Choosing Happily Ever After - Elena Aitken Page 0,10
He’d done the right thing, breaking up with her. He couldn’t stay and she wouldn’t leave and they both knew it. A relationship couldn’t survive terms like that. It was the only choice for the younger versions of themselves. No matter how much they’d loved each other.
But that was then.
Hope shook her head to clear the voice that was definitely starting to push its limits with her patience and pulled open the door to the Glacier Falls medical clinic and Doctor Friesen’s office. She didn’t really have time to take off in the middle of the day for a doctor appointment, but her exhaustion was getting harder and harder to ignore. And despite her uncertainty about hiring Levi, he was actually working hard and in the few days he’d been working for her, he’d actually proved himself to be quite useful.
It was too bad she was going to have to let him go.
He may be a good worker, and she may completely understand why they had to break up all those years ago but that didn’t make it any easier for him to be around. Whatever attracted them together when they were kids hadn’t lessened over the years. Quite the opposite, really. Having Levi in such close proximity was torture. Especially because there was no way she could risk falling for him again.
“Good morning, Hope.” Sarah, Doctor Friesen’s nurse and receptionist, who also happened to be one of Hope’s oldest friends, greeted her with her usual smile. “It’s a gorgeous day out there, isn’t it? I tell you what, if I wasn’t working for a doctor, I’d be tempted to call in sick and play hooky.” She leaned across the desk as if she were telling Hope a big secret, but then burst into a great big booming laugh. It was well known all over town that both Sarah and Doctor Friesen had maybe less than five sick days combined since they’d started working together almost five years ago. Not only were they incredibly hardworking, but they both somehow seemed completely immune to the illnesses that constantly passed through the clinic doors. Which was a good thing because Sarah was a single mom to a very busy six-year-old girl. The woman definitely didn’t have time to be sick.
“It really is beautiful out there.” Hope replied with a smile of her own when Sarah’s laughter died down. “I hope you get to enjoy it later.”
“You know I will.” Sarah winked dramatically. “Rory has her first soccer practice later, and there’s nothing I like more than standing on the sidelines, cheering.”
Hope had no doubt that was completely true. She’d never met a more devoted mother than Sarah.
“Please tell me you’re not coaching?” Hope wouldn’t be surprised if the answer was yes, because Sarah seemed determined to be both mother and father to her little girl ever since her husband passed away suddenly when Rory was just a baby. Hope couldn’t help but worry about her friend at times, although she seemed happy enough with her life. Sarah worked so hard for everyone else; it would be nice to see her friend take a little time for herself.
“No way.” Sarah held up her hands. “I have my limits,” she said. “And anything physical is definitely it. I’m a fabulous team mom, but there is no way I could get this body to run around a field.”
“I’m sure you’d have no trouble keeping up.”
Sarah laughed again. “I appreciate it, but the last time I had any time for any physical activity, well…I can’t remember when that time was. And all these extra pounds are definitely not compatible with soccer.”
Hope shook her head and wanted to tell her friend she was being ridiculous. It wasn’t the first time Sarah had made negative comments about her body, and nothing she could say while standing in the doctor’s office was likely to make a difference, but she made a mental note to try to get together for a proper catch up soon.
“Besides, Brody Morris volunteered to coach the kids,” Sarah continued. “Isn’t that nice of him? I mean, he doesn’t even have kids. The man should get a medal. He’s so great with them.”
“Brody’s a great guy,” Hope agreed. He was also the chef and owner of the local restaurant Birchwood, and the two of them had worked together on more than one occasion for catering. “He’s pretty hot, too, don’t you think?”
Sarah’s face turned bright red, but her wide smile vanished at the same time. “I