Emergency: Christmas. Alison RobertsЧитать онлайн книгу.
moved before she had time to get nervous. The barman smiled at her.
‘Same again?’
Penelope nodded. She was listening to the conversation between the two men beside her.
‘I would have gone for a tracheostomy myself. We couldn’t be sure that the injury level was entirely above the larynx.’
‘It was worth a try. I’ve been taught to save tracheostomy for a last resort. There’s a high morbidity and the associated mortality risk is about three per cent. That’s not insignificant. I saw a burns patient die having one attempted a while back, and it left a major impression on me.’
The barman was sliding glasses across the bar towards Penelope. ‘Two white wines and one lager. Is that the lot?’
‘Yes, thanks.’
Jeremy turned at the sound of Penelope’s voice. ‘Penny. This is a lovely surprise. What brings you into The Hovel?’
‘My friend, Belinda. She was too shy to come by herself.’
Belinda’s peal of laughter from the other side of the room sounded anything but shy. Jeremy’s smile made Penelope feel as though he had seen through the plan instantly. She tried to ignore the threatened prickle of humiliation by glancing at Jeremy’s companion.
‘Hi, Mark. Are you living here, too?’
‘For the moment. I want to get my own place as soon as I can. I’m going to rent a car tomorrow to have a look at a couple of houses for rent around the harbour. I’d like a sea view.’
‘I love the sea, too. I love the smell of salt air and being able to hear the waves at night.’ Penelope found herself smiling. Mark was easy to talk to.
‘Makes the cars rust,’ Jeremy broke in. ‘I’d rather be up on the hills and just have the view.’
Penelope turned to collect her change from the barman. Was that how Jeremy saw her, perhaps? As part of a view? Jeremy was making this difficult. If she invited him to join their table now, it could be seen as a very obvious ploy to throw herself at the man. The flash of irritation took Penelope by surprise. So did the memory of a piece of Belinda’s advice. Maybe letting Jeremy think she wasn’t interested wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Maybe letting him think that she might be interested in someone else was an even better idea. Penelope picked up the wineglasses. She smiled at Mark.
‘I finish at two tomorrow,’ she told him casually. ‘If you don’t want the hassle of renting a car I’d be happy to play taxi driver. I was born and raised in Wellington so I know my way around.’
‘Thanks.’ Mark looked delighted. ‘I’d really appreciate that, Penny. How ’bout we meet here at two-thirty?’
‘I’ll be here.’ Penelope smiled again and included Jeremy in her glance. ‘See you later, Jeremy.’
Belinda’s dismayed expression at Penelope returning to their table alone was less pronounced than the one Jeremy had been trying to conceal when she’d left the bar. Penelope smiled reassuringly at Belinda. She’d fill her in later and thank her for having given her the idea in the first place. Plan B had definite possibilities. Penelope stole a glance at the bar and caught Jeremy’s thoughtful stare in her direction. She looked away hurriedly and bit back a satisfied smile.
Plan B appeared to be working perfectly already.
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