Page 89 of Doctor Hot Mess

He gasps, clutching his chest theatrically. “The audacity. You don’t deserve the lavender latte I so graciously ordered for you.”

“Lavender latte?” I lift a brow, amused. “Who even am I to you?”

“You’re the woman who needs a calming influence in her life right now,” he retorts, pushing the mug toward me. “Trust me, you’re welcome.”

I take a sip, and to my surprise, it’s good—floral and soothing, with just the right amount of sweetness. “Okay, fine. I’ll allow it.”

Mason leans back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other in that effortlessly poised way of his. “So, where are we? Hawaii. Have you made a decision, or are you still floundering like a guppy out of water?”

I sigh, swirling the foam in my mug. “I haven’t decided yet, Mason. I change my mind hourly. I was going to tell Jonah last night, but...”

“But?” he prompts, leaning in with obvious curiosity.

“But he was all stressed out about Lila,” I explain. “She has a meeting with the cops today, and it’s weighing on him. It didn’t feel like the right time to drop this on him.”

Mason tilts his head, giving me his signatureyou’re avoiding somethinglook. “Harper, you’ve got until the end of the week, right? You’re cutting it close. The longer you wait, the less time you two will have to talk it out.”

“I know,” I admit, fiddling with the handle of my mug. “I just... I don’t want to add to his stress. He’s got so much on his plate already.”

“Don't give me that shit, Missy. This is all about you not wanting to broach it, end of story,” Mason says, pointed but kind. “Let’s simplify things. Pros and cons, darling. Lay it on me.”

I laugh softly, shaking my head. “You’re really leaning into this whole life coach thing, huh?”

“Someone has to,” he quips, pulling out a tiny notepad and pen from his bag. “Now, let’s begin. Pro number one: Hawaii. I mean, it’s Hawaii. Go.”

“Okay, fine. Pro: beautiful beaches, amazing weather, fresh pineapple,” I list off.

He scribbles furiously. “Yes, yes, and yes. Continue.”

“Pro: The job is exactly what I want. ER work with a focus on trauma care. It’s my dream assignment.”

“Love it,” Mason says, underlining something with dramatic flair. “Next?”

“Higher pay, housing included, no living expenses,” I add. “I’d save so much money.”

“Financial queen,” Mason declares, tapping his pen against the page. “Okay, now for the cons. Let me guess—Jonah?”

I nod, biting my lip. “Yeah. I mean, six months is a long time. And it’s not like I can just hop on a plane for a weekend visit. It’s really far and prohibitively expensive to travel from here to there.”

"Well, with all that money you'd be stockpiling… Just saying."

"Ugh. This is the worst."

Mason looks at me over the rim of his latte. “Does Jonah even know you’re considering this? I'm guessing no, but please tell me you've at least let on you got the offer.”

I shake my head. “Not yet. That’s the other con. I hate that I haven’t told him. I feel guilty, especially since openness is the thing I keep preaching to him.”

Mason jots something down, then looks at me with a smirk. “So, let’s summarize. On one hand, you’ve got professional growth, financial freedom, and paradise. On the other, you’ve got... guilt. Guilt about a conversation you haven’t even had yet.”

I roll my eyes. “You make it sound so simple.”

“Because it is,” he says, sliding the notepad across the table. “Look, Harper, if Jonah cares about you—and I think he does—he’ll support you. If anything, he’d probably be mad if youdidn’ttake the opportunity because of him.”

He makes a good point. At least pragmatically. But matters of the heart aren't so black and white. Mason has a way of cutting through my overthinking and exposing the truth beneath it.

“You’re right. Not a hundred percent, so don't let it go to your head,” I admit quietly. “But I do need to tell him. I just want to find the right time.”

“Fair,” Mason says, lifting his latte in a toast. “But truth be told, darling. There will never be the perfect time. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day. And neither do hunks of burning love like Jonah.”

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