Page 35 of Doctor Frost

I nodded. “I came to work for Dalton Frost a year ago. While to begin with, he was difficult to work with, we soon fell into a routine that worked. Over the course of the year, I got to know him and started helping with his family when his daughter had a hair emergency for a school dance. I found out that Dalton was a widow, and being a girl who’d lost a parent at a young age, I took to his daughter Claire quickly and told her if she needed anything she could always ask me.

“Soon after that, she’d called with a bit of an emergency that only a girl would be comfortable sharing with her mother. While I knew she didn’t have a mother, I figured I’d help her out. Over time, spending time with Dalton and his family, things developed slowly into more. Neither of us planned for that to happen, but I fell in love with him, and while I’m not proud of the fact that it was being broadcast to my fellow employees the way it has,” I said, glancing over to Connie, “I’m not sorry that it happened. You all yourself know you can’t help who you fall in love with.”

Connie rolled her eyes at me as I let out the breath I was holding. The board members then turned toward Dalton.

“Dalton, anything you’d like to add?”

Dalton stood up and smiled at me. Then cleared his throat. “All Amelia said is true. There was never any intent behind her helping me with my children. The claims of the situation are false. We have never, nor would we ever, have any sexual relations during working hours. That was something the pair of us laid out immediately when we started dating. However, the truth is I fell in love with her, and I will accept whatever comes my way from all of this because she is more than worth it.”

He reached over and took my hand in his, softly smiling at me, not caring what the board members thought.

It was then I heard Connie mumble, “Oh boy.”

When I turned to look her way, she was rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. The board members even glanced at her as they spoke amongst themselves before looking to us.

“If you’d like to take a bit of a break while we discuss our decision, you may. We will continue in ten minutes.”

Dalton placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me to the door. Once outside in the hall, he pulled me in for a hug and whispered in my ear that he was proud of me. We both watched as Connie moved down the hall and took a seat far away from us.

Almost twenty minutes later, Rose stepped out of the room and nodded toward us. We both went back in and took our seats. As Connie approached the door, Rose shut it to shield whatever it was she was saying to her and then came in without her. I couldn’t help but look to Dalton with curiosity as to why she wasn’t allowed to return, but the look I got from him told me to calm down a bit until we heard the end.

Rose sat down and then looked at us both. She softly smiled and held out a copy of the employee handbook.

“First, I’d like to start by saying that the committee and I have decided the there was no wrongdoing here at all. You both have been given a copy of this handbook, and I know you have both read it.”

“We have,” Dalton and I said in unison.

“So while there is nothing wrong with dating co-workers here at Eastport, we have a clause that states that there will be no relations allowed between boss and employee. Now, we have gone over everything, and since Amelia, yes, works in your clinic, you are not her direct boss. The head RN is, which is Connie.”

I glanced over to Dalton. The clouds finally seemed to lift.

“Now, we don’t see any issue with what has transpired between the pair of you. What we have an issue with is this complaint and the fact that it seems Connie has been harassing Amelia. Everything in this complaint leads me to believe that she maybe has even been following you around, looking for things.”

I couldn’t believe my ears. Dalton was right, he’d said it first, that the board may see this as just that. I looked over at him, but he kept his eyes forward.

“So, we plan to investigate that after the holidays. So, your new boss, Amelia, will be assigned to you next week until we do this investigation. Now, we need you both to fill out this paperwork, just so we have it on record that you are involved, but we see no reason you both cannot continue to work together in any capacity.”

Dalton stood up, taking my hand in his. I too stood, and we both thanked the entire committee before leaving the room.

We were partway down the hall when Connie came walking toward us, sneering at us both as she passed. I couldn’t help but turn around and watch as Rose waited for her at the door, which was closed once Connie stepped into the room.

I turned to Dalton, relief flooding me as our eyes met. It was over; we weren’t in the wrong, and it looked as if my Christmas wish had come true. Karma had shown its face.

“What do you say we head over to the store, grab some wine and some dinner, and head home to the kids?” Dalton questioned.

“I’d love that,” I whispered as his lips met mine.

Amelia

Christmas Night- 1 year Later

The kids were alreadyin bed.

I sat in the living room, admiring the ring on my hand. After the hearing last year, things moved rather fast for us. I ended up moving in with Dalton and the kids at the beginning of summer and never looked back.

“Think you can tear your eyes away enough to have some wine?” Dalton questioned, holding the glass out in front of me.

I let out a tiny giggle, taking the glass from him.

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