Free The Single Dad's Marriage Wish (Bachelor Dads) by Carol Marinelli Page A

felt as if she had been there for months and Hamish was wondering when this woman ever slept!
    ‘What have you been doing?’
    ‘Getting the stables ready,’ Charlotte beamed, stomping into the kitchen and pulling open the pantry door at seven-thirty on Saturday morning dressed in nothing more than a flimsy white cotton nightdress and a pair of gumboots—as a rather untogether Hamish worked his way through a mug of coffee. ‘They arrive next Saturday—I might not get a chance during the week. I was just checking for any loose nails and putting down some straw. We’re out of bread.’
    ‘I think there’s some in the freezer.’
    ‘There isn’t.’ It only took a quick glance to answer him—no rummaging at the back or pulling out of food had been necessary to check that, apart from ice cubes and a rather tragic-looking apple pie, it was empty.
    ‘If we leave in the next half-hour it shouldn’t be too busy,’
    ‘What shouldn’t?’
    ‘The supermarket. We need to go shopping.’
    ‘Shopping?’
    She smiled at his bemused frown. ‘Don’t tell me—Elsie did it for you.’
    ‘I shop.’
    ‘At the local take-away or garage! Hamish, there’s no food in the house.’
    ‘I’ll get some groceries in tomorrow.’
    ‘And what will we eat tonight?’
    ‘I’m sure there’s a can of beans at the back of the cupboard.’
    ‘Boring!’
    ‘I’ll grate some cheese on them.’ Hamish gave a tight smile. ‘Anyway, what does it matter to you? You’re going out.’
    ‘No, I’m not.’
    ‘With Cameron,’ Hamish said patiently. ‘I heard him asking you out—remember?’
    It was the first time they’d raised the uncomfortable subject—the first time that living and working together, just as Hamish had predicted it would, had actually raised its head.
    ‘So you just assumed I said yes.’ Charlotte gave avery knowing smile as Hamish had the decency to colour up a touch.
    ‘I just thought…’
    ‘Oh, I know what you thought, a good-looking doctor asks little nursy out on a Saturday night—so, of course, she’s going!’ It was Charlotte colouring up a touch now, the teasing note in her voice disappearing. ‘He knows that we’re sharing a house. I didn’t tell anyone,’ Charlotte added hurriedly. ‘I’ve no idea how he could know.’
    ‘You would have filled in a change of address form.’ Hamish said, and Charlotte nodded glumly.
    ‘Adams Farm?’ Hamish checked, and it was followed by another glum nod. ‘And I assume that you gave your new phone number for the emergency staff book…I’m called in so often that most of the senior staff know it off by heart. It was always going to get out, Charlotte.’
    ‘I just never thought it would be so soon.’
    ‘You’re driving my Jeep.’
    ‘I’m sorry.’
    ‘Don’t be—I knew it would happen. There’s no chance of a private life when you work in a hospital.’ He gave a tight shrug. ‘Maybe you should have said yes to Cameron, for no other reason than to stop the impending marriage in its tracks.’
    ‘Marriage?’ She gave him a startled look, caught his eye in horror, and Hamish grinned back as he spoke—for the first time he felt as if he was actually looking her, glimpsing the real Charlotte. ‘Well, this time next week that’s what they’ll all be saying…’ But even before he had finished speaking the moment was goneas she threw her head back and laughed, and he realised he had been mistaken.
    ‘Why on earth would we worry about a little bit of paper when we can settle for a torrid affair—or even shopping?’
    ‘I hate shopping!’
    ‘Because you’ve never been with an expert.’ Charlotte rummaged in her bag and pulled out a diary, clicking on her ballpoint and smiling at him. ‘I suppose I could just buy my stuff and label it, as I did when I lived in the youth hostel, or I could hazard a guess as to what you and Bailey like and take pot luck. Well?’
    ‘Well, what?’
    ‘Look, if you really don’t want to hit the