‘None. Honestly, it was probably over a long time ago, but we just weren’t in the same space at the same time to call it.’ Heat rushed to the back of her eyes and she took a deep breath, desperate not to cry. ‘I don’t want to talk about it anymore.’

  ‘Okay, we can talk about something else.’ Her mum’s voice was strained.

  ‘I’m crabby. I just got home from night shift. I need to shower and sleep.’

  ‘I was pushing,’ Maree said, her voice a little lighter. ‘I just want to see you happy like your brother, because I love you so much.’

  ‘I know, Mum. It’s okay. I love you, too.’

  Piper hung up the phone and stood. The memory of standing in the kitchen of their city apartment swamped her. The phone had been hanging from her hand as she reeled from the conversation she’d just had with the hospital’s board of medical directors. Was she aware of Heath’s addiction? How long had it been going on? Why didn’t she report it to her line manager? So many questions that had caught her off guard. Didn’t Heath tell her they’d be calling? Humiliation had burned through her. How did she explain to a board of people who obviously all had their lives and relationships together that she had no idea about anything they were talking about? It was a disaster; the first time she’d actually stopped to take stock of her life and realise she didn’t like any part of it.

  Tears welled in her eyes. How could she not see it? Something that bad. She may as well have been walking around with her eyes closed for six months. Or had it been going on longer? The tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

  ‘Piper?’

  Emmett’s voice was hesitant. She couldn’t see him through the blur of her tears.

  ‘Are you crying?’

  It wasn’t hesitancy. It was … dread.

  ‘I believe so.’ She blinked in time to see Emmett jump to his feet and look left. His head swivelled right then he looked back to Piper.

  ‘Tissues!’ He snatched at the box sitting on the counter beside the microwave as he took a couple of steps towards her. ‘Here.’

  He thrust the box at her and either it slipped or he thought she had it, because it flew from his grip straight into her stomach.

  ‘Shit, I’m so sorry.’

  ‘It’s okay. It’s just a tissue box, it didn’t hurt.’ She sniffed and took a couple of tissues out. ‘I’m sorry, Emmett. You didn’t sign on for tears.’

  She wished those were the magic words to make them evaporate but they just poured out more quickly. Wiping them away with the tissues, she jolted at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. Emmett was standing right there, patting her like she was his dog, a look on his face that said he’d prefer to be anywhere else. Major whined at the back door.

  ‘I’ve got to get to work.’

  She nodded. ‘Okay.’

  The awkward patting stopped and she heard the faint sounds of the front door opening.

  ‘Bye. Get some sleep.’

  The door slapped back in its frame and Piper buried her face in her hands.

  Chapter 6

  ‘He was going to fly up on Christmas Eve but when I told him that you and I were volunteered for the first aid tent at the bonanza, he decided that he didn’t want to miss out on work drinks and instead booked the first flight out on Christmas morning. Crazy that there are flights on Christmas Day. I suppose it’s reassuring knowing that the health industry isn’t the only workplace that works every single day and night of the year.’

  Emmett kept his eyes on the road and rolled his shoulders as Stef continued to yammer on from the passenger seat beside him. The trip from Townsville to Rush Creek was one they took often, and Emmett could probably drive it with his eyes shut, but the threat of kangaroos and other wildlife—along with potholes, weather and other drivers—kept them open. He never wanted to be the paramedic who needed a paramedic because he’d crashed the ambulance.

  He should’ve let Stef drive like she always bugged him to. That way he could safely stare out the window and replay the scenes from this morning over and over again. Had he really patted Piper on the shoulder? He was the biggest moron in the world. She’d been crying and he’d had zero clue how to handle it.

  ‘Emmett? Hello!’

  ‘Sorry, Stef. Don’t forget police work every day and night too.’

  She groaned loudly. ‘That was about two kilometres ago and I’ve changed conversation twice since then. What’s going on with you? You never let me prattle on this much without a single command to zip it. Spill! Are you worried about old Mrs Narlinney? It’s like her third trip into the big smoke.’

  Emmett shook his head. They’d transported Mrs Narlinney from Rush Creek Aged Care facility to the hospital in Townsville after she had another turn the previous night. He didn’t know the elderly lady that well apart from the trips she’d taken with them, but his heart still felt heavy in his chest knowing that this might be the time when the Rush Creek local didn’t come back.

  ‘It’s not Mrs Narlinney.’

  ‘What’s up with you, then? Your broodiness is on the advanced level today.’ Stef swivelled a little in her seat to face him.

  He gripped the wheel a little tighter. ‘I think I stuffed up with Piper this morning.’

  ‘I’m listening.’

  ‘I’ve dated before, you know, and I grew up with a single mother, so I’m not a complete novice when it comes to women and their emotions, but I generally exit before anyone can get attached or …’

  ‘Or need too much from you?’

  ‘Exactly. It might sound cold, but it’s worked for me so far.’

  ‘Until Piper.’

  ‘There’s nothing going on with me and Piper, but she had a rough phone call with her mum this morning and cried after it and I … I didn’t really handle it very well.’

  Stef was quiet. Too quiet, and he risked a glance from the road to her. Her lips were pursed as she studied him.

  ‘What did you do?’

  ‘I accidentally threw the tissue box at her, then patted her shoulder and left.’ He cringed at the memory.

  Stef burst out laughing. ‘You idiot. When a woman cries, the best thing you can do is offer to give her a hug. Hugs fix everything and often don’t require words.’

  ‘Huh.’ A hug. That sounded a lot simpler than what he’d tried. ‘I could probably try that next time.’

  Stef’s laughter died down. ‘Can I offer you any more words of wisdom?’

  Emmett scratched his palm against the steering wheel, thinking back to Piper’s side of the conversation with Maree. A quiet Christmas. He was really starting to hate that phrase.

  ‘In your limited life experience—’

  ‘Oh, give me a break. It might be my first year out of university, but it’s not like you’ve been working for decades.’

  ‘I’ve lived in more places than you.’ He paused as Stef rolled her eyes then returned his focus to the road. They weren’t too far out of Rush Creek. ‘If someone really loves Christmas, grew up annoying everyone around them with their festive spirit and decorations and Hallmark movies, do you ever think they fall out of love with it?’

  ‘Be specific. You’re talking about Piper again, aren’t you? Are you sure you guys are just friends? You talk about her a lot.’

  ‘She’s my best friend’s little sister.’

  ‘You can’t use that excuse—I’ve read that book. It’s not like you and her brother hang out every weekend or talk every night.’

  ‘We grew up together; it counts.’ He chuckled at the audacity in her tone. ‘But yes, we’re talking about Piper. She always went all out for Christmas and this year, she’s batting everyone off, saying she wants a quiet one. I can’t help but think it’s tied to the boyfriend she broke up with before coming here.’

  ‘Probably is,’ Stef said. ‘Heartbreak anywhere near Christmas would dampen someone’s love for the festive season, but in my—’ she cleared her throat, ‘—professional opinion, Piper just needs reminding about how wonderful Christmas is.’

  ‘A reminder, huh?’

  Stef started talking again as the town Emmett loved came into view, but he couldn’t focus on what she was saying. His mind was whirling with thoughts of Piper and Christmas. This was caused by Heath. He didn’t know how, but he’d bet everything he had. Piper deserved more than this. Emmett would do everything in his power to give her the best Christmas he could.

  Piper found a park outside the community hall and pulled Connie into it. She cut the engine and took a deep breath. It was the first night of choir practice and she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t nervous. She’d been in Rush Creek for a little over three weeks and this was the first real event she’d been to without Emmett by her side. He was curled up in bed, catching a few Zs before undoubtedly getting a callout. They did things differently in the country and having the ambulance parked in the driveway when Emmett was on overnights had taken some getting used to.

  Really, they’d been like ships passing in the night since the embarrassing moment she’d broken down in front of him. Wasn’t she done crying over memories of Heath yet? She lifted her head and swung the van’s door open. She was done. As of right now, no more tears would be shed for the man who was secretive and destructive. Who she never really knew. Who no longer belonged in her life.

  Piper headed down the grassy slope to the hall. The lights were shining out of the main building just where Gloria’s email had said they would be rehearsing. Walking across the concrete, Piper refused to drop her gaze. She was going to delete her heartbreak playlists as soon as she got home. It was time for her Christmas tunes and while she wasn’t entirely ready for it, she was good at pretending.

  Pausing in the doorway, Piper worked to not let the smile slip from her face. There was a dozen people sitting in the chairs placed in a semicircle around Gloria. Piper tilted her head. Was that lady knitting? ‘Ah, Piper, our last singer to bring us up to a baker’s dozen.’

  Gloria beamed at her then gestured to the group. ‘Come, come and take a seat so we can get started.’

  Maddie was sitting in the second row and tapped the empty spot beside her.

  Relief flooded Piper and she hurried to take the chair. ‘Thanks for saving me a seat,’ she whispered.

  ‘Of course, girl. Every rehearsal.’ Maddie winked and Piper smothered her grin.

  Gloria clapped her hands. ‘I want everyone in a circle around me and we’re going to do some scales so I can sort you based on your vocal range. Drop your things and let’s go.’

  Piper stowed her bag under her chair and followed Maddie to a place in the circle, giving a wave to her other fellow nurse, Robbie, who sat at an electric keyboard. She didn’t know he could play.

  ‘Peggy, will you please put the knitting needles down and join us to sing?’ Gloria gave a pointed look to a now blushing older lady. Once they were all gathered, Gloria counted them in to warm their voices then tested their ranges. Piper was surprised to hear a unity within the rising and falling of notes. Eagerness raced

  through her veins.

  ‘Right,’ Gloria said, clapping her hands again as they finished the last run. ‘Jim, Maurie and Stanley will be our baritones. The four gentlemen to my left here will be our tenors, although there may be some songs that I might need you, Peter, to jump down to the help the baritones. Anita.’

  A lady with a brunette bob and warm brown eyes who looked like she was somewhere in her forties, nodded at Gloria.

  ‘I’ll get you to go with Piper and Maddie to be our altos and the rest of you ladies will be our sopranos.’

  Piper’s eyes widened at how quickly it was done. They shuffled around to stand in some kind of order as Gloria unearthed a stack of thick folders and handed them out.

  ‘These are all the songs we’ll be singing at the Christmas Eve Bonanza,’ she announced. ‘Traditional Christmas carols and …’

  Piper was distracted by the buzzing of her phone that she’d shoved in her back pocket out of habit. Taking it out and holding it by her hip, she stiffened at the sight of Heath’s name on the screen. Had he somehow heard her decide that she wasn’t going to cry over him anymore? Impossible. She let the call go to voicemail, releasing her breath when he didn’t leave a message. Before she could slip her phone back in her pocket, it buzzed again with a text message.

  Please call me back, Piper. I need to speak with you. This isn’t the right way to end a two and a half year relationship.

  Irritation coursed through her, and she shoved her phone back in her pocket, wishing she’d left it in her bag. How dare he tell her the right way to end a relationship? After everything he’d done to them. She wanted to scream.

  ‘Let’s start with “O Come All Ye Faithful”,’ Gloria announced. Piper wrenched open the folder, earning her a raised brow from Maddie.

  ‘You right?’

  ‘Stupid ex being a nuisance.’

  ‘Ah, of course it’s a man problem; they’re nothing but trouble.’

  ‘Amen to that.’ She smiled at Maddie and worked to push the anger into the furthest space of her mind, ready to focus on the songs she used to love.

  Chapter 7

  ‘QAS are incoming, lights and sirens!’ Maddie yelled from the counter of the nurses’ station, slamming the phone back in its cradle.

  Adrenaline kicked through Piper’s veins as she moved from the bed she’d just finished making. The wails of the sirens rang from outside the double doors. She grabbed a pair of latex gloves from the box on the wall and pulled them over her hands, purposeful strides moving her through the emergency department. The sun was low in the sky and she was due to finish in an hour. That seemed unlikely now.

  The doors slid open and Stef pulled the stretcher in with one hand while the other was busy squeezing the bag over the patient’s mouth to provide oxygen. Emmett was on the stretcher, his knees on either side of the woman, performing chest compressions. A defibrillator sat at the woman’s feet, pads attached to her chest.

  ‘Resus bay,’ Piper directed as Maddie smoothly took over the bagging.

  Cara hurried into the emergency room. ‘Doctor’s turning the car around. Tell us what we’re dealing with, Stef.’

  ‘Fifty-eight-year-old female with chest pains following a motor vehicle accident. Compound fracture to the right thigh bone following the head-on collision, suspected broken ribs and a collapsed lung. We stabilised her at the scene, but she started crashing in the ambo when we were about three minutes out. The defib’s shocked her once already. Eddie and Mick are coming with the driver, maybe five minutes behind us.’

  The stretcher came to a stop in the bay and Piper stepped up to the side, placing her hands together over the patient’s chest. ‘Switch out, Emmett.’

  Before he could lift his hands, the automated voice of the defibrillator spoke. ‘Stop CPR. Analysing rhythm.’

  Emmett climbed down from the stretcher in a way that screamed he’d done it before and Piper held her breath.

  ‘No shock advised,’ the machine said. ‘Continue CPR.’

  Piper folded her hands over one another and commenced her round of compressions, building an even pace. It didn’t take long for the muscles in her arms to start burning. Must be doing it right.

  Dr Estella walked through the doors, her scrubs in place, and Piper breathed a small sigh of relief that it was Estella still on rotation and not Sean. He was a cocky locum doctor who wouldn’t believe anyone who didn’t hold the same degree as him. The movement of Piper’s arms continued her assault on the patient’s chest. Come on, please beat. She caught Emmett’s eye and read the same plea in the serious lines of his face.

  The machine again commanded her to stop so it could analyse any rhythm and Piper stilled instantly.

  Estella kept a sharp eye on the screen before pressing her fingers to the woman’s neck. ‘No pulse,’ she murmured.

  ‘Shock advised,’ the robot voice said.

  ‘Clear for a shock,’ Estella said more loudly.

  Piper stood back as the machine’s voice garbled through its assessment. The machine sent a shock of electricity through the woman. Piper ignored the instinct to look away as the patient’s chest jolted in a stiff jerk. She’d never get used to that, no matter how many times she saw it.

  The doors to the ambulance bay opened again as another stretcher was pulled through. This must be the driver. Piper suspected he was this woman’s husband. Please be okay.

  ‘She’s stable,’ Estella announced. ‘Let’s get this lady a one-way ticket to Townsville via air transportation.’

  Cara gave a nod and picked up the phone. ‘Piper, get her ready for an airlift. Maddie, on the driver with Greta. Emmett and Stef, make yourselves useful.’

  Piper moved around the patient, adjusting lines and collecting observations. Emmett moved too, each doing what needed to be done and somehow not getting in the other’s way.

  ‘Did Stef say it was a head-on collision?’ she asked.

  ‘Two teens stole a car from Townsville and were joyriding out this way when they took a corner too wide and veered across the white line, straight into these guys.’ His jaw was tight as he secured another strip of tape around the cannula in the back of the patient’s hand.

  ‘Are they …’

  ‘Apart from a few scrapes and bruises from the air bags going off, they’re fine and in the back of a police car.’

  Piper’s eyes widened. Rage and injustice burned through her as she continued working on the woman, who remained unconscious. She swallowed the feelings down. There was no room for them in the ED. ‘They’ll need to get checked over.’

  ‘Yeah, well, we ran out of ambulances. The cops will bring them by. I just asked that the couple get a head start.’

  Piper moved her hand to cover the back of Emmett’s, drawing his troubled gaze to hers. ‘Hey, I get it. It’s okay.’

  The corners of his mouth flicked up before they got back to it.

  It was all hands on deck to get the patient ready and out to the helipad once the giant metal bird had touched down. Piper had been part of teams receiving patients from helicopters but had never loaded one before and she kept her head down and her eyes peeled, taking the process in. Once the woman was settled and the rotors carried her into the sky, a collective sigh rang out from the group.