No Bra Required! (7 page)

“Really? I used to sing…”  Lucy stopped abruptly. 
She realised that she was about to tell Ed about Lottie, and she wasn’t ready
for that yet.  “Erm I used to sing it to my friend’s little boy.”  She
took a gulp of her wine.  “What a coincidence.”  She dropped her
head, not wanting Ed to see the tears in her eyes.

“Well at least I know you won’t ruin my son’s ears with crap
music while you’re looking after him,” Ed joked.

Lucy looked up now and smiled.  “I promise not to play
any Bon Jovi.”

“Urgh, please no!”  Ed held up his hands and shook his
head vigorously.

“Simon loves them and made me listen to their whole back
catalogue once.” Lucy grimaced as she remembered one extremely long November
day.

Ed laughed loudly and went to the fridge.  “Sorry Lucy,
but I think you might be better off without him with awful music taste like
that.”  He turned to look at Lucy, realising what he’d just said. 
“Oh God, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”  He shook his head and
bit his bottom lip.

Lucy grinned, amused at his comment and the look of horror
upon his face.  “It’s okay. You're right he does have awful taste in
music, he was a massive fan of Westlife too!” 

They laughed loudly together as Ed filled her wine glass up
again, and opened himself another bottle of beer.

“Okay,” said Ed as he paused from laughing.  “What
about the rest of your family, what are they like?  I know about your dad
and Richard obviously. They're both really good guys, but I believe you have a
sister too.”

“Hmm,” Lucy nodded.  “Sophie, she’s a couple of years
younger than me and lives in South Africa. She’s a magazine photographer. 
She’s lovely and talented, but, unfortunately, I don’t get to see much of her.
 South Africa is so far away, and she works all over the country, so even
if I could afford the fare, or the time to go there, it's difficult for Sophie
to be around long enough to have any visitors.  The only other family I
have apart from Dad and Richard is my mother, but the less said about her the
better.” Lucy played with the table cloth as she thought about the last time
she saw her mother.

“Oh dear, I won’t ask any more about her then.  We all
have family members that we’d prefer not to discuss, don’t we?”  Ed smiled
at Lucy, but it failed to reach his eyes.

“So, what about you?”  Lucy asked to change the
subject.  “What made you want to be a doctor, is it a family occupation?”

“No, not at all.  My mum was a librarian, and my dad
was a builder who made a good living building bespoke properties and exclusive
housing developments.  It’s the only thing I ever wanted to be, right from
Nate’s age.  The best Christmas present I ever had was a plastic doctor’s
kit when I was seven.”

“So you were destined to be a doctor then?”

“Not at all.  I wasn’t naturally bright. To get the
grades that I needed I had to study really hard, all the way through my
education. Unlike Luke, he only ever wanted to be a footballer and was
naturally gifted at it; that and chasing girls.”

There followed a brief silence until Ed coughed and pushed
his chair back to take their empty plates to the dishwasher.

“I can wash those for you,” Lucy offered.

Ed shook his head.  “That’s what the dishwasher is for,
don’t be silly.  Can I get you anything else? I didn’t make a pudding
sorry. They're not in my repertoire.”

“That’s okay. I'm quite full thanks.”  Lucy smiled at
Ed before taking another sip from her wine.

“Oh that’s good” Ed turned away from Lucy. 

God he wanted her so much, and if she looked into his eyes
she would surely see they were full of lust.  She looked gorgeous tonight,
and her smile lit up her whole face, but he sensed that she was holding
something back from him.  He sighed as he stacked the dishwasher, she was
evidently still hurting badly, and there was no way that he could make a move
on her, no matter how much he wanted to.

Lucy watched Ed as he bent and stretched to fill the
dishwasher.  Blimey, he was fantastic, his body was to die for, and when
he’d stretched up for the salt and pepper, she could see a tight stomach with a
thin line of hair leading down into his jeans.  The way that he loved his
son was adorable, but his ex-wife and brother had obviously broken his heart
beyond repair, just as Simon had broken hers.  There was no way that she
could act on this stupid crush that she had on him, even if they just had some
‘sexy time’ as Sarah had suggested, it would stupid to risk another broken
heart.

After Ed had made them some coffee they talked for another
hour about Nate, his life as a doctor, Oasis, Lucy’s experiences as a teacher
and books that they both enjoyed.  Finally, Lucy stifled a yawn, and she
suddenly felt extremely weary.

“Sorry, am I boring you?” Ed asked as he smiled at Lucy.

“God no, I’m just tired.  I’ve not worked for three
weeks and getting up early this morning was a bit of a killer.”  Lucy
yawned once more and stretched her arms out to her sides.  “I’m sorry,
again.”

“I understand,” muttered Ed, desperately trying to avoid
staring at her breasts that were now straining against her white cotton
shirt.  “Will you be okay walking back on your own, or would you like me
to get a taxi for you?” Ed asked.

“No, I’ll be fine it only takes ten minutes, at the most.”

“Well I don’t think there’s anyone dangerous around here,
but even so I’d prefer to ring for a taxi for you.” Ed replied his concern
growing.

“Honestly don’t worry, it’s only just gone nine-thirty.
 Anyway, I can do my judo moves on anyone who tries to attack me. 
I’ll have to show them to you some time.”  Lucy involuntarily went into
flirting mode, looking up at Ed through her lashes and holding his gaze.

Ed felt a slight stirring in his jeans. He quickly thought
of clowns, always guaranteed to dampen his ardour.

 At the front door, when they said goodbye, there was a
brief moment when Lucy thought Ed was going to hug her, but he patted her on
the back instead.

“Anyway, good night,” he said moving his hand from Lucy’s
back to scratch his head.

“Yes, good night and, well I’ll see you in the morning.” 
Lucy thrust her hands into her jeans pocket as she suddenly had an urge to run
them through his hair!

“Yes, see you tomorrow.”

Ed closed the door, as soon as Lucy walked off down the
street.  He rubbed both hands up and down his face as he flopped down onto
the bottom stair.  He actually wasn’t sure now that this arrangement was a
brilliant idea.  How on earth was he going to get her out of his head
while working so closely with her, not only at the surgery but at home too? He
was going to have to think about an awful lot of clowns in the next few weeks.
Perhaps the more he saw of her the less enticing she would become, but somehow
Ed doubted it if his current erection and dirty thoughts were anything to go
by.

As Lucy walked home, she shivered as she thought of
Ed.  He was so gorgeous, but he didn’t appear to realise it, which made
him even more attractive.  She thought about his deep brown eyes, like
pools of melted chocolate, and how they had shone brightly when he spoke about
Nate.  She thought about his stomach under his white T-shirt and his
perfect backside, and then she thought about what he might look like naked, and
she shivered again.   Her nipples were standing to attention just at
the thought of him; imagine if he actually touched her!  She shook her
head and tried to banish such thoughts from her mind, but they just wouldn’t go
away.

The next morning, when Lucy arrived at the surgery, Callie
told her that Ed had gone out on a home visit.  He’d gone to one of the
local nursing homes and would be back after lunch.  Lucy felt
disappointed, unless he returned to the surgery before she finished for the
day, she wouldn’t see him until tomorrow.

In bed, the previous evening, she’d thought about him
constantly, realising that she actually did like him, not just because he was
gorgeous and had a fantastic body. He seemed to be a lovely person, he was
funny, he adored his son, and he was engaging. Lucy thought about their brief
moments of flirting, wondering whether he was attracted to her too, but then
banished the thought from her head; it was merely some gentle flirting, nothing
to get excited about.

As Lucy tidied the reception desk, somewhat dejectedly,
Callie tapped her on the shoulder proffering a mug of tea.

“So, how did your meeting with Dr Bryce go pet?” asked
Callie, taking a sip from her own mug.

“Oh it was good, thanks.  I met Nate, and then Dr
Bryce, and I talked it through, you know what would happen on a daily basis,
that sort of thing.”  Lucy averted her eyes, not wanting to meet Callie’s
gaze, in case she saw the blush on her cheeks.

“Nate’s a canny bairn isn’t he?” Callie enthused.  “Dr
Bryce loves the bones of him, and they’re like best friends, but I suppose it’s
because it’s just been him and Nate for so long.  Did he mention Mrs
Bryce, the ex-wife, at all?”  Callie asked nonchalantly as she flicked on
the computer.

Lucy shook her head.  “Not much, just that she wasn’t
part of Nate’s life.  He didn’t offer any more information, and I didn’t
ask for any.”  Lucy put her tea down and moved to the desk to greet a
patient, putting a stop to any further questioning from Callie.

The morning passed quickly, with a bout of flu hitting the
town and only Dr Kindler on duty they worked non-stop.  Between them,
Callie and Lucy fell naturally into a system, Callie booking patients in as
they arrived, and Lucy taking repeat appointments and new ones over the
phone. 

Despite being busy, every time the glass door had swung open
Lucy looked up, hoping that it might be Ed returning earlier than
expected.  It never was, and so by midday, she had resigned herself not to
see him. 

“Do you want me to stay a little longer, Callie?” asked
Lucy, glancing at the clock that read five minutes past twelve.

“What’s that pet?”  Callie looked up from the computer,
having just booked in another flu sufferer.

“Shall I stay to help you out, or at least until you’ve had
your lunch?”

“No, don’t be silly.  The rush is over, there’s only Mr
Gregg and Evie Francis to go in now.  You get yourself off, unless you
want to wait here?”  She looked at Lucy and smiled.

Lucy blushed slightly and shook her head.  “No, I just
thought you might like some help.”

“No, we only take emergencies between twelve and two, so
I’ll be able to grab some lunch no problem.”

“Shall I run out and get you something then?”  Lucy was
conscious that she was now starting to sound a little desperate, but she
was
desperate, desperate to see Ed.

“I’ve brought a salad with me pet, so no need.”  Callie
continued typing, not letting Lucy see the smile on her face.

“Oh, okay, if you’re sure.  I’ll be off then.” 
Lucy shrugged her shoulders and started to walk back to the staff room to
collect her bag.

“Okay then,” called Callie, now grinning.  “You seem a
bit anxious to stay for some reason pet?” she whispered to herself, giggling
softly.

A few minutes later, Lucy reappeared with her bag, and the
glass door swung open.  In rushed a decidedly out of breath Ed. 

“In a hurry pet?”  Callie asked, without looking up from
her typing.  “I don’t know what it is about this place today, everyone is
desperate to be here, I wonder why.”

“Oh, erm hi Callie.  I was just conscious that I’d been
out for so long,” Ed explained, rubbing his chin. 

“No longer than usual.”  Callie smiled broadly and
winked at Ed.  “Mr Gregg, you can go into Dr Kindler now,” she called to
the waiting patient.  “I’m just off to the ladies Lucy, so I’ll see you
tomorrow, unless you’re still here when I get back of course.”

“No, no, I’m going now,” Lucy spluttered, looking down and
rummaging in her bag as she tried to hide her pink cheeks.

 “Oh hi Lucy, sorry didn’t see you there.”  Ed
scratched his head and moved behind the reception desk.

He placed his bag on the floor and checked the computer to
look at the afternoon appointments.  Ed only had three; all pretty
straightforward follow ups, but he studied them for longer than
necessary.  Finally, after a couple of minutes he sighed and turned to
Lucy.

“Ah well, not too bad an afternoon,” he said, picking his
bag up from the floor.  “So, are you off now then Lucy?”

“Hmm, yes,” she replied, still searching for nothing at all
in her bag as a delaying tactic.  “I’m just looking for my…you know…my, ah
here it is.”  Lucy pulled a nail file from her bag.

“Right, great.”  Ed looked a little perplexed. 
“Anyway, do you have any plans this afternoon?” Ed was in turn, trying to delay
Lucy.

He just had to look at her a little longer, Ed thought, in
that tight blouse and pencil skirt.  And there were no flip-flops on her
feet today, but extremely sexy killer heels.  Ed suppressed a groan as he
imagined Lucy, in his bed, wearing nothing else but the black stilettos.

Lucy broke his thoughts.  “Nothing exciting, just the
supermarket with Dad, which in his current condition could take hours,” she
giggled.

“Oh okay. It’s just I’m taking Nate to Flatts Woods after
school and then for a burger, so wondered if you’d like to come with us? 
You know, to get to know Nate, before next week.”  Ed blushed as he looked
down at his feet.

“Yes, that would be lovely,” Lucy sighed, gazing at
Ed.  “What time and where?”

God did she sound too forward, Lucy wondered. She hadn’t
even thought about it, but just said yes straight away.  What was it about
this man?  Her head was telling her to stay away from him, it was too soon
after Simon, but her heart was saying, “Just go for it, and give him as many
signals as you can that you want him.”

“You would?  Brilliant. That's great.”  Ed beamed
at her, and then coughed nervously.  “Well I’ll pick you up about four
thirty from your dad’s house, is that okay?”

“Fine, I’ll see you then.”  Lucy smiled broadly.

As Callie reappeared, her face spread into a large grin as
she saw Lucy still hadn’t left. “You still here Lucy, don’t you want to go
home?  I can’t think for the life of me what the attraction of this place
is,” she said winking at Lucy.

Lucy blushed, fleetingly flicking her eyes towards Ed. 
“There’s no attraction Callie, I’m just devoted to the cause.” 

“You’re devoted to something pet, but I doubt very much it’s
this place.  Anyway, Dr Bryce how are you this morning?” 

With that, Lucy waved goodbye and scuttled out complete with
a crimson face.

By the time Lucy had reached home, she had convinced herself
that the trip to the woods was a bad idea.  How could she possibly even
consider it when she lusted after Ed so much?  Lucy decided to ring Sarah
for advice, although she knew what her friend’s advice would be - go for it!

Lucy was right, when she’d spoken to Sarah and told her
about dinner last night, and the trip to the woods, Sarah had laughed loudly,
and her well thought out advice was – “There are no guarantees in life, so
either shag him, or keep it professional and just see where it goes, but stop
being a fanny about it.”

At four thirty, having taken Sarah’s erudite comments to
heart, Lucy stared through the lounge window, waiting for sight of Ed’s
car.  Gerald didn’t say anything when she’d told him where she was going,
he merely smiled, nodded his head and told her to take an umbrella as they’d
forecast rain.  He then spent half an hour composing an email to Richard,
keeping him updated of the situation.

A few minutes later, Lucy recognised Ed’s car at the end of
the drive.  She shouted goodbye to Gerald, grabbed her keys from the hall
table and left the house.  As she shut the door behind her, Lucy wondered
whether she looked okay, she certainly hoped that she did as she had spent long
enough deciding on what to wear, finally choosing a pair of white, ankle
grazer, skinny jeans, a white T-shirt, black converse pumps, and she carried a
black-and-white  striped cardigan. 

As Lucy walked towards the car Ed let out a long sigh, she
looked stunning.  Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders and down her
back, and her body looked fantastic in the tight jeans and T-shirt.  Then
it struck Ed, how happy and relaxed Lucy looked as she waved at him, it made
her even more beautiful.  He wanted her so badly, and this trip to the
woods was something that Ed had thought of, off the cuff, this afternoon, just
to get to spend some time with Lucy.  Nate had been thrilled about the
burger but wasn’t quite as enamoured with the woods.  They had a large
garden that he could play football in, so why did they have to go walking in
the woods, but Ed had managed to persuade him that it was a brilliant
idea.  Plus Nate had seemed pleased when Ed had told him that Lucy was
going with them.

Lucy smiled and waved at Ed as she approached the car; she
felt happy to see him and was now looking forward to the next few hours. 
Her stomach flipped as Ed gave her a huge smile, he looked gorgeous.  She
shivered involuntarily at the thought of spending time with him.  Sarah
was right; she should see where things went and try not to worry about it.

“Hi,” Lucy said, opening the car door.  “Hi Nate, how
are you?” she asked, turning to the back seat.

“Hi Lucy.  I know you’re a girl, but can you play
football because I've brought my ball with me?”  Nate thrust his orange
football towards her.

Lucy giggled and took the ball from Nate.  “I’m not
very good, so perhaps you could be on my side, to help me.”

“Hmm, okay.  Would it be fair Daddy, if we both played
against you?” Nate leaned forward and tapped Ed on the shoulder with his little
hand. 

“I think it would be okay Nate, but I’m not sure that there
is anywhere we can play football.  If there is, we’ll play, but I’m pretty
certain that I’ll beat you both, what do you think Lucy?”  Ed turned to
Lucy, who was now gazing at him.

“Ooh, I’m not so sure about that, are you Nate?”

“No way, we will win 21 – nil.”

Ed threw his head back and laughed.  “Okay, let’s go
then and see what happens,” he said, thrusting the car into gear and driving
off.

Twenty minutes later and the three of them were wandering
through the woods.  Ed had been right, there wasn’t actually anywhere for
Nate to play football, so Lucy and Ed walked together as Nate dawdled behind,
sulking at having to leave his ball in the car.

Lucy and Ed waited for him intermittently, urging him to
join them, but Nate just jutted out his bottom lip and carried on dragging his
feet.  Ten minutes into the walk, Nate got bored with sulking and ran past
them, shouting for Ed to catch him.  Ed chased him for a couple of minutes
and then fell back to walk in step with Lucy, leaving Nate to run against the
late-afternoon wind.

“Look at him,” Ed sighed.  “He doesn’t have a care in
the world.”

“Except for having to leave his football in the car,” Lucy replied,
buttoning up her cardigan.  They were walking along a path covered by vast
trees, all blocking out the watery sun.  “He certainly doesn’t seem to be
affected by not having his mum around anyway.  You’ve obviously done a
great job.”

Ed smiled and shook his head.  “I can’t take all the
credit; my mum has been brilliant with him.  The problem is of course she
isn’t getting any younger, and I can’t expect her to help out for much
longer.  She’s raised her children, she shouldn’t have to help me to raise
mine,” he said, smiling ruefully.

“I’m sure she doesn’t mind, at least she gets to keep you
both close, rather than in Manchester.”  Lucy watched Nate in the
distance.

“Unlike her other grandchildren.”  There was a
suggestion of bitterness in Ed’s voice.  “She’s hardly ever seen Amelia
and Louie; two or three times at most I think.  Dad has never seen them.”

“Really?  Why not?”

“He doesn’t agree with what Katie and Luke did to me,
especially Katie leaving Nate as she did.  Dad signs cards and speaks to the
children, and occasionally Luke, on the phone but can’t bring himself to visit
them with Mum.”

“So, how do you feel about your mum visiting them?” 
Lucy asked, noticing deep ridges across his brow.  God she wanted to kiss
his frown away.

“It always hurts at first, when she says she’s going to
visit, but I can’t blame her.  She didn’t speak to Luke for a long time,
but it was hard for her.  He’s her son too, and she felt torn all the
time.  So, one day I just told her to pick up the phone and call him.”

“Blimey, that’s very big of you,” replied Lucy.  “I
don’t think I would have been that nice about it.”

Ed rubbed his eyes.  “It’s my argument not hers. 
She was heartbroken by not speaking to Luke; Katie, however, is another
matter.  From what I gather she barely speaks to her.  She only
really talks to Luke - Nate, don’t run too far ahead please - Katie and Luke
turned our lives’ upside down, and Mum can’t forgive either of them, but Luke
is her son, so he gets a free pass on this one.”

Nate started to come back towards them, his cheeks bright
red from running up and down the pathway.  “Daddy can we have a running
race to that big tree stump up there, please?” he pleaded as he pointed in the
distance.  “Lucy you have to race too?”