idiot, he pulled his clothes back on, and re-attached his leg.
He should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
“Someone’s too damn cheerful this morning,” Marty groused as Michaela walked into the clinic humming.
How could she not be? Not only had she had the best date (and best sex) of her life, but Caleb had texted her that morning to say he was thinking of her. After he’d dropped her off, despite his reassurances to the contrary, she’d spent a good part of the night worrying about having had sex with him on the first date. Normally she wouldn’t worry so much, but Salem Creek was an awfully small town, and based on her experience so far, had the expected small-town values. And everybody gossiped. The last thing she needed was to be branded as a scarlet woman.
“Not my fault you can never find the right side of the bed in the morning,” she teased.
Marty gave a gruff snort, but she could see him hiding a smile. It was almost impossible not to be fond of the old coot. If nothing else, it was because of him that she’d met Caleb.
And she was in trouble, if she was going to start relating everything in her life to how it connected to Caleb. Calm down, girl. It’s much too soon. It still seemed too good to be true. Not that Michaela was ugly or anything, she supposed she was cute enough, but she always thought the big buff types liked lean, athletic women. Someone who could keep up with them. You didn’t have any problems keeping up with Caleb last night . Her cheeks heated at the memory, and she ducked into her office to hide them.
Before her first client, Dottie stopped by, and when she closed Michaela’s office door behind her, Michaela’s heart skipped a beat.
“Morning,” she said. “Everything okay?”
“Probably so,” Dottie said, and sat down. “I don’t wanna pry into your personal business, but . . . do we need to rearrange some schedules around here? My sister-in-law said she saw you and Caleb Bentley driving around town together last night.”
“We did go out,” Michaela said. “I’m sorry, I should have said something to you first, but—”
Dottie raised her hands to stop her. “Like I said, that’s your personal business. Caleb’s not your client, and we’ll just juggle things a little bit to make sure he never is. Since Marty takes a sick day about once a decade, I reckon we’ll muddle through.” She smiled. “Caleb’s a good man. He deserves a little bit of happiness. For that matter, you do too.”
Michaela was puzzled. Did she come across as sad? “I’m happy,” she protested. “I mean, I was before already.”
“I know. You’re cheerful and bright.” Dottie fixed her with a look. “But I also know there’s no reason for a girl like you to come to a backwater like this unless she’s running from something. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to have you. And I’m glad you’re getting a fresh start. Looks like it’s a good’un.”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise, I was going to come see you about Caleb, but it seemed kind of soon after one date...”
Dottie laughed. “See, you’re already fitting in, ‘yes ma’am’-ing with the best of them.” She patted Michaela on the arm. “I know you would have. I just wanted to save you the trouble, that’s all.” She stood up. “We’ve got some new clients coming in soon, so I’m going to be able to give you a few folks of your own, no more filling in. I’ll have files to you later today.”
“Thanks. For everything.” This day couldn’t possibly get any better, she was sure of it.
Caleb proved her wrong.
She walked out of the clinic at the end of the day to find Caleb leaning against the side of his truck, holding a bouquet of wildflowers.
“I know I probably should have called,” he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek as she took the flowers. “Is it weird that I wanted to surprise you?”
“No. Not at all.” Michaela’s stomach fluttered and swooped and she couldn’t
He should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
“Someone’s too damn cheerful this morning,” Marty groused as Michaela walked into the clinic humming.
How could she not be? Not only had she had the best date (and best sex) of her life, but Caleb had texted her that morning to say he was thinking of her. After he’d dropped her off, despite his reassurances to the contrary, she’d spent a good part of the night worrying about having had sex with him on the first date. Normally she wouldn’t worry so much, but Salem Creek was an awfully small town, and based on her experience so far, had the expected small-town values. And everybody gossiped. The last thing she needed was to be branded as a scarlet woman.
“Not my fault you can never find the right side of the bed in the morning,” she teased.
Marty gave a gruff snort, but she could see him hiding a smile. It was almost impossible not to be fond of the old coot. If nothing else, it was because of him that she’d met Caleb.
And she was in trouble, if she was going to start relating everything in her life to how it connected to Caleb. Calm down, girl. It’s much too soon. It still seemed too good to be true. Not that Michaela was ugly or anything, she supposed she was cute enough, but she always thought the big buff types liked lean, athletic women. Someone who could keep up with them. You didn’t have any problems keeping up with Caleb last night . Her cheeks heated at the memory, and she ducked into her office to hide them.
Before her first client, Dottie stopped by, and when she closed Michaela’s office door behind her, Michaela’s heart skipped a beat.
“Morning,” she said. “Everything okay?”
“Probably so,” Dottie said, and sat down. “I don’t wanna pry into your personal business, but . . . do we need to rearrange some schedules around here? My sister-in-law said she saw you and Caleb Bentley driving around town together last night.”
“We did go out,” Michaela said. “I’m sorry, I should have said something to you first, but—”
Dottie raised her hands to stop her. “Like I said, that’s your personal business. Caleb’s not your client, and we’ll just juggle things a little bit to make sure he never is. Since Marty takes a sick day about once a decade, I reckon we’ll muddle through.” She smiled. “Caleb’s a good man. He deserves a little bit of happiness. For that matter, you do too.”
Michaela was puzzled. Did she come across as sad? “I’m happy,” she protested. “I mean, I was before already.”
“I know. You’re cheerful and bright.” Dottie fixed her with a look. “But I also know there’s no reason for a girl like you to come to a backwater like this unless she’s running from something. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to have you. And I’m glad you’re getting a fresh start. Looks like it’s a good’un.”
“Yes, ma’am. I promise, I was going to come see you about Caleb, but it seemed kind of soon after one date...”
Dottie laughed. “See, you’re already fitting in, ‘yes ma’am’-ing with the best of them.” She patted Michaela on the arm. “I know you would have. I just wanted to save you the trouble, that’s all.” She stood up. “We’ve got some new clients coming in soon, so I’m going to be able to give you a few folks of your own, no more filling in. I’ll have files to you later today.”
“Thanks. For everything.” This day couldn’t possibly get any better, she was sure of it.
Caleb proved her wrong.
She walked out of the clinic at the end of the day to find Caleb leaning against the side of his truck, holding a bouquet of wildflowers.
“I know I probably should have called,” he said, leaning down to kiss her cheek as she took the flowers. “Is it weird that I wanted to surprise you?”
“No. Not at all.” Michaela’s stomach fluttered and swooped and she couldn’t
Similar Books
