door stopped closing, and Joshua listened as she continued in a warm, natural way that was full of confidence, yet reassuring and nonthreatening. “Dr. Grenwald has asked me to complete the files on some of his patients. I’m a midwife. I wondered if we could talk for a few minutes?”
“Midwife?” Naomi asked, straightening a little and opening the door wider.
Joshua mentally tipped his hat to Victoria. She’d managed to melt the iceberg a tiny bit. He waited to see how far she could get.
“Yes. I’m opening a practice in this area, and Dr. Grenwald is my backup physician.”
“Bodewell’s a long way.”
“Just my main clinic is in Bodewell. I’ll be seeing patients in Mention on Tuesdays. I handle deliveries at Bodewell Hospital.”
“My heart’s set on havin’ this baby at home. That’s what Ma did,” Naomi said as her sharp eyes moved over Victoria, noting the medical bag. “I’d feel a heap better if I had a granny with me.”
Knowing the term “granny” was synonymous with midwife to the people in the community, Victoria explained, “I’m sorry, but I can’t attend home deliveries.”
Naomi’s face fell.
Victoria continued gently. “The hospital won’t support my practice if I do.” Victoria broke off as if just remembering something. “They did agree to dedicate one room for an alternative birthing center, which is more like a home setting, if that’s what you’re interested in. Mother and baby can usually go home in about twelve hours. It’s cheaper too.”
Perking up, Naomi asked, “How much less?”
“Maybe I could come in? I could answer your questions about the ABC room at the hospital, and you could help me complete this file.”
When Naomi agreed, Victoria explained that Joshua didn’t want to offend, but he really needed tostretch his legs. Would Naomi mind if he waited outside? Shortly, Joshua was left standing on the porch, exactly where he wanted to be. He breathed a sigh of relief. If the other visits went as smoothly, he might actually get home without picking up any more emotional echoes for his collection.
Lately, the only emotions he was interested in were Victoria’s, and she kept them hidden, where he couldn’t touch them. He knew as much about her as any Joe off the street. She’d been through a bad divorce, and she wanted a life of her own, separate from her past.
Absently, he rubbed his arm where her hand had rested, and wondered what to do about Victoria.
“Not a bad day’s work,” Victoria told him as she pulled up alongside his house. “I think four of the six are going to come into the clinic next Tuesday. Thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome.” Joshua forced himself to get out of the truck without asking Victoria for a date. All day the thought had been on his mind. Ever since she came out of Naomi’s house, eyes shining and wearing a smile that would have lit up New York.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to take many more days like this one—cooped up in the truck with her fragrance hammering away at his resolve. She smelled like cinnamon and spice. And sex, if he told the God’s truth. He couldn’t explain it, but his attraction to Victoria went way beyond incredible perfume.
When the other truck door slammed behind him and he heard Victoria’s footsteps, he closed his eyes. Hadn’t he suffered enough today? The woman had touched him every three seconds, asking for or lending support, inviting him to share a joke, pointing out a clump of wildflowers that refused to give in to the change of seasons. None of those touches had been remotely sexual, and every one of them had made him intensely aware of her as a woman.
“May I come in and borrow your phone? I won’t have one until next week, and I wanted to check the messages at my office.”
“Since when have you needed an invitation to come inside?” asked Joshua, resigned to the inevitable.
“Since you made such a fuss last time!” Victoria told him. “Besides,
“Midwife?” Naomi asked, straightening a little and opening the door wider.
Joshua mentally tipped his hat to Victoria. She’d managed to melt the iceberg a tiny bit. He waited to see how far she could get.
“Yes. I’m opening a practice in this area, and Dr. Grenwald is my backup physician.”
“Bodewell’s a long way.”
“Just my main clinic is in Bodewell. I’ll be seeing patients in Mention on Tuesdays. I handle deliveries at Bodewell Hospital.”
“My heart’s set on havin’ this baby at home. That’s what Ma did,” Naomi said as her sharp eyes moved over Victoria, noting the medical bag. “I’d feel a heap better if I had a granny with me.”
Knowing the term “granny” was synonymous with midwife to the people in the community, Victoria explained, “I’m sorry, but I can’t attend home deliveries.”
Naomi’s face fell.
Victoria continued gently. “The hospital won’t support my practice if I do.” Victoria broke off as if just remembering something. “They did agree to dedicate one room for an alternative birthing center, which is more like a home setting, if that’s what you’re interested in. Mother and baby can usually go home in about twelve hours. It’s cheaper too.”
Perking up, Naomi asked, “How much less?”
“Maybe I could come in? I could answer your questions about the ABC room at the hospital, and you could help me complete this file.”
When Naomi agreed, Victoria explained that Joshua didn’t want to offend, but he really needed tostretch his legs. Would Naomi mind if he waited outside? Shortly, Joshua was left standing on the porch, exactly where he wanted to be. He breathed a sigh of relief. If the other visits went as smoothly, he might actually get home without picking up any more emotional echoes for his collection.
Lately, the only emotions he was interested in were Victoria’s, and she kept them hidden, where he couldn’t touch them. He knew as much about her as any Joe off the street. She’d been through a bad divorce, and she wanted a life of her own, separate from her past.
Absently, he rubbed his arm where her hand had rested, and wondered what to do about Victoria.
“Not a bad day’s work,” Victoria told him as she pulled up alongside his house. “I think four of the six are going to come into the clinic next Tuesday. Thanks for the help.”
“You’re welcome.” Joshua forced himself to get out of the truck without asking Victoria for a date. All day the thought had been on his mind. Ever since she came out of Naomi’s house, eyes shining and wearing a smile that would have lit up New York.
He wasn’t sure he’d be able to take many more days like this one—cooped up in the truck with her fragrance hammering away at his resolve. She smelled like cinnamon and spice. And sex, if he told the God’s truth. He couldn’t explain it, but his attraction to Victoria went way beyond incredible perfume.
When the other truck door slammed behind him and he heard Victoria’s footsteps, he closed his eyes. Hadn’t he suffered enough today? The woman had touched him every three seconds, asking for or lending support, inviting him to share a joke, pointing out a clump of wildflowers that refused to give in to the change of seasons. None of those touches had been remotely sexual, and every one of them had made him intensely aware of her as a woman.
“May I come in and borrow your phone? I won’t have one until next week, and I wanted to check the messages at my office.”
“Since when have you needed an invitation to come inside?” asked Joshua, resigned to the inevitable.
“Since you made such a fuss last time!” Victoria told him. “Besides,
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