Page 96 of Wild Nights

She lifted her chin. "Are you seeing anyone?"

I gave Tori the smile, the one that melted panties off more women than I could count. "You know I don't kiss and tell."

Tori leveled me with an even look. "You're not seeing anyone seriously?"

I shook my head and looked away. My charm had never worked on Tori, and maybe that was how we’d become such good friends. She wasn't interested in me that way. I felt differently when I was around her, like I could be myself. I didn't have to put on a front. "No desire to. You don't have to worry about the pact; you're with Hugh."

"I don't know."

"You don't know if he's the one?" I wasn't sure why that possibility was attractive to me.

"We work all the time. We don't really spend time together, you know?"

I nodded, even though I didn't know what a doctor's life in the city was like. I could imagine long hours, sleepless nights, and late-night dinners and drinks at trendy restaurants. It might appeal to some people, but I preferred to spend my time outdoors. "Are you having second thoughts about him?"

Tori shrugged and attempted to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm questioning everything lately."

"I thought your dream was to work in a small-town doctor's office?" It was the one thing that had always bothered me about Tori. Why hadn't she come home after her residency? Why had she stayed in the city? When I heard about her surgeon boyfriend, everything clicked into place. Who wouldn't want to marry a doctor? They were rich and successful, so much more than I'd ever be.

"It was, but plans change. Dreams change."

"Right," I said, even though I couldn't relate. I'd always wanted to be in nature. I wouldn't have been happy cooped up in an office.

"Everyone says I'm living my dream life, but it doesn't feel like it. It's all work, and I realize I have an important job. Hugh too. But?—"

"You want more?" I asked, desperate to find the old Tori under the makeup.

Tori pursed her lips. "I'm just tired. I worked a long shift yesterday, then got a late flight here."

"Christmas was last week. You're a little late for the holidays."

"I couldn't get away for Christmas. I try to let the doctors with families spend that time with them."

I couldn't fault her for that. "When do you go back?"

Tori grimaced. "Tomorrow, actually. I'm working."

"A quick trip." But I was positive her parents were happy to see her.

"It was nice to be home though. My parents were thrilled."

I shifted on the couch, trying to ease the tension in my neck. "How are your parents?"

Tori turned so that she was facing me. "Dad's talking about retiring."

"Wow. I can't imagine him not working." But he was getting older. They'd had Tori in their early forties, so that made him in his late sixties now.

"He wants to sell the practice."

"You don't want to take it over?" That had always been her dream. She'd go to school, then come home and take over the practice. I'd given up on hoping it was reality. Instead, she'd stayed in the city and rarely made the long trek home.

"He didn't ask me to. I think he assumes I'll marry Hugh and stay in the city."

"Isn't that the plan?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. I shouldn't care, but hope flared in my chest.

Tori shrugged. "I think so. We talked about getting married eventually. But our jobs are so busy. In the city, people don't get married and have kids as young."

"Is that what you want?" I'd always thought Tori would want kids, a family. Those are the things we'd talk about when we were stuck in a hiding spot for too long. What did we want to do with our lives? Did we want to leave Telluride? Stay? Be close to our families? For me, I wanted to stay, and I always thought Tori would come back. When she didn't, it was a shock, and I wasn't over it yet.

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