Anytime Darlin' Read Online Free Page B

dealing with the fact of it that will probably be the worst.”
    “What about the possibility of a pregnancy? Anything you can do?”
    Mary frowned at the chart as she answered, “Well, from the immature look of her cervix, I’d say pregnancy probably isn’t much of a concern. I suspect that either she’s never menstruated or, because of poor nutrition, started and then stopped at some point. It’s the least of my worries. The antibiotics should cover most STDs. You know, Jake, I really shouldn’t be talking to you about this.”
    Despite his anger at the girl’s condition, Jake actually found himself grinning at that last comment. “Yes, darlin’, you should.”
    Mary was a good friend. Jake picked up her left hand and, with a teasing gesture, kissed her palm. Mary’s smile was wide.
    “Why, oh why, did I dump you, Jake McKenna?” she laughed.
    “Because you found someone way more reliable than me,” he answered with a chuckle. “How’s the baby?” He eyed her bulging belly.
    “Good, good, second trimester’s a lot easier.” Mary’s expression changed. “We need to talk, right now,” she said, “There’s something you need to know, and I think I need to be the one to tell you. But you have to make me a promise.”
    Jake was concerned by the tone of her voice. “What’s that?”
    “Heed the message, but don’t kill the messenger. Let’s go to the medical library. It’ll be empty this time of day.”
* * * *
    Mary used a key from the chain around her neck to unlock the door to the medical library. She’d guessed right—it was empty. She plopped down on the sole couch. Jake sat at the other end and angled his big body toward her. He reached down and grabbed her feet, flipping off her clogs and turning her so her feet rested in his lap. He began massaging her arches.
    “Oh my God, that feels good,” breathed Mary. “Don’t tell Kenneth I let you do this. He might have to hurt you.”
    Jake snorted. “Kenneth? Hurt me? He’s glad someone’s watching out for you since you never watch out for yourself. Why the hell are you still working nights? You should be off your feet and in bed with your husband.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I wish. You’ll be happy to know, I’m only on nights for another month.” She hesitated for a moment. “That’s why we hired Peters.”
    “Great,” Jake said, his voice dry as toast. “If I could, I’d go to days myself.”
    Mary closed her eyes for a moment and let Jake work the kinks out of her tired feet and ankles. He was a good friend. They’d both grown up in the country around plain, hard-working folks. Neither of them was the type to mince words, and neither of them had a lot of patience with whining and stupidity. Mary dreaded telling him what she suspected, but more than that, she hated the thought of him being trapped in a situation that was not of his making. –She’d decided she wouldn’t stand for it.
    Even though she and Jake had dated at one time, he’d become close friends with Kenneth. Jake had been a groomsman at their wedding nine months ago. Jake had introduced them in the first place. Kenneth still had a year to go in his neurosurgery residency, and then he intended to continue to work at the teaching hospital in Denver. Mary planned to stay with emergency medicine, but she hoped to cut down to part-time after the baby was born. And she didn’t want to wait more than three or four years to have a second child.
    Older motherhood, it was an occupational hazard. Doctors spent so much time in school and training that it was rare for any female physician to have a baby before the age of thirty. By then, you could already be getting into fertility problems. Mary felt very lucky. She got pregnant on their honeymoon. So far, other than initial morning sickness and some lingering fatigue, Mary felt wonderful. She sighed as Jake’s hands worked their magic.
    “You falling asleep on me, sweetheart?” Jake’s voice rumbled low, reminding Mary why