Page 27 of The Doctor's Simple Life

God damn. These are the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted.

But I frown despite this. I’m not going to give Sienna the satisfaction of a smile.

I tuck my feet under the chair, half expecting a rat to scamper out or something, and cut into the rest of the pancakes. But no matter how much I might want to keep my face neutral and calm, I can’t help the smile that breaks out as I keep eating.

They’re fluffy and soft, and the syrup is perfectly sweet without being sickly. The fruit on the side of the plate is fresh and juicy, and after last night, I can’t think of anything better than this.

“Damn,” I say, then don’t say anything else as I eat the entire stack way more quickly than I should.

Sienna giggles. “See, I told you. Just because we don’t have Michelin stars out here doesn’t mean we can’t be good, too.”

“I didn’t say that,” I say, jumping on the defense even if I probably have said something like that to her.

“No, but you’ve thought it, haven’t you?” she says as I open my mouth to keep defending myself, but she shakes her head to stop me from speaking. “It’s okay. I know you don’t think much of us. You don’t have to keep it a secret. God knows you haven’t so far.”

Again, I open my mouth and shut it, not quite sure how to respond. It’s true. I have been dismissive of this town, probably too much so. And if you’d asked me three weeks ago if I thought that the food in a town like this could be any good, I would have laughed in your face.

I guess this is why they say travel broadens the mind.

It makes you think about things that you never really considered before. Makes you pay attention in a way that you probably always should have done but never felt like you needed to.

It’s giving me a whole new perspective that I never so much as imagined I could have before.

The waitress comes around again and fills up our coffees. “Good enough for you?” she asks, and I feel a heat rise in my face. Sienna smirks at her. No doubt she’s been gossiping with everyone around town about what an awful person I am. No doubt everyone thinks I’m the worst.

“They’re great,” I say. “Thank you.”

I make eye contact with Sienna, and she gives me a look I can’t decode. It almost feels like another challenge.

“They’re really great, Louisa,” says Sienna. “Tell Cindy thanks from us.”

Louisa grins, and her blond ponytail bobs behind her head. She has dazzling green eyes and white teeth, and for just a fleeting second, I let my eyes run down her body, taking in her not-insignificant bust and long, smooth legs.

And then Sienna looks at me again, and I almost feel ashamed of myself.

Not that we’re on a date or anything, and not that being on a date has ever stopped me from looking at other women before, but somehow it feels wrong to be eyeing up Sienna’s friend while she’s sitting right there.

“Just wave me over if you want more coffee, okay?” says Louisa, grinning again.

“Sure thing,” I say, watching her go. Then I turn my attention back to Sienna. “Thank you for bringing me here.”

She narrows her eyes a fraction, then lets a small smile onto her face. “You’re welcome.”

We don’t say much else as we eat. There isn’t much else to say.

But even when I get home, her comments about what I must think of the town echo around my head. Does she really think that badly of me?

Do I still think that badly of myself, or have I really changed into someone new?

CHAPTER 14

SIENNA

Enjoying a weekend with Reece is the last thing I would have ever expected to do. But despite all my reservations, we’ve been spending a little time together this week and he has, shockingly, been quite decent company.

Company in the office is one thing. But if there’s something I don’t think Reece is, it’s a hiker. That’s exactly why I’ve invited him out to the Silver Forest. It’s a bit of a drive away, but it has some of my absolute favorite hiking trails of all time woven through them.

It’s where I come when I need to escape the world a little. It’s my safe place, and I’m about to let Reece into it.

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