. But I hated going into the ward every day and facing everyone. People were sympathetic, even kind, but I could see the pity in their eyes, and I loathed the fact they saw me as “poor Katrina” instead of who I am. By the end, I wasn’t sure if they pitied me for the way Pete behaved or because I can’t hear. And working with Pete was just sheer torture. I never want to be in that situation again.’ She grimaced. ‘It was so hard to face him, when I’d loved him so much and he’d rejected me. It made me start thinking that I was as useless as he said I was—useless at my job as well as my personal life. Everyone said that he was in the wrong, not me, but it made me question my judgement in men. If he was that awful, why had I been stupid enough to fall for him in the first place? Next time round, would I pick someone who’d treat me just as badly?’
‘Useless? You? I know violence doesn’t solve anything, but right now I’d love to break the guy’s jaw,’ Rhys said through gritted teeth. ‘It’s not true, Katrina. You’re not damaged goods and you’re very, very far from useless. You’re kind and you’re clever and you’re a damned good doctor and you make the world a brighter place. Don’t ever, ever think otherwise.’
The expression on his face told her he meant it. That he was livid with Pete on her behalf.
If he could feel that protective towards her, that had to mean something. And the way he’d looked at her over the last couple of weeks…she was pretty sure he felt the same way that she did. Longing. Attraction.
But she couldn’t act on it.
She had to explain—but, then again, how could she? It wasn’t an easy subject to broach—and Rhys was such a private man, it made things even more difficult. She swallowed hard. ‘Rhys. I don’t…Look, this is awkward.’
‘I’m not going to betray any confidences, if that’s what you’re worrying about. What you just told me stays with me and only me.’
She could feel the colour flooding into her face. ‘Thank you. But Pete…that’s why I never want to date a colleague again. I don’t want to go through that horrible mess when it’s over, of people taking sides and talking about me, even if they mean well.’
‘Perfectly understandable. I’d feel the same.’
‘Is that what happened to you, too?’
She’d told him a confidence. Something she clearly didn’t talk about very much. And right now Rhys could tell that Katrina felt really vulnerable. The only way he could think of to ease that was to tell her a confidence in return. ‘Not exactly. I never dated anyone on the same ward. But…’ He paused. ‘This is the same deal. What I tell you stays with you and only you.’
‘Of course.’
‘My parents split up when I’d barely started school. I don’t want to go into details, but it was pretty messy, and I promised myself I’d never let that happen to me.’ He smiled wryly. ‘Of course, when I grew up, I realised that marriage doesn’t necessarily end in divorce—not everyone’s from a broken home.’
‘My parents have been married for thirty years,’ Katrina said. ‘And they can act embarrassingly like teenagers—Maddie’s parents are the same.’
‘They’re the lucky ones.’ He shrugged. ‘As I said, I realise that relationships can work—but mine don’t tend to. I’ve tried to make a go of things with other relationships. But it’s never worked out in the end.’
‘Is that a warning?’ she asked.
‘No, it’s a statement of fact. Even though I know the odds are probably on my side, I suppose emotionally I’m not prepared to take the risk. Which is probably why I keep people at a distance because it’s a hell of a lot easier that way. Less stressful. Work, I can deal with. Personal stuff…’ He propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his clasped hands. ‘Can I be honest with you?’
