Cindy's Doctor Charming by Teresa Southwick Page B

never made promises he didn’t intend to keep. “How do we know that?”
    â€œIt’s common knowledge,” she said with a knowing look.
    Not to him. “It?”
    â€œYou’re a serial dater, which by definition means anti-matrimony.”
    â€œSo that’s the current rumor at the hospital?”
    She nodded. “Is it wrong?”
    Damn right. Partly. He dated because he hadn’t been very good at settling down.
    â€œYeah, it’s wrong. Imagine that. A rumor making the rounds at Mercy Medical Center that’s been twisted and sensationalized.”
    â€œWhich part?” Cindy asked.
    â€œI’m not anti-matrimony. In fact, I was married once.” He saw her glance at his left ring finger, which was bare.
    It always had been. After the formal ceremony when he and Felicia had taken their vows, he hadn’t worn a wedding band. He’d given his wife a host of excuses about it getting in the way when he was working. Gloving up. Sterile procedure. But she’d seen through all the crap and realized the truth about him. “You said was. ” Cindy frowned. “Past tense. You’re divorced?”
    â€œNo.” He saw the look of surprise and clarified. “My wife died in a car accident.”
    Not long after she’d left him because he didn’t love her.
    She’d been right, but it wasn’t about her. Love was something he couldn’t make himself believe in.
    â€œOh, Nathan—” Cindy’s eyes widened with distress. “I didn’t know.”
    â€œNot many people do.”
    â€œThat’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
    â€œDon’t be.” The fault was his and so was the guilt.
    â€œI can’t help it. That’s what happens when you hear rumors and believe them without question. I should know better than to listen to that stuff. There’s so much talk and every time a story is told it gets—”
    The words stopped as she focused on something behind him.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?”
    â€œTwo of the NICU nurses just walked in,” she whispered.
    â€œSo?”
    â€œIsn’t it ironic that we were just talking about gossip?”
    Her expression took on the same wariness the day he’d tried to help her out. She’d told him to back off or it could cost her job.
    â€œI have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said.
    â€œRumors will spread like the plague. You. Me. Here. Alone.” She put her elbow on the table, then settled a hand on her forehead, trying to shield her face. “Where’s a really big menu when you need one?” she mumbled.
    â€œIt’s no one’s business but ours why we’re here.”
    â€œIn a perfect world that would be true. But, trust me on this, there will be talk.”
    Nathan looked up when the two hospital employees walked by. He recognized the nurses—Barbara Kelly and Lenore Fusano. The first was pretty, blonde and blue eyed. The other woman had dark eyes and hair. Also attractive. He nodded a greeting and they both smiled and saidhello, then kept moving without acknowledging Cindy in any way.
    â€œThis is just great,” she said. “And the timing couldn’t be worse. I told my supervisor that everything was under control.”
    â€œWhat does this have to do with your boss?”
    She met his gaze. “I met with her because there was a complaint about me. Anonymous. On the hospital’s hotline.”
    Nathan glanced at the two nurses and saw them look quickly away. “What was the complaint?”
    â€œSupposedly about my work.”
    He remembered what she’d said about her life getting more difficult when word got out that he was “slumming” with one of the housekeepers. Then she’d told him to leave her alone because it could cost her job. That remark was one of the reasons he’d felt compelled to talk to her. To reassure her that she had nothing to worry