The Forbidden Marriage

“It was probably Breda Neilson.”

That sounded Scandinavian. Most likely she was statuesque and beautiful.

“Why don’t you ask her for dinner on Sunday?”

“Does this mean you’ve already invited Mike Francis?” He’d fired the question at her so fast she was stunned. Graham had warned her.

“Of course not. When I’m on duty I don’t mix business with pleasure.”

“Just after hours,” came the baiting rejoinder.

“I’d rather not talk about Mike if you don’t mind.”

“He’s not the right man for you, Michelle.”

She’d already found that out on her own, but not for the same reasons Zak judged him. Maybe it was better he didn’t know she was about to end it with Mike. For her own self-preservation the pretense of a love interest could help act as a buffer against Zak’s devastating charisma.

She fought for a steadying breath. “What I was trying to say is, you must know Graham and Sherilyn would love to meet anyone important to you.”

“When that day comes, they’ll know all about it. How long was Mike Francis laid up with his broken leg?”

They were back to Mike again.

“After he was released from the hospital, two months.”

“I understand his townhouse borders the golf course.”

“Yes.”

“To look out the window every day and know he couldn’t work on his putting, which needs a lot of help by the way, must have been tough on him.”

“It was.”

“But not too tough with you there to see to his every need.”

His innuendo sent warmth to her cheeks.

“Between therapy sessions he watched videos of his game to see where he could improve.”

“Is that what he told you,” came the mocking reply. “No doubt it fed his ego for you to sit for hours admiring him.”

Michelle blinked. Zak really didn’t like him. How could he possibly swallow all the lies fed by the media? Why did he care?

“Nursing Mike taught me about the game of golf. I never understood it or had an interest in it before.”

“And now you do.”

“Yes. Not to play, but to watch. It takes incredible skill and tenacity.”

After a pause, “Did you know his wife left him because he’d had a string of affairs?”

Michelle might not be in love with Mike, but she cared enough about him to disabuse Zak of that myth.

“It’s the other way around. He divorced his wife when he found out she’d had an affair. She wants him back. I know because she came to the townhouse several times to try to talk to him. When he refused to see her, she broke down and talked to me, hoping I would intervene.”

A strange sound escaped Zak’s throat. “The truth probably lies somewhere in-between both their explanations.”

She’d thought the same thing. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“Are you prepared to be the new focus of the press?” he demanded. “If you can’t see the way they’ll exploit the nurse turns lover scenario, I can.”

Michelle had thought about it. Zak’s blunt way of putting things only underlined her own misgivings in that department. However if she’d been in love with Mike, she wouldn’t have let fear of the intrusion of the press stop her from being with him.

“How’s the nausea?” she interjected on purpose. “Would you like me to stop somewhere and get you a drink?”

“I can see I’ve touched a nerve,” he murmured. “The answer to both questions is, my stomach seems to have settled down and I don’t require anything more than to be back in my own home with my favorite nurse.”

She smiled. “Sounds like the name of an old radio show. And now folks, stay tuned to My Favorite Nurse. I’m old enough to qualify.”

He let out a chuckle that was quickly followed by a groan. “Somebody lied,” he said. “It takes more muscles to laugh.”

“Except that laughter has other medicinal qualities to cure what ails you.”

“I happen to agree. Now tell me where in the hell you ever got the idea that you were old.”

“When you reach the venerable age of thirty-five, you won’t have to ask that question. Fortunately for you, that time is many years away yet.”

“If anyone were listening to us, they’d assume you were talking to a child. Don’t you know once a person reaches adulthood, age becomes a relative thing? You’re feeling old inside because you’ve been nursing patients nonstop since college.”

This line of conversation was starting to make her uncomfortable.

“You didn’t even take time off from your work after you got married,” he persisted. “When your husband became ill, you nursed him with everything you had in you, then lost yourself in the care of other patients. It’s time for a change, Michelle.”

“You mean I should find another way to earn my living after you no longer require my services?” she teased to hide her increasing turmoil.

“I’m talking a complete break from any kind of work.” He sounded so serious, she was astounded.

“I’d go mad from boredom.”

“Good, if that’s what it would take to shake you out of your octogenarian mind set.”

She pressed on the accelerator. “Anything else you want to get off your chest before we reach the Coast Highway?”

“I’ve only scratched the surface, but the rest can keep for later. We’ve got weeks ahead of us.”

The reminder that they’d be alone together for the next month sent tremors through her body. Michelle couldn’t explain her own overpowering awareness of him unless it was the fact that he’d been in the background of her life since Graham had met Sherilyn.

Once he’d decided to marry her, he sold the family home he and Michelle had grown up in. Being a protective brother, he found another house with a separate apartment for Michelle so they could still remain close.