Dr Cinderella's Midnight Fling. Kate HardyЧитать онлайн книгу.

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       For Fiona—my very best friend and the sister I wish I had—with much love

      CHAPTER ONE

      ‘CINDERELLA, you are so going to the ball,’ Sorcha said as Jane opened her front door.

      Jane stared at her best friend. ‘But I’ve only just got in from late shift.’

      ‘Perfect timing, then.’ Sorcha glanced at her watch. ‘The taxi’s going to be here in thirty minutes, so you don’t have time to argue.’

      ‘I don’t have anything to wear.’

      ‘Yes, you do. Right here. It’s an unbirthday present from me because I saw it when I was in town and thought the colour was just perfect for you.’ Sorcha waved a carrier bag at her. ‘Go and have a shower and wash your hair. I’ll dry it for you and do your make-up.’

      ‘But—’ Jane began, and then subsided. She knew from past experience that, once Sorcha was in full bossy mode, there was no stopping her.

      ‘It’s not as if you’ve got anything better to do tonight,’ Sorcha added. ‘And ironing and cleaning your bathroom don’t count. You didn’t go to a single one of the Christmas nights out, you’re always switching your duty so you can avoid team nights out, and it’s well past time you stopped letting Shaun ruin your life.’

      Jane didn’t have an answer for any of that. She knew it was all true.

      Sorcha hugged her swiftly. ‘I know he hurt you badly, Janey, but you can’t hide behind work for the rest of your life. Look, I’m not telling you to go and have a wild fling with the first man you meet. Just come out with me tonight and enjoy yourself. Have some fun.’

      Jane wrinkled her nose. ‘There’s a teensy problem. I don’t actually have a ticket for the ball.’ She’d given a donation toward the funds instead.

      ‘Actually, you do have one. From Maddie and Theo, with their love—and she says if you say you can’t accept it, then she’ll accept a promise of babysitting one evening in return, but you’re coming to the ball and that’s final. And Theo echoed the lot.’

      Jane knew when she was beaten. ‘I can hardly argue with my boss,’ she said wryly.

      ‘Attagirl.’ Sorcha smiled at her. ‘You’ve got twenty-seven minutes. Go, go, go!’

      By the time the taxi arrived, Jane hardly recognised herself. She normally kept her hair tied back in a pony-tail at work, but Sorcha had blow-dried it into a sleek bob. Her make-up was light but still managed to emphasise her hazel eyes and make them sparkle. And the dress was the prettiest she’d ever seen, with a swishy skirt that made her feel light on her feet; it fitted as if it had been made to measure.

      ‘Perfect,’ Sorcha said with an approving nod. ‘Let’s go.’

      ‘What do you mean, you can’t make it?’ Ed asked.

      ‘I’m stuck in Suffolk,’ George explained.

      Ed’s heart skipped a beat as a nasty thought hit him. ‘Is Dad all right?’

      ‘As far as I know. I’m not at the hall.’

      ‘Uh-huh.’ So there could only be one other reason why his older brother was standing him up, Ed thought. He’d had a better offer than a hospital charity ball. ‘A girl,’ he said with a sigh.

      ‘No, actually. My car had a slight argument with a tree.’

      ‘What? Are you all right?’

      ‘I’m fine. Nobody’s hurt, except the car. Stop fussing,’ George said. ‘Metal’s easily fixed.’

      ‘I’m a doctor. If you tell me you’ve crashed your car, of course I’m going to fuss,’ Ed retorted.

      ‘Honestly, I’m fine. Not a scratch on me—unlike my poor car. I’ll be back in London later in the week. I’m just sorry I’ve let you down.’

      ‘Just as long as you’re really OK. What happened?’

      ‘I took the corner a bit too fast,’ George said cheerfully. ‘But I’ve learned my lesson, so don’t nag. I spent hours polishing that chrome to perfection. I’ll be more careful in future.’

      Ed could see exactly why his stepmother had begged him to talk some sense into his older brother. Not that he thought George would actually listen to him, but maybe some of Ed’s seriousness and common sense would rub off on George and he’d steady down a bit. ‘OK. I’ll see you when you’re back. Try not to break your neck.’

      George just laughed. ‘Have a good time tonight.’

      Ed replaced the receiver and straightened his bow tie. Well, it wasn’t the end of the world that he had to go to the ball on his own. It was a chance to meet some of his new colleagues and have some fun, as well as raising money for specialist equipment at the London Victoria.

      He’d liked Theo Petrakis, the senior consultant, at their first meeting. And the photograph of the three little girls on his desk had sealed the deal: Theo was very clearly a family man. Just as Ed was, too; his decision to move back to London from Glasgow was less to do with being promoted and more to do with being nearer to his brother and his sisters. Prompted partly by a quiet phone call from Frances saying that George desperately needed someone to talk