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Would a ain look at her and think, She’s lovely? One without hard fists? Did she want a et to know her? This new idea had to be part offorward, didn’t it? It was funny how in a previous, happy-go-lucky life she’d had her pick of gorgeous la her entrepreneurialover her shoulder, she saw no one to frighten her Not that she expected to, but there were still tih Paul would be in jail for many years to come She’d lost a lot, but she was free

Hold on to that And, yes, think aboutlove

Vicki nudged her ‘Time to knock off, day shift’s here’

Another night done and survived without too st the patients She could relax, except her htened her stomach and neck, while her shoulder blades tried to meet in the middle of her back Because of the past? Or did she put this down to the rare heat in her veins, stirred up by Nathan Lupton? Yeah, like that’d be a blast It et a lot friendlier first, though he hadup all round? S this ?’

‘Those orange, thin-strapped ones you were green about last week’ Vicki was a shoeaholic, with an incredible collection that made Molly envious—and that was only over the shoes she’d seen at work

Molly laughed Twice in one e to have some R and R in the malls beckons Shoes always come second Maybe I should try the shoe shops first next ti When you’re sick of thee’ As well as her trousers and blouse, she needed to put her game face on

Nathan turned froht?’

‘Why wouldn’t I be?’ There were a million reasons, but he knew none of them, and never would

‘Because you look ready to bolt’

Make that onethat had been the last thing on her ht that? She hated that nearly as much as she’d hate hi on how to nab Vicki’s shoes without her noticing’

His expression softened ‘Good luck with that’

‘I reckon’ Unbelievable They were having a normal conversation for once

‘By the way, you were good with Geoff’

Surprise stole the retort off her tongue She hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, and yet he was saying that in front of the other nurses? She looked around at Vicki, then Hank, before locking eyes back on Nathan

He got the et out of here while you can’ This ti directly to Vicki

Molly knew she could relax now that Nathan was no longer focused on her, but it wasn’t happening Instead her body inding up tighter than a ball of twine, and just as rough Why did this hter in the chest, as though hope was knocking? Hope for love one day? Sadly, never for family That dream had been smothered as a wet sack would a flame by a fist in her belly that had stolen her baby and quite likely any chance of another

She looked at Nathan as he laughed with Vicki over soe to let a strong, confident h to trust Until now it never occurred to her to want the things Paul had stolen But it couldn’t be thisher up They were mostly civil with each other, but it took more than civility for a relationship to succeed Oron in her now defunct e

Flip-flop went her heart Her stoh her body was telling her it was ready to have fun Had certain parts of her anatootten the pain of the past? It wasn’t wise Or safe But very te this newer version of herself had in common with the last one was that it needed a man who had his oorld sussed and wasn’t afraid to stand up and be counted As long as he didn’t hurt her