The Secret Doctor Read Online Free Page A

late—nothing serious, he said, but I know he’s been seeing a doctor regularly over these past few months.’ She frowned. ‘Even so, it isn’t like him not to get in touch.’ She made an awkward shrug of her shoulders. ‘I’m probably worrying unnecessarily. He knows how to look after himself but, there again, the Everglades can be tricky if things go wrong.’
    â€˜It could be that he had a change of plan and went straight on to his family.’
    â€˜Yes, that’s most likely the answer…but I still think he would have given me a call to let me know. I haven’t been able to contact him.’ Perhaps she was distracted by thoughts of Rob and wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, because she missed her footing just then, and stumbled over a patch of rough ground. Instantly, Jake’s hand shot out, grasping her arm in a light, but firm, grip.
    â€˜Are you okay?’
    She nodded. ‘I’m fine, thanks.’ She wished her voice sounded more certain, but quite unexpectedly his touch was beginning to play havoc with her defences. The warmth of his fingers seared her tender skin, and her whole body flamed in reaction to his nearness as he drew her close to steady her. Her mouth was suddenly dry, her heart hammering against her rib cage as his thigh brushed hers and her nervous system went into meltdown. She couldn’t think straight with him holding her that way, with the flat of his hand resting on her waist, burning through the thin cotton of her top. She struggled to compose herself. ‘I’ll be all right now…Thanks,’ she mumbled. ‘I can manage.’
    â€˜Are you sure? The ground is difficult underfoot here where the coral has been left exposed by the sea.’
    â€˜I’m sure.’ She straightened, as though to emphasise the point, and he released her readily enough, so that at last her head began to clear.
    â€˜You said Rob was supposed to pick up some belongings—does that mean he was going to move on from your place?’
    She nodded. ‘Yes, although I dare say he will come back to the Keys from time to time because he still has contacts here. He found himself an apartment in Miami, close to where the film company is based and within a short distance of his parents’ and his brothers’ homes, so, all in all, I imagine things have turned out quite well for him.’
    â€˜I expect so.’ He was thoughtful for a moment or two. ‘You told me that you’d been friends for some time… How did you two meet?’
    â€˜We met when I was doing my medical training. He was doing a completely different course—media studies—but we had both joined the camera club on campus, and we became friends. I think he decided to come back to the States because there were good opportunities here for him in the television and film industry…and of course his family were here. He was homesick, I suppose, and having spent holidays here in Florida I could talk to him about familiar places, so that’s probably what drew us together in the first place.’
    By now they had reached Lacey’s house, and after a few more minutes of chat they parted company, with Jake heading off once more for the boathouse. ‘Going by boat is the best way to explore the Keys,’ he told her. ‘You should let me take you out on the water some day. It’ll open up a new world for you.’ His look was mischievous, inviting her to take him up on the offer there and then.
    â€˜Maybe some other time. I’ll think about it,’ she said, taking the easy way out.
    He threw her a wry smile, and she guessed he was well aware that she was prevaricating once more.
    Lacey wasn’t at all concerned about what he might be thinking. He would most likely forget about the offer, or at the very least he would give up trying when faced with constant rejection. That suited her fine. Jake was a