Part 4 (1/2)

'The Scottish Ambulance Service will continue to attend to emergencies such as women with difficult labours and other routine emergencies, but the MERT, based here, will be on call for the rest. They will go out with the RAF, navy or coastguard 'copters if required, similar to the way I did on Sat.u.r.day-whenever head and spinal injuries or patients with severe breathing difficulties are suspected. Anything, in fact, where specialist resuscitation or stabilisation skills can be utilised.'

'That all sounds very interesting,' Georgie said after a silence. 'But I still don't see what it has to do with me.' Although somewhere in the pit of her stomach she was beginning to have an idea.

'Easy. I want you to be on the team.'

'Me?' The question came out with another annoying squeak and she flushed.

'Yep. You. Amongst others.'

'Surely there's others better qualified. Lizzie, for example?'

Lizzie was shaking her head. 'As the department manager, I'm needed here. After me, you're the one with the most experience and your background makes you the natural choice.'

'I need someone with a level head,' Logan continued. 'Someone who stays calm under pressure and who knows how to prioritise. Someone who is used to tricky situations and can improvise. All skills you showed in abundance on the mountain. Plus you're not scared of heights, so I a.s.sume you're not fazed by flying, or being at the end of a winch. You told me you've volunteered with the rescue medics in Fort William too. All useful, necessary experience.' He was watching her carefully.

Not scared of heights? Well, once she would have agreed. Now she wasn't so sure. 'I'm only part time,' she protested. 'That must make a difference.' Her heart was galloping. This wasn't at all what she had expected. She didn't do rescues any more. Not since Ian had died. After his death, she had decided that she couldn't risk leaving Jess without either parent. It just wouldn't be fair. And then she had moved down to Glasgow, wanting to put some distance between her and the mountains that had killed her husband. If she hadn't been in the wrong place at the wrong time, she would never have gone on Sat.u.r.day either. She was finished with climbing. Finished with putting her life in danger.

But a tingle in her spine suggested otherwise. Back there on the mountain, she had been exhilarated by the rescue. She had missed being part of something where what she did made the difference between life and death. And being part of the team Logan was suggesting wouldn't mean putting herself at risk. Nerve-racking and challenging perhaps but not dangerous. She had coped with being up in the helicopter too. But Georgie knew there was another reason for the s.h.i.+ver of antic.i.p.ation. Apart from anything else, it would mean working in close proximity with Logan. Every day. Oh, my word!

'But you're planning to be full time after the summer holidays, aren't you?' Lizzie said, bringing her back to earth. 'It'll probably take that time to get it fully operational.'

'And you won't be the only one. One of the experienced paramedics from the Scottish Ambulance Service will be trained to work opposite s.h.i.+fts with you. And later we'll be training Lata alongside you to cover the s.h.i.+fts when you aren't on duty.'

The sneaky so-and-so hadn't said a thing about it when they'd spoken earlier. Just wait until she saw her. The very least Lata could have done was warn her.

'Will you be the only doctor? Or will Sarah or Jamie be training too?'

'Eventually. But before we train other A and E specialists, I need to work with an anaesthetist to set up and agree protocols. Managing patients with compromised airways is one of the most common scenarios we'll be dealing with. Dr Fairbrother, one of the ITU consultants here, has agreed to work with me and he and I have already started to put something together. He and I will take turns in going out on calls. To begin with.'

Georgie didn't know the anaesthetist to whom Logan was referring. That was part of the problem working in a big hospital; you didn't get to meet all the staff. However, she couldn't imagine Logan selecting someone who wasn't at the top of their game to work on an initiative that was this close to his heart.

'Obviously once I return to the army, the system needs to be set up with a cohort of doctors who know and are comfortable with the protocols and procedures, and that is likely to be Sarah and Jamie, along with two or three anaesthetists and a trainee doctor.' His lips twitched. 'Dr Hughes tells me he's too long in the tooth to want to be abseiling from helicopters and learning new tricks, so I've promised him that he's off the hook. Any questions?'

It took all of Georgie's willpower not to snap 'Aye, aye, sir'. She was getting the distinct impression Major Harris was used to everyone doing exactly as he asked.

'Only one. Do I have a choice?'

Logan tipped his chair back and studied her through narrowed eyes. 'There's always a choice, Georgie,' he said softly, and she got the feeling he wasn't just talking about work.

'So what did they want you for?' Lata asked later, looking at Georgie with wide, innocent eyes. 'And are you going to do it?' she added, giving the game away. Had everyone known before her?

'Why didn't you tell me what they had in mind?' Georgie remonstrated.

'What? And spoil the chance of seeing that stunned look on your face? No way. Anyway, tell me, what do you think? Isn't it exciting and isn't he lovely? Pity he's not right for me or I'd be after him myself.'

Georgie laughed. Lata made no apologies for wanting to follow a traditional path. When the time was right, her parents would find her someone and she would do the right thing. Georgie never pointed out that, so far, none of her parents' choices had even been considered by Lata for longer than the introductions, and Georgie suspected that, despite her words, she secretly harboured a dream of falling instantly in love with the man her parents had chosen for her to marry.

'He's attractive,' Georgie admitted. 'If you like the action-man type. And I don't.'

'You're kidding me! What's not to like? If he's not married, I think he'd be perfect for you, Georgie.'

'He's not married,' Georgie replied without thinking.

Lata stared. 'And you know this how?'

'He told me.'

'He told you. My, that was fast work, Georgie. More and more interesting.' Lata was clearly enjoying herself. 'In which case, what's the problem?'

Why was everybody so keen these days to tell her what to do with her life? She was twenty-eight, for goodness' sake. Well able to make her own decisions. If she wanted a man in her life, she would find her own, thank you very much. And it wouldn't be Major Harris!

'Even if he were my type, I get the distinct impression he's not the kind of man who is into serious relations.h.i.+ps. Footloose and fancy-free more like.'

Lata's smile was naughty. 'We're getting ahead of ourselves. Who said anything about a serious relations.h.i.+p? An affair, Georgie? He'd be dreamy between the sheets.'

Georgie pretended to be scandalised. 'Lata! And all this time I believed you were the demure, pure-as-snow kind!' Then she had to laugh. Lata was forever misleading people, disguising her impish humour behind a demur expression. 'And as for an affair, as you so delicately put it,' Georgie continued, shaking her head, 'uh-uh. No way. Not for me.'

s.e.xy as h.e.l.l though he might be, Dr Logan Harris was not for her. Hadn't she already decided that she wanted nothing to do with a man like him? A man who thrived on excitement and variety? She had been there and done that. No way was she ever going to risk her heart again. Even if her libido seemed to have its own ideas.

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE afternoon meeting saw the new team a.s.sembled in the meeting room. They were all there, including a pet.i.te blonde with expressive eyes who Logan introduced as Sally, a paramedic from the Scottish Ambulance Service.

While Dr Fairbrother and Logan were deep in conversation, Georgie went over to chat to Sally.

'I gather we're going to be training together,' she said, holding out her hand. 'I'm Georgie.'

'A little bit scary, don't you think?' Sally asked. 'I mean, I've attended all sorts of accidents before but this sounds even more intense. I hope I don't make a mess of it.'

Georgie smiled sympathetically. 'Me and you both.'

Logan called the meeting to order. Quickly and concisely he repeated what he had told Georgie 'We've some protocols already in place, but we'll refine them as we go along. Any questions?'

Georgie and Sally shook their heads.

'If we get called out, it's the same drill as the one you use now. You need to put on a reflective jacket and pick up the emergency medical kit. Either Dr Fairbrother-Nick-or myself will take the responsibility for the onboard medical equipment. Are we clear?'

Everyone nodded.

'In many ways it's not very different to what you do at the moment when there's a major emergency at the hospital or a callout to with the Scottish Ambulance Service...' He nodded in Sally's direction. 'The only difference is that we'll be flying out to road traffic accidents and other incidents where we'll be applying lifesaving techniques on the ground or in the air. Don't worry. There will be comprehensive training. Not just in the protocols but everyone needs to experience ditching at sea as well as being winched on and off the aircraft. Do any of you have problems with that?'

Georgie sucked in a breath. Now was the time to tell him that she wasn't sure she could do it. What if she froze again? Like she had on Sat.u.r.day? Okay, she had pulled herself together and forced herself on, but what if the next time was worse? Before she could decide whether or not to say anything, Sally spoke up.

'I hate water,' she admitted. 'Can I be excused from the ditching-at-sea practice?'

'Sorry.' Logan shook his head firmly. 'It's absolutely mandatory. But why don't you see how you get on? There'll be lots of folk around to help you through the exercise. If you find...' he looked searchingly around the room '...if anyone finds that there's stuff you genuinely can't deal with, you'll be excused from the team with no hard feelings. How does that sound?'