Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105868 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Oh.” May turned and rested back against the counter, crossing her arms. “What’s up?”
“Well…” Ivy swallowed. Actually swallowed. That was new.
May straightened a little. “You okay?”
“I went on another date with Jack Jones last night.”
May didn’t see that romance ending until Jack left town, considering he was already sending flowers. “Oh. Somewhere other than night fishing again?”
“Yeah.” Ivy’s eyes filled with something soft and hopeful. “He’s really nice. He’s in marketing and helping with the campaign. He’s originally from New York,” she added quickly. “Can you believe it?”
“Sure,” May said.
“He just seems so natural out here that it’s hard to believe he’s from a big city.” Ivy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We just went to the movie at the Moosejaw.”
May reached for some lotion to rub into her hands. The cinema was really just a converted community hall with folding seats and a popcorn machine that squealed when it heated up. Still, it was something to do in Knife’s Edge. “I’m glad you had fun.”
“I just thought I should tell you that it was more than just that one fishing night, with me and Jack,” Ivy said.
May turned back toward her. “I figured that, but you don’t have to tell me about your personal life.”
Ivy hesitated. “Yeah, but you’re my friend first and boss second.”
May softened. “You’re my friend, too.” But she wasn’t going to share about her night with Ace. Not yet. The experience had been more explosive and emotional than she’d expected, and it definitely hadn’t felt like a one-night anything. He’d even kissed her in full view of everyone in his truck before dropping her off at the clinic this morning. Not that anyone had been around, but still. He wasn’t subtle.
And she hadn’t protested.
She had kissed him right back.
The memory made her stomach flip in a way that had nothing to do with nerves and everything to do with anticipation. His hand on her jaw. The way he’d looked at her like she mattered. She turned her focus back on Ivy. Later, she’d figure out her love life. “Did you have fun on your date?”
“I did.” Ivy perched on the edge of the exam table. “Okay. I’m going to say it.”
“Say what?”
“You did not get that glow from better sleep,” Ivy noted.
May tried not to blush.
“I’m not asking for details, but something happened.”
May opened her mouth to deny it, then closed it. The truth hovered there between them, warm and alive. She wasn’t embarrassed. She was…shaken. In a good way. In a terrifying way. “Maybe,” she said carefully.
Ivy’s eyes widened. “May.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Of course it is. It’s you.”
May laughed despite herself. Outside, the sun flashed off a passing truck. Somewhere down the street a hammer pounded rhythmically, someone already repairing storm damage. The whole town felt scrubbed clean. “I just don’t know what it means yet.”
Ivy nodded. “Then don’t decide today.”
That was fair. May pushed off the counter and reached for the next chart. “How’s Jack’s ankle, anyway?”
“Good. He iced it off and on, and he’s walking okay with just a slight limp.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Flipping over the top page of the chart, May’s hands were steady. Her mind wasn’t. Ace Osprey had kissed her like he planned to do it again, and the part of her that always calculated risk had gone strangely silent. The morning had been pretty great with him cooking her breakfast, barefoot, jeans on, no shirt. It had been seriously sexy.
“Hey, May?” Ivy grinned, oblivious to the chaos in May’s head. Today she wore jeans with a short-sleeved white sweater, her hair pulled up into a ponytail that bounced when she moved. “Jack wanted me to ask you something.”
May stilled. “That sounds ominous.”
Ivy winced. “I know you dated the senator. It didn’t work out. But Jack thinks it would really help the campaign if you’d do some publicity shots with Kyle. Kyle is really into protecting the Alaskan environment, from the salmon to the air.”
May tried to remember that Ivy was innocent in all of this. Kyle couldn’t care less about the environment or a fish. He just wanted to get reelected.
“I’m just the messenger,” Ivy rushed on. “They don’t have to confirm anything. Just some photos of you two would get social media buzzing. People love a little mystery, and that’s all it would be. Unless there was a bad breakup. Was there?”
May swallowed. The room suddenly felt smaller. “I just left. There wasn’t a scene or a fight.” She crossed her arms. “But he’s not a good guy.”
Ivy blinked. “Jack says he’s great. Fun. Kind with everybody. Generous.” She tilted her head. “Is this just a bad ex-boyfriend thing, or was he really not a good guy?”
May drew in a slow breath. The clinic hummed softly around them. She wasn’t going to lie about this. To anybody. “He really was not a good guy.”