Page 11 of Everything I Need

“Thanks! I’m sure I’ll need you to talk me off the ledge again. I can already feel the anxiousness creeping in about accepting, or offering, this job.” I take in a deep breath as I see the old building come into view.

I stand outside the office, not quite ready or feeling confident enough, but here goes nothing. I smooth down my skirt, my favorite power skirt. I probably don’t need to be so dressed up, but it is making me feel more confident.

I’ve got this. I can do it. Here I go.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but I wasn’t expecting to see Preston sitting there at the front desk. He is so handsome, with his light stubble, and square jawline, even sitting and doing paperwork I can see his muscles ripple underneath the button down he’s wearing. I’m thrown seeing him right away, but I can still do this. I can still pretend he’s just any other small business owner.

He looks so frustrated and starts biting his bottom lip. . . ugh. Maybe I can’t pretend we don’t have a past.

“Hello, Preston, how are you?”

“Oh, hey, Scarlett! I’m so sorry, I guess I let time get away from me. As you can see, it's just me, hence why I need your help and to hire a secretary. Give me one minute!” He focuses back on his paperwork.

I feel awkward just standing here watching him.

“Sure, is there a conference room I can set up in?” I place my bag on the counter, waiting for an answer.

“Um, no, actually, and my office is full of boxes. How about we run over to the diner and I’ll buy us lunch?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll just walk around and get a better idea of your space so we can make some plans” He nods and answers the phone as I head off to explore on my own.

Wow. Not much has changed since Dr. Kramer owned the place. The practice looks almost exactly the same as when I was a kid, and probably since Mom was a kid, just a little more dated. Which, to be fair, it was outdated back when we were kids.

Okay, definitely adding some updates to this plan of mine. A nice clean coat of paint, instead of these mustard walls, with 70’s decor. Not a place I would choose to drive to for a doctor visit. Everything has a dusty, old feel to it, like I’m in my grandma’s basement. I don’t typically do any work to the physical space, but I need this to work for Preston, and for me. The updates to the physical space are necessary.

“Ugh, this needs so much work to make it feel comfortable.” I say to myself.

“I know, I just don’t know where to start.”

Jumping about three feet in the air, “Oh! I didn’t know you were behind me. Sorry.”

There is that sexy half smirk again. He really needs to stop doing that if I’m going to survive this.

“Scarlett, you cannot apologize for telling me what I need to change when I’m literally paying you to tell me what to change.”

“Right. Yes. Okay. Well, let’s go grab lunch and go over some ideas I have. And I promise, I won’t apologize.”

If I thought that half smirk was sexy, it had nothing on his laugh. At that moment I knew I was in bigger trouble than I thought I was by offering to do this job. Despite everything, Preston seems to still be the man I fell for in college. Damn it.

Chapter Seven

Preston

Wepickatablein the corner, hoping we won’t get too much attention from the gossiping lunch crowd. I don’t need Scarlett to hear rumors we are dating just because we had a business meeting and scare her away before I even get a chance. When she offered to work with me this morning all I could think about was that this was the opportunity I’ve been waiting for to get my second chance. And the universe finally dropped the perfect opportunity in my lap. I know the gossip mill will be running double time, I just hope they take the hints with our laptops out.

“Okay, so I heard you say that we need to update the office space. Is that what you’re thinking of as a first step?”

“Yes. We can’t post photos of the office looking how it is now. People will have the same impression I did, and even though it has nothing to do with you as a doctor, the mentality they will take on is that the office is dirty, and you’re old school. Not to mention, if you get new patients, that is their first impression walking in, or even before they walk in.”

“That is not at all what I want people thinking.” I grimace.

Scarlett chuckles, “Right. So, let’s make a plan for this update first. I was thinking you should paint the office and patient rooms, maybe a nice clean crisp gray?”

“Gray?” I ask.

“Gray is pretty trendy right now,” she says “- and it gives off a clean feel.”

“Right. Clean and sterile.” I scoff. That definitely came out more harshly than I wanted. I just can’t stand the sterile environment. I want something welcoming and inviting.

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