Just for Appearances by Jenna Rutland

Author:Jenna Rutland [Rutland, Jenna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: nanny; past love; kids; single mom; small town romance; category romance; clean romance; Bliss; Just for Appearances; Jenna Rutland; Lake Bliss
Goodreads: 25220125
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Rachel did her best to avoid having any more too-intimate conversations with John over the next few days, careful to keep Aaron, Andrew, and Zak between them at all times. Late one evening, Rachel entered her back door, the single lightbulb above the stove serving as her beacon.

She entered the family room as John rose from the couch, remote control in one hand and newspaper in the other. He tossed both aside and smiled at her, his eyebrows arched as if to ask, Is everything okay?

It was too much. When their eyes met, she broke. She had disappointed her boss and herself.

She didn’t know who moved first, but as her first sob escaped, she found herself in John’s arms, her face smashed against his chest as he bore the onslaught of her crying. “It’s okay, honey. Whatever it is, we’ll fix it.”

Through her sobs, she told him about the huge mistake she’d make at work, typing out the wrong medications on a patient’s history and physical. When the dictating surgeon had caught the error, he’d demanded her boss hand out a citation.

“I’m such a failure,” she choked out. “I’m not good at anything. I’m lousy at work. I’m not a good mother. I don’t even know how to be a woman,” she mumbled into his chest.

He sat on the couch and pulled her down on his lap. “Don’t do this to yourself.” He tucked her head under his chin and cradled her in his arms. He stroked her hair. “How could you think you’re not a good mother? Because you’ve gone back to work? There’s nothing wrong with spending time away from them. You still give the boys a lot of time and energy. They adore you, Rach. And you’re raising them to be kind, decent men. When they’re grown, honey, they’ll be proud of you. They’ll look back on their childhood and know they were loved. In my mind, that’s one helluva mom.” He brushed his lips across her temple.

His voice deepened as he lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “And,” he added softly, “if you were any more of a woman…hell, I’d be a dead man.”

Rachel gave him a half smile. “Can I sit here for a minute longer?” Before he could answer, she snuggled back into his arms.

“As long as you want, Rach. As long as you want.”

Hours later, she awoke in her bed, disoriented and uncomfortable. The skirt she’d worn to work was twisted and bunched up at her waist, her blouse untucked on one side. She looked at the clock. Two thirty. She recalled the previous hours. John’s lap. Cradled in his arms. Crying like a baby. Pathetic. She must have fallen asleep, and he’d put her to bed. She groaned.

With a despondent sigh, she pushed herself off the bed, then took a few steps. Her toe snagged the foot of the nightstand, and she cried out. After a quick rub to ease the pain, she straightened and started to undress. She tossed

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