Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com
RAEANNE THAYNE 91 Though she wore her prosthesis, she wasn’t putting weight on it, and his mind started racing through all the possible reasons for that. Had she reinjured herself? Was there a problem with the fit? He wanted to rush out to help her as she made her cautious way across the parking lot to the clinic, but he managed to restrain himself, though it was just about the toughest thing he’d ever had to do. If he made any kind of scene, he had no doubt she would turn around, head back to her car and take off. She didn’t seem to welcome any effort on his part to help her, no matter how well intentioned, so he forced himself to remain at the door. At last she reached him. “You’re here. I didn’t expect to see you.” She frowned. “I may not have been involved in making this stupid deal, but I refuse to be the one to break it, either. My mother gave you her word, and the Cruz family honors its promises.” Her implication that his family couldn’t say the same was obvious, but he decided to overlook it for now. “Come in. We don’t open for another ten minutes or so. That should give you a few moments to look around.” She made a face but moved through the doorway, her shoulder brushing his chest as she hobbled past. She smelled divine, like the lavender in his mother’s garden, and he tried to disguise his deep inhalation as a regular breath. She paused for a moment, looking around the waiting area of the clinic, and he tried to read her reaction to the changes he’d made since taking over from Doc Whitaker.
92 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT Beyond the obvious cosmetic changes—the new row of windows looking over the mountains, the comfortable furniture with its clean lines—the entire clinic was designed to soothe frayed nerves and help patients feel more comfortable. A few things hadn’t changed from Doc Whitaker’s time, and one of those was coming around the receptionist counter with a smile. “Magdalena, you remember Carol Bass? She’s been the receptionist and dragon at the gate for going on thirty years now.” Maggie smiled with delight, and Jake wondered what he would have to do to become the recipient of one of those looks. “Of course,” she exclaimed. “I still remember all those cherry lollipops you used to dole out if we didn’t cry during shots.” Carol gave Maggie a hearty hug. “I still give them to the kids. Amazing how a litle sugar will take away the worst sting.” “I figured that out with my patients in Phoenix. Even the grown kids handle shots better with a little chocolate.” Carol returned her smile before her expression grew solemn and she squeezed Maggie’s hand. “I’m so sorry about what happened to you over there, honey. I hope you know how much your service means to all of us here in Pine Gulch.” Maggie’s shoulders stiffened and she looked uncomfortable at the sudden direction of the conversation, but she merely smiled. “Thank you. And you should know how much I appreciated the card and flowers you and
- Page 42 and 43: RAEANNE THAYNE 41 Jake knew there w
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- Page 46 and 47: Chapter Three He had always conside
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- Page 50 and 51: RAEANNE THAYNE 49 “Are you happy
- Page 52 and 53: RAEANNE THAYNE 51 She stopped laugh
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- Page 78 and 79: RAEANNE THAYNE 77 He could feel the
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- Page 84 and 85: RAEANNE THAYNE 83 Even if he wasn
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- Page 98 and 99: Chapter Six Ten patients later Jake
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- Page 106 and 107: RAEANNE THAYNE 105 * * * He shouldn
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92 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT<br />
Beyond <strong>the</strong> obvious cosmetic changes—<strong>the</strong> new row<br />
of w<strong>in</strong>dows look<strong>in</strong>g over <strong>the</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong>s, <strong>the</strong> <strong>com</strong>fortable<br />
furniture with its clean l<strong>in</strong>es—<strong>the</strong> entire cl<strong>in</strong>ic was<br />
designed to soo<strong>the</strong> frayed nerves and help patients feel<br />
more <strong>com</strong>fortable.<br />
A few th<strong>in</strong>gs hadn’t changed from Doc Whitaker’s<br />
time, and one of those was <strong>com</strong><strong>in</strong>g around <strong>the</strong> receptionist<br />
counter with a smile.<br />
“Magdalena, you remember Carol Bass? She’s been<br />
<strong>the</strong> receptionist and dragon at <strong>the</strong> gate for go<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
thirty years now.”<br />
Maggie smiled with delight, and Jake wondered what<br />
he would have to do to be<strong>com</strong>e <strong>the</strong> recipient of one of<br />
those looks.<br />
“Of course,” she exclaimed. “I still remember all<br />
those cherry lollipops you used to dole out if we didn’t<br />
cry dur<strong>in</strong>g shots.”<br />
Carol gave Maggie a hearty hug. “I still give <strong>the</strong>m to<br />
<strong>the</strong> kids. Amaz<strong>in</strong>g how a litle sugar will take away <strong>the</strong><br />
worst st<strong>in</strong>g.”<br />
“I figured that out with my patients <strong>in</strong> Phoenix. Even<br />
<strong>the</strong> grown kids handle shots better with a little chocolate.”<br />
Carol returned her smile before her expression grew<br />
solemn and she squeezed Maggie’s hand. “I’m so sorry<br />
about what happened to you over <strong>the</strong>re, honey. I hope<br />
you know how much your service means to all of us here<br />
<strong>in</strong> P<strong>in</strong>e Gulch.”<br />
Maggie’s shoulders stiffened and she looked un<strong>com</strong>fortable<br />
at <strong>the</strong> sudden direction of <strong>the</strong> conversation, but<br />
she merely smiled. “Thank you. And you should know<br />
how much I appreciated <strong>the</strong> card and flowers you and
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