The Best Next Thing ((Un)Professionally Yours 1)

Her lips stretched into a grin so wide, it physically hurt. “Oh? Then how do you intend to meet this future wife you spoke of earlier?”

He ignored her question in favor of one of his own, “Are you still seeing any of those guys?”

“Well, I’m moving. So there’s no point really. Lia says she has a few guys she’d like me to meet, but Riversend and surrounds have a much smaller dating pool.”

“So you’re actively seeking men to date right now?”

“I wouldn’t say actively…They’re just kind of being referred to me by everybody else. To be honest, I had no idea there were still so many single guys in my age group. Some of them were younger than my thirty years, but most of them are in their thirties. They’re not even divorced or widowed. Just never been married. That’s interesting, right?”

“Not particularly.” Charity was sure she could hear him gritting his teeth. It sounded painful. Her grin widened. “I mean, I’ve never been married.”

“Why not?”

“Work. And I’ve never met anyone with whom I wanted to spend my life…” She could practically hear the ellipsis in that statement. He had more to add but, of course, he stopped talking abruptly.

“Ever?”

“Are you toying with me, Charity?” The question was cold and curt and startled her. God, she didn’t want him to think this was some kind of game.

“No, Miles. I’m not toying with you.”

“Don’t ask me questions you’re not ready to hear the answers to.”

“Maybe I am ready.”

“Goodnight, Charity.” The words were abrupt. Final.

Her lips quivered and a sob caught in her throat. This hadn’t been a good idea. She had believed that maybe if they could start talking again, they could work their way toward regaining what they had lost. But this just felt like more loss.

“Goodnight, Miles.” The words emerged on a tremulous voice. Her fingers were so tightly clutched around the phone, they actually ached.

“I’ll speak with you again soon.”

He disconnected the call without waiting for a response…Totally oblivious to the fact that he had just thrown her a lifeline and saved her from drowning.

Her eyes flooded, and she carefully set her phone aside to bury her face in her hands as reaction set in.

He was going to speak with her again.

Soon.

Thank God.

This is so strange. The words echoed through Charity’s head as she moved from person to person, mingling, chatting…laughing at silly jokes and making even sillier ones herself.

So damned strange.

It felt as if her life had come full circle. Just five months ago, so many of the people in this room had gathered in her name to say farewell. And now they had all assembled at her brand, spanking new consultation rooms, to celebrate her opening in two days’ time, on Monday.

After passing her clinical competency test a month ago, Charity had wasted no time renting a couple of rooms in the tiny business center on Riversend’s Main Road. The center also housed a tax attorney’s practice, an accountant’s office, the pediatric clinic, a dentist’s surgery, and the vet’s office. And since the building was situated right next to the sports store slash gym, Charity was hoping for a lot of referrals.

Setting up a chiropractic practice was an expensive endeavor, and Charity had taken great joy in using the money from Blaine’s estate to buy state-of-the-art equipment and the most luxurious, tasteful furniture she could find. There was enough left over to provide a financial cushion if the first six months of business proved slow.

Whenever her gaze swept around the tastefully appointed reception area of her chiropractic practice, she felt a surge of nerves and the thrill of achievement. It was surreal how much her life had changed in so short a time.

Her parents, as well as Faith and Stuart, had flown in to celebrate this attainment of one of the many dreams she now had for her future. Since it was summer vacation, Faith, Stuart, and Gracie had arrived a few days earlier to help Charity move into her new home, while she focused on setting up the consultation rooms. It had been a busy few weeks. Made even more frantic because they had to race to get all her professional equipment and tools delivered before the supply companies closed for the Christmas vacation.

The country pretty much shut down for the entire month of December as holidaymakers sought to take advantage of the summer weather and many bank holidays. A lot of companies were closed for business until January. Charity had known trying to set up her practice in the weeks before Christmas would prove difficult, but it had been much more frenetic than she had expected.