Socialite...or Nurse in a Million?

by Molly Evans

  The momentary flirtation in his gut evaporated at her words. “I didn’t mean to pry, Vicky. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re not prying and it’s fine. It’s been over ten years, so for the most part I’ve put it to rest.”

  He gave a mental sigh, feeling a connection to her that surprised him. “I also lost someone when I was young. My brother.” He hadn’t meant to tell her about Emilio, but the words just popped out.

  “I’m so sorry. It’s tough, isn’t it?” she asked, offering unexpected sympathy. “I think sometimes it makes us better caregivers because we know what it’s like to lose someone. Just wish that it had been different, you know?”

  “Yeah, believe me, I know.” Sadness crept into her eyes and something cramped in Miguel’s chest. He knew that feeling exactly and he didn’t want to share it with anyone, let alone Vicky. They were poles apart in so many ways. Finding common ground between them was impossible. At least, that’s what he’d thought. Pain shared with another often took the sting out of it, but he couldn’t imagine that happening with her.

  “So, is your cousin having a big bash or just running off with her presents?”

  The change of topic was a welcome one, and he returned to the present situation. “It’s a big deal—family, an outdoor tent, the whole thing.”

  “Judging by your reaction, not one you’re eager to attend?”

  He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not that I’m unhappy about it, it’s good to be with family and all that.”

  “I sense a but coming.”

  A long-suffering sigh rolled out of him and he tried not to groan. “At these types of events, I get just hounded about being single. Are you dating anyone, are you going to ever get married? All that stuff. I’m sure it’s not something you suffer at your own family events. Your family experience may be quite different than mine.”

  A snort was her only answer.

  He shook his head then something occurred to him. If he took a date, everyone would back off and give him a breather. It had potential. Now, who could he get to go with him who wouldn’t read anything into it?

  “I suppose you’re the only single man there, too.”

  “No. Just the grandson who hasn’t fulfilled his family and reproductive obligations.” He turned slightly toward her. “So, uh, what are you doing for the weekend?” Was he mad for even thinking of asking her to help him out? People like her didn’t help people like him, but desperation pumped through him, and he was willing to risk nearly anything to get out of this.

  “No plans, really. I’m just going to be in and out, errands and that kind of stuff.” Then her gaze flashed to his and shock widened her eyes as she realized what he was up to. “Are you serious?”

  “Dead serious. I need you to protect me.”

  She almost snorted out a laugh. “How am I going to protect you?”

  “Well, at least people will think twice about grilling me about my future reproductive plans if I have a date on my arm.”

  “You’re really serious?” The smile faded away. “Are you certain that I’m the right person for the job? Doesn’t Carlos have sisters you can borrow or anything?”

  “He does, but my family knows them, so they’d know it’s a sham. You’re the only one who can help me out.” As much as he hated to admit it, she was the best person for the job. His family didn’t know her and she wouldn’t give him any unrealistic expectations about their relationship. Strictly business. “How about you wear a nice summer dress, bring your appetite, and pretend to be my date for an afternoon?” Asking her out was another thing he hadn’t planned on doing, but now that it was out there between them, his heart sped up and his stomach clenched, waiting for her reply. Her gaze held his for a few seconds longer, considering, and he could almost hear her debating the issue mentally.

  “Okay, I’ll be your date and spare you from your family for an afternoon. But you’re going to owe me one, buster.”

  “Totally. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”

  She sighed. “I’m beginning to feel I’m forever the bridesmaid, never the bride. My brother always hits me up for functions, too.”

  They made arrangements to meet at the office and Miguel would drive from there. “See you tomorrow.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  WELL, that hadn’t been the kind of ending to her day that she’d expected. Who said miracles didn’t happen anymore? Miguel had asked her out. Sort of. It wasn’t really a date, but a pretend date, so she shouldn’t get too excited about it. That wasn’t something she’d ever have expected, especially after the rocky start to her job.

  All the same, little flutters stirred in her stomach. The man was gorgeous and single. How much better could a day get than spending an afternoon with him, whether it was a real date or not? She’d never been to a graduation party as he’d described. Those sorts of functions in her family tended to be held at the country club, not the backyard at her cousin’s house. The decorating and cleanup could be left to the staff, but then you missed the fun of it. Should be an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon, especially as she didn’t have anything else do to and it was an opportunity to stay away from the homestead and her father’s oppressive energy. Over the years she’d learned just to avoid him rather than engaging in endless arguments that she’d never win anyway. One day she hoped to mend her relationship with her father, but until he was open to it, it would never happen.

  Miguel was so different from the men in her family. He put himself out there for others, and she couldn’t imagine her father extending himself in the same way. Her ex-husband had been a carbon copy of her father and just as cold. A man who’d taken his money to bed instead of his wife. As a result their marriage had ended within months. Back then she’d deluded herself into thinking that the intimacy she craved in a relationship was something she could live without, that there were other things she could be happy with. She’d been so wrong about that and about the man she’d married. Her judgment in men had always been poor, but it had been totally missing when she’d agreed to marry Carl. In the end, she’d chosen to correct the mistake before bringing children into the picture. She and Carl had parted ways, with him happily counting the settlement money that had been more important than she had been. That had been the end of any romantic endeavors in the past few years. Sticking to being her brother’s date now and then had gotten her out of the house but kept her safe enough from any awkward entanglements. Tomorrow was only one day out of her life, and she was doing a favor for her boss. That was simple, wasn’t it?

  That night Vicky slept with dreams disturbing the peace of the night. Dreams of unfulfilled longings stirred her body to a blistering heat that woke her. Images of Miguel, his face tantalizingly close to hers, teased her through the night. If only she had reached out to him the other day, her night might not be so restless. Until the early hour before dawn she slept fitfully, trying to ignore the call of her body, the yearning to hold another close.

  Years had passed since she’d been intimate with anyone. Getting hot over her coworker was just a case of familiarity and having an attractive man right in front of her every day, right?

  Her dreams and her subconscious knew otherwise.

  As they drove to the party, Miguel ran through the extensive list of relatives she was most likely to encounter.

  “You know I’ll never remember all that,” she said, and gave him a smile that looked more like a grimace. She didn’t want to disappoint him, but she was afraid she was going to. And she had to keep reminding herself that this wasn’t a date but a favor, so the same rules didn’t apply. The little butterfly careening around in her stomach wasn’t convinced.

  “I know, I know. I have a huge family. If we stick close, I can refresh you as we go along. You’ll be fine.”

  “I hope you know what you’re doing, Miguel.”

  After a quick glance, he said, “I do, too.” Then he patted her hand. “It’ll be fine. No matter what happens
. It’s just one day, right? Then we go back to our lives and call it good.”

  Before Vicky could even think of what to say, Miguel pulled his truck up against the curb and parked behind a line of other vehicles. “We’ll have to walk from here, but it’s just a block or two.”

  In minutes they had arrived at a very large outdoor tent filled with people of all ages. She turned to stare at Miguel. “This isn’t a party, this is an event. You could fill Isotopes Park with this many people.”

  “Now, that’s a slight exaggeration, but I told you there would be a mob of people here. Let’s find the food. I’m dying for my cousin’s enchiladas. His green-chili stew is outstanding.” He grinned and took her hand.

  The feel of her trim hand in his surprised him. The surprise was that it felt immediately comfortable, not in the size of her fingers or the silky softness of her skin or even the way her fingers naturally curled against his palm. It was the fit. A fit he hadn’t expected and one that he wasn’t sure he should even be thinking about, even in the loosest of terms. Guilt surfaced in him. Guilt that he wanted a life of his own to enjoy while leaving the memory of his brother behind. That couldn’t happen. Tension knotted his shoulders, but he tried not to show it.

  Today was all about getting him out of a jam, and Vicky was nice enough to help him out. That was all. He knew that there would never be any chance at things going beyond today because he wouldn’t allow it.

  Somehow they made it through the mob of people and to the food line. It just seemed natural to have Vicky in front of him and for him to place his hands on her shoulders, and he tried very hard not to feel the silky softness of her skin bared enticingly by the thin straps of her summer dress. The sun shone down on the day and it was a gorgeous afternoon. Miguel started to relax as he introduced Vicky to some of his family. When he got to his mother, he hugged her tight, then took Vicky’s hand and introduced them.

  “It’s been so long since my son has brought a woman to meet the family.” The woman with intelligent brown eyes, the same chocolate shade as Miguel’s, took her hand from him. “It is good to see him socializing, but I can see why he’s kept you to himself.” She started to lead Vicky away from Miguel.

  The panicked look Vicky cast over her shoulder at him nearly broke his resolve. There was desperation in those eyes, which he worked hard to resist. Something, some protective male instinct he’d nearly forgotten about, surfaced strong and fast in him. Before he knew it he’d stepped forward without taking his eyes from Vicky. As much as he’d tried to ignore it, push it away or flat out deny it, there was something going on between them. Some attraction that he hadn’t felt in years. Although it wasn’t exactly welcome, he couldn’t stop it. Walking away from that was going to be difficult, no matter what his head told him. His heart and the heat in his blood told him something entirely different. Aside from that, he couldn’t let his mother take over or she’d find out their whole ruse in seconds. “We were going to eat first then catch up with everyone.”

  “See that you do, mijo, see that you do.” She patted his cheek as her perceptive eyes watched him. “I’ve missed seeing you with the family.”

  He took Vicky’s hand in his and led her to a row of chairs where they balanced their plates on their knees.

  “This is quite the party, isn’t it?” she asked, breaking the silence between them. She tucked her hair behind her ear, not wanting to let Miguel know that she’d never been to a party like this but that she was totally prepared to enjoy herself. The nerves she had now weren’t at all like the nerves she had when she was at a society event. Now it was all because of Miguel’s presence so close to her.

  “Yes, it is. Cindy’s the oldest of my cousin Arturo’s kids and is a really smart girl. She’s graduating a year early and already taking university classes.” Small talk helped break the tension in the air between them. “I was never that dedicated when I was her age.”

  “Wow, neither was I. I was lucky to get through some of my classes, let alone graduate early.” Vicky shook her head. “Math was the bane of my existence.”

  “I’ll take your word for that.” He looked over at her as she sat with her plate on her knees. “Before anything else happens, I want to thank you for coming.” If nothing else, he owed her his gratitude. He couldn’t see behind her sunglasses, but he thought she winked at him. The sideways smile she gave him, with her lips just turned up, made his heart lurch. Vicky was simply gorgeous, and he wondered why she wasn’t taken. If he’d been looking, he might have been looking at her. Yet there was that bloom of attraction between them that lay waiting to unfold.

  “Just remember you owe me one.” She laughed and shook her head, then tucked her hair behind her ear in a gesture he was beginning to realize was a nervous habit.

  He laughed and suddenly felt much better, his heart lighter than it had been in years. It was a good feeling and one he didn’t want to let go of just yet. It reminded him of the way he had lived a long time ago, before the death of Emilio and the ruining of his life. “I won’t forget. Promise.”

  Arturo dropped into the seat beside Miguel. They spoke a moment in Spanish then Arturo turned to Vicky. “So, you’re the new nurse, right?”

  “Right.”

  “Has your mother met her yet?” Arturo asked with a big grin.

  “Yes.” Miguel nodded his head.

  “She like?”

  “Yes, I think so. But just so you know, Vicky’s only helping me out for the day.” As Miguel said the words, for a moment he wanted them not to be true. Watching Vicky sit beside him, seeing the sunlight glint off the highlights in her hair, he wanted to really have her in his life. But what could he do, fire her and then ask her out? That wasn’t going to happen. The clinic was much more important than his pitiful social life. He needed her as a nurse, not a date right now, although unofficially Vicky was his date. For today.

  “Yeah, right.” Arturo leaned over and shook Vicky’s hand. “Anyway, welcome to the party. Be sure to have a glass of wine or something before it’s all gone.”

  “I will, thanks. By the way, your chili is fantastic—what do you do special to it? I don’t do much cooking, but for this I’d learn.”

  “Oh, a little of this and that. I don’t write anything down.” He waved his hand as if waving away her request. “Have you ever seen the movie Like Water For Chocolate?”

  “No.” She’d never heard of it, but it sounded intriguing. Anything with chocolate in the title had to be good. She took a quick glance at Miguel, but he seemed to be paying close attention to his cousin. A little pang fluttered inside her. What had she been thinking, agreeing to this nondate? Was she thinking that Miguel would somehow put aside his biases, ignore the glaring chasm between their backgrounds? She refocused on Arturo. “What’s it about?”

  “Rent it sometime. My recipe is just like that. Passion in every ingredient.”

  Vicky narrowed her eyes. She was certain he was teasing her, but she wasn’t really sure. “I’ll do that.”

  “Stop teasing her, will you? You’re no gourmet, you just won’t give up that recipe that you stole from Grandma.”

  Arturo grinned, but didn’t deny the friendly accusation. “I’ve gotta go anyway. It’s tough, being the host.” He gave a casual wave and wandered off through the crowd.

  After they’d finished eating, Miguel stood. “I guess there’s no way around it, I’m going to have to introduce you to people.”

  “I’m ready.” She held her hands out to him, and he pulled her to her feet. With the uneven surface of the ground, she bobbled a little bit on her sandals, and Miguel placed a hand on her hip to steady her.

  “Okay?”

  For a second she didn’t answer, just looked at him and swallowed. “Yeah, I’m good.” If they had met in a different place and time or were from more similar backgrounds, maybe then they could have been on a more equal footing. The buzz of attraction that hung in the air every time they were near each other hadn’t gone unnoticed by h
er. She simply didn’t trust in herself or her judgment in men to be able to reach out to Miguel. The fire of her past had burned away any confidence she might have once had and she still had the singe marks to prove it. The idea of reaching out to another man had her quaking inside. Because of her upbringing and the need to keep up appearances, she didn’t let her fears show. God forbid that anyone should see outright emotion in a Sterling-Thorne. Not that Miguel would believe her anyway. The man was the most fearless person she’d ever seen. Nothing scared him, and he wouldn’t understand her fears, so it was best to hide them beneath a bright smile. With one last glance at his tempting mouth and mysterious eyes, she released her grip on his arm and let him lead her through the crowd on their nondate. “Let’s go.”

  As they made the rounds, it seemed perfectly natural for Miguel to place his hand on her shoulder, touch her arm, take her hand and tuck it into his elbow. Although this started out as a way for him to keep his family from asking questions, he was allowing himself to fall deeply into the role he’d set up for himself. For the next few hours he enjoyed the luxury of touching her whenever he could, and she never pulled away from his touch but rather seemed to enjoy it. Each time Vicky turned her face up to his, he wanted to bring her closer, but knew that was the wrong thing to do—for both of them.

  “You have a lovely family, but I think I’m ready for some wine or a spritzer now,” she said, and fanned her face with her hand. “Whew.”

  “Let’s go. Me, too. I’ve had about enough talking for a while.” He glanced at his watch and was surprised at how much time had passed. He was enjoying himself more than he had thought he would. Thanks to Vicky. He certainly was going to owe her a big favor. They arrived at the refreshment table, which was tucked into a corner of the yard beneath a sprawling cottonwood tree that offered the welcome shelter of shade. He looked up into the branches, which seemed different than they had been in childhood. Perspective, he guessed. All things changed with time.