Free Resisting Her Rebel Doc by Joanna Neil

music changed to disco style and they moved in time to the beat opposite one another. She shot a quick look to where Brodie and his father stood side by side. ‘I don’t understand what went wrong between them. They were always uneasy with one another, I know that, but it was so much worse when he turned fifteen. And then, after your mother died, the animosity spiralled out of control.’ She shook her head in bewilderment. ‘Do you think they’ll ever sort things out?’
    ‘I suppose it’s possible, now that Brodie’s come back to the village to stay—at least for a while. He’s never been one for putting down roots, has he? But that’s probably down to the way things were back when he was a teenager. In a way, he’s out of sync with the world and he can’t seem to find his place in it. He can’t settle but he can’t move on because nothing feels right.’
    She shook her head. ‘None of that makes any sense to me.’
    ‘No, well, it’s up to Brodie to explain, I think. I wouldn’t want to step in and cause even more chaos by trying to fathom what goes on in his mind. All I know is things won’t be right with Brodie until he and Dad find some kind of closure.’
    They danced for a while then David offered to go and get her a glass of wine from the bar. A late-evening buffet had been set out and there was a mouth-watering selection of food on display. Suddenly hungry, she chose a selection of West Country beef, mixed salad and warm, buttered new potatoes.
    ‘You’re feeling better, I see,’ Brodie murmured, coming to stand alongside her and filling his plate with savoury tart, a charcuterie of meats, prosciutto, duck liver pâté and sausage, along with ricotta cheese.
    ‘Yes, much better,’ she said, surprised at herself. ‘It’s all down to wine, good food and the company, I expect.’
    His gaze moved over her. ‘Especially the company, I hope?’
    She smiled. ‘Of course.’ She dipped her fork into a summer-berry meringue and revelled in the combination of sweet and tart flavours as the dessert melted on her tongue. They chatted for a while, enjoying the food, drinking wine and sharing reminiscences with David when he returned to the buffet table.
    ‘I’m supposed to go and dance with the bridesmaids,’ David said, draining his glass and placing it down on a tray. ‘Jenny’s orders. I think the blonde has the hots for me...except it could be simply that she’s hoping to get a part in
Murder Mysteries
.’ He squared his shoulders. ‘Ah, well; a man has to do what a man has to do...’
    They laughed and watched him go. ‘Shall we go outside and get some air in the garden?’ Brodie suggested when they had finished eating. ‘I’ve been to a function here before—the terrace is lovely at this time of night. You can wander along the pathways and breathe in the night-scented flowers.’
    ‘Okay, that sounds good.’ She walked with him to the open doors that led out on to the balustraded terrace. It was, as he said, lovely, with soft, golden lighting and the fragrance of wisteria that bloomed in profusion against the wall. Further away from the building, alongside the pathways, were occasional trellises covered with honeysuckle and flowerbeds where sprawling nicotiana gave up its perfume.
    As they walked, he put his arm around her and she loved the feeling of closeness. The night air was warm and full of promise. It would be all too easy to fall for Brodie, she conceded. He was attentive, supportive and he had the knack of boosting her confidence when she needed it most. But he wasn’t the staying kind, was he? He’d never been one for commitment.
    ‘How did you get on with your father?’ she asked. ‘I saw you talking to him. He seemed to have lightened up a bit.’
    ‘He’s had a drink or two. I guess that’s the key to loosening him up and getting him to overlook my shortcomings, although he’s never going to feel for me the same way he feels for David. He always favoured