Love Therapy (Stanton Falls #2) by Kaci Hart Page A

she was going to
need to get a new personal phone and just use the old one for work.
 Either way, she was going to take the call in the middle of the
supermarket and she guessed she should answer professionally.

 
    “Donna Sherman.”

 
    “Hello Donna.  This
is Nick.”

 
    “Nick?  My boss
Nick?  Is there an emergency?”

 
    She had no idea why he’d
be calling her on a Friday evening unless there was an issue at work.
 There was a hint of concern in her voice.

 
    “Emergency?  No.
 Nothing like that.  I figured you would be off work by now and I…”

 
    She heard his hesitation
and it started to worry her.  She hoped it wasn’t going where she thought
it was.  With her luck, it most definitely was.  She sighed inwardly.

 
    “Hi Donna, I know that
this is really forward of me to take your number off of your business card and
call you when it’s not for counseling services but I didn’t really know of any
other way to get in touch with you.”

 
    “That’s fine.  What
did you need?”

 
    “I know it’s
presumptuous of me and we kind of had a strange encounter the other day in the
office, but I was wondering or at least hoping that you might… like to … let me
take you to dinner sometime?  This time not as a thank you for working for
me, but more as associated with movie or a walk in the park.  I mean if
you aren’t too busy or anything.”

 
    She was right.  He
was asking her out on a date.  When she thought about it, she couldn’t
even remember the last time that she had gone on a date.  Months or maybe
even over a year.  She really didn’t have time for relationships and the
problems that went with them to cloud her life over the past couple of years,
and right then definitely wasn’t the right time.  Things were moving in a
good direction for her and she saw no reason to muddy it up with something as
trivial as a boyfriend.  

 
    “Oh Nick.  I
appreciate the gesture, I really do but…I’m not really in a mindset to date
right now.  I mean, I just moved back to town and am getting myself
together.  I don’t really have the time for it.”

 
    “Yeah, I understand
that, but you gotta eat sometime don’t you?”

 
    Donna looked at the
frozen chicken pot pies and one dollar meals and was momentarily tempted.

 
    “Yes I do have to eat.
 Nick I’m going to be honest with you because you are honestly a really
nice guy from what I have seen.  But let’s be realistic.  We work
together.   I mean you are my boss in a sense.  How would it
look with you taking an employee out to dinner?”

 
    “Not true.  You
work for Dr. Faulkner’s practice.  We employ him and he employs you.”

 
    “You really are trying
aren’t you?”

 
    “I always do, especially
when I find something I find worth putting the effort into.”

 
    “C’mon Nick.  Are
you going to make me be mean to you twice in one week?  I’ll be straight
with you and take it from someone who knows, I’m just not the right girl for
you and even if I were, right now isn’t the right time.”

 
    There was silence on the
phone, almost like he was giving her a moment to reconsider.  After about
three seconds she was almost tempted to do so when he spoke up again.

 
    “Alright.  I’ll respect
your wishes but I hope that if the time ever becomes right, maybe you will give
me a call.  I really would like to take you to dinner one day.  I
think I would have a great time and you might even enjoy yourself too.
 Sorry to bother you on your Friday night though.  I’ll see you in
the office on Monday?”

 
    “Bright and early.”

 
    “Ok Donna…”

 
    “Sorry again, gotta go
Nick, bye.”

 
    Donna hung up the phone
quickly.  She didn’t want to give him a chance to keep going on as it
seemed like he was still hoping she would change her mind.   She wondered if she was just being a little
bit hasty.  When she thought about it objectively,