Free Rescue Nights by Nina Hamilton

just think that you might like to come and hang out with a nice bunch of people and do some reasonably interesting work.’
    For years, Andrew had counted as reasonably interesting the idea of sitting down with new medical journals and examining the new techniques in micro-surgery. Spending the day hanging out with a dowdy older crowd, who were in the main part discussing the best way to raise enough money to buy another rescue vehicle, was not his idea of intellectual stimulation.
    Well, it was only five months before he was heading back to England and if worst came to worst he could always find an excuse to drop this. Anyway, with Kate looking at him with a judging expression in her eyes, it certainly didn’t feel like the best time to say no.
    ‘I suppose you had better get me some of those damned forms, they probably need me to say that I won’t sue them if a tree falls on my head.’
    That was Andrew…gracious to the last. Kate didn’t know what she was doing inviting Andrew to this part of her life. God, it really did come close to being compulsive, the amount of time he seemed to be around. They had survived two nights of night duty together, with each keeping their distance.
    ‘Happy?’ Andrew asked, as he signed the registration form with a flourish.
    ‘Thrilled,’ Kate smiled, restraining herself from rolling her eyes along with it. ‘You do know there is a door there and I’m sure that you can snatch that form back, right out of my hands.’
    Standing there, slightly sulky, in faded jeans and a pullover, Andrew didn’t look like the buttoned up medical professional he was. At least, until he opened his mouth and the well-modulated plummy tones were apparent.
    ‘Katie!’ An enthusiastic shout had her turning around in anticipation. A ball of energy in the shape of a four year old came barrelling toward her. Kate crouched down and opened her arms.
    ‘Hey gorgeous, your daddy promised you’d be here,’ she said to the little girl as she hugged her. ‘Are you about to head off to pre-school?’
    Kate smiled at Ben, who was following his daughter. ‘Night shift and kiddy duty. Lucky you love them or otherwise I’d have to feel sorry for you.’
    In the moment that Kate and Ben had been interacting, Jane’s attention had been caught by a smiling Andrew.
    ‘Who are you?’ Jane’s imperious young voice demanded.
    ‘I work with your dad,’ Andrew answered, even as he looked slightly lost at being confronted by such a precocious child.
    ‘Why weren’t you there last time we visited?’ Jane stuck out her hip in a gesture that was pure toddler theatrics.
    ‘I have only been working at the helicopter base a short time.’
    Kate intervened in the interrogation by picking up Jane and swinging her around. ‘Sweetie, I haven’t even told Dr. Andrew your name.’ She winked at him. ‘This gorgeous lady is Janie by the way.’
    Andrew held out a formal hand. ‘Lovely to meet you, my lady.’ He got a giggling nod from the already charmed child.
    ‘She’s your youngest, isn’t she?’ he asked Ben. ‘Are the boys here too?’
    Kate was amazed that he knew even that much. Childless men didn’t tend to take much interest in the makeup of their co-workers’ families.
    ‘No, they are thankfully at school,’ Ben replied. ‘Three hours sleep wouldn’t be enough for me to survive the entire clan.’
    He reached over and plucked his little girl out of Kate’s arms. ‘This one is about to go off too, but I promised that I would bring her to visit her Aunt Katie, while I put the other nominations on paper.’
    The registration information booth would run all day at the community hall. It wasn’t strictly necessary for either Kate or Ben to turn up, but both liked to show their support and make an appearance.
    Ben made his goodbyes, leaving Jane with Kate for a final extravagant noisy kiss.
    ‘Cute kid,’ Andrew said, after the father and daughter team made their exit.
    ‘Yeah she definitely is