THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

Chapter One: Shakespeare Run Riot

There were, Ellie mused as she watched him, definite advantages to having a doctor for a neighbour. It was like having your own personal physician, without the outrageous expense that came with it. That he was so easy on the eyes didn't exactly hurt either, especially when he was working out. Feeling slightly voyeuristic, but not caring in the slightest, Ellie settled back into her deck chair, sipping on a refilled glass of iced tea, while watching him jog through their condo's grounds.

It was the dream that every mother – her own included – wanted for their unwed daughter. From the moment she'd met her daughter's new neighbour, the scheming had started. After all, she'd spent a fortune on her mother-of-the-bride outfit. One which she'd never got to wear. And for all her substantial wealth, Lucinda Fortescue wasn't the type of woman to waste money. So, if there was the slightest chance of her daughter marrying someone – anyone – in the near future, she was naturally keen to do whatever she could to help 'poor, poor Eleanor' in her time of need.

Even now, two weeks after she'd moved in, those subtle maternal suggestions still kept on coming. "You know, darling, you really are looking incredibly tired. Dreadfully pale. Are you alright? Maybe you should ask that charming neighbour of yours to give you a really thorough check up . . ."

Of course, if truth be told, she very rarely needed medical help, emergency or otherwise, but – well, all the same, it was a comfort to know he was there, just one storey down from her. Besides, Ellie derived a mischievous pleasure from keeping her matchmaking mother on tenterhooks. The more hints she dropped, the more her stubbornly independent daughter ignored them – which provided the young Englishwoman with no end of amused entertainment.

More seriously, Ellie was still smarting from Hugo's betrayal, the humiliation of her ruined wedding. The last thing she wanted right now was to fall into the common trap of a knee-jerk romance. An easy, commitment free friendship was just what she needed – and exactly what she'd found. She could talk to Jesse for hours, and had been thrilled to discover their shared interest in history. Her privileged English upbringing fascinated him, but didn't leave him fawning at her feet. To someone so used to that irritating shallowness, it made a refreshing change.

So her mother's dream of her marrying into medicine would have to wait. Ellie was in no rush. Still, she mused, her smile appreciatively widening, there's no harm in looking while I'm waiting . . .

Not wishing to take after her man-hungry mother too much, Ellie then surfaced from her musings – thoughts of Shakespeare running riot as she called to the figure who now stood below her balcony. Even in his disheveled, panting for breath state, Romeo still held a definite appeal. "Jesse! After that run, I'd imagine you're ready for a long cool drink! Come on up!"

Squinting up at her, still too out of breath to reply, Jesse grinned and waved in grateful acceptance – giving his lungs a few more moments to recover before calling up a slightly rueful afterthought.

"Thanks, Ellie, just . . . um . . . give me ten minutes to get showered and freshened up, okay?"

Resisting the urge to offer him the services of her own bathroom, Ellie grinned back and nodded – treating herself to one final appreciative glance before retreating inside to answer the telephone.

Had their walls been thinner, her approval of her sweet, ever cheery neighbour may have changed. Now safely out of earshot, a hot and sweatily aching Jesse Travis was not a happy camper. "Aw, that's just great!" he growled, slamming the door behind him more forcibly than usual. "Of all the people to see me when I look like something the cat dragged in, it just has to be Ellie!" The peeved mutterings continued as Jesse stomped through the living area into his bathroom, venting more of his frustration on his shirt by tugging it off and hurling it onto a nearby chair. "What the hell was I thinking, going out jogging in this heat? Jeez, it had to be ninety out there! I must be crazy! Either that, or Steve's right. Maybe I am gettin' old!"

The humorous irony of his forty-something friend teasing him about his age soon improved his mood, causing Jesse to fondly smile and shake his head while he stepped carefully into the shower. Since it had been that same forty-something friend who'd persuaded him to get this new treat installed, he could forgive Steve the occasional brotherly teasing. Well, within reason, of course . . . He'd had power showers before, in his other apartments, but this thing was a real luxury. It ranged from a gentle spray to an all out massage, which was like standing under your own Niagara. Perfect for easing away the aches and pains from a long, busy shift . . . or a four mile jog.

Setting the controls to 'pulsating massage', Jesse released the water flow and sighed with pleasure as a torrent of soothing coolness began to pummel onto his shoulders, easing away the aches of exercise. I guess that's another one I owe you, Steve, he thought, mentally adding Mark to that thank you list. It had been Mark's idea that he move into this new condo after Susan had left, just over a month ago. A new place, a new start – a chance for him to put his pain at their break up behind him.

Her decision to leave him had come totally without warning, leaving Jesse completely floored. They'd been seen as the perfect couple and, it seemed, destined to spend the rest of their lives together. Unfortunately, by the time he'd realised this, and finally plucked up courage to ask her to marry him, Susan had lost patience and left for Oregon with a smooth talking, visiting chiropractor. Still, as he'd ruefully explained to Mark, she'd often complained about her bad back. A wry smile then settled on Jesse's face as he rotated his shoulders under the pummelling torrent. I don't suppose she's complaining now…

Bitterness wasn't in Jesse's nature, so his thoughts soon moved onto a more cheerful subject. Ellie. She was about as far away from Susan as you could get, far closer to his own easy going temperament. Maybe that was why they got on so well, he mused, briskly rinsing fresh water through his hair. Or maybe, with her being five years his junior, Steve's big brother influence was rubbing off on him. Whatever the reason, the arrival of Eleanor 'Ellie' Fortescue in his life had touched quite a chord.

Remembering that he was on a deadline, Jesse quickly finished his shower and, towel round his waist, headed into his bedroom to change into fresh clothes. Dressing quickly was an art he'd perfected as an intern, when time in the ER was always so precious. It certainly came in handy now as he slipped into a fresh T shirt and, after a few seconds consideration, a pair of black jeans which were rather smarter than he'd normally wear on his day off. Pulling on his shoes, Jesse caught sight of his reflection in the mirror above his dresser and groaned.

He hated to admit it (and never would, of course) but Amanda was right. He really did need a haircut! Controlling the tousled blond mop was tricky at the best of times, let alone when it was soaking wet. Now it stood up in tangled spikes, as though he'd foolishly poked his finger in a live electrical socket. Wincing at the memory of an overly curious four year old, Jesse set to work with his comb and dryer. He wasn't vain, by any means. Life as a trauma surgeon, with all that work entailed, had seen to that – but meeting Ellie for a drink called for a special effort.

Five minutes later, the mop more or less tamed, Jesse pocketed his keys and left his bedroom – adding just a trace of his favourite aftershave before leaving his apartment.

He'd run a fair way over his ten minute estimate, so he could forgive Ellie for rebuking his lateness. The sight of her greeting him in floods of tears, though . . . well, it threw him, for sure. It also caused his ability to ask sensible questions to temporarily desert him.

"Ellie? Hey, are you alright?" he asked – mentally kicking himself for asking something so stupid. The doctor in him soon took over, though, as Jesse slipped his arm around Ellie's shoulders, supporting her while walking her to the couch. "Here, come and sit down . . . " he added softly, pouring her some water before taking a seat beside her.

Smiling her thanks, albeit shakily, Ellie took a few sips while wiping self-consciously at her eyes. "I – I'm sorry, Jesse," she said at last, breathing deeply to regain her still shaken composure. "What must you think of me, greeting you in such a state as this?"

"Hey, don't worry about that," Jesse assured her, frowning slightly as he squeezed her shoulder. In spite of all his efforts to comfort her, Ellie was still trembling, clearly shaken and upset. "Maybe I should get you something stronger," he suggested, nodding towards a tray of drinks. "Or . . . I – I mean, do you want me to call someone? Maybe your mom, or . . . ?"

"No!" Ellie replied, guessing from his reaction that she'd spoken more sharply than she'd intended. Grateful for the understanding in his smile, she then sighed again, regaining her composure. "I'm sorry, Jesse, I didn't mean to snap, especially with the kindness you've shown towards me, but . . . well, to be honest, the last person I need to be fussing around me right now is my mother! I mean, don't get me wrong, Jesse, I love her dearly, but . . . well, you've seen what she's like! She still treats me like a child at the best of times, let alone when I'm upset!"

To her relief, Jesse was already nodding, in both understanding and empathy. "My mom's the same, she just can't accept that her little boy's grown up," he admitted ruefully, grateful to see that Ellie was smiling back at him, then laughing outright at what he said next. "Well, maybe grown, at least . . . not so sure about the up part."

It was a knack he'd perfected over the years, deflecting snide comments over his size with humour. He'd also learned, under Mark's patient guidance, to be serious when circumstances needed him to be. So, when Ellie grew quiet once more, so did he – waiting for her to tell him what was troubling her.

"I've just had a telephone call from Hugo, my . . . um, ex fiancé . . . " she said at last, frowning slightly. This was, she realised, the first time she'd told anyone outside her family of what he'd done to her. Until now she'd been reluctant to do so, but she knew she'd find a sympathetic ear in Jesse. Finding strength from his presence and gently prompting smile, she then falteringly continued. "Until five weeks ago, well, he seemed the perfect gentleman. We'd known each other for years. In fact, his father and mine were business partners, so Hugo and I pretty much grew up together. It didn't surprise anyone when we announced our engagement. We were seen as an ideal match. I loved him so much, Jesse, and – and I thought he loved me, but . . . but . . ." Too upset to continue, Ellie fell silent while Jesse nodded in his own, still painfully raw understanding.

"He left you?" he asked at last, not needing – or daring – to say anything more.

"Yes, at – at the altar," Ellie replied, smiling her thanks for the comforting squeeze on her shoulder. "At first I thought it was some kind of joke, since he did have the oddest sense of humour, but – well, it didn't take long for me to realise that it was no joke. He really had left me at the altar, and . . . oh Jesse, it was awful! We'd invited so many guests, and of course both of our families were there . . . no one knew what was happening, or where he'd gone, or why, and . . . it was just so humiliating!"

"Yes, I can imagine . . ." Jesse said softly, his thoughts inevitably drifting back to Susan.

They'd been at home, alone together, when she'd dropped her bombshell, rather than the hospital. Hearing that news in private had been devastating enough, but to be dumped on your wedding day . . . Now at least he could draw some gratitude, an odd sense of comfort from Susan's discretion. A soft sniff brought him back to the present – reminding him that Ellie hadn't been so lucky. She was crying again now, offering no resistance as Jesse drew her into a gentle, comforting hug. There was, he knew, little else he could do or say until those tears of anger and bitterness stopped.

After several minutes, Ellie pushed herself away, smiling her thanks for the comfort he'd given her. "And now he's suddenly back in my life again," she said at last, bemusedly shaking her head. "Five weeks of total silence, not having a clue where he is, and suddenly he wants to talk to me!"

"Does he want you to get back together?" Jesse asked with, he hoped, a casual politeness. It was none of his business, of course, yet he couldn't help but feel a twinge of protective jealousy.

Sensing this, but not sure how much she dared to read into it, Ellie sighed and shook her head. "I really don't know, Jesse . . . he just kept saying 'I'm sorry' over and over again," she replied at last. "He sounded upset, though, and . . . well, I thought a little bit scared too."

Jesse's ears pricked up at that last remark, as they always did when a hint of a mystery reached them. Before his curiosity ran away with him, however, Ellie's soft voice broke into his thoughts. "I just wish I knew what to do! I – I mean, he's hurt me, and let me down so badly, and yet . . . he sounded so scared, Jesse, as though he really needed my help."

Jesse nodded thoughtfully, as if trying to making a decision, before he met her eyes and smiled. "Well, assuming you decide to meet him, do you . . . um . . . want some company?"

Taken by surprise, Ellie smiled back at him in genuine relief and nodded in grateful acceptance.