resentment would blow over when Nathan reverted to typical male behavior and showed more interest in a ventilator than her. Until then, she’d do her job and keep a low profile.
She walked out into the hall and replaced her supplies on the cart before unsnapping her “bunny suit.” Just as she was stepping out of it, the NICU door opened and Barbara walked out.
Cindy’s stomach knotted because her luck wasn’t good enough for this to be a coincidence. She turned away and set the disposable suit on the handle of her cart, then picked up her clipboard and pretended to study her next assignment.
“I want to talk to you.” The nurse’s voice vibrated with antagonism.
Cindy took a deep breath and faced the woman, faking a calm she didn’t feel. “Is there something you needed?”
“I need for you to concentrate on your job instead of your social life.”
She’d always thought the nurse was beautiful. Not anymore. The woman’s mouth pulled tight, making her chin, cheeks and nose sharper, more Wicked Witch of the West. The coldness rolling off her made Cindy wish for wool socks and a parka. But a confrontation required at least two, and she was determined not to take the bait. That meant bottling up a whole lot of outrage and indignation.
“I’m sorry. I thought I was thorough in the unit. Did I miss something?”
“Yeah.” Barbara folded her arms over her chest. “You missed the part where you keep your nose out of other people’s business.”
Cindy knew that “business” meant Nathan Steele. She decided to play as dumb as this woman desperately wanted her to be. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh, please. Since when does a neonatologist push a housekeeping cart?” she asked sarcastically. “And take you to dinner. Isn’t he a little out of your league?”
The knots in Cindy’s stomach tightened, then cramps started in her lower abdomen. She resisted giving in to it. Show no weakness.
“Dr. Steele and I are nothing more than friends.” And parents-to-be, she thought. But that “business” she was keeping to herself for as long as possible.
“Right. And next you’ll be trying to sell me beachfront property in Arizona.”
Cindy shrugged. “Ask him if you don’t believe me.”
Anger flared hot in the other woman’s eyes because they both knew she couldn’t and wouldn’t do that. Barbara jabbed her index finger in the air. “Look, just because you won a seat at the big table, don’t go shining up your glass slippers for a walk down the aisle with Nathan Steele.”
Cindy wanted so badly to ask if this was junior high and Barbara had dibs on him, but that would just prolong this awful scene and the pain in her stomach was getting worse.
“I’ve heard he goes through women at the speed of light. It’s really nice of you to warn me.”
Barbara’s fingers curled into her palms and the frustration seemed to roll off her in waves before she turned without another word and went back into the unit. Chalk one up for the peon, Cindy thought.
But the brief feeling of triumph was cut short by a cramping pain that had her sucking in air before leaning against the wall. She took deep breaths and waited for it to pass. The discomfort eased but didn’t disappear and she very much needed to sit down.
She made sure her cart was flush against the wall and not impeding the flow of traffic in the hall. Slowly she walked around the corner to the empty NICU waiting room and tentatively lowered herself into a chair, folding her arms protectively over her abdomen.
She’d never felt more alone or scared, not even after losing her father. Something wasn’t right, but she didn’t know what to do. Finally she took out her cell phone and called her supervisor. A few minutes later, Dina hurried around the corner.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“This is Mercy Medical Center. I figured by the time you got here you’d already know,” Cindy answered, trying to joke her way into being brave.
Dina sat down beside her. “Did something happen?”
“Before or after Barbara Kelly got on my case?”
The other woman angrily shook her head. “She’s not happy unless she’s complaining about something. Or someone.”
“Then she must be ecstatic right now.” Cindy winced.
Concern went up a notch in Dina’s eyes. “Tell me what’s going on. You’re white as a sheet.”
“I think—” Cindy’s voice caught and she bit her lip. “I have cramps. I’m just sitting here until they go away. I thought you should know in case someone says something about it.”
“How long?”
“Just until the pain stops.”
“No.” Dina shook her head impatiently. “When did the pains start?”
“About fifteen minutes ago.”
“It could be nothing,” Dina said. “And probably is. But that’s a chance you don’t want to take. You need to call your doctor.”
“I will,” she said, nodding. “But it’s getting better. When my shift is over, I’ll—”
“Don’t worry about that.” Dina waved a hand dismissively. “You need to find out right away whether or not there’s something to be concerned about. We’re talking about your child’s welfare.”
Her child.
Her baby.
Cindy rested her hand on her stomach. There was a life in there. A life that could be in jeopardy. Fear rolled through her and cleared away the doubts.
In that instant, what had been a surreal, intangible, complicated problem became crystal clear.
There was nothing more important than her child. There was nothing she wanted more than this baby.
Nothing.
She would do whatever was necessary and everything in her power to protect it.
Nathan rang Cindy’s doorbell for the third time. He knew she was in there; her car was in the driveway. If she didn’t answer in the next thirty seconds, he would break in.
Finally the door opened and she stood there in shorts and an oversize T-shirt. Her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she’d been crying.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“This showing up unannounced is getting to be a bad habit,” she
