NURSE THORNE’S NEW ROLE [A White Cap Romance Classic, Book 3] by Tracy Adams

WAS NURSING ONLY A NEW ROLE FOR THIS FORMER ACTRESS?

Cindy Thorne had grown up as a child star. She loved the glare of the footlights, the feel of the stage beneath her feet, the expectation in a darkened, packed theater, the rising clamor of applause. One of her first acting jobs as a young woman took her to a New York hospital researching a role as a nurse—when she met Bruce Elliot, a dedicated young intern determined to become a doctor. Bruce's enthusiasm had been infectious, and had inspired her with a new dream: becoming a nurse, helping to cure the ill, heal the injured and work as a team with the man she loved. So Cindy had abandoned her acting career to stay in the Big Apple and enter medical school.

But to Cindy's shock, her mother, who had gloried in the attention and privileges of vicarious fame, had blown up. In no uncertain terms, she told Cindy she was deluded, that nursing was just a fad, just another role. That it would excite her for a month or two, and then she would grow bored with it and want to return to acting—but by then, she threatened, it would be too late and Hollywood would turn its back on her. At every point, her mother tried to discourage her and goad her into quitting nursing school. ...And after a few months, Cindy wondered of her mother was right. The harsh realities of life and death in a hospital left her heartbroken and despairing, while the exacting work and long hours left her exhausted and worn to the bone. Worse, Cindy rarely saw Bruce, for his hours as an intern were even longer and more demanding than her own, and often left him too tired for romance.

Then her graduating class decided to stage a production of My Fair Lady, and naturally everyone insisted she play the starring role. As rehearsals began, Cindy started to experience once again the excitement and sense of fulfillment she had always felt as an actress. And during the love scenes with Ted Morrow, the intern chosen for the part of Henry Higgins, Cindy found his kisses stirring her in a profound and unexpected way. ...That's when Cindy began to wonder. Had her mother been right? Was nursing her true calling? Was she really in love with Bruce? ...Or were the white cap and uniform only the costume for a part she had decided to play? Were her dedication to helping humanity and her love for Bruce nothing more than a novel new role?