CHAPTER ELEVEN
OLIVIA
I siftedflour into the mixing bowl, breathing in the comforting scent of vanilla and melting butter.Pete's nails clicked against the tile as he circled my feet, his nose twitching at the prospect of a tasty morsel.
“You know the drill, buddy.No cookies for doggos,” I said, unable to resist giving him a quick scratch behind the ears.
As I folded chocolate chips into the dough, my thoughts turned to Carter.God, what a week it had been.I'd walked into his office on Monday expecting a cold, demanding boss—and I wasn't entirely wrong.But as the days passed, I'd seen another side of him.
The way his eyes softened when he thought I wasn't looking.His insistence on getting me that ridiculously expensive ergonomic chair.The genuine concern when he'd found out about my chronic pain.
I spooned dollops of dough onto the baking sheet, remembering how my heart had skipped a beat when Carter offered to let me bring Pete to work.It was such an unexpected gesture of kindness from a man I'd pegged as all business.
“What do you think, Pete?Should we give Carter a chance?”I asked, sliding the cookies into the oven.
Pete cocked his head.“I don't know, Mom.Seems kind of a butthead.”
I laughed, wiping my hands on a dishtowel.“Yeah, I'm not sure either.”
The timer ticked away while I stood, lost in thought.Sure, Carter was frequently irritable and demanding, but there was a depth to him I hadn't expected.A complexity that both intrigued and terrified me.Because the last thing I needed right now was to develop feelings for my boss.Especially not while I was still sorting through the mess Ethan had left behind.
The beep of the oven timer interrupted my spiraling thoughts.As the aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the kitchen, a smile crept over my face.It was too soon to worry about feelings.For now, I had my dog, my cookies, and a job that was slowly helping me remember who I was.
I pulled the tray from the oven, wincing as pain radiated from my lower abdomen.“Damn it,” I muttered, setting the tray on the cooling rack with trembling hands.
Pete padded over, brown eyes full of concern.
“I'm okay, buddy,” I assured him, though the words rang hollow.
I hunched over the counter, taking slow breaths as the pain subsided to a dull throb.Who was I kidding?I wasn't the same Olivia who could spend hours in the kitchen whipping up elaborate treats after a full day spent at the shelter.That Olivia didn't live with constant pain, didn't have to calculate every movement.
My phone buzzed, interrupting my pity party.I fished it out of my pocket, surprised to see Carter's name on the screen.
CARTER
Dr.March can see you Thursday morning next week.9 a.m.Let me know if that works.
I raised my eyebrows, caught off guard by the unexpected follow-through.Part of me had assumed Carter's offer to connect me with his doctor friend was just lip service, a boss's attempt at appearing concerned.But here was proof that he'd actually taken the time to set up an appointment.
My fingers hovered over the screen as I debated how to respond.The prospect of seeing a new doctor was daunting.I'd been down this road before and been met with skeptical looks and unhelpful suggestions.But if Dr.March was Carter's friend, she might be different.
OLIVIA
Thursday at 9 works great.Thank you, Carter.I really appreciate this.
I hit send before I could second-guess myself then set the phone aside.As I turned back to my cooling cookies, I felt a tentative gleam of hope.
The chime of the doorbell startled me.I glanced at Pete, who had perked up at the sound.“Were we expecting company?”
“Hope they brought treats.”He trotted towards the door.I followed, curiosity piqued.When I swung the door open, I was greeted by a chorus of familiar voices.
“Surprise!”Wick, Meghan, and Marco stood on my doorstep, grinning from ear to ear.
“Oh my God!”I laughed.“What are you guys doing here?”
Wick stepped forward, wrapping me in a hug.“We thought you could use some company.And wine.”He held up a bottle of my favorite red.
“Don't forget the cheese,” Meghan added, brandishing a paper bag.“Can't have wine without a proper cheese board.”
