Alias Mommy

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“Thanks,” he said.

She looked at him in puzzlement.

He chuckled. “It was my idea.”

“Really? It sounds like something a woman would dream up.”

“I dreamed it up to attract women. And men. The best medical personnel that we could lure to such a small, out-of-the-way town to create a community medical center. And it’s worked remarkably well.”

“Then this medical center was your idea?” Polly was impressed.

They passed a busy cafeteria filled with people in white and green uniforms. The pleasant aroma of spicy tomato sauce wafted out the doorway. “You can always come here for a good bite to eat.” Reeve pointed inside. “We also attracted some pretty darned good food service people.” He started walking again, and Polly joined him, the stroller rolling before her. “Yes, the center was my brainchild. I grew up around here, saw too many injuries that would not have been life threatening get that way because it took too long to get adequate help. I didn’t intend to get into emergency medicine myself, but I wind up helping a lot in crisis situations.”

“Laurel and I are glad you do.” Polly knew her voice sounded warm. Embarrassed, she glanced at Reeve, to find him looking at her intensely, his golden-brown eyes dark with an emotion she couldn’t interpret. A tingling began in her toes and rocketed through her. What if he really was someone she could trust? What if—

Forget that. She couldn’t trust anyone, especially not herself. She had been so wrong before. So very wrong.

Pulling her gaze away, she stooped to straighten Laurel in the stroller. When she stood again, she attempted to get the conversation back on a neutral topic. “So, you were the center’s founder. Are you involved in its administration?”

“Everyone here is. It’s a sort of co-op, where the doctors all have a stake in its success. Right now, I’m in charge of a committee to raise funds for a new rescue helicopter that’ll pick up injured people on the slopes and take emergencies to big Denver hospitals. Sometimes I wish my role was more low-key, though. People seem to equate me with organizing, which is why they also elected me to city council.”

Polly halted so fast her head spun. She pretended to study a painting of snow-covered mountains, but she felt suddenly as icy inside as though she were standing on one of the depicted slopes in her underwear. “You’re on city council?” She heard the choked tone in her voice and cleared her throat.

“That’s how I came to be out the night of your accident.” Reeve must have caught her tone, as he sounded defensive.

There was no reason he should, of course. Just because she had a deep, terrifying aversion to politicians…

She had almost forgotten everything. Why she had fled. Why she was here.

But now she remembered. Only too well. And she needed to get away from Reeve Snyder. To compose herself. Collect her thoughts.

If he had been kind to her, it had been for a reason. He was not just a doctor. He was a politician. Politicians were controlling. Manipulative. Deceptive.

She swallowed a sob.

She recalled only then Ernie Pride’s reference to city council when he’d visited her hospital room. If only she had realized—

But it would have made no difference. Except she wouldn’t have believed that she might come to trust Reeve.

Just beyond them was a patients’ lounge filled with comfortable-looking upholstered chairs interspersed with tables covered with magazines. The few people in the room watched a television in a corner.

“Excuse me,” Polly managed to murmur. “I’m going to sit down for a little while.”

“Are you all right?” Reeve’s voice sounded as though he were in a cave. No. She was in the cave, and the ceiling and floor, covered with stalactites and stalagmites, were closing in on her.

“I’m fine,” she insisted. She sat on one of the chairs, then plucked Laurel from the stroller. The baby began crying as Polly held her too tightly.

Cut it out, damn it! she told herself. She was overreacting. It didn’t matter to her whether Reeve Snyder was a politician or a polecat. They both smelled equally bad.

It wasn’t as though she were involved with him. As though she cared who or what he was.

No, what had gotten to her was her memories. Of other politicians.

Of her family.

Reeve sat down beside her. His shining brown eyes were narrowed in question, and she made herself smile weakly at him. She couldn’t let on what she thought. She needed the flexible job. Needed to be here.

And if his concern seemed genuine—well, she didn’t dare let herself believe it. She knew better.

She had let herself believe before.

“I guess I’m still a little tired after the accident, the baby and all,” she said, trying to sound perky. “I’ll just sit here for a few minutes, if that’s all right.”

“Of course.” There was a warmth in his voice that made tears rush to her eyes. What an actor he was! He really sounded as though he cared. “Would you like a drink of water?”

“No. Thank you.” She tried to keep her voice even, though she wanted to shriek at him to leave her alone.

At the same time, she wanted him to take her into his strong arms—arms that had rescued Laurel and her—to let her cry on his broad shoulder. She was so alone….

But that would be weakness. Dependency. On the very person who caused her distress.

Just like before.

She would not let that happen again. Ever.

“I…I’m a little dizzy,” she said without looking at Reeve. “Do you mind if I just stay here for a few minutes?”

“Of course not.”

She expected him to take her words as a dismissal, but he didn’t. He was a busy man. A doctor. A politician. Surely he had something to do besides hang around her.

But there he remained. Sitting beside her, he reached over and took Laurel from her.

The sudden emptiness of her arms nearly shattered Polly, and she almost cried out. But she didn’t, since she somehow felt relieved, too.

Reeve hadn’t abandoned her, even though she had been less than kind to him.

Just because he was a politician did not mean he was as cruel and hypocritical as most she had known. He didn’t criticize her, and he didn’t tell her he would take care of everything.