Page 42 of Doctor Everything

I closed the office doors shortly after five o’clock. It was still strange to be done with work so early. Back in NYC, I’d still have another four hours before finishing my shift.

Here, life was much more relaxed. I was back at my house before dark, peeling off my scrubs on the way to the bedroom.

Today was a long day by Hannibal’s standards. I saw many patients and was on my feet most of the time. But in the end, it was short compared to the hours I pulled in the city at the hospital.

I wasn’t used to feeling so fulfilled, yet without the exhaustion that had become my norm. My blood still pumped with energy.

I thought I was old, and that's why I couldn’t keep up in the city. Turns out, I was just overworked.

Spending the evening leisurely seemed like a viable option, but inactivity bored me. I needed to do something. Like going out and meeting people.

A particular brown-eyed, freckle-faced brunette popped into my head. Would she be at Busters? The last time we saw each other there was a Friday, and today was a Wednesday.

Or I could go to her house again.

I cringed. That’d be coming on too strong. Plus, the matter of her dad still hung over us.

I tore my eyes away from my button-downs and grabbed a T-shirt. The best option was to stay at home and avoid the temptation to seek out Ava.

Thank goodness, I had something to keep me busy. I planned to install a new deck on the back of the house. No better time than to start than now.

I pulled on some sweatpants and headed downstairs. I searched the fridge for a beer, cracked it open, and headed out back.

The sun was setting and poured golden light over the space. I sucked in the cool, crisp evening air and exhaled.

I’d start working in a moment, but first, I took a few minutes to enjoy Hannibal’s quiet.

Only a few weeks here, and it already felt like home. Work days were long, but granted the peace I'd needed. It aligned with what I'd desired for a long time.

The people were also kinder. Life was much more straightforward. Everything was more colorful and beautiful.

And I was turning into a sentimental man.

I took another swig of my beer before setting it on a table.

While the backyard stretched out, ending at a fence, the patio was short. It limited the outdoor living space. To remedy that, I had purchased fine, sturdy wood.

I’d add a new deck and maybe a firepit. With the image fresh in my head, I grabbed a measuring tape and the length of wood I’d need.

I measured and marked the lumber, then grabbed a saw and started cutting.

My breath heaved, sweat gluing my shirt to my back, but it felt good. I was used to working in an office with no break for physical activities. Today, I welcomed the tightness in my upper arms and abdomen.

Something new for a change.

A doorbell chimed.

I paused, frowning. Was it coming from a neighbor’s house? I doubted it.

Empty land stretched in both directions around my home. It wasn’t possible to hear a thing from the next house.

It rang again.

Someone was at my door. That set me in motion.

My brows pinched. Could it be a medical emergency?

In the days since I’d returned, no one had ever come to my home after work.

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