Free What the Doctor Didn't Tell Her by Jacqueline Diamond Page B

that
until presented with a grandchild, she was entitled to bestow her
indulgence on other people’s children.
    Betsy had only grudgingly accepted
Sarah’s decision during her residency to donate eggs to an
infertile couple. Later, she’d mentioned that she felt cheated of
the baby or babies that might have been born. Betsy also worried
that, with Sarah approaching her mid-thirties, time was running out
to have an infant of her own.
    “ A grandchild would mean
the world to me,” she’d once said.
    A scary thought hit Sarah. She hoped
her mother wasn’t fantasizing about a renewed romance with Daniel.
Never again would Sarah expose herself to such a cruel
betrayal.
    “ The soup’s delicious,
Mom.” It had been, even the nuts.
    “ And healthy,
too.”
    Right on cue, the phone rang. It was
the hospital, reporting several women in labor. “I’m on my way,”
Sarah said.
    She wished her mom a good evening and
went out into the lingering July heat.
     
     
     

Chapter Two
     
     
    Two weeks later, Sarah arrived at the
hospital at 7:30 in the morning. Scheduled for surgery, she’d made
sure to get plenty of rest. Fortunately, with a new doctor on
staff, she’d been able to reduce her on-call shifts.
    For the past week, since Daniel joined
the office, she’d escaped all but the briefest contact. He’d
acknowledged their first meeting with a searching gaze, holding her
hand longer than necessary when they shook. However, braced by the
presence of Jane and Luke, Sarah had slipped her hand free and
excused herself to get ready for the next patient.
    As she had anticipated, Daniel’s
masculine presence had created a stir. Edda Jonas’s adoring looks
followed him everywhere, while patients who’d initially been
hesitant to see a new physician now readily accepted, even raved
about Dr. Durand. Such a good listener! Such a reassuring
manner!
    And such a louse,
underneath it all.
    He’d arranged for his niece to join
Betsy’s day-care center. For Sarah, that meant having to duck him
before and after work, too.
    She didn’t regret her mother’s
decision to baby-sit the little girl, though. Nina was a cutie with
light-brown hair and green eyes. Although shy around Betsy and the
other children, she’d given Sarah a hug right away.
    The child’s timidity wasn’t entirely
due to the change of location. Apparently the five-year-old had
narrowly escaped the fire that engulfed her home and killed her
parents. She’d had a nightmare during her first sleepover,
awakening both Sarah and her mother.
    Sarah had rushed in to hold and
reassure the little girl. Something about Nina’s distress tore at
Sarah’s heart, although she’d never experienced any strong maternal
instincts before.
    She gave Daniel credit for doing his
best in a difficult situation. That didn’t ease her concerns about
today, though.
    After working in a small town, Daniel
had expressed a desire to brush up on his microsurgery skills. Luke
had responded that Sarah was the best surgeon on their staff, and
volunteered her to supervise.
    Now she hurried along the hall toward
the surgical suites, hoping to scrub in before he did. That way,
she could confine their interaction to the operating
room.
    The familiar scent of spice and pine
soap alerted her a few seconds before he rounded a corner, and she
had to sidestep quickly. Daniel steadied her, his strong hand
catching her shoulder.
    “ Sarah.” His voice
caressed her name. “Are you all right?”
    “ I’m…fine.”
    How foolish, standing frozen while
electricity tingled through her traitorous body. She ought to paste
on an impersonal smile and brush past.
    “ Thank you for agreeing to
mentor me,” Daniel said, releasing her. The two of them fell into
step, heading for the operating room.
    “ You’re a terrific
surgeon,” Sarah responded honestly. “I’m surprised you let your
skills lapse.”
    Daniel’s mouth tightened. “There were reasons
for moving to Arizona. Good reasons. But never