Page 30 of Doctorshipped
“Of course not!” Lexi exclaims.
“I rest my case.”
Shannon looks at me from across the table. “All I’m saying is you can change your mind. Any choice is valid. But clinging to a choice past its expiration date when it’s done serving you? There’s no glory or wisdom in that. If you start to have feelings for someone, it’s okay. You’re allowed to have something more or different than what you imagined for yourself.”
I nod, not wanting to process everything Shannon said in front of all our friends—all our friends who are married or engaged. Of course they believe in pairing up. In each of their cases it’s been the best thing that ever happened to them.
I’m not them.
From the corner of my eye, I watch Grant and Fiona find a table on the other side of the restaurant. They order, and then they chat as if they’re the only people in the room. I try to focus on the details of the conversation my friends are having about Shannon’s wedding, but my attention keeps drifting over to the other side of the restaurant.
“So, we need to buy a guest book and plan favors. Otherwise, we’re on schedule for final fitting of dresses. The vendors have all confirmed.”
I nod even though half of what Shannon’s been saying has gone in one ear and out the other. Grant’s smiling at something Fiona just said, and I don’t think I could look away from the two of them if I wanted to. What is it about a man who smiles so sparingly? Why doesn’t he smile more often? It’s such a smile.
“Earth to Jayme,” Lexi says.
“What? Yes. Okay.”
My friends all laugh.
“What?”
“You just agreed to take Shannon’s garter off right before she and Duke drive off in the Shelby?”
“You guys! That’s not fair. Besides, doesn’t the groom do that?”
“You can’t stop looking at the new doctor,” Shannon says in a careful voice.
“Sorry. I’m here for you. I really am.”
“I know you are.”
“It’s because he’s smiling. He never smiles. It’s like a rare sighting of some endangered species. You have to look or you’ll miss it.”
“Mmmhmmm,” Laura hums while taking a long sip of her soda. “Good thing you aren’t interested.”
“It is. A very good thing. The poor man is like a woman-repellant. He’s the citronella candle of men. Now what were you really asking?”
Everyone laughs at me calling Grant woman-repellant. I laugh too, but when I look over at Grant again, I feel like I just betrayed him in some small way. There’s more to him than his grumpiness. He’s also oddly kind.
“Lexi wanted to know where you were going to be living when Shannon moves into Duke’s,” Em says.
Oh. That.
“I’m still hunting.”
I haven’t exactly started hunting. I started searching, but I got lost down a rabbit trail on YouTube looking up the latest approaches to helping children with dyslexia and never quite got around to apartment shopping.
“You could move in with us,” Em suggests.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t. You’ve got the kids and you just had a baby. I couldn’t move onto the farm with you.”
“But you’d be a great live-in nanny for that darling baby boy,” Laura points out.
Just what I need, one more responsibility in my cobbled life. Grant’s voice faintly sounds in my mind:cobbled life. He doesn’t approve of me. Then again, he did apologize.
“I’ll babysit anytime. You know that. But, I don’t think moving my dog and two cats into your home while your family adjusts to life with a newborn is such a hot idea. Thanks, though.”
