Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
I walk them to the door and wave before heading back inside. The desire for a beer has left, and I’m just exhausted. I take my time wandering through the house and turning off the lights before going to bed.
I’m so ready for a new day.
CHAPTER
FIVE
Blakely
“Oh, I love your dress,” the receptionist says as I approach the counter of the Willow River Orthopedics. It’s located in the medical arts building, which is conveniently attached to the hospital. There is a long corridor that connects the two buildings, so I didn’t even have to go outside to come to this meeting. Well, I did, but that was to grab lunch.
“Thank you. I bought the dress for the boots.” I step back and raise my leg just so she can get a better look.
“Love it. Where did you get it, if you don’t mind me asking?” She smiles kindly.
“Oh, Marshall’s in Harris a few weeks ago. It’s one of my favorite places to shop.”
“Nice. I’ll have to check it out. Are you here to meet with Dr. Thompson? Kathy said we should be expecting you.”
“I am.” I nod. I don’t know if it’s my name badge that told her who I was or if she just knew. This is a small town, after all, and the Kincaid name is said a lot. I mean, there are a million of us. Okay, not quite that many, but there are a lot of us. I’m one of twenty-two grandkids in my generation.
She nods. “I’ll buzz you through. I don’t know if he’s in his office or still finishing with his last patient before lunch. Go on back and wait for him in his office.”
Reading her name badge, I say, “Thank you, Sara.” I hold up the bag that I picked up from the local diner in town. “I hope he’s hungry.”
“He’s a grouchy bear today, so maybe that will help.” She snickers.
“Hard to work for?” I ask, knowing that I’m close to overstepping bounds, but as they say, curiosity killed the cat, and I am hella curious about Dr. Thompson. I shouldn’t be questioning his staff, but the words slipped out before I could stop them, and now, I’m definitely sticking around for the answer.
“Oh, no, not really. He’s quiet most of the time. He does have his moody days, but he’s not mean or anything. Just a grump.” She chuckles. “Patients love him. He’s a great doctor.”
I smile. “Good to know. Thank you again.” I move to the door, and after the sound of a buzzer, the lock disengages, and I’m able to step through the door.
The hallway is empty as I make my way to Dr. Thompson’s office. His door is open, but he’s nowhere in sight. His desk is immaculate, so I take the liberty of setting up for our lunch. That way, we can eat and get right down to business. I know from his nurse, Kathy, when I called last week to set this up, that he has a full schedule of patients today. I don’t want to put him behind, so we have a lot to cover in a short amount of time. In fact, I think I’ll start eating so that he can just eat and listen. It’s not as if I expect him to have any kind of input.
I don’t even know why I’m here.
“Yes, you do,” I mutter to myself. I don’t know him well, but there is something in his eyes that tells me there’s more than just a grumpy doctor inside of him. He hates Christmas, and I’m not a psychologist, but something must have happened to cause that reaction. Christmas, hell, all of November and December are the best times of the year. He doesn’t know what he’s missing. Then again, maybe he does. Either way, I’ve, for some unknown reason, decided I’m going to try to give it back to him.
I want him to feel the joy.
I want him to experience the love.
I want him to celebrate the season.
Trust me, I’m fully aware that I have my work cut out for me, but I’m up for the challenge. Sure, I could just piss him off even more, but in my heart, I won’t be able to live with myself until I try. Maybe he just needs someone to try and to keep trying. If that’s the case, I’m his girl. Well, not his girl, but you know what I mean. I’m the woman for the job. There, that’s better, even in my head, that sounds more… professional.
Opening my container of beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, and green beans from Dorothy’s Diner, I dive into my lunch. I scoop up the first bite and moan at how damn good it is. I hear a choking sound and look up to find Dr. Thompson standing like a statue just inside his office, and his eyes are locked on me.