Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com

RAEANNE THAYNE
167
“Jacob. He has always had the interest.” Her mother’s
voice was brisk. “Always he asks of you. How you are,
what you are doing. Every time he would see me, he
would ask of you.”
What was she supposed to think of that? She let out
a breath as she worked to doff her prosthesis. Though
she preferred taking it off in the privacy of her
bedroom, the long day and strenuous activities she’d
engaged in had lowered her pain threshold and she
couldn’t wait.
Nothing. His questions meant nothing. He was a
polite person, probably only looking for some topic of
conversation with her mother.
“I’m an interesting medical case. That’s all.”
Her expression solemn, Viviana watched her remove
the prosthesis. After she set it aside with an almost
painful rush of relief, Viviana sat beside her on the
couch and touched her hand.
“When your commander from the Army called to tell
me about the attack and that you were very hurt, we did
know not your condition or even if you would live.
Marjorie came to be with me that night while we waited
to hear, and Jacob came with his mother. Lena, never
have I seen a man so upset. Marjorie and I cried and cried,
we were so worried for you. Jacob was strong for us, but
his eyes! They were shocked and sad and…and lost.”
Viviana paused and she touched Maggie’s hand
again. “Then they called again to tell me you would lose
part of your leg and we cried more. But Jacob, he made
us ashamed. He told us to stop being sad for you. He
sat in that chair there and said, ‘A foot is only a foot.