"Did you hear?" Colleen hadn't even let me take two steps inside the diner. "Dr. Walker is back at the hospital, he's living in his old house and everything. Some nerve he's got showing his face around here again." I hid the shock I felt and answered as though I couldn't care less.
"That's nice Mrs. Smart. Liam here yet?"
Grumpily she told me he had arrived and I couldn't help smiling at her displeasure about my lack of reaction. I looked around and saw Liam which widened my smile. It had been two weeks since the 'incident' with Sid and I was managing to suppress my feelings quite nicely, thank-you very much. It did surprise me though that Sid had stuck around. I'd been very careful not to run into him, hopefully giving him the message that I wasn't interested. Apparently I hadn't been very successful.
We had breakfast and went for a walk on the beach and I didn't think about Sid once. We had an awesome time and went back to Liam's for lunch. I quickly went upstairs to freshen up and when Liam called that lunch was ready I hurried down the stairs. Big mistake. I fell and the sharp pain in my wrist told me I needed a doctor. Liam heard me fall and he was the one who actually suggested that we go to the hospital. It really, really hurt so I didn't argue.
xxx
Liam sat with me in a room until the doctor could look at my arm. I'd been given some painkillers while we waited. Liam fussed over me and I didn't mind, he even got me to laugh; something I treasured in him. We were still laughing when the doctor came. Between the pain, and then painkillers and laughter I'd forgotten Sid worked here now. It was stupid that him being my doctor surprised me, but it did. Damnit I'd been doing such a good job of avoiding him, and now I didn't have to just see him, I'd have to let him touch me. I had a moment of panic; I didn't know which way to play it. Would Liam remember him? I could pretend I didn't know Sid but if Liam did remember his face then he'd think I was hiding something. If I admitted I knew Sid then Liam would definitely remember him and he'd know he was back in town, and for some reason that bothered me. I decided to admit I knew Sid but to act as though this was the first time I'd seen him since he came back. I hoped Sid would get the hint and play along, I was pretty sure he would. I couldn't risk him playing dumb, it would look too suspicious, so I spoke before he could. I tried to make my tone friendly but casual, like I didn't care whether it was Sid or not.
"Dr. Walker, I didn't know you were back in town."
"Oh hi Nicole," he used the same tone I had. "I've just started back here. Now what have you done to yourself?" And that's how it was. He was a doctor and I was his patient. Liam was my concerned boyfriend and that's how we all acted. Liam looked from Sid to me a couple of times and seemed to decide he had nothing to worry about and the knot in my stomach relaxed.
xxx
It turned out that my wrist was just badly sprained, not broken. Sid had strapped it and I was free to go. I wasn't to use it much for a couple of weeks and it would be fine. I just needed to have it checked when the strapping came off for good.
We were back at Liam's, he insisted on playing nurse. I argued that I wasn't hurt that badly but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He was so cute when he was like this. My phone rang and of course I recognised the number; Sid. I answered, I couldn't help myself. Seeing him today had made it harder to hate him. From a distance I could tell myself I didn't care but when I saw him, felt his hand on mine, I knew I wanted him.
"Hello," I said into the phone.
"Nicole, I wasn't sure you'd answer."
"Yeah, I'm good." I was pretty sure he'd realise I was with Liam.
"Can we meet somewhere? I want to talk."
"Yeah. I'm just at Liam's but I'll be home soon."
"Can you come to my place now?"
"Yeah. See you in a little bit, bye Miles." I said, ending the call.
"You have to leave?" Liam asked, disappointed.
"Yeah, Miles is still having a rough time about Kirsty leaving."
"Sure, I understand. I'll walk you."
"That'd be nice," I told him and it would be. I took his hand and we walked back to my place. Sid could wait a little longer.