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Gareth knew exactly what he was talking about. “Not really. I’m not going to agree with something that I don’t actually agree with just so I’m not on the same side of the issue as you.”
“I’m still not entirely convinced this is a good idea. Just for the record. But we need someone, and if Janessa is willing to take on the responsibility of letting her go if it doesn’t work out, then I suppose we have nothing to lose. I don’t believe that Janessa would bring someone in that she knows would hurt the clinic.”
Gareth nodded. “Yeah. I do trust her judgment. I just don’t think friendship and business necessarily mix well.”
“Kind of like family and business?” Jay asked with a lift of his dark brows.
Pushing back from the table, Gareth click his pen to make sure the nib was concealed before he slipped it into the pocket of his shirt. “I think we do pretty well, all things considered.”
“I suppose so.” Jay gave him a nod, then headed for the door.
As he thought over the decision they’d just made, Gareth hoped that it turned out well. The responsibility for the clinic weighed heavily on him. Though they all played a role in things, he felt as if any issues that negatively affected the clinic would be his fault. It was why he wasn’t altogether certain about bringing in Janessa’s friend.
The last thing he wanted was for something bad to happen to the clinic on his watch. But in this particular instance, he was probably overreacting.
Gareth returned to his office, his thoughts shifting to the evening ahead. Thursday nights were reserved for the men’s Bible study he was a part of. He and his two best friends co-led it, and it was something he looked forward to each week.
By the time he was ready to leave the clinic and head to his friend’s place for dinner before the Bible study, Janessa and Jay had left already. He locked up, then used his phone to arm the alarm on the building.
As he drove out to Wade’s place, Gareth let go of the day, shutting off doctor mode for a bit. He’d had to learn how to do that, accepting that it was a switch he could flip back on at any point if he needed to. But he needed to be more than just a doctor.
For much of his life, that was what had defined him the most. Medical school and residency had dominated his life. He’d lived and breathed it but coming back to Serenity Point had allowed him to cultivate a life beyond his role in the medical community.
Pulling up outside the cabin, Gareth spotted Jackson’s motorcycle parked alongside Wade’s dirty truck. He was looking forward to spending a bit of time with the two guys before the rest of their men’s group showed up.
The three of them had been friends since kindergarten, and he thanked God every day for their presence in his life. Even when he’d left for college, they’d stayed in close contact, the two of them visiting him in Seattle as often as they could spare the time.
Climbing out of his SUV, he reached his arms up, stretching out the kinks in his back and shoulders. After making sure he had his phone, Gareth jogged up the steps to Wade’s door and walked in without knocking, ready to relax and enjoy the evening.
CHAPTER TWO
Aria was carrying her bag into the motel room when her phone rang. She stumbled through the door, dropping her suitcase onto the threadbare carpet, then fumbled to get her phone out of her pocket. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Janessa’s name on the screen.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Aria!” Janessa’s voice held an edge of excitement, and Aria really, really hoped that meant she had good news for her. “Are you ready to move?”
Aria sank down on the bed, her legs giving way. “I got the job?”
“Yes! How soon can you get here? Do you need to give two weeks’ notice?”
“I think I can work it out so I don’t have to. Vacation days and such,” she said, not wanting to let Janessa know that she wasn’t working at the hospital anymore. “I can be there in a couple of days.”
“That would be wonderful,” Janessa said. “I can’t wait to see you.”
“I’m so thankful for this opportunity.”
“Well, I’m really looking forward to you being here. This is going to be great!”
Aria had come to love Janessa’s enthusiasm when they’d been roommates in nursing school. She’d always been more low key herself, and lately, she’d been borderline depressed. Scratch that. She’d definitely been depressed and more anxious. She hoped that this change was what she needed to get out of the horrible place she’d found herself in.
They talked for a couple more minutes, then Janessa had to go. Aria sat for a moment on the bed, trying to identify the strange feeling inside of her. It took her a couple of minutes to realize what it was.
Hope.
She’d lost all hope when, one after another, the things that had been important in her life were ripped away. And she wasn’t getting any of it back. Her ex-fiancé had moved on. Her mom was never coming back. And she wasn’t sure she’d ever find the confidence to work as a nurse again. All of it was gone.
But this offer from Janessa could bring back some stability to her life. A job that would hopefully not be too stressful. A safe place to live. And being close to the one person she’d always considered her best friend—even though there was much she hadn’t shared with her about the past couple of years.
