Page 15 of Lovetown, USA

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I just have to prove it.

My hand stings, which makes me think about the doctor.

Dr. Montgomery.

I wonder if I should call the office, then I remind myself there’s nothing actually wrong with me. Nothing he can fix, anyway. I just have to wait it out. Healing occurs on its own schedule.

I know that better than anybody.

He looked so good in that white coat, though. Goodness. So confident. Those broad shoulders. That clean fade. A voice like warm caramel drizzling all over me.

But fuck him. I gave his ass an opening and he didn’t bother to pass Go. Just dismissed me from the office like I was nothing to him.

Whatever.

It’s not like I want to date a sexy, intelligent doctor anyway.

My phone buzzes, and I hope it’s him.

Which, I know, makes zero sense.

Oh.

Great.

It’s Britt.

“Hi, Britt. How are you?” I say with the enthusiasm of a woman who's walking into an exam room to get a pap smear.

“Hey!” she says brightly. “I just finished reading your notes and draft.”

I brace myself.

“I talked to the team. We all love it.”

I sit up. “Really?”

“You sound surprised.”

“I mean…” I trail off, not ready to admit I’ve gone rogue on the theme of the piece.

“You’re capturing the town’s vibe perfectly. It’s quirky and offbeat andveryclickable.”

I nod even though she can’t see me.

Then she clears her throat.

And I brace myself.

“We were thinking…we’d like to make it a series. Weekly. Serialized. Real-time.”

I close my eyes. “You mean like a running column?”

“Exactly. A first-person account. A jaded, almost forty-year-old single woman embedded and dating in America’s most romantic town.”

I stare at the melting ice in my hand like it might have a better idea.

“You want me to date?”

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