Forget it, she ordered herself.
After the competition was over, however long they lasted, Tucker McGee would go back to being entirely out of her league. And that was fine because she had more important life stuff to focus on. Like passing the NCLEX and taking care of her son.
Mind made up, she turned to the next page of questions. “A nurse caring for a client with a platelet count of 60,000 should observe for which initial finding…”
Chapter 7
“We’re going first?” Corinne’s voice rose to a squeak. “How did that happen?”
“Luck of the draw,” Tucker told her.
She wrapped her arms tight around her ribs and paced a small circle in the “backstage” holding area The Babylon was providing for the dancers. Her breathing was too shallow for his taste. Around them, the other competitors talked quietly as event volunteers moved in and out of the room, carr
ying on last minute prep for the show.
“It’s no big deal. Think of it like a pep rally. You ought to be used to being the first to hype people up.”
She stopped pacing and glared at him. “At a pep rally, I had a full squad of other cheerleaders.”
Wanting to put her mind at ease, Tucker crossed over and took her by the shoulders. “Don’t worry. You absolutely nailed this routine in practice.”
“No one was watching in practice.” Her teeth worried at that full bottom lip.
Tucker wanted to kiss it to soothe the hurt. Shaking his mind away from that idea—whenever he did kiss her, it wouldn’t be in front of an audience—he rubbed his hands down her arms in a gesture he hoped was comforting and kept his voice low, for her ears only. “I’ve got this. I’ve got you. Trust me.”
Her head canted to the side, awareness flickering in those pretty, sky blue eyes, along with a hefty dose of confusion and uncertainty. Because they both knew he wasn’t just talking about the dance. And this was so not how he’d planned to approach all this.
“Mommy!”
At the sound of the happy shriek, Corinne turned away from him, her face lighting up like Christmas morning. “Kurt!” She opened her arms and her three foot firecracker flew into them. “Hi baby.”
Kurt pulled back. “Grandma brought me to see you!”
“I see that!” Corinne looked up as her mother approached. “Thanks for bringing my cheering section, Mama.”
Tucker had seen Marianne Dawson around town over the years. In a town the size of Wishful, how could he not? But he hadn’t actually interacted with her since high school. She was an older, harsher version of her daughter.
“Past his bedtime, so we’ll go after you’re through,” she said. Not a word of actual encouragement. Which was pretty consistent with how he remembered her treating Corinne back then. He suspected nothing had changed in that department.
“Well, that works out because we’re up first.”
Tucker recognized the fake it ’til you make it smile Corinne pasted on.
“Hey Tucker!” Kurt lifted his hand and, to Tucker’s surprise, flawlessly executed the complicated fist bump they’d come up with the day they’d played HORSE.
“Good to see you, buddy. We appreciate the support, Mrs. Dawson,” he added.
Marianne looked him up and down. “Well, didn’t you grow up fine? You were such a gangly thing in high school.”
“Hit college and filled out,” he said easily, despite the fact that he recognized a cougar survey when he saw one. Yeah, that’s not creepy at all.
“You look pretty, Mommy.”
The false smile turned real as Corinne looked down at her son. “Thanks, kiddo.”
Kurt’s attention shifted over to him. “You look like that guy in that movie.”
Depending on which movie, that was a pretty dead on assessment, Tucker decided.