Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
RAEANNE THAYNE 63 my-mouth mother was lying through her teeth. Maggie had absolutely no doubt. “Mama!” Viviana’s shoulders lifted in a casual shrug. “Nothing you need to worry about right now, anyway.” Maggie said nothing, only continued glaring. After a moment Viviana sighed heavily. “Okay, okay. I told him I would see that you help him at the clinic on the days he opens to the Latinos.” She added manipulative, underhanded and duplicitous to the list of unflattering adjectives now preceding Jake Dalton’s name in her mind. She had told him no. But with typical Dalton arrogance, he’d found a way around her. “How could you promise that without talking to me?” “I thought you would be happy to help him.” “I’m not!” “But why?” Viviana looked genuinely bewildered. “I thought it would be a good chance for you to stay involved in medicine until you are ready to return to being a nurse.” “I’m not going back, Mama. I told you that.” As usual, her mother heard only what she wanted to hear. “You say that now but who knows what you might want to do a few months from now? This way you are, how do you say, covering your bases.” “I don’t want to cover anything! Mama, this is my decision. I don’t know what I’m going to do yet but I’m not going back to nursing.” How could she? She had been a good nurse, dedicated and passionate about her patients. But nursing could be physically demanding work and she couldn’t even stand up for longer than a few moments at a time.
64 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT She couldn’t see any way that she could spend a whole shift on her feet. Or on one foot and one stump, to be more precise. It wouldn’t be fair to her patients. In her mother’s eyes she saw the one thing she hated above all other maternal manipulative tactics—disappointment. “I gave Jacob my word that he would have a translator, Lena. If you refuse to do this, I will.” Maggie pinched the bridge of her nose. Did anyone on earth know how to lay on the guilt better than her mother? More than anything, she would have liked to tell her to go right ahead. Translate for the sneaky bastard. But Viviana’s English could be dicey sometimes and she had absolutely no background to translate difficult medical concepts. While it would serve Jake right if she sent her mother to his clinic in her place, she knew she couldn’t putViviana through something that would be so difficult for her. “You would be much more help to the people than I, of course,” Viviana said guilelessly, “but I will do my best.” She watched Jake again, who was looking suspiciously cheerful as he pulled another bale of hay off the truck. If he’d been within arm’s reach, she would have been hard-pressed not to slug him. He had very neatly boxed her into a corner, and she couldn’t see any way to climb out without hurting her mother. “Fine,” she growled. “I’ll do it.” Viviana’s smile reminded her of a cat with a mouthful of canary feathers. “Oh, good. Jacob will be so pleased.”
- Page 14 and 15: RAEANNE THAYNE 13 position must be
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64 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT<br />
She couldn’t see any way that she could spend a whole<br />
shift on her feet. Or on one foot and one stump, to be<br />
more precise. It wouldn’t be fair to her patients.<br />
In her mo<strong>the</strong>r’s eyes she saw <strong>the</strong> one th<strong>in</strong>g she hated<br />
above all o<strong>the</strong>r maternal manipulative tactics—disappo<strong>in</strong>tment.<br />
“I gave Jacob my word that he would have a translator,<br />
Lena. If you refuse to do this, I will.”<br />
Maggie p<strong>in</strong>ched <strong>the</strong> bridge of her nose. Did anyone on<br />
earth know how to lay on <strong>the</strong> guilt better than her mo<strong>the</strong>r?<br />
More than anyth<strong>in</strong>g, she would have liked to tell her<br />
to go right ahead. Translate for <strong>the</strong> sneaky bastard. But<br />
Viviana’s English could be dicey sometimes and she<br />
had absolutely no background to translate difficult<br />
medical concepts.<br />
While it would serve Jake right if she sent her mo<strong>the</strong>r<br />
to his cl<strong>in</strong>ic <strong>in</strong> her place, she knew she couldn’t putViviana<br />
through someth<strong>in</strong>g that would be so difficult for her.<br />
“You would be much more help to <strong>the</strong> people than I, of<br />
course,” Viviana said guilelessly, “but I will do my best.”<br />
She watched Jake aga<strong>in</strong>, who was look<strong>in</strong>g suspiciously<br />
cheerful as he pulled ano<strong>the</strong>r bale of hay off <strong>the</strong> truck.<br />
If he’d been with<strong>in</strong> arm’s reach, she would have been<br />
hard-pressed not to slug him.<br />
He had very neatly boxed her <strong>in</strong>to a corner, and she<br />
couldn’t see any way to climb out without hurt<strong>in</strong>g her<br />
mo<strong>the</strong>r.<br />
“F<strong>in</strong>e,” she growled. “I’ll do it.”<br />
Viviana’s smile rem<strong>in</strong>ded her of a cat with a<br />
mouthful of canary fea<strong>the</strong>rs. “Oh, good. Jacob will be<br />
so pleased.”
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