Maxine by SUE FINEMAN Read Free Book Online

her head. “What kind of ice cream?”
    “Rocky road.”
    “Rocky road is okay. Butter pecan is better.”
    Nick pulled the ice cream from the freezer. “It’s half melted.”
    “Then we’d better eat it quick.” She searched in his cupboards for bowls.
    He opened the carton and wrinkled his nose. “You want to eat this goop?”
    “Shut up and scoop or pour, whichever. I hate wasting good ice cream.”
    He filled both bowls to the rim. The ice cream was mushy and half-melted, but she ate it anyway.
    She pointed to his shirt. “You’re dripping.”
    “So are you.”
    She wiped a blob of ice cream off her shirt with her finger, then licked her finger. “I’m eating with the wrong hand. What’s your excuse?”
    “Smart-ass woman.” He wiped his shirt.
    She dipped her spoon in his dish, scooped out a nut, and popped it into her mouth.
    “Hey! Cut that out.”
    “You got more nuts.”
    He grinned. Cara felt the flush of embarrassment on her face, but she stifled the urge to say something unkind. She wanted him to be himself around her.
    When she finished eating, he said, “Take your medicine, then go sit by the woodstove and let me check your leg. Dr. Taylor said to change the bandage twice a day and check for infection.”
    “I can’t look at it or I’ll throw up again.”
    “You do and you’ll clean it up yourself.”
    “And I used to think you were a nice guy.”
    “Oh, yeah?”
    “Boy, was I ever wrong.”
    The corners of his mouth twitched in a suppressed smile. “Is this the first time you’ve had stitches?”
    “Yes. Looks like you’ve had some yourself.” He looked like he’d had a rough life, with that scar over his eye, another one on his chin, and one on his hand.
    He gently pulled her bandage off and she looked away, afraid she’d get sick to her stomach again.
    He looked up. “It looks okay. Does it hurt?”
    “Not as much as it did before. My shoulder feels better. Those pills help.”
    “Pills? And here I thought it was my TLC.”
    Warmth spread through her body as Nick put a clean bandage on her leg. He was right. It was his TLC.
    She’d never met a man quite like Nick. She wondered how many men would have crawled under a pile of rubble to help a complete stranger and then cared for her with as much compassion as Nick had.
    In spite of his friendly teasing and gentle care, she couldn’t stay long. Lance had a temper and she didn’t want him to hurt Nick. As soon as the roads were fixed, she’d find another place to hide until she ended her marriage.
     
     

 
    Chapter Four
    T he next morning, Tony arrived with another man and a big, friendly dog they called Riley. The dog ran straight to Cara, wagging his tail, and Nick grabbed the dog to pull him away.
    “He’s all right, Nick. Let him say hello.”
    “I don’t want him to bump your sore leg.”
    Riley put his front paws in Cara’s lap and licked her face with his big, pink tongue.
    “Hey, quit that,” said Nick. On his way outside, he said to the dog, “If anybody gets to kiss her, it’s me. You got that? Keep your slobbery tongue off her.”
    Cara laughed and wiped her face with her sleeve. There were times when Nick looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her, and she wanted him to, but aside from his teasing, he’d kept his distance.
    Nick came back in with Angelo, another cousin. He was a little shorter and rounder than Tony and Nick, who were both about six feet, and not as handsome as Tony, who could model for the cover of a romance novel. Angelo had soft brown eyes and a warm smile. He kissed her hand. “Cara Andrews. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Tony didn’t tell me it was you.”
    All the air left her lungs, and she couldn’t breathe. Since Nick and Tony didn’t recognize her and no one at the hospital had, she thought no one would. She was wrong.
    “Cara Andrews,” Tony said with a touch of awe. “I never would have known.”
    “I saw your husband on television,” said Angelo. “He’s so