Page 22 of A Very Grumpy Doctor

“I thought I would make a roast chicken.Or would you prefer something else?”

“No, chicken sounds good.”

I take a deep breath as I climb behind the wheel and wrap Alexi’s hand in mine.We drive in amicable silence for a few minutes.I make the turn back toward the hospital, then take a left, driving further up the mountain.

Housing in Wolf Valley can be hard to come by.Rental places are few and far between, so I had to buy a house.My only requirements were that it was close to work and didn’t need to be fixed up.That’s how I landed on the modern cabin a few miles from the Wolf Valley Medical Clinic.

Alexi shifts in her seat as I turn onto my street.She looks curious as we pull into my driveway.

“I’ll give you the grand tour,” I tell her as I open her door for her.

She slips her hand into mine before I can reach for her, and my heart kicks against my ribcage at the action.

I unlock the front door and usher her in ahead of me.Her eyes dart around the entryway and living room, taking in the sparse furniture and décor.

“I haven’t quite made this place home,” I admit.

She smiles.“You’ve only lived here for what?A few weeks?”

“Close to two months.”

She nods.“And I’m sure you’ve been busy saving lives and whatnot.”

“That’s true.Come on, I’ll show you the rest of the house.Fair warning, though, it’s just as bare as the living room.”

“Lead the way.”

I lead her upstairs, showing her the bedrooms.

“Guest room, guest room, guest room,” I say, showing her the completely empty bedrooms.

“I love what you did with them,” she teases.

I grin.“What can I say?I have an eye for design.”

She snorts.“Clearly.”

“And this is my room.”I open the door to reveal my bedroom with its king-size bed, two bedside tables, and a dresser.The room still looks bare, and I quickly close the door again, not wanting her to feel rushed or pressured.

“Down this way are the stairs to the kitchen,” I say, waving toward the staircase.

We go back downstairs and into the kitchen.

“And that concludes today’s tour,” I say, pulling out one of the two barstools at the kitchen island for her with a flourish.

Alexi laughs as she sits down.“It was a very enlightening tour, thank you.”

“Can I get you something to drink?”I ask as I pull the chicken out of the fridge to start dinner.

“Just a water, please.”

“Coming right up.”

I grab her a glass of water before preheating the oven.

“I missed you today,” I admit as I prep the ingredients for our meal.

She turns her head away, trying to hide her beaming smile.“I missed you too,” she admits quietly.