The excitement in her voice makes me smile and ignore the fact that this is really not great timing. “That sounds awesome, Mom. I can’t wait to show you around.”
My mother chatters in my ear for another few minutes before I get her off the phone with promises to talk with Phil about switching shifts. When I hang up the phone, Mila looks ready to bolt. But I’m not about to let that happen.
“Sounds like you’re going to be busy this weekend,” she says, her eyes darting everywhere.
“So are you.”
Her head whips around to look at me so quickly I’m surprised she doesn’t get whiplash. “Why me? We don’t have to pretend with your parents.”
“No. I don’t want to lie to them. But I do want them to meet the woman who is responsible for my happiness here.” My palms sweat just saying that, but her answering smile washes over me, warm like the sun.
“I’d like that.”
“Great. Dinner at my house tomorrow? Bring Milo, my dad loves dogs.” When she nods, I mentally pump my fist in the air. Dinner at my house is nothing new, but introducing her to my parents is. I wish I could introduce her as my girlfriend, not just my friend, but all in good time.
“I should go. I need to walk Milo.” But she makes no move to leave.
“How is he doing?” I ask, leaning against the desk. I know I probably have patients waiting, but I’m in no rush to have her go.
“His limp was way better when I took him out at lunch time.” She smiles up at me, and I lie to myself and say the tenderness there is for me, not for her dog. “You’ll have to teach me the massage you did. It really seemed to help.”
The mental picture I have when I put the words Mila and massage together is not one I want to share right now. There’s a knock at the door, and Rosie pokes her head in.
“Sorry to interrupt, Doctor Holt, but your next patient is waiting in exam room two.”
I stand up from the desk. “Thanks Rosie, I’ll be right there.”
Mila heads to the door but I catch her quickly, taking her hand in mine. “Let me walk you out.”
Rosie places her hand on her heart and tips her head at us. “Oh goodness, you two are so sweet together.”
I look at Mila and as I expected, she’s blushing. I squeeze her hand and refrain from saying anything else. Out front it’s a different story. The waiting room is full, and when all eyes turn to us, I see her turn even more pink. Little does she know how fucking sexy I think that is.
I hold the door open for her and as she walks past, I take her chin in my hand and tip her face up to mine. I place a lingering but entirely workplace appropriate kiss on her lips, loving the little gasp she makes when our lips connect.
“See you tomorrow.”
Dinner tonight is going to be special, for more than one reason, I hope. When I approached Phil about trading our shifts for tomorrow, he agreed easily. Then he handed me an envelope, and with a firm handshake told me to take the time to read it over and give him an answer when I’m next in the office. Without him saying it, I know exactly what’s inside. An offer to purchase half of the clinic and officially become his partner. I didn’t expect to receive the offer so soon; it’s only been a few months. But I know deep in my soul that this is the right place for me to be, and I don’t mean just because of my career.
I picked my parents up at the ferry terminal and made the drive to Dogwood Cove, listening to my mom catch me up on all the things that have happened back home — no, not back home. Where they live. Dogwood Cove is home for me now.
When it’s my turn to talk, my mother doesn’t waste any time reading between the lines. “Every single story you’ve told us has this Mila woman in it. Is there something we need to know?” She angles her body to face me from the passenger seat of my car, and my dad groans from the back seat.
“For God’s sake, Anne, give the boy a break. You haven’t seen him in months and you’re already grilling him.”
Mom reaches back to swat at him while I hide my grin.
“I’m not grilling him, I just want to know more about the woman who has put a smile back on my son’s face,” she replies indignantly before looking at me again. “Do we get to meet her?”
“As a matter of fact, you do. She’s coming over for dinner tonight,” I reply. Mom claps her hands in delight and proceeds to badger me for all the details about Mila.
Yep, she’s gonna love her.
An hour later, my parents have fallen in love with Dogwood Cove. When Mom saw the gazebo at the center of town, she freaked out. Apparently it looks just like the gazebo in some show about a mother and daughter that I would have sworn she’s too old to enjoy. Not that I say that to her, of course.
We’re at my house, and I’m pouring a glass of wine for my mom when there’s a knock on my door.
“I’ll get it!” My mother says in a voice that’s a little too high pitched.
