Читать книгу At The Texan's Pleasure - Mary Lynn Baxter - Страница 8

“Oh, Doctor, thanks so much for returning my call.”

“Not a problem,” Dr. Roy Coleman responded. “I know you’re concerned about your mother and well you should be.”

Molly winced under the doctor’s direct words, but then she was a nurse, for God’s sake, so she shouldn’t be surprised. Most doctors nowadays didn’t tiptoe around the rose bush. They called the problem as they saw it and let the chips fall where they may. Her boss Sam Nutting was cut from that same bolt of cloth.

Somehow, though, she was reluctant to hear the truth because it was her mother, who had always been Molly’s lifeline and still was. Her dad had died from heart failure when she was young, leaving them without ample resources. Hence, Maxine had had to work her fingers to the bone for other people in order for them to survive. However, she never forsook her daughter; Maxine always found time to spend with Molly no matter how exhausted she was, or how much she had to do.

“Are you still there, Ms. Bailey?”

The doctor’s crisp voice brought Molly back to the moment at hand. “Sorry, I was woolgathering about Mother, actually. Now that I’ve seen her and the condition she’s in, I’m really concerned.”

“As I said earlier, you have good reason. She took a nasty fall, which did major damage to her back, as you already know, of course. The main plus, however, is that she has no fractures.”

Even though Maxine had slipped in the hallway two weeks ago, it seemed much longer to Molly because she hadn’t been able to leave work and come immediately. Her mother had insisted that she not, making light of the accident.

Only after Dr. Coleman talked with her, then sent copies of the MRI did Molly know the extent of the damage to her mother’s back. Ergo, she lost no time in rushing to Maxine’s side.

“I appreciate you keeping me posted at every turn, Doctor.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way. As I told you, Maxine’s special, a rare breed. I know she’s in pain, yet she suffers in silence.”

“Only that’s not good.”

“You’re right. It’s not. I don’t want her in pain. But Maxine is one of—if not the most—hardheaded patients I have.”

“That’s why I’m here, Dr. Coleman, to see that she does like she’s told and behaves herself.”

He chuckled, and Molly liked that. Although she’d never met him, they’d had countless phone conversations. Each time she was more impressed with his sense of humor and his care of her mother.

“I’d like to get another MRI soon, so we can see if the severely strained muscles are beginning to heal on their own. Meanwhile, I’ve ordered a corset for her to wear. In fact, I don’t want her even sitting on the side of the bed without it, much less walking.”

Molly tried to remain upbeat, but under the circumstances that was becoming more difficult by the second. “That sounds like she’s going to be incapacitated for a good little while.”

“Because of her osteoporosis, she will be.”

Molly’s heart sank. “So we’re looking at long-term recovery instead of short-term.” A flat statement of fact.

“Not necessarily. Maxine is so determined that she could rebound much quicker than most, I suspect.” Dr. Coleman paused. “However, work of any kind is out for now.”

“What about physical therapy?”

“That’s coming, but it’s too soon. The corset is enough for now.”

Molly fought back the unknown fears that were festering inside her. For the moment, the picture was dismal. What if her mother never regained the full use of her body? Maxine had always worked, had always been full of energy. She didn’t believe in resting on her laurels, she’d told that to Molly all her life. An honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay had been Maxine’s philosophy.

“You’re going to have to help me convince her that she can’t work, Doctor. So far I don’t think you’ve gotten that across to her. She thinks she’ll be mopping floors next week.”

“Someone will be mopping floors, but it won’t be Maxine.”

“Thank you for being brutally honest with me.” Molly’s sigh was shaky. “Now, I have to be brutally honest with her.”

“If you want to wait, I’ll drive out to the ranch. We’ll gang up on her.”

A doctor who made house calls? No way. Yet he had offered, though Molly wasn’t about to take him up on that offer. She could handle Maxine, but it wouldn’t be easy. No matter. Her mother had no choice but to comply.

“Thank you for your kindness, but let me have a go at it first. If she bucks me, you’ll be the first to know.”

“Call me any time.”

When the conversation ended, Molly held the receiver for a few moments longer, then replaced it, feeling as though she was moving in a daze.

She had dreaded having this session with the doctor because she knew it wasn’t going to be encouraging. Since her arrival yesterday, she had come to realize her mother was indeed in dire straits, with no easy fix.

Now this morning, she had the unpleasant task of breaking the bad news to her mother. Molly was just thankful Trent was with Maxine. Bless his sweet heart, he had rarely left Maxine’s room since they had arrived, seeming to have forgotten the horses and cattle with which he’d been so fascinated. But then Maxine had played with him non-stop. Knowing Maxine was exhausted, Molly finally had to call a halt to their togetherness.

Putting off the inevitable wasn’t going to make things any easier, Molly reminded herself. Squaring her shoulders with resolve, she left her room and headed toward Maxine’s, though not without first taking a furtive look around. While she certainly didn’t expect Worth to be lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce on her, she still found herself somewhat rattled every time she left her room.

She had no idea what time Worth returned home last night, but she knew it was late, having heard him open the door to his room. It didn’t matter where he went or what he did. Their relationship was past history and she had no right or reason to care about his whereabouts. Her aim was to avoid him at all costs.

Only problem with that, she was staying under his roof.

Pushing that unsettling thought aside, Molly knocked lightly on Maxine’s door, then went in, only to pull up short. Her mother was asleep while Trent lay sprawled beside her, coloring in his coloring book.

“Hi, Mommy,” he said in a soft voice. “Granna felled asleep.”

“It’s okay, honey.” She reached for him and lifted him off the bed, then gathered the books and colors. “I want you to go to our room and color there for a few minutes, okay?”

Trent made a face. “I don’t want to.”

She smiled. “I know, but again, it’ll only be for a few minutes, then I’ll come and get you. I want to talk to Granna alone.”

“Why can’t I stay?” he whined.

Molly gave him a stern look. “Trent.”

With his bottom lip poked out, he took the stuff, and without further ado, made his way to the door.

“Don’t go anywhere else. Stay put in our room.”

“Okay,” he mumbled.

Molly stood watch until he was down the hall and the door closed behind him. He was so precious. Rarely did she ever have to scold him, but she didn’t want him to hear this conversation she was about to have with her mother. She feared Maxine’s reaction would not be favorable.

“Mom,” Molly said, gently touching Maxine on the shoulder.

Her mother’s eyes popped open and for a moment, she seemed completely disoriented. Then when she apparently recognized Molly, she smiled in relief, only then to frown. “Where’s Trent?”

“He’s in our room. He’ll be back shortly.”

“What time is it?” Maxine asked, her frown deepening.

“Almost noon.”

“Oh, dear. I can’t believe I even went to sleep, much less for that long.”

“It’s okay, Mother. You need all the rest you can get.”

“No, what I need is to spend time with my daughter and grandson before I go back to work.”

Molly was quiet for a moment, her mind scrabbling for a way to tell her mother the truth without breaking her heart. “Mom—”

“You’re going to tell me I can’t go back to work any time soon, aren’t you?” Maxine’s eyes were keen on Molly.

“That’s right,” Molly declared with relief.

“No, that’s wrong.”

Molly’s relief was short-lived. “I—”

“I’m going to be just fine. I know I pulled some muscles in my back—”

“That you did,” Molly interrupted flatly. “And according to the doctor, your recovery won’t be quick or easy.”

Maxine’s chin began to wobble. “I refuse to believe that.”

“It’s the truth, Mother, and you have to face it. More than that, you have to accept it. Now if you didn’t already have osteoporosis, then maybe things would be different.”

“But what about my job?” Maxine wailed. “Worth has been so good to me, but he’ll hire someone permanently to take my place. He’ll have to, only I can’t bear that thought.”

“Mom, let’s not beat that dead horse again. Worth is not going to replace you.”

“Has he told you that?” Maxine’s tone held a bit of belligerence.

Molly hesitated. “No, he hasn’t.”

“So you don’t know what he has in mind.” Maxine’s voice broke.

“Oh, Mom, please, don’t worry. It’s going to be all right.” Molly caressed one of Maxine’s cheeks.

“He doesn’t know—” Again Maxine broke off.

“The whole story about your back,” Molly cut in. “Is that what you were about to say?”

Maxine merely nodded.

“Ah, so you told him what you wanted him to know, what you thought he wanted to hear.”

Maxine reached for a tissue out of the nearby box. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Look, Mom, it’s not as grim as you think.”

“That’s because it’s not you.” Maxine paused, then added quickly, “For which I’m grateful. I couldn’t stand it if it were you in this shape.”

“Yes, you could. You’d just come and take care of me like I’m going to do for you.”

“You can’t,” Maxine wailed again. “You have a child and a job. And your life. You can’t—”

“Shh,” Molly said softly. “Enough. I’m not going to give up my life, for pity’s sake. Just rest easy, I have a plan.”

“What?” Maxine’s tone was suspicious.

“I’ll tell you later.” Molly leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek. “Right now, I’m going to send Trent back in here unless you want to go back to sleep.”

“Not on your life. I want to spend every moment I can with my grandson.”

“By the way, I spoke to Dr. Coleman.”

Maxine’s chin wobbled again.

“Hey, stop it. I’ll tell you about that later also. Meanwhile, keep your chin up, you hear? Everything’s going to work out.”

Maxine did her best to smile. “Send my boy back to me. I have plans that don’t include you.”

Molly smiled big, then sobered. “Don’t let him wear you out. He can, you know.”

“You let me worry about that.”

When Molly reached her room, she realized tears were running down her face. Brushing them aside, she forced a smile and opened the door. “Hey, kiddo, Granna’s waiting on you.”

Would there ever come a time when she wouldn’t react to him?

Yes, Molly told herself. As long as she didn’t see Worth, life would resume its normal course. Or would it? Almost five years had gone by and never a day passed she didn’t think of him. Residing in his house made a bad thing worse.

Right now she didn’t have a choice.

As if he realized he wasn’t alone, Worth swung around. When he saw who it was, his eyes widened, then a door seemed to slide over those eyes, blanking out his expression.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you it was rude to sneak up on a person?”

Go to hell.

She didn’t say that, but oh, how she wanted to. To speak her mind in that manner, however, would only incite a verbal riot, and she didn’t want that. Too much was at stake. She merely wanted to talk to him in a civil manner.

“Sorry,” Molly finally said in a moderate tone.

“No, you’re not.”

She hadn’t meant to sneak up on him without warning. She just happened to walk by the door leading onto the porch and saw him there, a booted foot propped on one of the iron chairs. He seemed to have been staring into the waning sun, far in the distance, as though deep in thought.

Molly guessed she should have coughed, or done something to reveal her presence, only she hadn’t thought about it. She had just walked onto the porch and waited, seeing this as an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“Look, Worth, I don’t want to fight with you,” she said at last. She’d meant what she’d said, too, especially when she watched him set the empty beer bottle down on the table, making more noise than he should have, which spoke volumes about his mood.

She couldn’t let Worth see the effect he had on her. Not now. Not ever. And entering into another verbal skirmish with him would put the power in his hands, power that could end up destroying her and what she held dear. At all costs, she had to maintain her cool.

“Is that what we’re doing?”

“I don’t want to play word games with you, either.”

He jammed his hands into his pockets which pulled the fabric tighter across his privates. For a moment, her gaze lingered on the mound behind the zipper. Then realizing what she was doing, she jerked her head back up to his face, praying that he hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

If he had, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead, he continued to stare at her through those blank eyes.

“What do you want, then?”

“To take my mother’s place.”

His head bolted back at the same time he went slack-jawed. “As my housekeeper?”

“Yes,” Molly said with punch in her tone.

He pitched back his head and laughed. “Get real.”

“I’m serious, Worth,” she countered with an edge in her tone.

“So am I, and that’s not going to happen.”

“Why not?”

He smirked. “Come on, Molly, you know why not. You’re a nurse, and that’s what you need to be doing.”

“I can do both. I can take care of the house and my mother.”

“What about Trent?”

“I’ll put him in day care, and he’ll be just fine.”

“No.”

She ignored that terse rejection and went on, “My mother’s mind is her own worst enemy right now. She thinks you’re going to replace her.”

“That’s hogwash. She has a job here as long as she wants one. And I’ll tell her that.”

“I appreciate that, but I still want to take her place. I can take care of Mom, encourage her and she will see that my job as housekeeper is temporary. This way she won’t worry about someone permanently replacing her. She’ll know I’m only filling in. Not only that, but I’m good. I grew up helping her clean houses.”

Worth looked astounded. “Are you nuts? Besides, you don’t have to do that anymore.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to.”

“Dammit, woman, you haven’t changed a bit.”

Molly raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yeah, you’re still as stubborn as a mule.”

She wanted to smile but didn’t. Instead she held her ground. “So are you.”

Worth cursed at the same time their eyes collided then held tighter than magnets.

Suddenly the oxygen in the air seemed to disappear, forcing Molly to struggle for her next breath. She could tell Worth was also affected as his face lost what little color it had left. And something else happened, too, though she couldn’t identify it.

What it hadn’t been was hostility. So had it been blatant desire? No. She’d been mistaken. He despised her and that wasn’t about to change. She didn’t want it to, either, she assured herself quickly, though the undertow of his sexy charisma was pulling on her.

Forcing her panic aside, Molly sucked in a deep breath and stared at him with an imploring expression.

“I’ll think about it,” Worth muttered on a sour note, cramming his hands further down in his pockets, which pulled his jeans even tighter across that area.

Molly averted her gaze and muttered, “Thank you.”

He laughed, but again without humor.

Feeling heat rush into her face, Molly knew she should leave before insult was added to injury. She was about to do just that when his next words froze her in her tracks.

“Why did you run out on me?”